Posted on 03/12/2008 3:52:30 PM PDT by NYer
For years we have talked about âMass attendanceâ as the criterion to look at when we define someone’s Catholicism. Of late, I have come to the conclusion that a more significant indicator of one’s active participation in our faith is whether or not one accesses the sacrament of confession. What was the sacrament that Protestant Revolt ushered out the door? Confession. What was the first sacrament to fall from radar screen post Vatican II? Confession. Catholic’s coming home to the Church will not be marked best by their return to Mass but by their frequenting of the Sacrament of Confession. And why is this significant? Because when one goes to confession one relinquishes the sin of our society - relativism which says that I am the determiner of good and evil in this work (a la Adam), I am God, and there is no objective truth. There are many Catholics sitting in the pews attending Mass who have not been to confession in years. They receive communion despite their sin and continue to have their faith eroded. I was one who never missed Mass but it wasn’t until I went to confession that my faith began to turn around. On another note, I would bet my life savings that NONE of those priest homosexual/pedophiles were frequent receivers of the Sacrament of Confession, although they said Mass daily for the most part.
That might be a bit of a stretch. The lay leadership, in many cases, are NOT gratified by "growing pains."
I’m not sure, but it’s a big parish. We have four good, faithful priests and two deacons. 3 masses a day during the week and 6 or 7 masses on Sunday.
In our parish church, we’ve got about 7 or 8 pews reserved at the front for RCIA folks who will become Catholics this Easter. Not too shabby!
I will not stoop so low as to intimate you are not being truthful as A.A. Cunningham seemed to do in his request of Ottofire. (See post #12.)
While those Americans who are unaffiliated with any particular religion have seen the greatest growth in numbers as a result of changes in affiliation, Catholicism has experienced the greatest net losses as a result of affiliation changes. While nearly one-in-three Americans (31%) were raised in the Catholic faith, today fewer than one-in-four (24%) describe themselves as Catholic. These losses would have been even more pronounced were it not for the offsetting impact of immigration. The Landscape Survey finds that among the foreign-born adult population, Catholics outnumber Protestants by nearly a two-to-one margin (46% Catholic vs. 24% Protestant); among native-born Americans, on the other hand, Protestants outnumber Catholics by an even larger margin (55% Protestant vs. 21% Catholic). Immigrants are also disproportionately represented among several world religions in the U.S., including Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism.
THE PEW FORUM
One interesting section of the Pew Report:
PORTRAITS - ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION
Now I imagine you'd be willing to provide "truthful" links which debunk the Pew Report?
Thanks Old Reggie. I thought I saw that one on FR, but I might be mistaken.
As for being called a liar, it is hard for ones preconceptions to be questioned, especially preconceptions that HAVE to be right, and it doesn’t matter what you do or say, as long as it is in defense of those preconceptions.
A certain Catholic has called me a liar before, and said worse about my character, and I just take it as a sign of spiritual immaturity. But hey, I am a total jerk sometimes too. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t need a Savior!
No, I think you are wrong. This is not only Hispanic immigrants. We RCIA’d a few years ago, coming in from a non-denom church. Our RCIA was FULL of young people starting out, converts from Protestant churches, all different ages. This is in a middle-income/wealthy area here in Los Angeles. Our class was all white. A friend in our Bible Study, raised Muslim (!), joined about 8 years ago. The churches around here are growing and thriving. As the Pope reins in the excesses of Vat 2 and the Church returns to health, you will see even more of this.
These numbers are impressive to me, huge!! The Holy Spirit is truly at work.
Wow! That’s a big church! Three daily Masses!
>As the Pope reins in the excesses of Vat 2 and the Church returns to health, you will see even more of this.
I know you are suggesting that these excesses are a result of misinterpretation of the infallible teachings, and not Vatican II itself!
Much like the Protestants and Sola Scriptura, the Catholic church has problems interpreting its spiritually inspired revelations as well.
As for being called a liar, it is hard for ones preconceptions to be questioned, especially preconceptions that HAVE to be right, and it doesnt matter what you do or say, as long as it is in defense of those preconceptions.
What I am somewhat amused about is the respondents who say "things are going great guns in my Paris, untold converts and baptisms." Of course no one has ever left the RCC in their Parish. Also, their Parish is representative of the entire country.
Just think how many thousands more will join when McCain is elected.
My husband became a Catholic last Easter. Not quite as large a group as mine, about 40. Again, no Hispanics.
Congrats on your new-found faith. But, why would the classes have many (if any) Hispanic immigrants from South or Central America? Typically, they are already Roman Catholic, so they wouldn't need to go through any classes, true? The lack of Hispanic immigrants in the classes doesn't mean that they aren't (or are) a factor in any increase in membership.
All Roads Lead To Rome (A Southern Baptist's Journey into the Catholic Church)[John David Young]
Allen Hunt, Methodist Minister ...Journeys Home (Catholic, Re: Real Presence)
The Challenges and Graces of Conversion [Chris Findley]
An Open Letter...from Bishop John Lipscomb [Another TEC Bishop Goes Papist]
Unlocking the Convert's Heart [Marcus Grodi]
His Open Arms Welcomed Me [ Paul Thigpen}
Why I'm Catholic (Sola Scriptura leads atheist to Catholic Church)
From Calvinist to Catholic (another powerful conversion story) Rodney Beason
Good-bye To All That (Another Episcopalian gets ready to swim the Tiber)
Bp. Steenson's Letter to his clergy on his conversion to the Catholic Church
Bishop Steensons Statement to the House [of Bishops: Episcopal (TEC) to Catholic]
Bp. Steenson's Letter to his clergy on his conversion to the Catholic Church
Bishop Steenson Will Become a Roman Catholic
Married man considers turn as Catholic priest
Pavarotti returns to the Catholic faith before dying
Searching For Authority (A Methodist minister finds himself surprised by Truth!)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part VI: The Biblical Reality (Al Kresta)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part V: The Catholics and the Pope(Al Kresta)
The Hail Mary of a Protestant (A true story)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part IV: Crucifix and Altar(Al Kresta)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part III: Tradition and Church (Al Kresta)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part II: Doubts (Al Kresta)
Conversion Story - Rusty Tisdale (former Pentecostal)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part I: Darkness(Al Kresta)
Conversion Story - Matt Enloe (former Baptist) [prepare to be amazed!]
THE ORTHODOX REVIVAL IN RUSSIA
Conversion Story - David Finkelstein (former Jew)
Conversion Story - John Weidner (former Evangelical)
12 Reasons I Joined the Catholic Church
Conversion Story - Tom Hunt
The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism: The Converts
John Calvin Made Me Catholic
Journey Home - May 21 - Neil Babcox (former Presbyterian) - A minister encounters Mary
Going Catholic - Six journeys to Rome
My (Imminent) Reception into the Roman Catholic Church
A Convert's Pilgrimage [Christopher Cuddy]
From Pastor to Parishioner: My Love for Christ Led Me Home (to the Catholic Church) [Drake McCalister]
Lutheran professor of philosophy prepares to enter Catholic Church
Patty Bonds (former Baptist and sister of Dr. James White) to appear on The Journey Home - May 7
Pastor and Flock Become Catholics
Why Converts Choose Catholicism
From Calvinist to Catholic
The journey back - Dr. Beckwith explains his reasons for returning to the Catholic Church
Famous Homosexual Italian Author Returned to the Church Before Dying of AIDS
Dr. Francis Beckwith Returns To Full Communion With The Church
laetare (commentary on ordination of married Anglican convert to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles) Father Bill Lowe
Catholic Converts - Stephen K. Ray (former Evangelical)
Catholic Converts - Malcolm Muggeridge
Catholic Converts - Richard John Neuhaus
Catholic Converts - Avery Cardinal Dulles
Catholic Converts - Israel (Eugenio) Zolli - Chief Rabbi of Rome
Catholic Converts - Robert H. Bork , American Jurist (Catholic Caucus)
Catholic Converts - Marcus Grodi
He Was an Evangelical Christian Until He Read Aquinas [Rob Evans]
The Scott Hahn Conversion Story
FORMER PENTECOSTAL RELATES MIRACLE THAT OCCURRED WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD
Interview with Roy Schoeman - A Jewish Convert
Wow — that’s the first time I’ve ever said something here that received a response that contained 60 links. Were all of those links a relevant response to mine, or did you just responded to my post because it the last one this thread? I really don’t feel like looking through 60 links to see if there is anything relevant to the point that I made.
**responded to my post because it the last one this thread?*
I plead guilty. Should have sent it to the poster. My mistake, please forgive me.
I do, however, want people to be aware of the numerous converts to the Catholic Church. This has been going on for quite awhile.
I believed yoou wouldn't respond because I have asked you the purpose of these kind of posts several times and have never received an answer.
Perhaps you perceived me as too confrontational. :)
In any event I see no purpose in posts such as yours. It proves nothing concerning the comings and goings between Catholics, Protestants, et al. If it were a one way street it might be meaningful but we all know such is not the case.
If you have any responsible study which disputes those found in the Pew Study please reference it.
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