Absolutely Bishop Barron! I was led astray around age 10-11 back in 2003-2004 because my Catholic teachers couldn’t answer my intellectual questions adequately. I became a militant atheist and spent 15 years studying various religions and philosophies (which I’m grateful for) but thankfully I found Truth in Catholicism and I’m back.
//because my Catholic teachers couldn’t answer my intellectual questions adequately/ What "intellectual questions" were those? //I became a militant atheist// Why did you become "atheist"? And what exactly did you do to consider yourself "militant"? //I found Truth in Catholicism// Like what, and how did you know it was true?
Bishop barron I am thankful for the church. I love music and it is important to my love of the mass. Now there is more adult ed and I need it. I a m 82.and am still learning. I am a cradle catholic. I need mass and the Eucharist. Please keep up the good work. Thank you
I told someone the other day that I was going to mass and they said: I hope the sermon is particularly helpful. I responded: Thats not the reason I go to mass. The centrality of the Eucharist is paramount!
I'm catholic but the meterial is useless if it doesn't correspond with your heart. The meterial is only the symbol of what you should be doing in private. If you don't have the private side with Jesus. The outer part has no value.
@@mirkoboi but faith without action is dead. Will a father gives a snake to His child when the child for a bread? How much more is our Father in heaven who loves us dearly? The first law is very law is very clear. Love God with all your heart, mind and soul. That is the greatest commandment and the second one is love your neighbor as you love yourself? Aren’t church people your neighbors as well? surely, your argument will fall on it’s own. For your worries blinded you to act. To God is mercy, to man is works. But above all, it is God who decides.
@@melvinlaquindanum1747 You didn't understand what I was saying, perhaps my vocabulary was a little difficult to understand. Let me simplify it... If I was to marry someone in the church, Do I say.. YES ...to her because I love her OR do I say say YES to her because I want to feel better about myself. Many christians do things because it makes them feel BETTER, nothing to do with loving Jesus. Why? Because they don't know him. If they did love God they would be a different better person as they would grow in faith.
It is very easy today for us all to say I see god in other places or I feel god in this place or that. The one thing we all forget is yes we do but there is no comparison to church. To receiving the Eucharist. To praying before the tabernacle and alter to going into the house of god and saying I’m letting my guard down. Do your will. Church has no equal. We all need church not as just people but as a community and as a world.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 Ik covid and society today can be a challenge to get to church. It was also a challenge for some people to get to the temple in Jesus day weather they were sick or laws forbid it. We still need to make every effort to go. Just like Jesus said to the leaper after he healed him. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Jesus knew about the wrongs of some people shunning others from church but he still calls us to go cause we are closer to him in ways we can’t fathom there
The Bishop hits the nail on the head when he notes the lack of a sense of guilt & the bland religiosity post V2. Something I noted when I began attending Mass at a Traditional parish were the people waiting in line for confession. That was mostly absent at the Novus Ordo parish I attended. The priest even seemed a bit frustrated that I wanted to confess on a regular, bi-weekly basis. The people in the modern church would mill about & have conversations about sports & the weather, much like a Protestant church. The people in the Traditional parish were joined on their knees, praying the rosary together. One of these experiences left me with the impression of being present in the house of God. The other did not. I'm not here to play the "pick your tribe" game, nor am I attempting to condemn the Church or V2. I can only say where I felt the presence of God & where I decided to keep attending. Voting with my feet, so to speak. As far as the "no one tells me what to do" sentiment goes, wasn't that Lucifer's mantra? Christ said we have to submit, and take his yoke upon us.
Hello friend thanks for your comment. In several other videos Bishop Barron has talked about all the leaders of the church who were nourished by post Vatican II spirituality. For example JP II, Benedict XVI, and Mother Teresa. These were men and women immersed in a deep, Eucharist, post V2 spirituality for many decades after the council. A central part of this is that the mass is the mass if it’s English or Latin.
@@HoMegasTaxiarches I agree, but wonder what that has to do with what I wrote. I'm still a bit of a greenhorn, with fewer than 5 years as a Catholic. So, I try not to generalize about all parishes & the people in them. I can only speak on what I have seen, which isn't much compared to most. I know very little about John Paul II, other than occasionally seeing him on the television news when I was a child. Does noting a lack of spiritual depth in one place mean everyone who attends a Novus Ordo Mass is also lacking? Not at all. If it is necessary for that to be spelled out, consider it done. I possess little knowledge and zero authority, so I wouldn't presume to tell others what to do. If my comment seemed to condemn others, I can only assure you that wasn't the intent.
Something to note as a Filipino. This testimony makes me realize how blessed we are that our Novus Ordo masses still keeps reverence. That despite many parishes having only an hour Mondays to Sats for confession, the ones that are more available always have lines of people trying to get in. I can omly hope we keep the same culture despite secular culture creeping in on our religiosity
A person feels guilt because inside they know right from wrong. Guilt is not a bad thing! It’s awareness you are not living how you know you should be.
Attending church is a cohesive act bonding you to our Lord and Savior and everyone inside the church in unity to worship and thank God for our blessings on earth and for demanding his son Jesus Christ to die and suffer the brutal death of crucifixion to absolve all of humanity from the sins each of us has committed and obtain for us the promise of eternal life with Him forever after our human death.
Be careful with our society's changing norms-- removing guilt from our vocabulary. If I feel good about something, then it must be ok to do. No moral standards anymore. The devil did the same thing in the Garden-- yeh, it is okay to eat the apple. Instead, be steadfast in following the rule of God, not the rule of man.
Morality is objective, but it has three components. The act in question, the intention behind it, and the circumstances surrounding it. This complicates the determining of the morality of an act, but doesn't make it relative.
catechism in schools are missing, i am 81 yrs of age and still believe in the grade school catechism taught by nuns and priests my life journey has brought me to many places but my training in a very young age of discernment the holy spirit has always been with me to show me the way to be so thankful of my Christian up bringing
The Sacraments is my primary reason as Archbishop says. I Thirsted for Holy Communion when Churches were forced to close. I had to pray more than ever in order to feel The Presence. Thank God Churches opened.
Thanks Bishop Barron and Brandon!! Here's another good one in the can. I'm glad to know the Letter book is onine for free. As I was watching your discussion about the Reddit thread, I thought, "How might we evangelize in response to these reasons people are giving for not going to church?" I think that's a helpful ponder for the problem.
I find worshipping in community and participating in celebration of the Eucharist spiritually nourishing. Every time I attend Mass it is like I am renewed even in the smallest of ways. There are times when something of the rituals & practices speak to me in a new way ... I then start to perform them with new meaning
@@thedisintegrador Hi Matej, please consider to meet God so close and present to us in his tabernacle and in His divine sacraments. Go to Him in church to give thanks to Lord God for the beauty of nature that He has given to we earthly creatures to please all our senses.He designed nature’s ways to give us happiness on earth, to help us because we also must suffer with Christ from human sin. I could not so enjoy nature without giving thanks to God in the places where he lives among us.
I go to mass every Sunday,pray the rosary daily,I’m a recovering alcoholic,I need all the help I can get.Many in my family no longer go,they have been traumatized by the faith as have so many others.When the church teaches that God is so Loving and merciful and an eternal torturer in the next sentence many leave the faith because of this.This isn’t true,I know now with compete certainty in my heart that he will save all. (Gods grace helped me with this)I’m very blessed to receive the Eucharist and be part of a great faith community here in Chicago.I pray for my family daily,hoping to make up for them where they are lacking. All the best to everyone!!
Enjoyed this so much, lots of things to learn and understand and to share. God bless the Word on Fire Team, Brandon and Bishop Barron. You all make us proud to be Catholics. God bless you all. Anyone reading this, pls consider to support their new project!
The first word of the Lord's Prayer is "our". The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. We need one another to be encouraged in our faith. We need one another to reprove us when we falter in our walk. Our prayers are strengthened when joined with the prayers of others. As for our praises, how sweet the hymns we sing when we discover the harmony of others singing with us!
The problem with a Church, or any gathering, is friction and disagreement. When two people get together they will never agree on everything. Your faith grows when you don't have to compromise your position in order to keep everyone else happy. Look to Eastern religion and the emphasis on personal enlightenment for part of the answer.
@@jasonh.8754 The problem with church is that it is made up of sinners. That is also its greatest strength. It is the school in which we must learn to forgive even as we must humble ourselves in seeking forgiveness from others. In so doing we learn anew the central message of the faith, in the words of Paul, "This is a true saying ... that Christ died for sinners, of whom I am chief," and in daily seeking Him Who is "the Way, the Truth and the Light," we gain something better than enlightenment, a walk with the living God.
@@terryhemingway6983 , the problem with churches is they think everyone is a sinner, 100% of the time. If you need the solidarity of a congregation to overcome your sins that's fine, but millions of people live a life of very little sin. For them a church is extraneous, they don't need to go to church once or twice a week to beat the sin out of them, they live in harmony with the Universe and have very little need for Godly oversight.
Bishop Barron is spot on here. Yes we live in an age of individualism yet we shouldn't forget that this individualistic approach goes against both God's order of creation and salvation. Technology and consumerism can be found at the heart of this too. At least this individualistic, on demand service of UA-cam itself can help offer an alternative... If people want it.
I am from the UK. I was raised casually around the church of England and after your videos and reading the new testament I am tempted to give my local church a try. I watched a service online though and the drone of the old organ music put me off and the sermon lacked to he same 'fire' we find here with your videos. I'm not sure where this path leads me but thank you for the work you do.
Yes definitely view Bishop Barron's The Mass, It is online and free. Then when we more fully realize what is going on , we rely less on the music and homilies and fall in love with Real Presence of Christ at Mass, He awaits you. Perhaps the organ player is the only one willing to give of his/her time . Or perhaps go a little further and visit other churches. It is well worth it. But wherever mass is, your are joining Christ.
Mass is a gift. We are blessed we have this experience. I love it, I connect with my parents who are passed away and most importantly, our dear Lord. In NYC we have the most magnificent choir and musicians. Top professionals who give in this generous way. Spectacular music fills the environment, heaven on earth. Thank you my dear parish and priests and Bishop Barron.
Unfortunately Covid closed church to everyone for over a year. I miss my choir, the sharing the liturgy and meeting my fellow parishioners. It is the centre of my religious life. Without my church I fee adrift.
Me too. I fought the sentiment of "I don't need to go to church I can pray in nature". No the clergy tell me "you don't need to go to church you can go on UA-cam." Why couldn't we just be give the choice. Those concerned about health could stay home and those willing to risk their life for the sacraments could be free without constraint.
Except that Covid did not close church. Bishops and governments closed church unfortunately, and I worry about how they will navigate their way out of this rabbit hole.
The church capitulated to the Covid narrative entirely. Other faith communities pushed back or ignored enforcement. Unsurprisingly, the UK crown prosecution service has ruled all offences under the Coronavirus Act unlawful. So the faithful could have attended Mass each Sunday. If the Bishops fold on a virus with a higher age mortality than average life expectancy, what chance of holding out against serious totalitarian measures?
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 if covid would be only about your own health then your sentiment would be correct. But if you're infected you endanger those around you. You don't only risk your own life for the sacraments, you risk the lives of people around you. How about that? Is that wafer still so important if you risk the lives not only of your loved ones, but also of all the others you come into contact with?
The main reason for me not going to Church was being around people. I just wanted a relationship with just me and Jesus. But it can’t simply be that way. You have to worship with others.
=Bishop Barron, I have recently begun to listen to some of your videos, because on the day after the election in November, I turned the TV off and had my friend get RoQu for me. I have had enough of media. What I really want you to know is; for, 45 years, I was the wife of a Methodist minister. Afterwards, my husband was in a nursing home for 7 years. After his death, I started going with my daughter and her family to the Holy Catholic Church, and this past Easter Vigil I was baptized Catholic at the age of 85. Oh how glad I have been to have done so. I learned so much at the RCIA classes. So not all people are leaving the Church. I love listening to you and appreciate your use of language both English and foreign. Sorry to be so long but I want to say to you, God bless.
Thank you for this video! I've never left my faith; however, after my oldest brother passed away (I was a teen) my father (custodial parent) stopped attending mass. Many life events took place from that point on that kept me away from Mass attendance, but I never gave up my Catholic faith. Even though I did not return to the Church/Mass until I was an adult. People misunderstand my absence and assume I left my faith; yet my faith is exactly the reason I was confirmed and returned to the Catholic Church as an adult!
Here I stand 20 years (+ ) later.....I DO NOT want surface worshiping....I want the Meat of God’s Word...”Lord, Jesus, Through Thine infant cries when Thou wast born for me in the manger, Through Thy tears when Thou didst die for me on the Cross, Through Thy love as Thou livest for me in the tabernacle, Have mercy on me and save me.” ❤️🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾
Hi Word on Fire. I’m from Mexico. And as a catholic anthropologist, I think stressing guilt and fear hasn’t abandoned catholic teaching in Mexico. I’m 30 years old, and when younger people talk about religion here, the problem of guilt always seems to talked about as one of the reasons people quit the faith or turned to Protestant churches. I have been listening to the Bishop for 3 years now. It has been great.
Yup I agree. In our culture today, we are programmed towards individualism, you choose what you want and when you want it. That runs against both God's order of creation and salvation.
The one thing not discussed here is POLITICS. I have had a very hard time heading back to church since it seemed that the church(es) had decided that they could tell me how to vote. Keep the hell out of politics, stop inserting the church into it, and I’ll go back enthusiastically. I WANT to go back. I really do. But that alone has turned me off more than anything else.
Does it make sense however that if political views directly contradict church teachings then it is part off the duty to teach the magisterium against those political views running counter to say value of the sacredness of human life?
@@peterwolf6648 The problem Peter is that this only gets applied in one direction. Attorney General Bill Barr reinstated the death penalty in the last three years and was given an award as a distinguished Catholic. Reinstating the federal death penalty does not show sanctity for human life. How many videos have we seen of unarmed black brothers and sisters injured or killed in interactions with police in the last few years? And yet politicians that are praised by church leaders actively work to downplay these incidents, with church leaders giving the bare minimum of statements in support of the victims. The church should have come out as strongly in defense of our black brothers and sisters as it does in support of the unborn. Yet there have been painfully few church leaders championing that cause. It should have come out as strongly against family separation as it does against the unborn. Yet no one was publicly denied communion for defending or taking part in the policies. It should come out as strongly against capital punishment as it does in support of the unborn. There is more to being pro-life and more to church teachings than simply opposing abortion. The church would do well to start actually standing for the fullness of the faith instead of tying itself to conservative politics if it wants to be seen as genuine and save the souls of the people it has been driving away by treating them as enemies for their politics.
I'm British and I was 7 when Vatican II came about. I went to Mass because if I didn't it was a mortal sin and I'd go to hell. There was a lot of guilt. I went to Catholic schools and no one that I can remember said anything about the love that God has for each and every one of us. I went away from the church and came back. I didn't understand anything real about my faith till I was about 35. Since then I've been seeking and finding out a lot and have felt the love of God for real. So I think there are a lot of people out there who stopped going to church due to guilt. Praise God for His love and people like you Bishop Barron and WOF team.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 good morning sister peter..you know the reason why... wear your mask....keep your distance..important get your shots.. we are all in this together ..praise God from whom all blessings flow..you see what has happened ro our brothers and sisters in india...also you know how many we have lost in the USA...i will say no more..peace
@@kenneth7826 you know I've dealt with 6 suicides, friends going back to addictions, watching increased homelessness through the harsh winter months, developed extreme panic attacks, have been unable to enter stores since September even for basic needs. The "christians" like you just sit in your ivory towers and throw cheap words at me. And in all of this death and destruction know no one who has even had covid. We are not in this together.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 you must be thinking (if you believe in God) that he has forsaken you, but you should still be thankful because it could be worse (If you take this as an insult, I'm so sorry)
@@James-en1ob no insult perceived. No God has never abandoned me. Of that alone I am sure. The supposed shepherds have. They speak pretty words but move not hair to back them up. Yes things could get worse. But why have we allowed it to go this far already. Imagine if the clergy had said: "the churches will no be closed or limited but those who are concerned are worried about (fill in concern) are exempt from coming. Parishioners are free to choose how they can worship with a peaceful mind. We will not block the sacraments from any who come through our door." Instead they said the secular government is our lord and master in things that pertain to God.
Church is very important. Unfortunately due to medical issues I haven’t been able to physically go to church but I watch Mass on Tv and do belong to a local church.
Hi Bishop, although I probably only go to church a few times a month, I feel better after going. If only I can apply it to my weekly schedule and goals. I know it would help me more along with more faith
It can be hard to see more to our faith. One thing that might be helpful is to spend a few minutes a day reflecting on the gospels. Jesus really portrays God in a new light that is really challenging and exciting at the same time. The Irish Jesuit website "Sacred Space' on your cell phone is easy and they provide a short reflection if you get stuck (as I often do). Don't change anything you do but just meet this crazy guy Jesus in your private space. Peace and Love,
About the ones who stopped going to Church at age 10, I think that the lack of a good model of faith, the secular focus of public education, and then inadequate fostering the community at Church are the most basic reasons.
I agree regarding the secular influence. Younger generations become hardened to accepting spirituality. Even if we can give answers, they don't have any interest in hearing them... It's perhaps a type of group think whereby the need to belong in the group is more important than listening to input that may steer you outside your group and thereby create fear of exclusion and loneliness.
@@tomjacobs2990 This is a strong influence on the youth. Young adults who mature beyond the need to belong, develop independence and later interdependence. Unfortunately, many people become stuck in adolescence and fail to make the transition to maturity and remain dependent on their group which will eventually dissolve leaving them to replace it with virtual associations in order to avoid becoming mature and self reliant.
Yes, the church I broken, so am I, so are you. But if you don’t believe in the institution of the church, in fact, you don’t believe in yourself; mankind. As long as you keep on neglecting the church, don’t complain of its brokenness. Let instead God work through you.
the sin of generalization is so common, not only on Catholics. Imagine if early Christians would have abandoned Jesus because of Judas, or abandoned the apostles because of the errors there have always been. We tend to act as if we were perfect and don't accept failure from those that we consider our religious leaders, but the fact is that if we were in their place we'd probably do even worse. There's a protestant mentality that has penetrated the Church, where we think we're sinless and deserving of immaculate leaders.
Forgive me for being selfish...LET IT BE KNOWN...For the FIRST TIME That I Experience The Eucharist ...““Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”” Luke 15:10 RSV-CI AMEN AMEN AMEN 🙏🏾 🙏🏾🙏🏾
In my opinion there are 2 things Catholic parishes need to do better and they both intertwine together. 1. Explain the Mass better. I have gone to Mass my whole life, 27, and it wasn't until this year, when I read Scott Hahn's book Resons to Believe, that I finally learned how filled with scripture our Catholic mass really is. Which brings me to my second point. 2. Focus on scripture. Vatican II called for a renewal of the study of scripture: "the study of the sacred page is,... the soul of sacred theology."~Dei Verbum 24. I think Vatican II was spot on with this. From my experience nothing makes individuals more happy and confident in the faith than learning arguments for the faith from scrpiture, and learning arguments for the validation of scripture. This is, in my opinion, what homilies in our parishes should focus on. I would also reckon that anyone in church would rather listen to a rigourous, vibrant 20 mintue homily on these topics that inspires confidence in the faith every Sunday, than a willynilly 5 minute some nice words homily just so we can leave quicker. This in turn would help accomplish 2 Vatican II missions. First it would help accomplish the mission of Vatican II on studying the sacred page. And second, it would help with another mission of Vatican II, namely, because the laity would be more confident with regards to the faith, the laity would be more likely to go and sanctify the world. Remember Bishop Barron, it is you who always says not to dumb down the faith, (well unfortunatley we have a lot of dumb homolies) and it was you who said that the "new" athiests argued people into athiesm. We need to give the laity better tools to defend against this. This is why in the survey so many Americans said that their favourite part of going to church is the homily, because this is where they gain confidence in their faith. And to be honest with you, it is for this reason that I am absolutely not surprised that many baptized Catholics attend evangelical services instead of the Mass. Also Bishop Barron, I remember in your conversation with William Lane Craig 3 years ago he said that the evangelical base is keeping its number of people. I am convinced that it has to do with this topic. And God bless you.
I learned about the meaning of the Mass as an adult although a Catholic from birth. I went to Mass because I was taken by my parents or nuns and then because of sin if I didn't. Your presentation on the Mass should be required in Catholic school education and presented to the congregation in every church. It has been a few years since I experienced the presentation so would see it again.
As a young adult convert to Catholicism, I am saddened by how 'Cradle Catholics' of our generation holds false understandings about the Catholic teachings and leaves and attacks on the church as a result. Indeed, the meaning of Mass and God's love and forgiveness should be felt, not taught just on textbooks or school requirements. The young practicing Catholics in the West are falling out.
Bishop Barron and Brandon: Thank you. I CHOOSE to have FAITH (A number of times, when comfronting death [brother, mother, other] I decided whether my glass is going to be half full or half empty, AND I never feel alone).love In addition, as Bishop Barron likely already knows, the latest science (AI reseach) points to your subconscious (in neurons) is being reinforced, about God, and other. As pointed-out the most important thing is having God in you in the Sacrament of Communion. I WANT to go to church.
I cringe at the talking points I hear from family and friends when it concerns the scandal many priest have been involved in. The need to attend mass has nothing to do with those who have fallen.
The reference to guilt at the 12:41 mark: Surprisingly both B Barron and Adam aren’t sure what would be causing the guilt. Perhaps one reason is the Church’s emphasis that going to mass every week is obligatory and to miss Mass is a sin that needs to be taken to the confessional/reconciliation. When I go to Mass I feel guilty for having missed previous Mass obligations so I stop going to Mass to avoid thinking about how guilty I am for missing Mass. So perhaps it goes back to the sacrament of reconciliation, what forgiveness is and how to accept forgiveness and continue to strive for holiness.
It seems clear to me that the poll discussed at the beginning referred to membership in a particular local congregation, like St Miscellaneous's or First Baptist of My Town. A Catholic could even attend regularly at hospital or mall chapels or whatever parish seems good this week and not be a member of a particular one. That easily explains the gap between the "nones" and what the poll measured. Many people (for now) still identify as Catholic without attending Mass, except at special occasions. And I would think this is even less dissonant for other Christians and other religions that can be done for the most part without attending services (private Bible study, keeping Kosher, praying toward Mecca 5(?) times a day. ).
Understand: Going to church for the Eucharist is a strictly Cath/Orth thing (maybe Anglican? Possibly Lutheran?) Otherwise (in my limited experience,) Protestant services have almost no ritual. The service is pretty much just singing & sermon. Communion? When I returned to Christianity from atheism, the Methodist Church my wife brought me to did communion once a month. Almost as an afterthought.
The Catholic Church is the only Church (include some Orthodox, but not Lutheran, C o E etc i.e. except those in union with Rome) which brings Jesus to you in the Eucharist. The sex scandals' are NOT always truthful as in the case of Cardinal Pell, one of the top Admin people in the Vatican; but was "raged" at through the media; really blaspheming against Jesus and the Church. REALLY the Mass is about our relationship with Jesus as He come to us. A bit like a good mate asking us to come around for a beer or coffee EACH DAY: would we just keep saying NO? One of the big problems are those created by those organisations who just want to cause the downfall of the Church. That is the mission of Masonry.
I agree about the Eucharist, but ... but .... but ... a RARE great homily sure helps a lot ... touches us ... inspires us .... and anyone can give one if properly trained i believe.
A nun teacher by the name of Sister Mary Annata liked to remind us students in class that no man is an island. Another way of putting that for sure is that none of us are like angels.
I think the sexual scandal in the church was blown up alot by a press which is also anti church to some degree. It admittedly is a most terrible thing, it is a terrible blot on the church. But those mistakes cannot make us ignore so much good that the institution brings.
Yeh, when we are in some remote, dusty corner of the earth taking care of the injured and the sick, I 'love' to see journalists fly in with their helicopters to get a good story and some pictures of starving children and then wing off before dinner so they can go to their favorite restaurant.
The fact is Catholic and all Christians need spiritual guidance. Sundays where homilies are superficial and not providing direction and help during these evil times is one reason why we are loosing members. I am Catholic but I was in a location where attending mass was very hard so I attended an evangelical church where prayer, worship and preaching was so alive. I connected with a church where fellow Christians prayers were felt. I have returned to Mass now that i have left that area and am disappointed in the church homilys. I stay because of the Holy Eucharist. I will not turn my back on Jesus so attend because that is what I believe. He is there. We as Christians need support and guidance.
A strength of the Catholic Church is the strong intellectual/ philosophical base and the many methods of piety that are available. Our community life; however, has been sorely missing a spiritual dimension including discipleship within the laity. The life that Christ calls us to is really quite radical and it takes time and discussion within a community of believers to process and internalize this. Religious communities have recognized this for centuries but this understanding has not translated to the wider church communities of our local parishes. There have been attempts at specialized groups within parishes or across a number of parishes, but formation needs to be 'normalized' within our wider church communities.
I feel like he could’ve elaborated more on guilt. I feel like a lot of people have Catholic guilt. And I also feel like purity culture gave a false sense of chastity which pushes people away
Bishop Barron, quite a few of my ex-Catholic now Protestant friends said they left the Church because they didn't leave Mass with a positive feeling. I guess that guitars and waving hands in the air gave them a more divine feeling. How would you respond to that? My response was that perhaps they didn't internalize what was happening at Mass.
I really didn’t get the answer as to why attend church. People who regularly attend mass are saying in comments things pertaining to why they go or what they say to others on why they go which is the Eucharist, not the sermon. Bishop Barron expresses his thoughts on what the surveyed people said. That’s been my problem all these years since I was going to Catholic Church regularly, and why I stopped going…. I wasn’t being fed the roots of it all to make me KNOW why I should attend.
I pray, for Wisdom of heart in being able understand the readings, the homily and best and being in grace to receive the bread of Life which has helped me carry me through the week until I am able to go again. I have hungered for receiving our Lord in Holy Eucharist and prayed that the Church would not be completely closed down. Reading the Holy Bible the word of God more has helped me so much. I even love praying the rosary. 🙏 thank you for your witness. I am a cradle Catholic.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 That is not happening everywhere. And have faith that Christ can and will draw back His sheep who have been mishandled. Do you not believe His words to St.Peter?
@@LostArchivistunited in faith my friend. I am having a crisis of religion but not faith. God has shown me multiple times he is always with me throughout my life. For me the Catholic church today has become the fat cow of bashan. Her actions show no faith in the sacraments, no strength to do what is just and uplift the weak and marginalized; all corporal works of mercy have ceased for a year now and the buildings locked or regulated to 30 people. I feel like I am in mourning.
@@jesseholthaus8357 Canada. We have closed or severely limited (>50) for over a year. Easter triduum and Christmas services missed. Imagine if the bishops would have said those who fear for their health are dispensed and may stay home but we will not turn away any who seek spiritual strength and comfort. But no the only shepherds willing to make a stand are protestant. Pathetic.
I'm not religious, but I'm willing to be part of the Catholic church if the church is willing to teach true catholicism, what is catholicism. I think that most people have left the church for that reason, lack of knowledge. I want to learn.
We all walk in different levels in the same path but what is needed is the Holy Spirit, to be Consecration to Blessed Mother and for people in church to be genuinely kind and real- Loving.
One reason for a precipitice drop recently was covid guidelines, which haven't yet been totally lifted here. That broke the momentum for some people and Livestream became the answer.
I expect the number only to grow since nearly every church shut the doors on the faithful and denied them the sacraments. There is a symbolism in that action of "shutting the doors and denying sacraments" that is going to have a long effect. And asking the laity to come back is going to require more than just telling them how important the Eucharist is. You have to show them how important it is and I don't think you'll be given that opportunity for another hundred or so years. Government ranked the church as non-essential, ranking it below Home Depot and Walmart and the church agreed with that ranking. There is an interesting scene in "The Return of the King" where the armies of Mordor are about to smash open the doors of Minas Tirith. Denethor screams from on high that everyone should flee for their lives that the end is nigh. To which the soldiers rightfully become afraid and begin to cower and break ranks since the Steward of Gondor abandon them. Gandalf arrives on the scene and rallies the soldiers, encourages them, and inspires the will to fight even against seemingly insurmountable odds at the hell about to be unleashed upon them. This last 60 weeks the church decided to act like Denethor when they should have acted like Gandalf. If there is no strength in the church to be courageous in the face of hell merely knocking at the door, what can we honestly expect of the church when hell comes crashing through the door?
Honestly, there is truth about the guilt in some occasion where people can hear from the pulpit, the people and confessors use the guilt. I acknowledge the people about their feelings and thoughts about it because it is their opinion and feelings. I respect them as a human being who has perspective, thoughts and feelings. Our church is divided and we also have to be honest about this.
Yes. This is the problem if we understand it as a burden. In fact love leads to attending more than just on Sundays. Once we understand more, our hearts and minds want more. Sunday attendance was just a beginning of understanding for me. Like when you start dancing lessons and learn the first dance. Yes you can dance at the dancing ball, but there is where to continue. And this is a very, very narrowed picture.
If we wished to be schooled and formed, then the Church is the right space/place: Christ taught, the Church teaches, the bishops (hey hey like you) teach... yup. The Church is a School.
Great! I encourage you to reach out to a local parish. Maybe, by appointment, they can offer the Sacraments to you sooner than the doors are open for Masses. Sorry to hear you still can't go to Mass! It's ridiculous to me.
Don't be sad, this is bound to happen sooner or later, many Cafeteria Catholics have infiltrated the Church and they need to rediscover the faith or leave as Pope Benedict XVI predicted, the Church will become small but it will be more faithful and fruitful we still have people converting because they see the truth of Catholicism
Yes. Church, is very important. A healthy Church is a continuous working progression of faith and good works. Thanks Jesus. Praise and glory to God. God Bless. Jesus Christ, is the name of God. He lives. Praise and Bless God's holy name.
Raised Catholic I left the church when life's problems overwhelmed me and my faith was weak. After MANY years I gradually returned to the Lord through prayer, gospel, non denominational church. But as I was thinking of joining the non denominational church God nudged me back to Catholicism. I began attending mass. Soon after I realized through the grace of God that the Catholic church was where He wanted me to be. I went to confession and was welcomed back. My first communion after that and everyone since made my heart leap for joy! I now attend mass and receive Jesus daily. Pray the rosary daily, attend adoration twice a week, try to confess my sins to a priest weekly, read the bible every day and cannot get enough of the Lord. I was lost but now I'm found. Praise God! And may he ever be at my side!
It's so interesting that people seem to be leaving the church for intellectual reasons, since I was raised completely without religion in a very science-centric family, but have recently been drawn to the Catholic religion for many reasons but particularly for intellectual reasons. My personal experience reassures me that there's hope. I believe the decline stems from a combination of churches' inability or refusal to answer intellectual questions and a simple failure of curiosity about religion on the part of young people. Not that we are less curious than people have historically been, but our attention is pulled in so many other directions. If someone doesn't give you a compelling reason to believe this pretty outlandish stuff, you're probably not gonna be curious enough to research it on your own. I've met many, many intelligent, well-educated people who know next to nothing about religion as it actually is. Because they think it's totally lacking in substance, they'd rather spend their time researching something "real," viz. something tangible. I guess my personal trajectory led me in an intellectual direction that intersected with questions of religion, so I came to discover this stuff on my own, rather than through a church. My background is in evolutionary biology and biochemical evolution. And my childhood happened in the context of basically a materialistic, deterministic worldview. Nobody impressed on me anything about religion. I had to figure it out for myself. My earliest intellectual exposure to religion was basically in the form of the american protestantism you'd see on TV during the bush administration. And I guess my prejudices about "evangelical christians" and creationists colored the way I viewed religion generally. So I indulged in what I'm gonna call "anti-religious intellectual entertainment," basically media produced by the likes of richard dawkins, sam harris, etc. I still find these people very intelligent and insightful and probably useful to civilization, by the way. But the past couple years I have found myself increasingly drawn into the drama of the Bible. I have been studying evolutionary anthropology (it's sort of become my primary research interest) and I got sucked into a fascination with ancient civilizations. And nothing really captivated me more than the Hebrews. So it started with a decision to read Robert Alter's Hebrew Bible translation. I could say many things about how I came to believe that it was, at root, not simply manmade literature. I couldn't really rationalize it in my worldview, and I still have difficulties explaining why all this theological drama seems to have started 3,000 years ago, despite the planet existing for more than 4 billion years before that and the universe for over 14 billion. I don't understand why any of this happened, it seems odd and unlikely from my tiny human perspective, but the text of the Hebrew Bible is utterly alien, as if spoken by an ineffable mind - and yet simultaneously, poetically speaks to something deep in the human mind. It might be harder to see that with just an English translation. The language of the Hebrew Bible is very strange, since it doesn't correspond to vernacular Hebrew of the time. The style and vocabularly are utterly unlike that of any humans who have ever existed. Some textual critics say that's because it's trying to sound "archaic," but they don't have any examples of actual archaic texts where people spoke or wrote like that. It's not mimicking old texts, it's a completely foreign literary style. Moreover, the simple tenacity of the Hebrew people, in spite of overwhelming, consistent political weakness and oppression attests to some kind of power. Granted, that could simply be the power of the tradition, absent any divine origins. It could simply be a coincidence that these nomadic pastoralists chanced upon a combination of traditions and stories that somehow allow them to miraculously survive genocide after genocide. But even if that's true, does it not at the very least demand further investigation, if not adherence? The fact that the tradition survived a thousand years of oppression and material poverty, and went on to evolve into something that conquered the greatest material empire on earth and spread across the world, reinforces that impression of some kind of unique, unprecedented and unrivaled power. I won't pretend to rationally derive the specific nature of that power. But it's got to be SOMETHING, and that enthralled me. So I got sucked deeper in and ended up reading the new testament as well. And that's where the emotional, cathartic aspect really evolved and revealed my soul to me. I always thought of myself as fundamentally an intellectual animal. Just a talking, hairless ape with trepidations about public nudity, at best. But the story of Christ is deeply moving in a way that nothing else I've witnessed before or since has been. I've studied several religions, and while they are all full of insights, none of them are "alien" in the way Judeochristian religion is, and none of them are cathartic in the way Christianity in particular is. None of them are as convincingly derived from or inspired by real divinity as Christianity is. If you read the Bible with a primarily critical purpose, it's easy to criticize it as you would a historical document, poke holes in the narrative and walk away from it uninspired. But if you read it earnestly, I think at the very least you'll walk away from it feeling more interested...
...From there, Robert Barron's "Catholicism" series was very influential for me. Nobody introduced me to Catholicism and I'm not really a Catholic, at least not yet. My grandparents on one side were like, lukewarm Catholics I guess. But what I mean is, I certainly didn't inherit a predisposition toward Catholicism, unless you consider intellectualism a predisposition toward Catholicism. I didn't know many Catholics, most people around here are atheists and what few Christians there are are mostly protestant. But despite all that I was drawn to Catholicism in particular, because of its serious philosophical (and yes, scientific) tradition and its absolute authority and emphasis on the Church itself. I'm sure sola scriptura is satisfying to some people but I think it's missing something totally fundamental that appeals to people who are otherwise rationalistic. I can see why people who are born into protestant cultures remain in place. But if you're coming to Christianity from the outside, especially from atheism, wouldn't you want to join the church with the most ancient pedigree, with an unbroken lineage going all the way back to Christ himself? I understand why schisms have happened in the past, like during the late medieval period when practically every institution in Italy was corrupted by essentially the medieval mafia. But it's tragic that these divisions still hold sway to this day, that so many people put so much effort into their religion yet are totally divorced from the theological underpinning of Christian life, the body of Christ. I studied it to the best of my ability and decided the closest I could possibly get to Christ is not through simple introspection, but through becoming part of the actual body of Christ. I don't have rational reasons for believing that the Catholic Church is in fact "the body of Christ" but I do have rational reasons for believing that the message of the Bible is true, and the Bible pretty clearly indicates that church (and the Eucharist in particular) is the primary vehicle for connecting to Christ. From there it's pretty easy to draw a rational conclusion that a merely private connection to Christ is, at best, a dillute or incomplete version of the genuine article. I'm sure that sounds intolerant to some people (including my former self) but we have to make value judgments at some point. We set boundaries all the time in other spheres. We're not afraid to call uncompassionate behavior what it is. We're not afraid to say that pseudoscience is pseudoscience. So why are so many people afraid to say that merely having a "private relationship with God" is pseudoreligion? The idea that scripture contains answers for every question of modern life is patently absurd, which might explain why so many people are dissociating from it. These texts contain axioms and a large variety of theorems particular to the cultures for and times in which they were written. New theorems periodically need to be derived from those axioms. That's why exegesis exists. The Jews have midrash, and most churches have their own sort of miniature exegesis. But those institutions are too decentralized to resolve all the conflicts between competing exegeses. When I hear there are hundreds of equally authoritative churches with differing interpretations of a major issue relevant to modern life, and their arguments are primarily grounded in abstractions rather than scientific evidence, I think most people tend to respond "maybe we should be asking scientists instead." It's like if you had a criminal lawsuit, and there were 40 equally credible witnesses and they all told completely different stories. That would make all of them less persuasive than if there was only 1 witness, but at least her story was consistent. So, I think more people will come to realize that the Catholic church has the only real authoritative claim to answer all the ethical questions of modern life that can't be resolved by science. As I said before, we can use science to derive theorems from axioms, but we can't find self-evident moral truths in nature. I know Sam Harris has tried, but ultimately his moral principles are still theorems, not axioms. They're more abstract, closer to the root than most "fundamental" moral principles expressed by atheists historically, but they're still not axioms. And even if he's not, many will already have noticed that his moral principles are grounded in enlightenment value theorems, which are themselves derived from Judeochristian axioms. He's right in observing that Judeochristian axioms can be seen as evolutionarily adaptive strategies, but that doesn't tell us how they evolved, or if they did at all. Indeed the anthropological history of moral principles seems to support a late origin for the familiar axioms, as opposed to the early origin for the fundamental emotion-value relationships like disgust-purity... which are clearly not moral statements, but rather moral dimensions that filter the way we apply moral axioms to real-world scenarios. I could go on for ages about this, but I just wanted to tell a bit of my story and say that there's reason to be optimistic. I think what's dying right now isn't Christianity, or religion more generally, but rather lukewarm, private, disingenuous religion. I think most westerners are simply done pretending to believe. But the "nones" who are claiming no belief never truly believed in the first place. It's just become more socially acceptable to admit disbelief and to dissociate from religious communities. I think as time goes on, and societies become progressively sicker due to a lack of shared bonds and spiritual orientation, genuine religious belief will make a comeback across the board. But especially in the Catholic faith, since Judeochristian religious tradition and scriptures have that unique power I talked about, but the Catholic church in particular is the only institution with a genuine claim to divine authority. And, as the Catechism perfectly argues, institutional authority is necessary, especially in the modern world. If you want to see a great example of that, watch the Netflix series Altered Carbon. It portrays a pretty distant future on earth where the Catholic church becomes the dominant religious institution again, and is providing the only coherent answer to (and resistance against) the social problems created by virtual immortality. In this vision, humans have developed technology for downloading human consciousness onto digital hardware and transplanting it to and from bodies. So, someone whose body dies can simply be transferred into another body. Which allows powerful people to essentially live forever, granting them immunity to all challenges to their hegemony. Which causes rampant abuse of the poor and a host of other social ills. It's a fantastic show in many ways. I don't mean to imply that it has a Christian message, but that at least its vision of the future is realistic - science alone won't be able to lead us away from enticing but harmful behavior, just like it hasn't solved the drug epidemic, just like it hasn't solved the obesity crisis. Instead, religion will become the only voice of reason, and the only religion with sufficient authority to stand against the rising tide of unaccountable materialism will be Catholic Christianity.
I am a classically trained musician and my beauty is not as all musicians musicians trained to perfection here music and so many different ways and each astounds the other, music is nearly as misunderstood as the mysterious.
Absolutely Bishop Barron! I was led astray around age 10-11 back in 2003-2004 because my Catholic teachers couldn’t answer my intellectual questions adequately. I became a militant atheist and spent 15 years studying various religions and philosophies (which I’m grateful for) but thankfully I found Truth in Catholicism and I’m back.
Me too! Welcome back. Poor Catechesis has definitely lead many away.
Praise God!
You got to lose God to find God.
//because my Catholic teachers couldn’t answer my intellectual questions adequately/
What "intellectual questions" were those?
//I became a militant atheist//
Why did you become "atheist"? And what exactly did you do to consider yourself "militant"?
//I found Truth in Catholicism//
Like what, and how did you know it was true?
@@bottomhead2518 //You got to lose God to find God.//
Same with your car keys.
I hear your homily every week from Vietnam, thank you so much for this gift you offer us. May God bless you!
As long as the Mother Church will have me, despite my faults, I will never leave her, even unto my dying breath.
Bishop barron I am thankful for the church. I love music and it is important to my love of the mass. Now there is more adult ed and I need it. I a m 82.and am still learning. I am a cradle catholic. I need mass and the Eucharist. Please keep up the good work. Thank you
I told someone the other day that I was going to mass and they said: I hope the sermon is particularly helpful. I responded: Thats not the reason I go to mass.
The centrality of the Eucharist is paramount!
I'm catholic but the meterial is useless if it doesn't correspond with your heart.
The meterial is only the symbol of what you should be doing in private.
If you don't have the private side with Jesus. The outer part has no value.
@@mirkoboi but faith without action is dead. Will a father gives a snake to His child when the child for a bread? How much more is our Father in heaven who loves us dearly? The first law is very law is very clear. Love God with all your heart, mind and soul. That is the greatest commandment and the second one is love your neighbor as you love yourself? Aren’t church people your neighbors as well? surely, your argument will fall on it’s own. For your worries blinded you to act. To God is mercy, to man is works. But above all, it is God who decides.
@@melvinlaquindanum1747 You didn't understand what I was saying, perhaps my vocabulary was a little difficult to understand.
Let me simplify it...
If I was to marry someone in the church,
Do I say.. YES ...to her because I love her
OR do I say say YES to her because I want to feel better about myself.
Many christians do things because it makes them feel BETTER, nothing to do with loving Jesus. Why?
Because they don't know him.
If they did love God they would be a different better person as they would grow in faith.
True
It is very easy today for us all to say I see god in other places or I feel god in this place or that. The one thing we all forget is yes we do but there is no comparison to church. To receiving the Eucharist. To praying before the tabernacle and alter to going into the house of god and saying I’m letting my guard down. Do your will. Church has no equal. We all need church not as just people but as a community and as a world.
Would be nice but the "shepherds" have locked the doors, limited attendance and bowed to a secular government edict.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 Ik covid and society today can be a challenge to get to church. It was also a challenge for some people to get to the temple in Jesus day weather they were sick or laws forbid it. We still need to make every effort to go. Just like Jesus said to the leaper after he healed him. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Jesus knew about the wrongs of some people shunning others from church but he still calls us to go cause we are closer to him in ways we can’t fathom there
The church is only a hospital for the lost. Pity the person who spends their life in a hospital.
9
Capitalize 'God', you irreverent and indoctrinated fool!
The Bishop hits the nail on the head when he notes the lack of a sense of guilt & the bland religiosity post V2. Something I noted when I began attending Mass at a Traditional parish were the people waiting in line for confession. That was mostly absent at the Novus Ordo parish I attended. The priest even seemed a bit frustrated that I wanted to confess on a regular, bi-weekly basis. The people in the modern church would mill about & have conversations about sports & the weather, much like a Protestant church. The people in the Traditional parish were joined on their knees, praying the rosary together.
One of these experiences left me with the impression of being present in the house of God. The other did not. I'm not here to play the "pick your tribe" game, nor am I attempting to condemn the Church or V2. I can only say where I felt the presence of God & where I decided to keep attending. Voting with my feet, so to speak.
As far as the "no one tells me what to do" sentiment goes, wasn't that Lucifer's mantra? Christ said we have to submit, and take his yoke upon us.
Hello friend thanks for your comment. In several other videos Bishop Barron has talked about all the leaders of the church who were nourished by post Vatican II spirituality. For example JP II, Benedict XVI, and Mother Teresa. These were men and women immersed in a deep, Eucharist, post V2 spirituality for many decades after the council. A central part of this is that the mass is the mass if it’s English or Latin.
@@HoMegasTaxiarches I agree, but wonder what that has to do with what I wrote. I'm still a bit of a greenhorn, with fewer than 5 years as a Catholic. So, I try not to generalize about all parishes & the people in them. I can only speak on what I have seen, which isn't much compared to most. I know very little about John Paul II, other than occasionally seeing him on the television news when I was a child.
Does noting a lack of spiritual depth in one place mean everyone who attends a Novus Ordo Mass is also lacking? Not at all. If it is necessary for that to be spelled out, consider it done.
I possess little knowledge and zero authority, so I wouldn't presume to tell others what to do. If my comment seemed to condemn others, I can only assure you that wasn't the intent.
Something to note as a Filipino.
This testimony makes me realize how blessed we are that our Novus Ordo masses still keeps reverence. That despite many parishes having only an hour Mondays to Sats for confession, the ones that are more available always have lines of people trying to get in.
I can omly hope we keep the same culture despite secular culture creeping in on our religiosity
A person feels guilt because inside they know right from wrong. Guilt is not a bad thing! It’s awareness you are not living how you know you should be.
Attending church is a cohesive act bonding you to our Lord and Savior and everyone inside the church in unity to worship and thank God for our blessings on earth and for demanding his son Jesus Christ to die and suffer the brutal death of crucifixion to absolve all of humanity from the sins each of us has committed and obtain for us the promise of eternal life with Him forever after our human death.
Guilt is a difficult feeling to accept or confront so people run away from it. I don't blame them. It is scary to admit you are wrong.
Be careful with our society's changing norms-- removing guilt from our vocabulary. If I feel good about something, then it must be ok to do. No moral standards anymore. The devil did the same thing in the Garden-- yeh, it is okay to eat the apple. Instead, be steadfast in following the rule of God, not the rule of man.
@@raypatron7399 People don't believe in an objective morality
Morality is objective, but it has three components. The act in question, the intention behind it, and the circumstances surrounding it. This complicates the determining of the morality of an act, but doesn't make it relative.
catechism in schools are missing, i am 81 yrs of age and still believe in the grade school catechism taught by nuns and priests my life journey has brought me to many places but my training in a very young age of discernment the holy spirit has always been with me to show me the way to be so thankful of my Christian up bringing
The Sacraments is my primary reason as Archbishop says. I Thirsted for Holy Communion when Churches were forced to close. I had to pray more than ever in order to feel The Presence. Thank God Churches opened.
I feel blessed 🙌 when I am in the Church ⛪️ in front of the Lord Our God. I can pour out my Heart ❤️
Thanks Bishop Barron and Brandon!! Here's another good one in the can. I'm glad to know the Letter book is onine for free. As I was watching your discussion about the Reddit thread, I thought, "How might we evangelize in response to these reasons people are giving for not going to church?" I think that's a helpful ponder for the problem.
I find worshipping in community and participating in celebration of the Eucharist spiritually nourishing. Every time I attend Mass it is like I am renewed even in the smallest of ways. There are times when something of the rituals & practices speak to me in a new way ... I then start to perform them with new meaning
There is something about kneeling before God, before Christ, that cannot be duplicated at home at your bedside.
Well I find it draining, whereas praying alone in nature i find nourishing. So what would your advice to me be then?
@@thedisintegrador Do what nourishes you, but do not neglect the Sacrament. It comes from the Lord Himself for our benefit!
@@thedisintegrador Hi Matej, please consider to meet God so close and present to us in his tabernacle and in His divine sacraments. Go to Him in church to give thanks to Lord God for the beauty of nature that He has given to we earthly creatures to please all our senses.He designed nature’s ways to give us happiness on earth, to help us because we also must suffer with Christ from human sin. I could not so enjoy nature without giving thanks to God in the places where he lives among us.
Yes, God is truly awesome!
I go to mass every Sunday,pray the rosary daily,I’m a recovering alcoholic,I need all the help I can get.Many in my family no longer go,they have been traumatized by the faith as have so many others.When the church teaches that God is so Loving and merciful and an eternal torturer in the next sentence many leave the faith because of this.This isn’t true,I know now with compete certainty in my heart that he will save all. (Gods grace helped me with this)I’m very blessed to receive the Eucharist and be part of a great faith community here in Chicago.I pray for my family daily,hoping to make up for them where they are lacking.
All the best to everyone!!
May God always bless and keep you!
Enjoyed this so much, lots of things to learn and understand and to share. God bless the Word on Fire Team, Brandon and Bishop Barron. You all make us proud to be Catholics. God bless you all. Anyone reading this, pls consider to support their new project!
The first word of the Lord's Prayer is "our".
The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. We need one another to be encouraged in our faith. We need one another to reprove us when we falter in our walk. Our prayers are strengthened when joined with the prayers of others. As for our praises, how sweet the hymns we sing when we discover the harmony of others singing with us!
I will second that! Spiritual community has been a strength of religious communities but a weakness of the local parish.
As Jesus said, "Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I shall be also."
The problem with a Church, or any gathering, is friction and disagreement. When two people get together they will never agree on everything. Your faith grows when you don't have to compromise your position in order to keep everyone else happy. Look to Eastern religion and the emphasis on personal enlightenment for part of the answer.
@@jasonh.8754 The problem with church is that it is made up of sinners. That is also its greatest strength. It is the school in which we must learn to forgive even as we must humble ourselves in seeking forgiveness from others. In so doing we learn anew the central message of the faith, in the words of Paul, "This is a true saying ... that Christ died for sinners, of whom I am chief," and in daily seeking Him Who is "the Way, the Truth and the Light," we gain something better than enlightenment, a walk with the living God.
@@terryhemingway6983 , the problem with churches is they think everyone is a sinner, 100% of the time. If you need the solidarity of a congregation to overcome your sins that's fine, but millions of people live a life of very little sin. For them a church is extraneous, they don't need to go to church once or twice a week to beat the sin out of them, they live in harmony with the Universe and have very little need for Godly oversight.
I love that you just said “Wowee”. Haven’t heard that expletive in years. Always love your interviews with Brandon!
Approach everything with humility.
It is and I've been skiving of late, I need to go EVERY week 🙏🏿 it nourishes your soul...
Perhaps we haven't sufficiently got it as our deep conviction that *'God has chosen to SAVE US AS A PEOPLE, not merely as individuals.'*
Six months on almost 5.000 children separated from parents by conflict in Tigray said save the children please pray for those suffering!!
Bishop Barron did a beautiful DVD on "The Mass", available at Word On Fire store. I recommend it. It really brings the mass alive.
Bishop Barron is spot on here. Yes we live in an age of individualism yet we shouldn't forget that this individualistic approach goes against both God's order of creation and salvation.
Technology and consumerism can be found at the heart of this too. At least this individualistic, on demand service of UA-cam itself can help offer an alternative... If people want it.
Hello from Italy Bishop Barron, God bless you!!!
I am from the UK. I was raised casually around the church of England and after your videos and reading the new testament I am tempted to give my local church a try. I watched a service online though and the drone of the old organ music put me off and the sermon lacked to he same 'fire' we find here with your videos.
I'm not sure where this path leads me but thank you for the work you do.
God bless you. Keep trying!
Yes definitely view Bishop Barron's The Mass, It is online and free. Then when we more fully realize what is going on , we rely less on the music and homilies and fall in love with Real Presence of Christ at Mass, He awaits you. Perhaps the organ player is the only one willing to give of his/her time . Or perhaps go a little further and visit other churches. It is well worth it. But wherever mass is, your are joining Christ.
Mass is a gift. We are blessed we have this experience. I love it, I connect with my parents who are passed away and most importantly, our dear Lord. In NYC we have the most magnificent choir and musicians. Top professionals who give in this generous way. Spectacular music fills the environment, heaven on earth. Thank you my dear parish and priests and Bishop Barron.
Unfortunately Covid closed church to everyone for over a year. I miss my choir, the sharing the liturgy and meeting my fellow parishioners. It is the centre of my religious life. Without my church I fee adrift.
Me too.
I fought the sentiment of "I don't need to go to church I can pray in nature".
No the clergy tell me "you don't need to go to church you can go on UA-cam."
Why couldn't we just be give the choice. Those concerned about health could stay home and those willing to risk their life for the sacraments could be free without constraint.
Shame on our Bishops for allowing this to happen.
Except that Covid did not close church. Bishops and governments closed church unfortunately, and I worry about how they will navigate their way out of this rabbit hole.
The church capitulated to the Covid narrative entirely. Other faith communities pushed back or ignored enforcement. Unsurprisingly, the UK crown prosecution service has ruled all offences under the Coronavirus Act unlawful. So the faithful could have attended Mass each Sunday. If the Bishops fold on a virus with a higher age mortality than average life expectancy, what chance of holding out against serious totalitarian measures?
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 if covid would be only about your own health then your sentiment would be correct. But if you're infected you endanger those around you. You don't only risk your own life for the sacraments, you risk the lives of people around you. How about that? Is that wafer still so important if you risk the lives not only of your loved ones, but also of all the others you come into contact with?
The main reason for me not going to Church was being around people. I just wanted a relationship with just me and Jesus. But it can’t simply be that way. You have to worship with others.
=Bishop Barron, I have recently begun to listen to some of your videos, because on the day after the election in November, I turned the TV off and had my friend get RoQu for me. I have had enough of media. What I really want you to know is; for, 45 years, I was the wife of a Methodist minister. Afterwards, my husband was in a nursing home for 7 years. After his death, I started going with my daughter and her family to the Holy Catholic Church, and this past Easter Vigil I was baptized Catholic at the age of 85. Oh how glad I have been to have done so. I learned so much at the RCIA classes. So not all people are leaving the Church. I love listening to you and appreciate your use of language both English and foreign. Sorry to be so long but I want to say to you, God bless.
God Bless you Bishop Barron. You’re so filled with the Holy Spirit!
Thank you for this video!
I've never left my faith; however, after my oldest brother passed away (I was a teen) my father (custodial parent) stopped attending mass. Many life events took place from that point on that kept me away from Mass attendance, but I never gave up my Catholic faith. Even though I did not return to the Church/Mass until I was an adult. People misunderstand my absence and assume I left my faith; yet my faith is exactly the reason I was confirmed and returned to the Catholic Church as an adult!
Yes..more than ever
Here I stand 20 years (+ ) later.....I DO NOT want surface worshiping....I want the Meat of God’s Word...”Lord, Jesus, Through Thine infant cries when Thou wast born for me in the manger, Through Thy tears when Thou didst die for me on the Cross, Through Thy love as Thou livest for me in the tabernacle, Have mercy on me and save me.” ❤️🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾
Beautiful!
Deep
@@suzannespanier4492 Deepity
I can hear Mass every day on the internet, but I miss the Eucharist, which to me is the main reason I go to church!
Hi Word on Fire. I’m from Mexico. And as a catholic anthropologist, I think stressing guilt and fear hasn’t abandoned catholic teaching in Mexico. I’m 30 years old, and when younger people talk about religion here, the problem of guilt always seems to talked about as one of the reasons people quit the faith or turned to Protestant churches.
I have been listening to the Bishop for 3 years now. It has been great.
Ironically, traditional Latin parishes are experiencing phenomenal growth! Especially true among young adults.
Spoiler: Yes.
Not according to bishops who have locked them up cuz someone might have the sniffles.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 Please don't.
@@timb6558 don't what?
Yup I agree. In our culture today, we are programmed towards individualism, you choose what you want and when you want it. That runs against both God's order of creation and salvation.
It's the why that matters. Maturing as individuals.
The one thing not discussed here is POLITICS. I have had a very hard time heading back to church since it seemed that the church(es) had decided that they could tell me how to vote. Keep the hell out of politics, stop inserting the church into it, and I’ll go back enthusiastically. I WANT to go back. I really do. But that alone has turned me off more than anything else.
Does it make sense however that if political views directly contradict church teachings then it is part off the duty to teach the magisterium against those political views running counter to say value of the sacredness of human life?
@@peterwolf6648 The problem Peter is that this only gets applied in one direction. Attorney General Bill Barr reinstated the death penalty in the last three years and was given an award as a distinguished Catholic. Reinstating the federal death penalty does not show sanctity for human life.
How many videos have we seen of unarmed black brothers and sisters injured or killed in interactions with police in the last few years? And yet politicians that are praised by church leaders actively work to downplay these incidents, with church leaders giving the bare minimum of statements in support of the victims. The church should have come out as strongly in defense of our black brothers and sisters as it does in support of the unborn. Yet there have been painfully few church leaders championing that cause. It should have come out as strongly against family separation as it does against the unborn. Yet no one was publicly denied communion for defending or taking part in the policies. It should come out as strongly against capital punishment as it does in support of the unborn.
There is more to being pro-life and more to church teachings than simply opposing abortion. The church would do well to start actually standing for the fullness of the faith instead of tying itself to conservative politics if it wants to be seen as genuine and save the souls of the people it has been driving away by treating them as enemies for their politics.
I'm British and I was 7 when Vatican II came about. I went to Mass because if I didn't it was a mortal sin and I'd go to hell. There was a lot of guilt. I went to Catholic schools and no one that I can remember said anything about the love that God has for each and every one of us. I went away from the church and came back. I didn't understand anything real about my faith till I was about 35. Since then I've been seeking and finding out a lot and have felt the love of God for real. So I think there are a lot of people out there who stopped going to church due to guilt. Praise God for His love and people like you Bishop Barron and WOF team.
Yes, the Church is everything.
Then why are they locked or limiting attendance to 30 people?
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 good morning sister peter..you know the reason why... wear your mask....keep your distance..important get your shots.. we are all in this together ..praise God from whom all blessings flow..you see what has happened ro our brothers and sisters in india...also you know how many we have lost in the USA...i will say no more..peace
@@kenneth7826 you know I've dealt with 6 suicides, friends going back to addictions, watching increased homelessness through the harsh winter months, developed extreme panic attacks, have been unable to enter stores since September even for basic needs.
The "christians" like you just sit in your ivory towers and throw cheap words at me. And in all of this death and destruction know no one who has even had covid.
We are not in this together.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 you must be thinking (if you believe in God) that he has forsaken you, but you should still be thankful because it could be worse
(If you take this as an insult, I'm so sorry)
@@James-en1ob no insult perceived.
No God has never abandoned me. Of that alone I am sure.
The supposed shepherds have. They speak pretty words but move not hair to back them up.
Yes things could get worse. But why have we allowed it to go this far already.
Imagine if the clergy had said: "the churches will no be closed or limited but those who are concerned are worried about (fill in concern) are exempt from coming. Parishioners are free to choose how they can worship with a peaceful mind. We will not block the sacraments from any who come through our door."
Instead they said the secular government is our lord and master in things that pertain to God.
Thank you Bishop for your clarifications and giving us a perspective to keep us all moving forward.
Stay blessed☆
Thank you guys for this wonderful conversation. The West is having a cultural and spiritual crisis.
We must find the courage of the Apostles to die for the faith. Even if it is just our feelings being hurt.
Church is very important. Unfortunately due to medical issues I haven’t been able to physically go to church but I watch Mass on Tv and do belong to a local church.
God bless you. God appreciates your efforts
Stay blessed☆
Hi Bishop, although I probably only go to church a few times a month, I feel better after going. If only I can apply it to my weekly schedule and goals. I know it would help me more along with more faith
It can be hard to see more to our faith. One thing that might be helpful is to spend a few minutes a day reflecting on the gospels. Jesus really portrays God in a new light that is really challenging and exciting at the same time. The Irish Jesuit website "Sacred Space' on your cell phone is easy and they provide a short reflection if you get stuck (as I often do). Don't change anything you do but just meet this crazy guy Jesus in your private space. Peace and Love,
Thanks Peter!
About the ones who stopped going to Church at age 10, I think that the lack of a good model of faith, the secular focus of public education, and then inadequate fostering the community at Church are the most basic reasons.
I agree regarding the secular influence. Younger generations become hardened to accepting spirituality. Even if we can give answers, they don't have any interest in hearing them... It's perhaps a type of group think whereby the need to belong in the group is more important than listening to input that may steer you outside your group and thereby create fear of exclusion and loneliness.
@@tomjacobs2990 This is a strong influence on the youth. Young adults who mature beyond the need to belong, develop independence and later interdependence. Unfortunately, many people become stuck in adolescence and fail to make the transition to maturity and remain dependent on their group which will eventually dissolve leaving them to replace it with virtual associations in order to avoid becoming mature and self reliant.
Confession is healing for both Priest and Confessor
Yes, the church I broken, so am I, so are you. But if you don’t believe in the institution of the church, in fact, you don’t believe in yourself; mankind. As long as you keep on neglecting the church, don’t complain of its brokenness. Let instead God work through you.
the sin of generalization is so common, not only on Catholics. Imagine if early Christians would have abandoned Jesus because of Judas, or abandoned the apostles because of the errors there have always been. We tend to act as if we were perfect and don't accept failure from those that we consider our religious leaders, but the fact is that if we were in their place we'd probably do even worse. There's a protestant mentality that has penetrated the Church, where we think we're sinless and deserving of immaculate leaders.
Great topic
Thank you for this!
I rejoice in God's words from Bishop Barron. (I wish I could find deliverance from God to fully live them)
You can. You need to walk with Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ and trust Him.
@@LostArchivist It is a catch 22 but trust is no problem.
@@AaronMiller-rh7rj
Keep going☆ "The journey of a thousand miles begins in one step."
You guys are epic. I love this show.
Forgive me for being selfish...LET IT BE KNOWN...For the FIRST TIME That I Experience The Eucharist ...““Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.””
Luke 15:10 RSV-CI
AMEN AMEN AMEN 🙏🏾 🙏🏾🙏🏾
your post made me cry as I was once one.
When’s the last time the Catholic Church invited people in their neighborhood via mail or in person? Never? Time to get practical and personal.
In my opinion there are 2 things Catholic parishes need to do better and they both intertwine together.
1. Explain the Mass better. I have gone to Mass my whole life, 27, and it wasn't until this year, when I read Scott Hahn's book Resons to Believe, that I finally learned how filled with scripture our Catholic mass really is. Which brings me to my second point.
2. Focus on scripture. Vatican II called for a renewal of the study of scripture: "the study of the sacred page is,... the soul of sacred theology."~Dei Verbum 24. I think Vatican II was spot on with this. From my experience nothing makes individuals more happy and confident in the faith than learning arguments for the faith from scrpiture, and learning arguments for the validation of scripture. This is, in my opinion, what homilies in our parishes should focus on. I would also reckon that anyone in church would rather listen to a rigourous, vibrant 20 mintue homily on these topics that inspires confidence in the faith every Sunday, than a willynilly 5 minute some nice words homily just so we can leave quicker. This in turn would help accomplish 2 Vatican II missions. First it would help accomplish the mission of Vatican II on studying the sacred page. And second, it would help with another mission of Vatican II, namely, because the laity would be more confident with regards to the faith, the laity would be more likely to go and sanctify the world. Remember Bishop Barron, it is you who always says not to dumb down the faith, (well unfortunatley we have a lot of dumb homolies) and it was you who said that the "new" athiests argued people into athiesm. We need to give the laity better tools to defend against this. This is why in the survey so many Americans said that their favourite part of going to church is the homily, because this is where they gain confidence in their faith. And to be honest with you, it is for this reason that I am absolutely not surprised that many baptized Catholics attend evangelical services instead of the Mass. Also Bishop Barron, I remember in your conversation with William Lane Craig 3 years ago he said that the evangelical base is keeping its number of people. I am convinced that it has to do with this topic.
And God bless you.
Bishop Barron did a DVD entitled "The Mass" which is great. Available on Word on Fire website. Beautifully done.
Thank God for the talents he's bestowed upon " the Bob and Baron show"
I learned about the meaning of the Mass as an adult although a Catholic from birth. I went to Mass because I was taken by my parents or nuns and then because of sin if I didn't. Your presentation on the Mass should be required in Catholic school education and presented to the congregation in every church. It has been a few years since I experienced the presentation so would see it again.
As a young adult convert to Catholicism, I am saddened by how 'Cradle Catholics' of our generation holds false understandings about the Catholic teachings and leaves and attacks on the church as a result. Indeed, the meaning of Mass and God's love and forgiveness should be felt, not taught just on textbooks or school requirements. The young practicing Catholics in the West are falling out.
Go to the website of Word on Fire and you will get the film on the Mass, it's available
Bishop Barron and Brandon:
Thank you. I CHOOSE to have FAITH (A number of times, when comfronting death [brother, mother, other] I decided whether my glass is going to be half full or half empty, AND I never feel alone).love
In addition, as Bishop Barron likely already knows, the latest science (AI reseach) points to your subconscious (in neurons) is being reinforced, about God, and other.
As pointed-out the most important thing is having God in you in the Sacrament of Communion. I WANT to go to church.
I cringe at the talking points I hear from family and friends when it concerns the scandal many priest have been involved in. The need to attend mass has nothing to do with those who have fallen.
The reference to guilt at the 12:41 mark: Surprisingly both B Barron and Adam aren’t sure what would be causing the guilt. Perhaps one reason is the Church’s emphasis that going to mass every week is obligatory and to miss Mass is a sin that needs to be taken to the confessional/reconciliation. When I go to Mass I feel guilty for having missed previous Mass obligations so I stop going to Mass to avoid thinking about how guilty I am for missing Mass. So perhaps it goes back to the sacrament of reconciliation, what forgiveness is and how to accept forgiveness and continue to strive for holiness.
It seems clear to me that the poll discussed at the beginning referred to membership in a particular local congregation, like St Miscellaneous's or First Baptist of My Town.
A Catholic could even attend regularly at hospital or mall chapels or whatever parish seems good this week and not be a member of a particular one.
That easily explains the gap between the "nones" and what the poll measured.
Many people (for now) still identify as Catholic without attending Mass, except at special occasions.
And I would think this is even less dissonant for other Christians and other religions that can be done for the most part without attending services (private Bible study, keeping Kosher, praying toward Mecca 5(?) times a day. ).
Understand: Going to church for the Eucharist is a strictly Cath/Orth thing (maybe Anglican? Possibly Lutheran?)
Otherwise (in my limited experience,) Protestant services have almost no ritual. The service is pretty much just singing & sermon. Communion? When I returned to Christianity from atheism, the Methodist Church my wife brought me to did communion once a month. Almost as an afterthought.
The Catholic Church is the only Church (include some Orthodox, but not Lutheran, C o E etc i.e. except those in union with Rome) which brings Jesus to you in the Eucharist.
The sex scandals' are NOT always truthful as in the case of Cardinal Pell, one of the top Admin people in the Vatican; but was "raged" at through the media; really blaspheming against Jesus and the Church. REALLY the Mass is about our relationship with Jesus as He come to us. A bit like a good mate asking us to come around for a beer or coffee EACH DAY: would we just keep saying NO? One of the big problems are those created by those organisations who just want to cause the downfall of the Church. That is the mission of Masonry.
I agree about the Eucharist, but ... but .... but ... a RARE great homily sure helps a lot ... touches us ... inspires us .... and anyone can give one if properly trained i believe.
A nun teacher by the name of Sister Mary Annata liked to remind us students in class that no man is an island. Another way of putting that for sure is that none of us are like angels.
God is important. Luckily we have The Lord Jesus's Church Telling us and Instructing us
So happy the Vatican sent a letter to you Bishops on Communion, abortion, and politics...
I like how non defensive this episode is.
I think the sexual scandal in the church was blown up alot by a press which is also anti church to some degree. It admittedly is a most terrible thing, it is a terrible blot on the church. But those mistakes cannot make us ignore so much good that the institution brings.
Yeh, when we are in some remote, dusty corner of the earth taking care of the injured and the sick, I 'love' to see journalists fly in with their helicopters to get a good story and some pictures of starving children and then wing off before dinner so they can go to their favorite restaurant.
Love listening and learning ♥️
Are you a deep fake?
The fact is Catholic and all Christians need spiritual guidance. Sundays where homilies are superficial and not providing direction and help during these evil times is one reason why we are loosing members. I am Catholic but I was in a location where attending mass was very hard so I attended an evangelical church where prayer, worship and preaching was so alive. I connected with a church where fellow Christians prayers were felt. I have returned to Mass now that i have left that area and am disappointed in the church homilys. I stay because of the Holy Eucharist. I will not turn my back on Jesus so attend because that is what I believe. He is there. We as Christians need support and guidance.
Very good to confront this subjective erroneous understanding of the Church built by Christ, for real joy than damnation.
A strength of the Catholic Church is the strong intellectual/ philosophical base and the many methods of piety that are available. Our community life; however, has been sorely missing a spiritual dimension including discipleship within the laity. The life that Christ calls us to is really quite radical and it takes time and discussion within a community of believers to process and internalize this. Religious communities have recognized this for centuries but this understanding has not translated to the wider church communities of our local parishes. There have been attempts at specialized groups within parishes or across a number of parishes, but formation needs to be 'normalized' within our wider church communities.
There is more guilt thrown around now in the secular world than in religion.
Ty very much for this. I recently returned back to the Catholic Church.
This is heartbreaking but I have to believe there’s hope and continue to pray for people to return to the church.
Yes
I feel like he could’ve elaborated more on guilt. I feel like a lot of people have Catholic guilt. And I also feel like purity culture gave a false sense of chastity which pushes people away
Bishop Barron, quite a few of my ex-Catholic now Protestant friends said they left the Church because they didn't leave Mass with a positive feeling. I guess that guitars and waving hands in the air gave them a more divine feeling. How would you respond to that? My response was that perhaps they didn't internalize what was happening at Mass.
I really didn’t get the answer as to why attend church. People who regularly attend mass are saying in comments things pertaining to why they go or what they say to others on why they go which is the Eucharist, not the sermon. Bishop Barron expresses his thoughts on what the surveyed people said. That’s been my problem all these years since I was going to Catholic Church regularly, and why I stopped going…. I wasn’t being fed the roots of it all to make me KNOW why I should attend.
Me encantan sus programas
I pray, for Wisdom of heart in being able understand the readings, the homily and best and being in grace to receive the bread of Life which has helped me carry me through the week until I am able to go again. I have hungered for receiving our Lord in Holy Eucharist and prayed that the Church would not be completely closed down. Reading the Holy Bible the word of God more has helped me so much. I even love praying the rosary. 🙏 thank you for your witness. I am a cradle Catholic.
Just fantastic! Can you grab a few people and bring them along for your journey?
Maybe this should've come out today to boost attendence Tomorrow
Churches shut down and the hired hand bowing to Ceasar so... No.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 That is not happening everywhere. And have faith that Christ can and will draw back His sheep who have been mishandled. Do you not believe His words to St.Peter?
@@LostArchivistunited in faith my friend. I am having a crisis of religion but not faith. God has shown me multiple times he is always with me throughout my life.
For me the Catholic church today has become the fat cow of bashan. Her actions show no faith in the sacraments, no strength to do what is just and uplift the weak and marginalized; all corporal works of mercy have ceased for a year now and the buildings locked or regulated to 30 people. I feel like I am in mourning.
@@unacceptablesisterpeter3431 where are you from? We only closed for a few weeks here
@@jesseholthaus8357 Canada. We have closed or severely limited (>50) for over a year. Easter triduum and Christmas services missed.
Imagine if the bishops would have said those who fear for their health are dispensed and may stay home but we will not turn away any who seek spiritual strength and comfort.
But no the only shepherds willing to make a stand are protestant. Pathetic.
I'm not religious, but I'm willing to be part of the Catholic church if the church is willing to teach true catholicism, what is catholicism. I think that most people have left the church for that reason, lack of knowledge. I want to learn.
We all walk in different levels in the same path but what is needed is the Holy Spirit, to be Consecration to Blessed Mother and for people in church to be genuinely kind and real- Loving.
You and I make the Church☆
One reason for a precipitice drop recently was covid guidelines, which haven't yet been totally lifted here. That broke the momentum for some people and Livestream became the answer.
I expect the number only to grow since nearly every church shut the doors on the faithful and denied them the sacraments. There is a symbolism in that action of "shutting the doors and denying sacraments" that is going to have a long effect. And asking the laity to come back is going to require more than just telling them how important the Eucharist is. You have to show them how important it is and I don't think you'll be given that opportunity for another hundred or so years. Government ranked the church as non-essential, ranking it below Home Depot and Walmart and the church agreed with that ranking.
There is an interesting scene in "The Return of the King" where the armies of Mordor are about to smash open the doors of Minas Tirith. Denethor screams from on high that everyone should flee for their lives that the end is nigh. To which the soldiers rightfully become afraid and begin to cower and break ranks since the Steward of Gondor abandon them. Gandalf arrives on the scene and rallies the soldiers, encourages them, and inspires the will to fight even against seemingly insurmountable odds at the hell about to be unleashed upon them.
This last 60 weeks the church decided to act like Denethor when they should have acted like Gandalf. If there is no strength in the church to be courageous in the face of hell merely knocking at the door, what can we honestly expect of the church when hell comes crashing through the door?
About feeling BETTER about everything.
Honestly, there is truth about the guilt in some occasion where people can hear from the pulpit, the people and confessors use the guilt. I acknowledge the people about their feelings and thoughts about it because it is their opinion and feelings. I respect them as a human being who has perspective, thoughts and feelings. Our church is divided and we also have to be honest about this.
And the Lord sait unto them: "thou shalt attend the mass every sunday"
Yes. This is the problem if we understand it as a burden. In fact love leads to attending more than just on Sundays. Once we understand more, our hearts and minds want more. Sunday attendance was just a beginning of understanding for me. Like when you start dancing lessons and learn the first dance. Yes you can dance at the dancing ball, but there is where to continue. And this is a very, very narrowed picture.
The Eucharist definitely because the way God makes me feel, nothing else compares! I want more of Jesus and that’s my happy place 🥰
If we wished to be schooled and formed, then the Church is the right space/place: Christ taught, the Church teaches, the bishops (hey hey like you) teach... yup. The Church is a School.
I look forward to mass opening up again. I will return after 15+ years away.
Thank you.
Great! I encourage you to reach out to a local parish. Maybe, by appointment, they can offer the Sacraments to you sooner than the doors are open for Masses. Sorry to hear you still can't go to Mass! It's ridiculous to me.
Hi I have a question for Father Barron is having once ear pierced considered a sin? What is the churches stand on such things?
I'm sad about what is happening in Germany.
Don't be sad, this is bound to happen sooner or later, many Cafeteria Catholics have infiltrated the Church and they need to rediscover the faith or leave
as Pope Benedict XVI predicted, the Church will become small but it will be more faithful and fruitful
we still have people converting because they see the truth of Catholicism
Gross misbehavior? How about criminal “behavior”? More bishops and priests should be in jail for their coverups and outright criminality.
Yes. Church, is very important. A healthy Church is a continuous working progression of faith and good works. Thanks Jesus. Praise and glory to God. God Bless. Jesus Christ, is the name of God. He lives. Praise and Bless God's holy name.
Raised Catholic I left the church when life's problems overwhelmed me and my faith was weak. After MANY years I gradually returned to the Lord through prayer, gospel, non denominational church. But as I was thinking of joining the non denominational church God nudged me back to Catholicism. I began attending mass. Soon after I realized through the grace of God that the Catholic church was where He wanted me to be. I went to confession and was welcomed back. My first communion after that and everyone since made my heart leap for joy! I now attend mass and receive Jesus daily. Pray the rosary daily, attend adoration twice a week, try to confess my sins to a priest weekly, read the bible every day and cannot get enough of the Lord. I was lost but now I'm found. Praise God! And may he ever be at my side!
The way the church reacts for anything and everything... Priest being so busy and not being available has impacted most people where we live.
It's so interesting that people seem to be leaving the church for intellectual reasons, since I was raised completely without religion in a very science-centric family, but have recently been drawn to the Catholic religion for many reasons but particularly for intellectual reasons. My personal experience reassures me that there's hope. I believe the decline stems from a combination of churches' inability or refusal to answer intellectual questions and a simple failure of curiosity about religion on the part of young people. Not that we are less curious than people have historically been, but our attention is pulled in so many other directions. If someone doesn't give you a compelling reason to believe this pretty outlandish stuff, you're probably not gonna be curious enough to research it on your own. I've met many, many intelligent, well-educated people who know next to nothing about religion as it actually is. Because they think it's totally lacking in substance, they'd rather spend their time researching something "real," viz. something tangible.
I guess my personal trajectory led me in an intellectual direction that intersected with questions of religion, so I came to discover this stuff on my own, rather than through a church. My background is in evolutionary biology and biochemical evolution. And my childhood happened in the context of basically a materialistic, deterministic worldview. Nobody impressed on me anything about religion. I had to figure it out for myself. My earliest intellectual exposure to religion was basically in the form of the american protestantism you'd see on TV during the bush administration. And I guess my prejudices about "evangelical christians" and creationists colored the way I viewed religion generally. So I indulged in what I'm gonna call "anti-religious intellectual entertainment," basically media produced by the likes of richard dawkins, sam harris, etc. I still find these people very intelligent and insightful and probably useful to civilization, by the way. But the past couple years I have found myself increasingly drawn into the drama of the Bible.
I have been studying evolutionary anthropology (it's sort of become my primary research interest) and I got sucked into a fascination with ancient civilizations. And nothing really captivated me more than the Hebrews. So it started with a decision to read Robert Alter's Hebrew Bible translation. I could say many things about how I came to believe that it was, at root, not simply manmade literature. I couldn't really rationalize it in my worldview, and I still have difficulties explaining why all this theological drama seems to have started 3,000 years ago, despite the planet existing for more than 4 billion years before that and the universe for over 14 billion.
I don't understand why any of this happened, it seems odd and unlikely from my tiny human perspective, but the text of the Hebrew Bible is utterly alien, as if spoken by an ineffable mind - and yet simultaneously, poetically speaks to something deep in the human mind. It might be harder to see that with just an English translation. The language of the Hebrew Bible is very strange, since it doesn't correspond to vernacular Hebrew of the time. The style and vocabularly are utterly unlike that of any humans who have ever existed. Some textual critics say that's because it's trying to sound "archaic," but they don't have any examples of actual archaic texts where people spoke or wrote like that. It's not mimicking old texts, it's a completely foreign literary style.
Moreover, the simple tenacity of the Hebrew people, in spite of overwhelming, consistent political weakness and oppression attests to some kind of power. Granted, that could simply be the power of the tradition, absent any divine origins. It could simply be a coincidence that these nomadic pastoralists chanced upon a combination of traditions and stories that somehow allow them to miraculously survive genocide after genocide. But even if that's true, does it not at the very least demand further investigation, if not adherence? The fact that the tradition survived a thousand years of oppression and material poverty, and went on to evolve into something that conquered the greatest material empire on earth and spread across the world, reinforces that impression of some kind of unique, unprecedented and unrivaled power. I won't pretend to rationally derive the specific nature of that power. But it's got to be SOMETHING, and that enthralled me.
So I got sucked deeper in and ended up reading the new testament as well. And that's where the emotional, cathartic aspect really evolved and revealed my soul to me. I always thought of myself as fundamentally an intellectual animal. Just a talking, hairless ape with trepidations about public nudity, at best. But the story of Christ is deeply moving in a way that nothing else I've witnessed before or since has been. I've studied several religions, and while they are all full of insights, none of them are "alien" in the way Judeochristian religion is, and none of them are cathartic in the way Christianity in particular is. None of them are as convincingly derived from or inspired by real divinity as Christianity is. If you read the Bible with a primarily critical purpose, it's easy to criticize it as you would a historical document, poke holes in the narrative and walk away from it uninspired. But if you read it earnestly, I think at the very least you'll walk away from it feeling more interested...
...From there, Robert Barron's "Catholicism" series was very influential for me. Nobody introduced me to Catholicism and I'm not really a Catholic, at least not yet. My grandparents on one side were like, lukewarm Catholics I guess. But what I mean is, I certainly didn't inherit a predisposition toward Catholicism, unless you consider intellectualism a predisposition toward Catholicism. I didn't know many Catholics, most people around here are atheists and what few Christians there are are mostly protestant. But despite all that I was drawn to Catholicism in particular, because of its serious philosophical (and yes, scientific) tradition and its absolute authority and emphasis on the Church itself. I'm sure sola scriptura is satisfying to some people but I think it's missing something totally fundamental that appeals to people who are otherwise rationalistic.
I can see why people who are born into protestant cultures remain in place. But if you're coming to Christianity from the outside, especially from atheism, wouldn't you want to join the church with the most ancient pedigree, with an unbroken lineage going all the way back to Christ himself? I understand why schisms have happened in the past, like during the late medieval period when practically every institution in Italy was corrupted by essentially the medieval mafia. But it's tragic that these divisions still hold sway to this day, that so many people put so much effort into their religion yet are totally divorced from the theological underpinning of Christian life, the body of Christ. I studied it to the best of my ability and decided the closest I could possibly get to Christ is not through simple introspection, but through becoming part of the actual body of Christ.
I don't have rational reasons for believing that the Catholic Church is in fact "the body of Christ" but I do have rational reasons for believing that the message of the Bible is true, and the Bible pretty clearly indicates that church (and the Eucharist in particular) is the primary vehicle for connecting to Christ. From there it's pretty easy to draw a rational conclusion that a merely private connection to Christ is, at best, a dillute or incomplete version of the genuine article. I'm sure that sounds intolerant to some people (including my former self) but we have to make value judgments at some point. We set boundaries all the time in other spheres. We're not afraid to call uncompassionate behavior what it is. We're not afraid to say that pseudoscience is pseudoscience. So why are so many people afraid to say that merely having a "private relationship with God" is pseudoreligion?
The idea that scripture contains answers for every question of modern life is patently absurd, which might explain why so many people are dissociating from it. These texts contain axioms and a large variety of theorems particular to the cultures for and times in which they were written. New theorems periodically need to be derived from those axioms. That's why exegesis exists. The Jews have midrash, and most churches have their own sort of miniature exegesis. But those institutions are too decentralized to resolve all the conflicts between competing exegeses. When I hear there are hundreds of equally authoritative churches with differing interpretations of a major issue relevant to modern life, and their arguments are primarily grounded in abstractions rather than scientific evidence, I think most people tend to respond "maybe we should be asking scientists instead." It's like if you had a criminal lawsuit, and there were 40 equally credible witnesses and they all told completely different stories. That would make all of them less persuasive than if there was only 1 witness, but at least her story was consistent.
So, I think more people will come to realize that the Catholic church has the only real authoritative claim to answer all the ethical questions of modern life that can't be resolved by science. As I said before, we can use science to derive theorems from axioms, but we can't find self-evident moral truths in nature. I know Sam Harris has tried, but ultimately his moral principles are still theorems, not axioms. They're more abstract, closer to the root than most "fundamental" moral principles expressed by atheists historically, but they're still not axioms. And even if he's not, many will already have noticed that his moral principles are grounded in enlightenment value theorems, which are themselves derived from Judeochristian axioms. He's right in observing that Judeochristian axioms can be seen as evolutionarily adaptive strategies, but that doesn't tell us how they evolved, or if they did at all. Indeed the anthropological history of moral principles seems to support a late origin for the familiar axioms, as opposed to the early origin for the fundamental emotion-value relationships like disgust-purity... which are clearly not moral statements, but rather moral dimensions that filter the way we apply moral axioms to real-world scenarios.
I could go on for ages about this, but I just wanted to tell a bit of my story and say that there's reason to be optimistic. I think what's dying right now isn't Christianity, or religion more generally, but rather lukewarm, private, disingenuous religion. I think most westerners are simply done pretending to believe. But the "nones" who are claiming no belief never truly believed in the first place. It's just become more socially acceptable to admit disbelief and to dissociate from religious communities. I think as time goes on, and societies become progressively sicker due to a lack of shared bonds and spiritual orientation, genuine religious belief will make a comeback across the board. But especially in the Catholic faith, since Judeochristian religious tradition and scriptures have that unique power I talked about, but the Catholic church in particular is the only institution with a genuine claim to divine authority. And, as the Catechism perfectly argues, institutional authority is necessary, especially in the modern world.
If you want to see a great example of that, watch the Netflix series Altered Carbon. It portrays a pretty distant future on earth where the Catholic church becomes the dominant religious institution again, and is providing the only coherent answer to (and resistance against) the social problems created by virtual immortality. In this vision, humans have developed technology for downloading human consciousness onto digital hardware and transplanting it to and from bodies. So, someone whose body dies can simply be transferred into another body. Which allows powerful people to essentially live forever, granting them immunity to all challenges to their hegemony. Which causes rampant abuse of the poor and a host of other social ills. It's a fantastic show in many ways. I don't mean to imply that it has a Christian message, but that at least its vision of the future is realistic - science alone won't be able to lead us away from enticing but harmful behavior, just like it hasn't solved the drug epidemic, just like it hasn't solved the obesity crisis. Instead, religion will become the only voice of reason, and the only religion with sufficient authority to stand against the rising tide of unaccountable materialism will be Catholic Christianity.
I am a classically trained musician and my beauty is not as all musicians musicians trained to perfection here music and so many different ways and each astounds the other, music is nearly as misunderstood as the mysterious.