[Barnacle]

Tell me of any group with millions of people that doesn't have some goof balls. What you saw was completely off the wall and alien to Catholicism. Those people should be reported to the bishop.

Of course, there are a few bishops out there who are off the wall too. If you are in one of those diocese (they are rare, but they are the ones that make the news papers happy) then you have a real obstacle to orthodox Catholicism.

I hope you will have a chance to experience the real thing soon.

[farmer18th]

Tell me of any group with millions of people that doesn't have some goof balls.

Your point is well taken, and if you read my comments here, you'll see that I believe many of the people we met in the church were sincere believers, whose devotion was to more than just the church; their devotion was to Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the people directly responsible for our catechism, were more devoted to church proceduralism than they were to the gospel. It's a warning any would-be Catholic should at least consider.

NYer is calling you back to THE church, as he puts it. Make sure you find a parish that believes in, and follows, the Bible.