Everyone is converting!

[kamiller42]

[quote name='jasJis' post='967228' date='May 1 2006, 01:20 PM']
LOL. Difficult, but not impossible. Don't forget 12 years of Catholic School!. I know too much and won't lie to myself. [/quote]
Then your school let you down. It's not a first. Even Catholic universities need a crack down.

As a cradle Catholic, I know some, but to me, it's always too little. The minute I believe I know too much is the minute I stop growing in faith.

[quote]People's lives and circumstances are unique and full of trials. It's not wise to paint people with a broad brush.[/quote]
That's good advice. Keep that in mind when thinking about Catholic people who appear to not be following their faith.

[Fides_et_Ratio]

[quote name='jasJis' post='967254' date='May 1 2006, 03:37 PM']
I've got a tough question, and I'm 99% sure I won't get more than 1 or 2 thoughtful answers to it.

If it's okay for a Catholic to leave their parish and join another for spiritual reasons, what happens if the Catholic doesn't see anything better in the next parish, or the next, etc., assuming the Catholic isn't rejecting Christianity? Telling people to stop going to that parish and shop for another is advice that is OFTEN given.
[/quote]
jasJis,

I can honestly understand where you are coming from, as the tension between between "paper" (i.e., what the Church proposes through documents, etc) and "practice" (i.e., the way we live out and experience the Catholic Church right now-- the way priests act, and other laypeople, etc.) was something I used to argue constantly with my former SD. However, just because the people who make up the Church smell of elderberries (for lack of a better term), doesn't mean that the Church isn't true. Sure, their mistakes DO have an effect (a GREAT one... as can be seen by looking around today)... but the Truth is still there and still put forth by the Church, even if no one is following it. All these mistakes and abuses perpetuated by Church members create a sort of fuzzy film around things that makes the Church seem all pale and wishy-washy compared with how it ought to be. But just because we can't see and understand the full reality and beauty of the Catholic Church, doesn't mean it's not there. It is there, it's just harder to see through all the grime.

So where does that leave us? With a great responsibility to live out that Truth as we know it, and to share that Truth with others AND learn to accept that we cannot change other people. We can pray for them, encourage them, and catechize them, but we cannot make them act in the way we want to--even if we know it's best.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='jasJis' post='967015' date='May 1 2006, 11:24 AM']
And some wheat will be choked out by the weeds...

What's better? To live 90% of the 50% of Truth you know?

Or to live 25% of the 100% Truth you know?
[/quote]
NO ONE WARNED ME THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE MATH IN THIS THREAD!

[AngelofJesus]

[quote name='jasJis' post='967254' date='May 1 2006, 11:37 AM']
I've got a tough question, and I'm 99% sure I won't get more than 1 or 2 thoughtful answers to it.

If it's okay for a Catholic to leave their parish and join another for spiritual reasons, what happens if the Catholic doesn't see anything better in the next parish, or the next, etc., assuming the Catholic isn't rejecting Christianity? Telling people to stop going to that parish and shop for another is advice that is OFTEN given.
[/quote]

What are you going to church for? For the people or for you and Christ? I don't think you left the church for just that reason. A catholic with as much knowledge as yourself can easily pick off the errors in that argument. I bet you would even defend the church, unconsiously, if someone came at you with that question.

[Jaime]

[quote name='jasJis' post='967254' date='May 1 2006, 01:37 PM']
I've got a tough question, and I'm 99% sure I won't get more than 1 or 2 thoughtful answers to it.

If it's okay for a Catholic to leave their parish and join another for spiritual reasons, what happens if the Catholic doesn't see anything better in the next parish, or the next, etc., assuming the Catholic isn't rejecting Christianity? Telling people to stop going to that parish and shop for another is advice that is OFTEN given.
[/quote]


So I doubt if you'll consider this to be one of the thoughtful answers but I'll post my answer in the form of a question.

Where is it promised that being a Catholic or part of a Catholic community is supposed to be easy? Seriously because I'm pretty well versed in Catholicism and I don't see it anywhere! If you've not left the Church for disagreements on dogma. (and I haven't seen evidence of it) Then where does it say that being Catholic protects you from human weakness?

[kamiller42]

[quote name='jasJis' post='967254' date='May 1 2006, 01:37 PM']
I've got a tough question, and I'm 99% sure I won't get more than 1 or 2 thoughtful answers to it.[/quote]
You're very good with percentages. You a statistician?

Interesting prediction. It seems to make assumptions about Phatmassers. Is that brush I see? :
[quote]If it's okay for a Catholic to leave their parish and join another for spiritual reasons, what happens if the Catholic doesn't see anything better in the next parish, or the next, etc., assuming the Catholic isn't rejecting Christianity? Telling people to stop going to that parish and shop for another is advice that is OFTEN given.
[/quote]
I see no problem with attending mass in another parish. Even better, helping out.

I guess I see the role of the parish and faith a little different than you. It's not there to hand deliver a deep faith to me. The parish is there as a local faith community, a family. Each member is experiencing their faith in a different way. The church is there to facilitate deepening my faith, like a gym is there to assist the athlete in strengthening his muscles. What I get out of my workout is mostly up to me. (I use a gym metaphor. I feel the same about schools and education.)

[avemaria40]

Here's my two cents about Catholicism and stuff.

I have a lot of Catholic friends at school. Sadly, many of them are nominal Catholics. I even have friends who left the Church because "the Protestant church has better music", etc. I've heard so many complaints, like "Mass is so boring", 'the Church is too strict", "i don't like that I was raised Catholic", etc. But the thing is, if you don't like what's going on at your parish, like the music for example, or that it seems too "cliquey" or that there aren't enough opportunities, that's when you have to step up to the plate and change things. So you think the music is kind of lame? Then, look up sacred Catholic music, talk to your choir/music ministry, and see about getting something done. Not enough service opportunities at your parish? Organize a project to accomplish! I know not everyone leaves the Church because of this but I know people who become disenchanted with the Catholic Church because of what one parish does. If you don't like something, change it. That's the only way things get accomplished

[Norseman82]

Balthazor,

I would ask them why they couldn't find a good compatible Catholic spouse.