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The Collapse of Cultural Catholicism
Standing on My Head ^ | 1/27/11 | Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Posted on 01/28/2011 9:32:34 AM PST by marshmallow

Shery Weddell at the St Catherine of Siena Institute reports that 32% of Americans raised Catholic abandon the identity altogether by their mid twenties. An additional 38% retain the identity but rarely practice their faith. 30% of those who call themselves Catholic attend Mass only once a month. On a given Sunday only about 15.6% of American Catholics attend Mass.

What is the reason for these disastrous statistics? Basically because for the last forty years Catholics themselves have not taught Catholicism to their children. They've taught 'American Catholicism' which is a watered down blend of sentimentalism, political correctness, community activism and utilitarianism. In other words, "Catholicism is about feeling good about yourself, being just to others and trying to change the world." The next generation have drawn the obvious conclusion that you don't need to go to Mass to do all that. You can feel good about yourself much more effectively with a good book from the self help shelf, or by attending a personal development seminar. You can be involved in making the world a better place without going to church.

If only 15% of Catholics go to Mass on a given Sunday, look around and see how many of them are old. Even the 15% who are there won't be there for very long.

The solution is simple: we must return to the supernatural realities of the historic faith and evangelize like the Apostles of old. The big difference is that the Apostles knew their targets were pagans and the pagans knew they weren't Christians. We're dealing with a huge population of Americans (Catholics and Protestants alike) who are pagan but who think they're 'good Christians.' It is very difficult to evangelize people who already think they're fine just as they are. We don't know what we don't know, and the vast majority of poorly catechized, lazy and worldly Catholics aren't aware that there's anything wrong.

What will it take for us to wake up?


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: 376; ec
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To: Judith Anne; Amityschild; Brad's Gramma; Captain Beyond; Cvengr; DvdMom; firebrand; ...
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Evidently said as though

Rabid Clique RC's avoid doing the same sorts of things on Proddy threads--only meaner, more vindictively, more personally harsh and abusive and more relentlessly for the last 10+ years.

Olympic class hypocrisy strikes again!

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41 posted on 01/28/2011 1:21:03 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: CTrent1564; Amityschild; Brad's Gramma; Captain Beyond; Cvengr; DvdMom; firebrand; ...

Which part of

IT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR A CAUCUS DESIGNATION

is difficult to understand?

I’m sure a Proddy could explain it without having to resort to the Vatican AIWSOTARM’s DAFFYNITIONARY.


42 posted on 01/28/2011 1:23:18 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Quix

I cannot think of any response I could make to your multiple insulting posts that the Holy Spirit would regard as a blessing.

Please do not make this personal with multiple pictures to me, and please do not post to me again.


43 posted on 01/28/2011 1:23:56 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

INDEED.


44 posted on 01/28/2011 1:24:02 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Judith Anne
Very good.

Captures the whole irrational.....excuse me........"predestined".......fairy tale in its entirety.

45 posted on 01/28/2011 1:29:41 PM PST by marshmallow ("A country which kills its own children has no future" -Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
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To: marshmallow

I was impressed! Also, I laughed out loud. ;-D


46 posted on 01/28/2011 1:35:13 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: diamond6; Amityschild; Brad's Gramma; Captain Beyond; Cvengr; DvdMom; firebrand; ...
I gather you're not aware of the arrogantly self-righteous, haughty, fiercely hostile, baiting, personally abusive, nose tweaking, stick poking, cat calling, hypocritical outrageousness. . . . of the RC rabid clique types hereon against Proddys for the whole of FR's existence?

It's

!!!!TRADITION!!!!

I thought RC's were

INTO
!!!!TRADITION!!!!

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.

Of course, if ALL the RC's were of a mind to reform and begin behaving like "Christians," perhaps some sensible sea change in posting could be negotiated.

I can certainly appreciate that with the recent posting of the horrible facts in the stats that y'all have a greatly increased motivation to shut the truth up.

And while I'm certain that no Proddy would agree to hiding the truth about Roman Catholocism, it MIGHT be possible to negotiate more civil exchanges.

However, I don't think the RC's could manage the awesome task of policing their own.

I'm not saying that Proddys would jump at any and every infraction. However, it wouldn't take much and the games would be on again. Y'all wouldn't have endless sniping attacks getting endless free passes. Nor would you get away with baiting thread titles and the like. Nor would you get away with outrageous Maryolatry blasphemies.

So I'm skeptical that y'all can even begin to live within such a new standard. However, if you think you can, then, by all means, let the negotiations begin. Some of us have tried repeatedly to achieve such. Some of us are willing to try again.

47 posted on 01/28/2011 1:36:33 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: topcat54

Goodness. Please be seated before reading further to avoid damage from fainting.

Another modern miracle.

I agree with you.


48 posted on 01/28/2011 1:38:07 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Judith Anne

I asked because I wanted to know what he considered the standards to be


49 posted on 01/28/2011 1:39:53 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: Campion
Why should I give up the name of Christian? I don't believe in "another Christ." I don't pray to a "co-redeemer."

Those are hallmarks of a pagan cult. Read your Bible.

50 posted on 01/28/2011 1:41:36 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Judith Anne

I’ve virtually always found the

TRUTH IN LOVE

eventually a blessing

regardless of how initially painful.

It may, however, require a climb down from one’s high horse.


51 posted on 01/28/2011 1:42:44 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Quix

Whatever.


52 posted on 01/28/2011 1:43:12 PM PST by diamond6 (Buy American!!!! Stop supporting China's economy, support the USA!)
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To: RnMomof7
I asked because I wanted to know what he considered the standards to be

As a former Catholic, you should already know.

53 posted on 01/28/2011 1:43:39 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: marshmallow
Captures the whole irrational.....excuse me........"predestined".......fairy tale in its entirety.

Was Jesus predestined?

54 posted on 01/28/2011 1:47:19 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: diamond6; Amityschild; Brad's Gramma; Captain Beyond; Cvengr; DvdMom; firebrand; ...
Whatever.

What a perfect
one word summary of the
Vatican Alice In Wonderland School Of Theology & Reality Mangling

CATECHISM!

THANK YOU!

55 posted on 01/28/2011 1:48:50 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
Those are hallmarks of a pagan cult. Read your Bible.

What is the Catholic meaning of "alter Christus"? What is the Catholic meaning of "co-redemptrix"?

Anyway, we are predestined not to listen to or give any credence to heretics.

56 posted on 01/28/2011 1:49:23 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: Quix

Do not post to me again.


57 posted on 01/28/2011 1:51:07 PM PST by diamond6 (Buy American!!!! Stop supporting China's economy, support the USA!)
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To: RnMomof7
Was Jesus predestined?

Jesus being true God and true man, had free will.

His predestination was not the Calvinist "predestination".

It was the predestination of foreknowledge.

58 posted on 01/28/2011 1:52:16 PM PST by marshmallow ("A country which kills its own children has no future" -Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
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To: Campion

This entire thread should be pulled and we should stop trying to discuss issues of Catholic faith on Free Republic. The truth is that we are not welcome here and support is given to our attackers.


59 posted on 01/28/2011 1:53:14 PM PST by lastchance (Hug your babies.)
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To: Quix

I HAVE ASKED YOU SEVERAL TIMES TO LEAVE ME ALONE. I AM TIRED OF YOUR INNUMERABLE INSULTING POSTS TO ME. I DO NOT CONSIDER YOU ANY SORT OF AUTHORITY. I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY TO YOU.

‘TRUTH’ AND ‘LOVE’ ARE TWO WORDS THAT ARE DIRTIED IN A POST OF YOURS ON A CATHOLIC THREAD.

FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR, LEAVE ME ALONE.


60 posted on 01/28/2011 1:55:02 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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