Posted on 12/07/2012 9:52:23 AM PST by NKP_Vet
Welcome to Catholics Come Home. We’re here to help you begin or continue your faith journey, so you can find true peace, happiness and purpose in life.
At Catholics Come Home, we are dedicated to presenting the honest truth about even very difficult subjects. We want to share with you the beautiful, historical and miraculous aspects of the Catholic Church. People who have taken the time to explore our site are surprised to find out that there is much more to Catholicism than they ever realized
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicscomehome.org ...
I'm at the point where I love the Sunday Mass, especially if I'm singing. But I love the very quiet, short ones, the "low" Masses on weekdays, too. No singing, but there'a a lot to think about.
“pin my eternal fate, if I have one, to one religion.”
You’re quite right. That question has to come first before any other. I believe that Christ himself built his Church and that he called for unity between himself and his Church and that his followers were called to be one with each other in a visible fashion. Ergo, the questio isn’t ‘pinning your eternal faith on one religion’, but the question is “which one is the closest to the truth”.
“1) “Apostolic Succession - The Church has been in existence since Christ walked the earth, and the Bishop of Rome is in unbroken succession with St. Peter.” - the Greek Orthodox church would disagree with you.”
Then the orthodox must show where the succession is broken. The Catholic church believes that both the Catholic church and the Orthodox church both have valid consecrations and that their present bishops are a part of Apostolic Succession. The division between us and the Orthodox is one of schism, not heresy.
“3) “The stance of the Church on the primary issues of the day, abortion, gay marriage, contraception, male priests.”
“Unfortunately, most parishioners don’t take the teachings seriously, but just go through the ritual motions. My evidence would be the fact that Catholics are a huge voting bloc for the Democratic party.”
Catholics vote about 50/50 for the Republican and the Democrat parties. If one were to exclude California, Catholics vote more Republican than not. I agree that we do have dissenters, but that does not change the fact that the Catholic church does teach that contraception is sinful, that abortion is sinful, that gay marriage is sinful and that the priesthood is to be restricted to men only.
What are your thoughts on contraception?
“4) “The Church heirarchy. Not voting on doctrine. Having an acknowledged head of world wide church. Authority of the magisterium.” - no point in debating this as I know it’s strongly believed by Catholics that Peter was the first Pope. The Greek Orthodox, who also claim to be the people who were the first church, claim that the concept of the “Pope” was not introduced until centuries later. Of course, you will disagree with them and they will disagree with you and both will state their own evidence.”
The foremost Greek patriarchy wasn’t founded until Constantine. Only Antiochene and Alexandrine patriarchs have any claim to similar status with Rome.
“Attention seems to be shared with the Holy Mother, the Saints, and some other things that I don’t understand.”
Are you looking at the actions of the parishioners or at the liturgy itself? I’ll be happy to walk you through any questions you may have. It’s not very clear what is going on to someone who doesn’t have much experience in the Catholic church or in the Liturgy.
Most that leave the Catholic Church were never really in the church and would have a hard time telling you anything about it. They get hoodwinked by a fast talking Jimmy Swaggart type and end up “getting saved”. Protestants and others that leave that faith and became Catholic only do it after careful study of the Church and it’s history and doctrines. It is a thought out decision. You go through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). The leader of the group has to believe you’re ready to become a Catholic or you are told you not ready. Finally no one joins the Catholic Church, they are accepted in the Church, and like I said it’s not an automatic acceptance. It takes a dedicated person to be a Catholic. It’s not for sissies.
Great response! Yes!
Alfred Hitchcock came home too. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323401904578159573738040636.html
I did RCIA for two years. :) Joined Easter of 2005, just before Pope John Paul passed on.
Welcome Home.
What did Chief Seattle, Sitting Bull, and Buffalo Bill Cody have in common with John Wayne? They were all Catholic converts. And there’s a rumor out there that George Washington might have converted to Catholicism on his death bed.
There’s a rumor out there that Abraham Lincoln was gay, too. It seems some can’t help glomming onto dead Presidents in an attempt at proselytising for their group despite all recorded evidence to the contrary.
George Washington established, designed and oversaw construction of his home church at Pohick in Truro Parish. His family had their own pew and he was a vestryman. He also worshipped at Christ Church in Alexandria. Neither of these were Catholic churches.
Catholics have a fine Revolutionary War example in the Carrolls of Carrollton, Maryland. No need to resort to apocryphal accounts of deathbed conversions in order to take pride in playing a role in the founding of this nation.
Woodlawn, 26 February, 1833
Sir,
I received your favor of the 20th instant last evening, and hasten to give you the information, which you desire.
Truro Parish [Episcopal] is the one in which Mount Vernon, Pohick Church [the church where George Washington served as a vestryman], and Woodlawn [the home of Nelly and Lawrence Lewis] are situated. Fairfax Parish is now Alexandria. Before the Federal District was ceded to Congress, Alexandria was in Fairfax County. General Washington had a pew in Pohick Church, and one in Christ Church at Alexandria. He was very instrumental in establishing Pohick Church, and I believe subscribed [supported and contributed to] largely. His pew was near the pulpit. I have a perfect recollection of being there, before his election to the presidency, with him and my grandmother...
He attended the church at Alexandria when the weather and roads permitted a ride of ten miles [a one-way journey of 2-3 hours by horse or carriage]. In New York and Philadelphia he never omitted attendance at church in the morning, unless detained by indisposition [sickness]. The afternoon was spent in his own room at home; the evening with his family, and without company. Sometimes an old and intimate friend called to see us for an hour or two; but visiting and visitors were prohibited for that day [Sunday]. No one in church attended to the services with more reverential respect. My grandmother, who was eminently pious, never deviated from her early habits. She always knelt. The General, as was then the custom, stood during the devotional parts of the service. On communion Sundays, he left the church with me, after the blessing, and returned home, and we sent the carriage back for my grandmother.
It was his custom to retire to his library at nine or ten o’clock where he remained an hour before he went to his chamber. He always rose before the sun and remained in his library until called to breakfast. I never witnessed his private devotions. I never inquired about them. I should have thought it the greatest heresy to doubt his firm belief in Christianity. His life, his writings, prove that he was a Christian. He was not one of those who act or pray, “that they may be seen of men” [Matthew 6:5]. He communed with his God in secret [Matthew 6:6].
My mother [Eleanor Calvert-Lewis] resided two years at Mount Vernon after her marriage [in 1774] with John Parke Custis, the only son of Mrs. Washington. I have heard her say that General Washington always received the sacrament with my grandmother before the revolution. When my aunt, Miss Custis [Martha’s daughter] died suddenly at Mount Vernon, before they could realize the event [before they understood she was dead], he [General Washington] knelt by her and prayed most fervently, most affectingly, for her recovery. Of this I was assured by Judge [Bushrod] Washington’s mother and other witnesses.
He was a silent, thoughtful man. He spoke little generally; never of himself. I never heard him relate a single act of his life during the war. I have often seen him perfectly abstracted, his lips moving, but no sound was perceptible. I have sometimes made him laugh most heartily from sympathy with my joyous and extravagant spirits. I was, probably, one of the last persons on earth to whom he would have addressed serious conversation, particularly when he knew that I had the most perfect model of female excellence [Martha Washington] ever with me as my monitress, who acted the part of a tender and devoted parent, loving me as only a mother can love, and never extenuating [tolerating] or approving in me what she disapproved of others. She never omitted her private devotions, or her public duties; and she and her husband were so perfectly united and happy that he must have been a Christian. She had no doubts, no fears for him. After forty years of devoted affection and uninterrupted happiness, she resigned him without a murmur into the arms of his Savior and his God, with the assured hope of his eternal felicity [happiness in Heaven].
Is it necessary that any one should certify, “General Washington avowed himself to me a believer in Christianity?” As well may we question his patriotism, his heroic, disinterested devotion to his country. His mottos were, “Deeds, not Words”; and, “For God and my Country.”
With sentiments of esteem,
I am, Nelly Custis-Lewis
http://christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-g011.html
Alfred Hitchcock! So cool! I love his work.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.