I’m Still Not Going Back to the Catholic Church: Pope Francis only confirms my decision to leave

TIME ^ | 09/30/2013 | Rod Dreher

[SeekAndFind]

It

[SampleMan]

I doubt that this journo-list ever accepted the teachings of the Church, so why does he talk about going back?

[Vigilanteman]

Dear Rod Dreher:

Don't let the exit door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

Somehow, I think the Catholic Church can survive without you.

[don-o]

I doubt that this journo-list ever accepted the teachings of the Church, so why does he talk about going back?

Right there's what an ignorant comment looks like.

[SeekAndFind]

I don’t think he is wishing for the demise of the Catholic Church.

[steve86]

I’m there only for the teachings of the Church (and salvation, of course), not the current pope, not the current liturgy.

[Rich21IE]

Uh, yea..........I think that pretty much goes without saying after reading the article.

[CaptainK]

I can’t stand this guy. He’s such a windbag.

[Sans-Culotte]

Did anyone read the actual article? He’s basically complaining that the Catholic churches he has attended preach nothing but “God is love” with no emphasis on sin and repentance. He said that the subject of one of the lenten homilies he heard was that “Lent is time in which we should love ourselves more”. Sounds to me like he has much to complain about.

[paterfamilias]

I agree with Mr. Dreher. Many parishes have reduced Catholicism to feel-good drivel.

Too bad Mr. Dreher didn’t attend a Traditional Latin Mass parish. There, he would have found what he needs.

[LibertarianLiz]

I doubt that this journo-list ever accepted the teachings of the Church, so why does he talk about going back?

Rod Dreher is actually a religious person. He was Catholic;and, he made a difficult decision some years ago to leave the Roman Catholic Church and, I believe, he joined the Greek Orthodox Church. He is a believer; but, he seems to have some problems with the direction of the Church. I really, really doubt that Rod Dreher is a "journo-list". His religiosity would make him anathema to the lefty "journo-listers".

He is searching for his place of comfort to worship God and Jesus. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, as one's religious needs are so very personal. But, he is a believer in God and Christ.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I agree. I don’t go to Mass or not go to Mass because of who the Pope is.

[Westbrook]

It’s not just catholicism.

For the most part, the church in this county is dead.

Little more than a social club that meets between one and three times a week.

The rest of the week, nobody stays in touch, nobody helps anybody in need. Oh, some of them might visit the prisons or soup kitchens, but, by and large, the church is dead.

There are a few pockets of genuine church life here and there, but they are far and few between.

[MichaelCorleone]

In all my years, I have never heard a homily during Lent with a ‘love thyself more’ theme. Never.

Since Pope Francis became Pope, I’m hearing more talk and higher volume talk on sin; we are all sinners; this is exactly why we need the saving Grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Following the teaching of the Catholic Church is itself repentance. Being a devout Catholic is not easy, at least not over the long term.

[wideawake]

Thanks, Rod.

I'm glad someone as important as you are was nice enough to announce this to all of us little people, so we wouldn't be ignorant of your epoch-making musings on theology.

Please keep us updated.

[pgkdan]

Gee Rod...that really tears me up but I’m sure I’ll get over it.

[ToastedHead]

My mom does this. She’ll get mad at “the church” for this or that. She’ll say “I’m done.”

It’s always bothered me. What gives her the right to think any of it is about her? Being a Catholic is just as much a part of who I am as being Italian, or Polish, or American, or a girl. I was born that way, and I’ll die that way, regardless of what happens in the short time I am around.

I named my little guy after Pope John Paul, but I love Pope Francis, just I loved Pope Benedict. I wish people would be a little less judgemental and just see him for the simple and loving man he is.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Rod Dreher is a serious Christian I have known for years. Once a convert to Catholicism, now Eastern Orthodox.

I am quite convinced that he was wrong to leave the Catholic Church, but I nevertheless consider him eminently worth listening to.

No one can improve you as much as an unsparing, intelligent critic who loves you.

[Tax-chick]

Sigh. The male Peggy Noonan, bless his earnest heart.

[Alex Murphy]

Was I frustrated because the priests wouldn’t preach God’s judgment instead of God’s mercy? By no means. I was frustrated because they wouldn’t preach God’s judgment at all, which is to say, they preached Christ without the Cross. I knew the depths of the sins from which I was being delivered, and it felt wrong to treat His amazing grace like it was a common courtesy....American Catholicism was not pushing back against the hostile age at all. Rather, it had become a pushover. God is love was not a proclamation that liberated us captives from our sin and despair, but rather a bromide and a platitude that allowed us to believe that, and to behave as if, our lust, greed, malice and so forth – sins that I struggled with every day — weren’t to be despised and cast out, but rather shellacked by a river of treacle. I finally broke....

....There is, of course, no such thing as the perfect church, but in Orthodoxy, which radically resists the moralistic therapeutic deism that characterizes so much American Christianity, I found a soul-healing balance. In my Russian Orthodox country mission parish this past Sunday, the priest preached about love, joy, repentance, and forgiveness – in all its dimensions.

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