As a lifelong practicing Catholic, one of the big reasons I see many folks leaving is that the pastors and priests at their local parish are increasingly unconnected with their parishioners. Many priests give sermons and homilies about topics that virtually no one can relate to, very vague and ambiguous. This adds to the disconnect and slowly drives folks away.
@@patrickmelling8404 This is all personal point of view, masquerading as considered opinion. There's actually been research done on this, and "not enough men in birettas wearing maniples" is rarely given as a reason.
@@tony1685 the only reason you have a Bible is Catholicsm. Who do you think figured out which early church letters and writings constituted scripture, and which did not? A church council made that decision.
@@admiralbob7797 Bible was around well before catholicism, bob. but i remember they tried to sell that to me as well. tell me - do you think this 'church' would allow material which exposes that their own 'church' isn't even Christianity, in it?? see 1 John 3:4 - sin = transgression of God's law. Ex 20:4-6, catholicism still makes and bows to idols, statues and body parts. Ex 20:8-11, the 7th day Sabbath is the Lord's day and forever will be, the 1st day is a day too late. there is much, much more -- but hopefully you'll get the picture, Sir.
The weird thing is someone can be a murderer, confessor sin, go to jail, and still receive the Eucharist, but God forbid you get divorced and remarried
I have a question for the fathers. Why can a priest or nun leave his/her position and marry but I can’t leave my spouse and remarry? They made a vow same as my vow.
My parents divorced after 32 years married, my mom never remarried or had another relationship, my dad has never remarried but had 3 or 4 relationships. I saw my mom struggle as a single woman for almost 50 years until she moved in with us. How much easier her life might have been if she had been able to remarry.
The annulment process for me was very nerve-racking, but did provide me closure and renewal. I married an older woman when I was younger, and she took advantage of me, and was very abusive and I stomach dead for almost 10 years before I realized it was destroying me in every way, and I had to get a divorce, I was fortunate that all the criteria were present for me to get an annulment which did provide healing and also a sense of closure to that for not only me but my current wife. I’m definitely going to take the advice given here and offer my experience as a guide to others that might be facing the same process at my parish. Thank you, gentlemen God bless.
I'm happy to hear the discussion on divorce. I divorced him, he remarried in a civil ceremony. I never remarried, he has recently died. Where does this leave me in the eyes of the Catholic Church?
Thanks for leaving a comment. Since you didn't remarry, you could have reconciled with the Church when the separation happened. Now that he has has passed, you are no longer married in the eyes of Lord. Visit your local parish and see if the pastor can set up a time to discuss this with you. You are always welcome back to the Church.
@@SaintDominicMedia i find it amazing how hypocritical this 'church' is. you all pick and choose what to follow and what to ignore - even when God Himself has Commandments, your 'church' sidesteps Them, proving that this clearly is not Christianity.
"Devition to what is right is simple, devotion to what is wrong is complex and admits to infinite variations...For those who follow nature, everything is easy and straightforward, whereas for those who fight against her life is just like rowing against the stream." -Seneca
As a Catholic of nearly seventy years, I have got to the point where I can no longer support an institution that has so calously treated the abused, the outsider, the child, the alienated ... stuff that supposed to be at the core of its mission. I believe I have to stand in solidarity with the thousands of victims of a church that has done everything to avoid the kind of self examination and deep reform it expects of individual sinners. But beyond the devastation of the abuse crisis, it seems to me that the heart of the problem is clericalism. There is no sign that this is changing, so I'm out. It's not a decision I've come to easily and I accept I will be a 'spiritual orphan' for the rest of my life but, for me, participation is compliance.
Mr. Tony: I invite you to see all the work that catholic church has made world wide. In my country, Venezuela 🇻🇪, jesuists have made an educational system called "Fe y Alegría". Also the Salesians in Venezuela 🇻🇪 have educated many young persons to work. The redentorists in Venezuela are missioners. God help us to understand and be more updated to the catholic church. I am a 41 year old man, from a La Salle catholic education and family faithful catholic teachings from parishes
All of us at some stage of our life have been the Prodigal Son. Jesus himself walked amongst those who did everything they could to silence, ridicule and kill him. His followers abandoned him when they didn't like what he had to say. The enemy is always ready to pounce to try to thwart God's plan, even Jesus was tempted to step away throughout his incarnate life. Why should we sinners think we would not be attacked too. One of the tactics of any enemy is to infiltrate, Satan's followers have always infiltrated the Church. Our Lord told us to pick up our cross, it's not going to be easy but with prayer, fortitude and knowledge of the faith we can become warriors for Christ. Don't leave the battle field we need you. Search for a traditional Latin Mass SSPX where you will find truth, empathy and support. Return and there will be a major celebration in the heavenly realm along with our Father, who will say welcome home my much loved Prodigal Son.
@@juanma1707 I understand what your saying, Juanma1707. The church does good work throughout the world and has some of the best people imaginable. In my small way, as a Catholic, I've sought to contribute to the goodness of the church in the world. Tthat will continue without me and, in a small way as a non-Catholic, I will still try to be a force for goodness in the world.
@@beverleylake7916 I'm not 'abandoning Christ' Beverley. I'm a abandoning the church. I'm not closing the gate to coming back, but if I do, it will not be to the SPXX. I was bought up in the Latin Mass and felt the church did the right thing by religating it to history.
I feel like Mary Magdalene in a room full of Pharisees throwing stones at me when I go to a function. I can’t bring myself to go to what I think are important things. Or volunteer. I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. I live in a small town. So I feel sad when I go to mass.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Sorry to hear that you feel this way. Sounds like more of a cultural problem and not a religious one. Sometimes the two can get conflated. My advice is to try to separate the two and remember how Jesus embraces and doesn't condemn Magdalene. Then if you feel compelled to say something or find clarification for others actions, do so with charity. God bless!
I would suggest a protestant church where the word is preached and people embrace loving their neighbour as they love God. You shouldn't be sad when you go to church. I'm not trying to talk you out of Catholicism, but you can still be a Christian in other churches.
Weak shepards. Weak bishops not standing up for the Church and not holding priests accountable for their bad actions, trying to hide these things (scandals). Protestenization (sp?) of mass. On an individual level many dont understand the Catechism. All of these are my opinion
The almost general abandonment of catechesis of the laity during the 1970s in the mission of the Church. Which is NOT to contribute to the creation of the Utopia promised by liberal democracy but to preach Jesus Christ in all times and in all places. It is alarming that the Synod called by Pope Francis seems to indifferent to the Church’s true mission.
My personal reason for this occurences, it is a personal discernment. If you are after the convenience you want for yourself, you are not deserving to be Catholic, to be Catholic is to experience persecution, pain, suffering, and still faithful to the Church. Those leaving are swayded by personal convenience they wanted.
I am presently a catechumen in the Anglican Church in North America. Not more than a couple hundred yards from my parish is a Catholic parish. As we are on the same Kalendar, I decided to visit one of your establishments to contrast and compare. The topic of the day was the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. First up was the Catholic service. The particular parish in question is much larger than my own. No one greeted me as I walked in, and only the hired security guard noticed me as I left (although I did have to leave early for my own parish). The Catholic homily was apparently given by the deacon (a single sash over one shoulder) while the priest sat in what I presumed to be the bishop's chair. The deacon pleaded with the gathered parishioners to accept the church's teaching that Christ is really present in the Eucharist. This lasted for about five minutes and then the Eucharistic liturgy began. When people began to come forward, I slipped out the back due to time constraints. Next up was my own Anglican service. The priest's homily was a Scriptural dissertation on *why* the Eucharistic elements are the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and also *how* the Anglican liturgy conveys this. Some of the liturgy itself is simply reading relevant scriptural passages that have been copied from the English Standard Version into our 2019 Book of Common Prayer. The key takeaway is that the Anglican mass was far more persuasive because it appealed to Christ's authority directly. Do you want your parishioners to accept the real presence in the Eucharist? Then show them where Jesus says as much. Do you want them to understand this each time they receive the consecrated elements? Then your liturgy needs to convey that. Also, the parishioners at the Catholic place either ignored me outright or looked at me like I was some kind of space alien.
The opposite is true for me. I embraced Catholicism as an adult and love being part of the Church! As a convert, I appreciate the Church more than many nominal Catholics. Also, after listening to all these reasons why ppl leave (re-marriage, LGBTQ rights, women's issues, etc), there are thousands of liberal Protestant churches, mainline primarily, that have gone the liberal and "inclusive" way and their pews are EMPTY today, which means that granting what is perceived as freedoms, does not automatically correlate with increasing church attendance and the return of the faithful. It is quite the opposite, based on all statistical reports.
Yes, liberalism offers what the world offers. Churches that are strong in the word of God and fundamentals of the gospel and clean living are the churches that thrive, whether Catholic or protestant.
LISTEN TO ME!!!! It’s the constant singing through the entire mass. WE DON’T WANT TO SING!! We want to be with Jesus!! My church wants us to sing through the whole communion!!! That should be a time of being with Jesus…. and contemplating what has just happened! Other nonsense…. the handshake of peace. The total lack of reverence!! It’s horrible!! We don’t want a production or a show! We want Jesus! I rarely feel fed after attending Mass. I feel frustrated and angry. 😡😡
sinners are everywhere you need to know the Catholic faith well or you will be lost and leave, Jesus does not let me leave he touches me evetime the Eucharist is celebrated I feel him, one of the times I was kneeling down with my eyes closed and I saw a vision there were three small flames of fire, as I am hearing the priest lifts the host and praying says " Thru him and in him oh God oh mighty father in the unity of the holy spirit all glory and honor is yours now and forever and ever Ame Amen . Then the flames became one flame , I opened my eyes stood up and went to get the most holy Eucharist . This is where my Jesus is Amen
I was born and raised Catholic, I attended church every week, went to catholic school, taken my sacraments, was an altar boy and CCD teacher.. a true definition of a devout Catholic. I started petition for a declaration of nullity of my marriage at the Catholic Tribunal years ago. After denial, I dove deep into the bible in hopes to find the true answer through the teaching of God’s word. I was invited to a Christian church and started attending service along with Catholic mass every week in hopes to find that truth. It made for a long Sunday, but it helped in my healing process. My annulment petition has been appealed all the way up to Rome, but I’m now feeling that my faith in the Catholic church and their teachings are starting to diminish as I learn more about their man-made rules. Their denial and forced separation from God has actually made me closer to him and HIS teachings. Here is a letter I sent to everyone in the Catholic Church involved in my annulment process.. To Whom This May Concern, Saturday, June 21, 1997, It was a sun - filled warm first day of Summer, a day in which two people consented to go together to church in order to get married in front of family and friends. There were tons of flowers, music playing, limos and well dressed guests, it was quite a fancy affair. On the surface it all looked, sounded and smelled like a wedding, the bride dressed in white and the groom in black, both consenting to marry each other at the altar. The couple had consented to a wedding, but proper marital consent was never present. In proper marital consent there are four factors in which two people must commit to: The spouses are free to marry. They freely exchange their consent. In consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another and be open to children. Their consent is given in the presence of two witnesses It was a wonderful party, but it wasn’t a marriage because the content on the consent was invalid. At baptism, I was freed from sin and reborn as a son of God, I became a member of Christ and incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission. At First Communion, I celebrated the real presence of Christ in the bread, wine, and gathered community. Through Confirmation, the Holy Spirit gave me the increased ability to practice my Catholic faith in every aspect of my life and to witness Christ in every good or bad situation. During the Sacrament of Marriage, I was promised to be taken as a husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to be loved, honored, comforted, and kept in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as we both shall live. On the contrary, my spouse abandoned her home, husband and children while committing a grave act of adultery and mortal sin. Forsaking her marital obligations by acts of infidelity. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 The verse says that love does not dishonor others and delight in evil. When you are cheating in a relationship, regardless if you are married or not, you are delighting yourself in evil. In conclusion, I have been affected adversely by divorce. My petition for annulment represents my calling out to the Lord to have the spirit of healing and bring me out of darkness. I honestly and whole heartily believed that civil law had the power to dissolve marriage and that remarriage was acceptable after civil divorce. - Canon 1099 Matthew 19:9 - I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery 1 Corinthians 7:15 - But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. Since my divorce and remarriage, I have felt abandoned and betrayed by the Catholic Church, excommunicated, convicted of a mortal sin and promised of an eternity outside of the presence of God in hell. I’m honestly being convicted of a sin in which I didn’t commit. I’ve also been excluded from the Lord’s supper, the celebration of the Eucharist, forbidden to receive the bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, all while reciting - Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed. I will continue to pray each and every day in faith that justice will prevail in my petition for a declaration of nullity. Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. God Bless.
@@neo23thirty-eightSome people are told by their priest-spiritual directors that if they want to remarry, there are acceptable ways to do it if your conscience will allow it. They advise to simply remarry in a Lutheran Church privately and grant themselves an annulment of conscience. Keep it private and do not expose the background of your wife. If she refused the annulment, and if you can't "buy" an annulment from a more tolerant diocese, then talk to Christian psychological counselors. But stop smearing her reputation.
Our secretary thought she was the second most important person in our parish; I’m uncertain if that was God or our pastor. Not incidentally, our pastor was the kindest, caring, most thoughtful priest I have ever met. When people came to him with concerns, he didn’t tell them to go home and pray about it, he gave sound practical advice. After he retired I lost interest in attending church.
The people I know who have left the Catholic Church has to do 2 things, the teachings on human sexuality mainly same sex acts and those who have been divorced and remarried without an annulment.
I left because I was sick of being treated so badly. The church has learned nothing about the child abuse scandle because a bunch abuse is still really common.
15:55 God bless you father. It makes my heart glad that you said that it's good if former Catholics find home and refuge in another Christian denomination, because they are still serving the Lord. I feel the same way about Christians find refuge and a better walk in the Catholic church. We may not agree w/ all each others doctrines, but I'm an echumenical Christian and I want people to stay serving Jesus either way. If they are closer to Jesus on another branch of Christianity, then praise God. The closer the better. We don't want Christians to be lost or become reprobate.
the church not being transparent. Trying to control every issue with an iron fist. sweeping abuses under the rug and pretending it will go away. Any and all abuse should be reported to police, then the church but the directions are always do nothing until the church reviews and decides if valid or not. You guys say "reported"....you want to define that for us, who should it be reported to?
The Catholic Church has to focus more on the word of God than traditions. People are in the Church but spiritually thirsty and want to know Christ personally
As Catholics it's also our responsibility to feed our souls with the word of God via reading the Bible, maybe joining a Bible study, and our joining a women's ministry group. Most or all Catholic churches offer these.
Former Roman Catholic here. I left for several reasons, but I will cite only one here: I no longer believe in the philosophy of turn the other cheek. Too many times I have endured physical, verbal, and emotional hurts (some of which came from church clergy) only to be reprimanded when I ever tried to defend myself.
How does someone formally walk away from catholicism? Is there a procedure to follow, a form to fill out, like you would for an annulment ? Catholicism was forced on me from day one. It was not my choice ever. Want nothing to do with it. Just want it to be official.
You just don’t go back. Then find another church you like better. I understand about being forced to go, my mom force us to go to the baptist church every Sunday and during the summer, we had to go to vacation bible school. We got the old Bible stories, Jonah and the whale etc, but never a personal relationship with Jesus. I quit going after graduation from high school.
i will tell you some of the reasons i have thought about leaving..... hateful parish secretaries, priests who talk down to you in confession, being left out of things as a single person..... its all about married couples and families.... i feel the church just wants me for my money.... they dont care about me as a person.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Feeling used and abused is definitely not the way anyone wants to be treated. Sorry you feel like this. If I were you I would ask my pastor to meet with me one on one so I could get some clarification and share my thoughts about these things. I'd ask questions, share how I feel, tell him what I would want to see changed, but not be accusatory. If you do this, I'd hope he'd be receptive, if not maybe you can try another near by parish.
I’m an American in the UK and it feels like the Church is dying here. The priests act like they’re fed up and they moan if they have to hear confession, they moan if you go to ask them a question, they moan about this or that and they wonder why there’s only 20 people at Sunday Mass. Yet I’m not going to leave the church bc of the attitude of the priests. They’re are martyrs for Christ in the Catholic Church so if they can die for the faith I can put up and shut up and pray and fast for them instead if stomping my feet and crying bc “ im not getting fed”. Grow up people
I am 41 years old and say the catholic church is the most free believing than other christians churches. I see catholics leaving our faith without knowing it. I invite people with doubts in catholic faith to investigate more and not saying "all the priests, decons, nuns and the pope are wrong". Our church has been make corrections gradually 🙏🏻
For me it was the misbehaviour, mistreatment, and abuse in religious orders and institutes and how little actually there is discussion on this topic. For example, if you have left a religious institute because of the horrible experiences, no catholic will believe you, they just think you are trying to defame the church and the institute. This Cosa Nostra is truly untouchable.
I am 66, cradle Catholic, still practicing. I remain so because I simply "don't throw out the baby with the bathwater". There is a deep mysticism within our faith that I discovered, through grace, that focuses on the very core of the faith; this singular relationship with Jesus and the constant presence of Divine Love. There is NEVER a mention as to how to develop this depth, the readings of the mystics, etc.,in sermons that seldom go beyond the literal and banal. IMO the people are starved. Give them some real food. They desire spiritual food that they can use for their own deep, personal, spiritual development. In that way the boring priest or unfriendly neighbor won't chase them away. If they run that easily it's because they were never spiritually embedded. As a former Spiritual Director what I heard from young women is that they could never remain or become Catholic because in their view, it's an empire institution that allows oppresion of women. Why, they say, would I practice within a religion that does not allow me to advance. If this were the "real world" and I was employed by them, it would be illegal. They're not wrong. They find the exclusion of women in the priesthood archaic, medieval, and offensive. In my conversations, there is no "spin" or explanation that will get them to see it differently as it's just too counter cultural. The church's teachings on many topics are a hard sell in 2014. As I see it, the institution will evolve into something new or die. Right now it's dying. Those of us in the pews hold no power. You, as priests, deacons, bishops, cardinals, & the Popes, do.
Did anyone ever consider that going back to the traditional Mass and practices? People demand discipline and want to be told the truth. You priests are responsible for the loss of souls and will be held accountable. As long as you try to please everyone you will please no one.
As some one exploring joining the catholic faith, as of today my biggest hang up is the Social Teaching and specifically the official approach of the church to achieving those goals as I understand. I can't submit myself to policy suggestions that to my reasoning mind clearly don't work in the way they are intended to. I agree with the stated goals I just don't agree with the way the church would like to achieve those goals.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Because I am unaware of where you are getting your information, I thought I'd share an article that outlines Catholic social teaching. Look it over and let me know what your object to. www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/seven-principles-of-catholic-social-teaching
The USCCB is definitely going to be an authentic authoritative voice on this matter. Can you more directly point me to the part that talks about the redistribution of wealth? I might be able to offer you further insight.
@Saint Dominic Media I would like to apologize for the extremely long incoming reply. Taken from the expanded section of Option for the Poor You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what is his. You have been appropriating things that are meant to be for the common use of everyone. The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich.” (Charity is a virtue to be sure and while the church does seem to show a respect to the right to property this would imply that it ignores the right to property since we collectively own the earth and all that is in it) "Therefore everyone has the right to possess a sufficient amount of the earth's goods for themselves and their family. This has been the opinion of the Fathers and Doctors of the church, who taught that people are bound to come to the aid of the poor and to do so not merely out of their superfluous goods. Persons in extreme necessity are entitled to take what they need from the riches of others." (Does this mean revolution is an option should the necessity be great enough?) "Still, when there is a question of defending the rights of individuals, the poor and badly off have a claim to especial consideration. The richer class have many ways of shielding themselves, and stand less in need of help from the State; whereas the mass of the poor have no resources of their own to fall back upon, and must chiefly depend upon the assistance of the State." (This seems not to necessarily call for redistribution of wealth but does indicate a preferred reliance on the state as a positive outcome) Taken from Rights and Responsibilities section Underlying the principle of the common good is respect for the human person as such, endowed with basic and inalienable rights ordered to his or her integral development. It has also to do with the overall welfare of society and the development of a variety of intermediate groups, applying the principle of subsidiarity. Outstanding among those groups is the family, as the basic cell of society. Finally, the common good calls for social peace, the stability and security provided by a certain order which cannot be achieved without particular concern for distributive justice; whenever this is violated, violence always ensues. Society as a whole, and the state in particular, are obliged to defend and promote the common good. (In this section we see the term "distributive justice" a philosophical concept that is directly derived from Utilitarianism a concept that primarily concerns itself with managing resources in a top down manner that when taken to its logical end involves involuntary participation) Taken from Life and Dignity of the Human Person The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner. (I wonder what is the unacceptable manner? The rich man has a moral obligation to spend his money in charity and development of his fellow man, yes. But does his wealth cause the poverty of others? If his decisions and choices do harm his fellow man and strip them of their dignity then yes he should be shamed for it and it is morally reprehensible but is the separation itself morally wrong? There shouldn't be people who don't have clean water or unspoiled food to eat, nor should they be without shelter agreed wholeheartedly. But some would argue that their inability to spend money on luxury items or their relative poverty to the insanely wealthy is in itself unacceptable when they have all that they need to thrive if not to be able to live in excess as they might wish)
@@einarrjamesson9643 Thanks for all of this. I'm going to respond to your points to the best of my ability. The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it. This I think is the point you are missing. We are all children of God. What we have is a gift from Him and belongs to him. We are asked to be good stewards with these gifts. This kinda ties into the distributive justice idea listed below. It seems the Church is acknowledging the natural consequences of perceived fairness. I'm sure church leaders have varying opinions about reliance on the state. These things listed on the USCCB and elsewhere are guiding principles. This last part is saying that the very rich need to keep the very poor in mind. Okay, so all that is said and done. Maybe you will still have some reservations about the politics of the Church. As a Catholic of 10+ years I'm gonna say that you probably will continue to see political friction in the Church as it is made up of humans. These things are minuscule compared to what Christ offers in the Church. Also, if you feel called to live out Catholic social teaching in a better way, the church is always in need of saints giving shining examples.
@Saint Dominic Media I can't tell you how much I appreciate the response. So often online discussions like these devolve into gross arguments and I am grateful that you seemed to want to answer my questions in a helpful manner. Truly, thank you. I feel a true calling in life to serve my fellow man, to give back to my community with the gifts I have been given, and I do feel called to the Church in some way. I want to continue my exploration of the Catholic Church and it means so much have had such a positive and genuine experience about this.
The restrictions on Latin Mass, very traditional traditions and going woke are my pet peeves with the church. As for being political, church must have the guts to call out sin and the remedy for it, woke society or not.
*FULL DISCLOSURE:* I’m a Protestant. As for _”not being fed”,_ I’m not sure what the Catholic view is on teaching _(catechesis?),_ but if a Protestant told me that, I would ask how long they had known the Lord. We are to mature spiritually just as we mature physically. At some point, we should have learned how to *FEED OURSELVES!* And then, in turn, learn to *feed others.* But, if I were Catholic, I would still attend Mass, since that would be my only access to at least some of the sacraments.
The most serious issue I have with the Catholic Church is that it is unable to heal people (both spiritually and mentally). For example, I was told that confession is not psychotherapy, which is definitely true, but then, what is it? Why should God care if my sins are forgiven by such a rotten institution? How helpful can 10 Hail Mary's be to avoid the same sins in the future? At the moment, I just feel like letting the church bask in its sense of perfection until there are literally two or three believers in a parish, and heating in churches is financially unsustainable.
Father, sorry, but I draw the line at "Roll Tide!" (Multiply-dipped Gator here and sometime parishioner during my student days at St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Gainesville, right across University Avenue from UF, in that diocese way east of y'all.) But seriously, God bless all y'all, and pray for me, David peccator.😅
The Vatican is adorned with gold and diamonds and jewelry when you walk through it the Halls everything solid gold but your picture about suffering and overcoming
Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment. Look for the closest Catholic church to your home. They will have people that will teach you the faith. You will be able to ask questions and explore the Catholic faith. God bless!
@@SaintDominicMedia I tried , and I have realized that accepting the would- be Catholics in Syro Malabar Catholic Church in Kerala, India is a tedious process...They are not short of parishers... I happened to receive very warm response from the all the Western Catholic Churches I had contacted... This is my situation , I am forgiving and forgetting the reactions I got. Only thing I can assure u is I have accepted Christ into my heart...That is more than a blessing and I will pray for them who gave a lukewarm response ....PEACE BE WITH U AND PLEASE PRAY FOR ME ...THANK U
@@BIJITHBL-i6y I think I'm following what you are saying. Did you go to the local Catholic parish and they weren't welcoming because they had so many people interested? If so, that is terrible. They should have welcomed you with open arms. Please don't give up. Forgive them and go back. Remember the real reason you are there, your love for Jesus. God bless!
U should be honest with divorced n married couples. The bible says no divorce n remarriage. So such couples should live as brother n sister as one cath priest preached. It's not easy. The holy spirit will give strength, real strength, to fulfil this task. He will surely do it if we seek him
I am not a Catholic. I went to a Catholic wedding recently. It was conducted in Latin. While the proceedings were visually pleasing, I had no idea what was going on. I thought it was all silly beyond description. Nothing I saw or heard would have any chance of causing me to explore becoming Catholic. If anything, it drove me in the opposite direction. I noted that, even while folks were speaking English about Catholic concepts, I didn't stand a chance of understanding anything.
Silly? You better stick with something simple minded. I recommend you never attend a Jewish wedding, they speak Hebrew, and never attend a Greek Orthodox wedding, they speak Greek. I've been to all of these ceremonies, and they are beautifully rich in their respective traditions. Yeah ... silly
Covering up for pedophiles for years around the world , and it still continues. Cardinial Law gets moved to Rome and gets a promotion ? He should have been arrested in Boston. That's one prime example that drove many away . Not feeling supported by the church during a parents funeral. The priest told us that he wrote the book on Catholic funerals. My Jewish niece chose a beautiful reading from the Bible that applied beautifully to her grandfather and she was told it wasn't an approved reading . Dogma was more important to him than the greaving families feelings. The church is the people; not the institution. These are some examples why people walked away.
I was baptized Catholic as an infant but raised agnostic. I went to a lot of East Coast holiday masses with extended family. My experiences at these churches were not mean but highly reserved. I grew up under the impression that Catholicism is the Christian denomination for introverts in that most members wanted to be left alone in their prayers. Also, it’s hard to ignore that the Catholic Church was a world power like the modern day United Nations in the Middle Ages and it still is to some extent today. There’s definitely an element of protecting “the state” at all costs in the Church like any modern government. I think there’s a lot of reprogramming work in the Church that needs to be done to remake the Church as a spiritual beacon of truth and not a political one. I’m attracted to the guidance of spiritual discipline in the Church. Nevertheless, I’m turned off by the attempts at social discipline from the Church that’s a vestigial goal from a powerful political past.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I think you have some insightful ideas here. I think though that they may lack necessary development for myself to go along with. When a Catholic speaks about Christendom, especially a well read Catholic, they know that it is a very complex issue with all the good and bad parts of humanity tied in. Here is an article that talks a little about Church history: www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/church-and-state-a-history-of-conflict Also, I laughed at the introvert thing. I've never thought that, maybe because of all of the extroverted Catholics I know. In regards to the Church as a world power, my spiritual director makes the distinguishment between power and authority, the later coming from God and the former from man. The Church is guided by God, but lead by men. Sometimes that doesn't go so good, but sometimes it does.
I was a strong Catholic from childhood to my early 30's but was shown the Bible (by an ex Catholic) I researched the church teachings against the Bible and found too many errors, paganisms and heresies which I sadly followed. Coming out from that institution to understand what by Grace through Faith for salvation is not a "works" based salvation which is the Catholic teaching "the Gospel plus works" than a time spent in Purgatory for the purification of sins. In the light of the New Testament there is a real revelation and freedom to worship God through Jesus Christ without condemnation, to know once saved always saved, choosing to live by the flesh or the spirit but always knowing that the Spirit in me cannot sin!...above all the Bible tells me without any reservation or confusion or doubt that the moment I take my last breath I will be in the present of my Lord regardless what the Catholic church teaches " In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the apostle Paul writes, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (KJV). The expression absent from the body refers to physical death. When this life ends, believers will be immediately ushered into the glorious presence of the Lord. Then we will see Him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). And, at that moment, we will be “present with the Lord.” READ YOUR BIBLE!
I watched n fast forwarded the video n couldn't find any solution to divorce n remarriage. But throughout the video all of u hv ignored 1 very important matter tht such people should turn to. But as always the rcc is all based on man made teachings n nothing more
Thanks for leaving a comment. You can speak with a priest about annulment. That is your best route if you'd like to reconnect with the Catholic Church.
1 Timothy:2:5.. For there is ONE God,and there is One mediater between God and man,the man Jesus Christ...John 14:6; Jesus said to him,I am the way,and the truth,and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.
It's the attitude of the priest and staff. Mocking people in the name of righteousness, telling people to go elsewhere, paranoia, NO spiritual direction for people who really need it...can't be bothered and not even pointing us in any direction. Who in their right mind would want to deepen their faith when they can't even find a spiritual leader to guide them. I am so angry and can't get over it.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Sorry to hear you've had a bad experience. Pray about your anger. We'll pray for you. Try not to make this experience at your parish a universal within all of Catholicism.
For me, there’s no feeling of reverence, no sense that either the priests or Eucharist ministers believe in the body of Christ - it’s like they’re just going to g through the motions . There’s also far less concern for the community at large than there is in the Protestant communities, aren’t we supposed to be bringing people into Christ? My parish feels very excluding, like we are better than anyone else and yet our Mass doesn’t do anything to strengthen parishioners belief.
Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment. If a public figure advocates for abortion they technically ex-communicate themself. If you are divorced and choose to live with your new partner as brother and sister, you go to confession, then you can receive communion. You can work on the annulment, which can be a hard experience, but people say it is worth it in the end.
@@SaintDominicMediachurch and state are separate things. As long as those politicians don’t advocate abortion, but allow it legally for others, why would they be out of communion with Rome? Leave to Caesar that which is Caesars?
Wow. I feel you are mind readers. Right on! Re mwntoring - it works. Look at the sponsorships in most AA groups. They work. I have 2 AA kids (in their 50's). I know it works.
One, Holy, Universal, or Apostolic??? The Chosen? Infallibility? Sacrificial candibalism? It is a cult I was born into. Took many years to deprogram. No more cults for me.
If people can’t accept Church teaching and they end up leaving then I say good riddance. If people who know they’re in the True faith and leave bc someone said something not nice or the priest didn’t give a nice homily abd they leave then good riddance. Leave and leave the rest of us alone who want to live the Faith to the full without others making it difficult
Catholics like myself leave the Catholic Church after decades because they finally read their Bible and become born again and leave dead religion for a Bible believing church that preaches the good news of Jesus Christ! We are sinners he died for us so that we may have eternal life to all who accept this free gift! The good news is you can not earn or work for your salvation…salvation is a free gift from the Lord my good deeds are like filthy rags! Once you realize what a sinner you are you can finally realize your need for a savior!!!! I pray everyone picks up the Bible and seeks God while he can be found!!!!!! There is a time coming very soon that your time will run out don’t be found without Jesus!!!!!!!
They leave the church because of the sheer hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. I love the church and am a cradle Catholic but I find the “rules” of the Catholic church a lesson in hypocrisy. You have a married priest (which is fantastic) but my gosh, what a bend of the rules for the Pope to suit the church’s needs. This episode honestly made me cry. The Church is ridiculous in so many cases. Now I’m listening to a married priest state being lonely is a state of grace. Be serious. I am sure Father Doug means the best but he cannot be serious that a woman who was abandoned by a MAN that now loneliness is a friend. I have to stop watching now.
I wouldn't call it the elephant in the room but with the shortage of priests I see more and and more priest from other countries preaching in America. Unfortunately, I feel that the language barrier is a serious problem. So much in that it's hard to stay focused. Everyone loves a good homily. I think we connect better. I think the shortage of priests is compounded because of the churches refusal to allow men to marry ( at least in America) and refusal to allow woman to become priest. I think its a larger issue than the church realizes.
The Catholic Church is a Middle Ages (circa 1500) religion that still lives in a "sin universe" where leaving the world and retreating to a church is the way to live! Please note that Jesus did not retreat from the world, but went into the world to reach out to "saints and sinners." When it comes to sinners, the Catholic Church does not reach out to them as Jesus did. The Catholic Church only reaches out to Catholics and the "saved". The Salvation Army is the only religion that exists to reach out to "the poor and the hungry," hence they are doing the work of Jesus.
The Eucharist is basically our gathering to worship the Holy Trinity, a foreshadowing of the time when the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven, so to speak.
I am struggling with staying with the church because of my divorce and remarriage. My current husband (of 12 years) refuses to get an annulment from his 1st marriage. I may have gone on with mine if he was willing to pursue his. I talked to a priest, and he was very black and white and very rude. Basically stating church law. I knew the church law. I have not walked away completely, but it has slowly been happening since that conversation 10 years ago. I know if I go through the process, I will still not be free from sin of adultry as my husband (non-catholic) won't. My past marriage was horrible with mental and physical abuse and infidelity. I do not want to visit that trauma anymore. My children are adults now and would get backlash from their father and possible family if I pursue this annulment. They don't understand as they are not Catholic. I know the kind of questions that are on the annulment forms. My mom was a DRE, and she helped with annulment processes at that time. These are very personal questions my ex would not be willing to answer. And if he does, he is a narcissist and tells a different story than reality. So yes I am hurt by the rejection and I am seriously looking at Episcopalian or Lutheran church but I am Catholic and feel that guilt and that grief of losing my faith to where I would rather not even attend church at all. Also, the new priests that are coming out to the seminarian ( it seems like our church recieve the fresh out in the last 10 years) seem very black and white in their thinking. Very unreachable humans and give the impression of not compassionate at all. Definitely not someone I want to open up to. This is another reason I am thinking of leaving. They seem to not be the same compassionate priests I grew up with in the 80's and 90's. Are they trying to make them too unreachable for a reason. I am not the only one noticing this.
Thank you for writing us. Can you please email us at: contact@saintdominicmedia.com ? We would love to continue this conversation with you and Father Michael would like to personally reach out.
Our local TLM priests both had childhoods, and they are very empathetic. Heaps of broken and traumatised people come to TLM here, and young people. It's a very vibrant community. Not always like that but this one is excellent for spiritual renewal .
Because it’s religious and not about seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. .. Jesus hates religion ! The religious people of His day were the only ones He ever spoke harshly to
Thanks for leaving a comment. You should start a bible study if there isn't a group already doing so at your parish. Talk with your pastor about your interest in it. I suggest Jeff Cavins Bible timeline course.
@@SaintDominicMedia if they just follow basics, they will see how catholicism isn't even Christianity. i often ask 2 or 3 questions from Scripture to catholics and they can't answer.
RCIA class taught heresy. Prayed to holy feminine holy spirit. Would not say that Homosexuality is a sin. Alter girls, laity eucharistic servers and blessings. I left looking for a more Traditional Catholic church.
Ok! Too many reasons, but, JIMHO, none of them really addresses the real ones happening now... Let us to pick Generation Z for an instant. IN all Human history, Zoomers are: 1) The ones with the highest average life expectancy ever. 2) The ones with the highest average academic level ever. 3) The ones with the highest average general immediate information access ever. With a so high life expectancy, academic level and immediate information level, those youth have gained the highest OPTION level ever in human history!... When they feel ill they'll search a doctor, when they'll feel there is no justice in their case, they'll search for a lawyer, when they feel in need they'll search for a social worker professional... They won't search for a Priest, Pastor or any other religious leader of sorts... Forgive me... But the Church, JIMHO, has miserably failed on addressing this when that has started to be that way, back in mid XX century!... Surely Vat. II has tried to address a little bit of the thing... But ultimately the Church remained more or less like it has always been!... Being a Philosopher myself from State University training may have provided me with such that sensibility... But, sadly, it is rare for me to find someone whom shares all of my concerns... Because one cannot have a good answer, while not posing the question the right way!... People simply ceased to believe because they ceased to see a reason for believing and publicly to practice their belief. Sadly as "simple" as that. For me, now it is sort of too late. The society as a whole is going in a diverse direction most religious people dislike... Whatever we can now to do is to minimize the damage by retaining, at least some of the younger remnant... And TBHH: It would have been better if the leaders ceased to be so obsessed over human sexuality!... It would make wonders if simply the Church would go out of human sexuality for a while. No compromise with the world, but no condemnation as well. Simply out of that stuff. Currently I live in a rural area near Holly Mother of Fátima Shrine in Portugal that back in the day was a very solid conservative Catholic area... Not anymore. Here pretty much only the 75+ yo are going weekly to Mass. At my late 40's, I'm regularly one of the 5 youngest individuals on Church, other than on the few days when the kids Catechism comes. I've no hope on a better future. When kids make Confirmation day, it is like Church freedom day for them. That is what that "party" means for them. We will need some decades till we can again to restart on Europe as a Missionary area... But humility will need to prevail... And watch the Bible as a wonderful Catechism about the human salvation... Not a literal inerrant life guide like in the not so distant past. Forgive me if you find this far off topic, but I'm sort of tired of those discussions. Yeah: The scandals and corruptions matters... But there is tons of life out of that stuff to be addressed. And sadly nobody ready to address it... Oh, well... At least our beloved Pope Francis seems to be ready, but quite a Preacher in the desert, TBHH... Have a wonderful day!...
Maybe it has to do with the fact that the teachings of the Church simple contradicts so much of what the culture teaches us as we are growing up. I am nearly ninety now, and the end the Council came when was thirty. That was about the time when the sexual revolution hit the scene. It is my opinion that the Council failed to see the real situation of the world at a time when they were seeking to come to some accommodation with it. That the modernists at the council failed to see that, Modernism, which dated back to the Enlightenment was entering a period when its fundamental preconceptions would be be called into question because of the radicalism implicit in the whole enterprise. The way that so many clergy embraced modern psychology, for instance, and the therapeutic INDUSTRY which made the self the focus of all things caused them to abandon all developments in Catholicism since the Council of Trent. Ironically, it was the Society of Jesus, which had been the leader of the Counter-reformation who seem to have been the leaders of this revolt. The culmination is the papacy of Francis, of course the first Jesuit to be elected pope who like many liberal Catholics is trying to manage forces he cannot control.
I'll add another another reason I didn't hear mentioned... with widespread availability of the internet people can readily learn the Truths surrounding the formation of the early imperial Roman church/state, as well as liberal borrowings and influence its from pagan ancestors. An increasing amount of scholarship on this topic is being presented in the US and abroad, without fear of repercussion form the once-menacing Holy Roman church.
@@tvhead7074 You might want to rethink that proposition, are you familiar with the pagan sun God? During the third century AD, this second Sol (Sol Indiges, god of agriculture, being the first) gradually evolved from a god into "the god" of Rome. The transition from Sol Invictus to Jesus Christ is best documented in archeological finds. In 1953, researchers began digging underneath St. Peter’s Basilica, built under Constantine, in hope of finding its namesake’s tomb. Although they didn’t find St. Peter, they did stumble across the bodies of various pagans and Christians. In particular, one Christian tomb was decorated with a mosaic that portrayed Christ as Sol Invictus encircled by a rayed nimbus and riding a chariot. Identification with the Sun god may also be preserved in Biblical passages describing Christ and God in relation to light and fire. (Source: BigThink.com/the past/Sol Invictus)
I am no longer a Roman Catholic and have no animosity towards Roman Catholics. Why I can not go back, is for many reasons. One thing I recognized, Eusebius rewrote history to define an orthodox view of the relationship between church and state. He rewrote history to accomplish this. He did this to help stop the murder of Christian’s, and he succeeded. Peter never even stepped foot in Rome. He did not have time to be an overseer/bishop and this was not his role. He was an apostle and elder. He did not speak the languages of Rome and was not a Roman citizen. His purpose had 99.9% to do with the house of Israel. He preached the gospel one time to a Gentile household, then he withdrew from the Gentiles. Paul, the only apostle to the Gentiles, was a Roman citizen and spoke their languages.
As a lifelong practicing Catholic, one of the big reasons I see many folks leaving is that the pastors and priests at their local parish are increasingly unconnected with their parishioners. Many priests give sermons and homilies about topics that virtually no one can relate to, very vague and ambiguous. This adds to the disconnect and slowly drives folks away.
Not so. I see a terrible liturgy, within which the best priests cannot function optimally
@@patrickmelling8404 This is all personal point of view, masquerading as considered opinion. There's actually been research done on this, and "not enough men in birettas wearing maniples" is rarely given as a reason.
i read the Bible and believe how clear it is.
catholicism isn't Christianity.
@@tony1685 the only reason you have a Bible is Catholicsm. Who do you think figured out which early church letters and writings constituted scripture, and which did not? A church council made that decision.
@@admiralbob7797 Bible was around well before catholicism, bob. but i remember they tried to sell that to me as well.
tell me - do you think this 'church' would allow material which exposes that their own 'church' isn't even Christianity, in it??
see 1 John 3:4 - sin = transgression of God's law.
Ex 20:4-6, catholicism still makes and bows to idols, statues and body parts.
Ex 20:8-11, the 7th day Sabbath is the Lord's day and forever will be, the 1st day is a day too late.
there is much, much more -- but hopefully you'll get the picture, Sir.
The weird thing is someone can be a murderer, confessor sin, go to jail, and still receive the Eucharist, but God forbid you get divorced and remarried
Jesus started Catholic church…..follow it
@@johnyang1420 Jesus didn't start this blasphemous system of lies, john.
don't you have a Christian Bible? or just don't grasp what It's teaching?
pcialini4729- or miss Mass which is considered a mortal sin
@@Winterisnofun that's nonsense, since 'mass' is a day late - the Lord's day is the 7th day, Jesus is in church then - see Luke 4:16
@@johnyang1420 Jesus would never EVER have humanity practice indulgences.
Write that down.
I have a question for the fathers. Why can a priest or nun leave his/her position and marry but I can’t leave my spouse and remarry? They made a vow same as my vow.
My parents divorced after 32 years married, my mom never remarried or had another relationship, my dad has never remarried but had 3 or 4 relationships. I saw my mom struggle as a single woman for almost 50 years until she moved in with us. How much easier her life might have been if she had been able to remarry.
This is a really great question. I am not a priest and unable to answer, but I will pass it along and see if we can make a video on this. Stay tuned.
Plus, nuns and sisters have a way longer preparation period.@@SaintDominicMedia
The annulment process for me was very nerve-racking, but did provide me closure and renewal. I married an older woman when I was younger, and she took advantage of me, and was very abusive and I stomach dead for almost 10 years before I realized it was destroying me in every way, and I had to get a divorce, I was fortunate that all the criteria were present for me to get an annulment which did provide healing and also a sense of closure to that for not only me but my current wife. I’m definitely going to take the advice given here and offer my experience as a guide to others that might be facing the same process at my parish. Thank you, gentlemen God bless.
I'm happy to hear the discussion on divorce. I divorced him, he remarried in a civil ceremony. I never remarried, he has recently died. Where does this leave me in the eyes of the Catholic Church?
Thanks for leaving a comment. Since you didn't remarry, you could have reconciled with the Church when the separation happened. Now that he has has passed, you are no longer married in the eyes of Lord. Visit your local parish and see if the pastor can set up a time to discuss this with you. You are always welcome back to the Church.
@@SaintDominicMedia i find it amazing how hypocritical this 'church' is.
you all pick and choose what to follow and what to ignore - even when God Himself has Commandments, your 'church' sidesteps Them, proving that this clearly is not Christianity.
I believe in the eyes of the Church, you’re a widow.
Thank you for this it offers me some hope and solace.
"Devition to what is right is simple, devotion to what is wrong is complex and admits to infinite variations...For those who follow nature, everything is easy and straightforward, whereas for those who fight against her life is just like rowing against the stream." -Seneca
As a Catholic of nearly seventy years, I have got to the point where I can no longer support an institution that has so calously treated the abused, the outsider, the child, the alienated ... stuff that supposed to be at the core of its mission. I believe I have to stand in solidarity with the thousands of victims of a church that has done everything to avoid the kind of self examination and deep reform it expects of individual sinners. But beyond the devastation of the abuse crisis, it seems to me that the heart of the problem is clericalism. There is no sign that this is changing, so I'm out.
It's not a decision I've come to easily and I accept I will be a 'spiritual orphan' for the rest of my life but, for me, participation is compliance.
Mr. Tony: I invite you to see all the work that catholic church has made world wide. In my country, Venezuela 🇻🇪, jesuists have made an educational system called "Fe y Alegría". Also the Salesians in Venezuela 🇻🇪 have educated many young persons to work. The redentorists in Venezuela are missioners. God help us to understand and be more updated to the catholic church. I am a 41 year old man, from a La
Salle catholic education and family faithful catholic teachings from parishes
All of us at some stage of our life have been the Prodigal Son. Jesus himself walked amongst those who did everything they could to silence, ridicule and kill him. His followers abandoned him when they didn't like what he had to say. The enemy is always ready to pounce to try to thwart God's plan, even Jesus was tempted to step away throughout his incarnate life. Why should we sinners think we would not be attacked too. One of the tactics of any enemy is to infiltrate, Satan's followers have always infiltrated the Church. Our Lord told us to pick up our cross, it's not going to be easy but with prayer, fortitude and knowledge of the faith we can become warriors for Christ. Don't leave the battle field we need you. Search for a traditional Latin Mass SSPX where you will find truth, empathy and support. Return and there will be a major celebration in the heavenly realm along with our Father, who will say welcome home my much loved Prodigal Son.
@@juanma1707 I understand what your saying, Juanma1707. The church does good work throughout the world and has some of the best people imaginable. In my small way, as a Catholic, I've sought to contribute to the goodness of the church in the world. Tthat will continue without me and, in a small way as a non-Catholic, I will still try to be a force for goodness in the world.
@@beverleylake7916 I'm not 'abandoning Christ' Beverley. I'm a abandoning the church. I'm not closing the gate to coming back, but if I do, it will not be to the SPXX. I was bought up in the Latin Mass and felt the church did the right thing by religating it to history.
I feel like Mary Magdalene in a room full of Pharisees throwing stones at me when I go to a function. I can’t bring myself to go to what I think are important things. Or volunteer. I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. I live in a small town. So I feel sad when I go to mass.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Sorry to hear that you feel this way. Sounds like more of a cultural problem and not a religious one. Sometimes the two can get conflated. My advice is to try to separate the two and remember how Jesus embraces and doesn't condemn Magdalene. Then if you feel compelled to say something or find clarification for others actions, do so with charity. God bless!
I would suggest a protestant church where the word is preached and people embrace loving their neighbour as they love God. You shouldn't be sad when you go to church. I'm not trying to talk you out of Catholicism, but you can still be a Christian in other churches.
Weak shepards. Weak bishops not standing up for the Church and not holding priests accountable for their bad actions, trying to hide these things (scandals). Protestenization (sp?) of mass. On an individual level many dont understand the Catechism. All of these are my opinion
The almost general abandonment of catechesis of the laity during the 1970s in the mission of the Church. Which is NOT to contribute to the creation of the Utopia promised by liberal democracy but to preach Jesus Christ in all times and in all places. It is alarming that the Synod called by Pope Francis seems to indifferent to the Church’s true mission.
AMEN!
Coffee and donuts is every Sunday after mass for our Parish 😌 it helps us connect
snacks? That’s what’s special about your parish?!?! It’s not hard to get coffee and donuts. 😂😂😂
@@jjgalletta66. IKR. What a wadte of an hour! Skip church and proceed directly to Dunkin!
Father Michael and Father Tom, did your parents live as brother and sister during their annulment process?
My personal reason for this occurences, it is a personal discernment. If you are after the convenience you want for yourself, you are not deserving to be Catholic, to be Catholic is to experience persecution, pain, suffering, and still faithful to the Church. Those leaving are swayded by personal convenience they wanted.
You are on the right track. Faith and culture. Right on! I am a lapsed Catholic but not really, not in my heart. I will continue watching.
I am presently a catechumen in the Anglican Church in North America. Not more than a couple hundred yards from my parish is a Catholic parish. As we are on the same Kalendar, I decided to visit one of your establishments to contrast and compare. The topic of the day was the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
First up was the Catholic service. The particular parish in question is much larger than my own. No one greeted me as I walked in, and only the hired security guard noticed me as I left (although I did have to leave early for my own parish). The Catholic homily was apparently given by the deacon (a single sash over one shoulder) while the priest sat in what I presumed to be the bishop's chair. The deacon pleaded with the gathered parishioners to accept the church's teaching that Christ is really present in the Eucharist. This lasted for about five minutes and then the Eucharistic liturgy began. When people began to come forward, I slipped out the back due to time constraints.
Next up was my own Anglican service. The priest's homily was a Scriptural dissertation on *why* the Eucharistic elements are the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and also *how* the Anglican liturgy conveys this. Some of the liturgy itself is simply reading relevant scriptural passages that have been copied from the English Standard Version into our 2019 Book of Common Prayer.
The key takeaway is that the Anglican mass was far more persuasive because it appealed to Christ's authority directly. Do you want your parishioners to accept the real presence in the Eucharist? Then show them where Jesus says as much. Do you want them to understand this each time they receive the consecrated elements? Then your liturgy needs to convey that.
Also, the parishioners at the Catholic place either ignored me outright or looked at me like I was some kind of space alien.
I just grew up and saw the hypocrisy and BS for what it is.
Bad liturgy, bad theology, and pastoral indifference cause our youth to drift away from a faith they were never permitted to know.
The opposite is true for me. I embraced Catholicism as an adult and love being part of the Church! As a convert, I appreciate the Church more than many nominal Catholics. Also, after listening to all these reasons why ppl leave (re-marriage, LGBTQ rights, women's issues, etc), there are thousands of liberal Protestant churches, mainline primarily, that have gone the liberal and "inclusive" way and their pews are EMPTY today, which means that granting what is perceived as freedoms, does not automatically correlate with increasing church attendance and the return of the faithful. It is quite the opposite, based on all statistical reports.
Yes, liberalism offers what the world offers. Churches that are strong in the word of God and fundamentals of the gospel and clean living are the churches that thrive, whether Catholic or protestant.
A heard a priest remark that converts make the best Catholics. They see and appreciate what cradle Catholics take for granted.
LISTEN TO ME!!!!
It’s the constant singing through the entire mass. WE DON’T WANT TO SING!! We want to be with Jesus!! My church wants us to sing through the whole communion!!! That should be a time of being with Jesus…. and contemplating what has just happened! Other nonsense…. the handshake of peace. The total lack of reverence!! It’s horrible!!
We don’t want a production or a show! We want Jesus! I rarely feel fed after attending Mass. I feel frustrated and angry. 😡😡
Husband and I felt as you do attending N.O. Mass. Now feasting at SSPX traditional Mass.
Priests get transferred every six years. Hard to want to invest in really knowing your priest because he will be gone.
sinners are everywhere you need to know the Catholic faith well or you will be lost and leave, Jesus does not let me leave he touches me evetime the Eucharist is celebrated I feel him, one of the times I was kneeling down with my eyes closed and I saw a vision there were three small flames of fire, as I am hearing the priest lifts the host and praying says " Thru him and in him oh God oh mighty father in the unity of the holy spirit all glory and honor is yours now and forever and ever Ame Amen . Then the flames became one flame , I opened my eyes stood up and went to get the most holy Eucharist . This is where my Jesus is Amen
I was born and raised Catholic, I attended church every week, went to catholic school, taken my sacraments, was an altar boy and CCD teacher.. a true definition of a devout Catholic.
I started petition for a declaration of nullity of my marriage at the Catholic Tribunal years ago. After denial, I dove deep into the bible in hopes to find the true answer through the teaching of God’s word.
I was invited to a Christian church and started attending service along with Catholic mass every week in hopes to find that truth. It made for a long Sunday, but it helped in my healing process.
My annulment petition has been appealed all the way up to Rome, but I’m now feeling that my faith in the Catholic church and their teachings are starting to diminish as I learn more about their man-made rules.
Their denial and forced separation from God has actually made me closer to him and HIS teachings.
Here is a letter I sent to everyone in the Catholic Church involved in my annulment process..
To Whom This May Concern,
Saturday, June 21, 1997, It was a sun - filled warm first day of Summer, a day in which two people consented to go together to church in order to get married in front of family and friends.
There were tons of flowers, music playing, limos and well dressed guests, it was quite a fancy affair.
On the surface it all looked, sounded and smelled like a wedding, the bride dressed in white and the groom in black, both consenting to marry each other at the altar.
The couple had consented to a wedding, but proper marital consent was never present.
In proper marital consent there are four factors in which two people must commit to:
The spouses are free to marry.
They freely exchange their consent.
In consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another and be open to children.
Their consent is given in the presence of two witnesses
It was a wonderful party, but it wasn’t a marriage because the content on the consent was invalid.
At baptism, I was freed from sin and reborn as a son of God, I became a member of Christ and incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission.
At First Communion, I celebrated the real presence of Christ in the bread, wine, and gathered community.
Through Confirmation, the Holy Spirit gave me the increased ability to practice my Catholic faith in every aspect of my life and to witness Christ in every good or bad situation.
During the Sacrament of Marriage, I was promised to be taken as a husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to be loved, honored, comforted, and kept in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as we both shall live.
On the contrary, my spouse abandoned her home, husband and children while committing a grave act of adultery and mortal sin. Forsaking her marital obligations by acts of infidelity.
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 The verse says that love does not dishonor others and delight in evil. When you are cheating in a relationship, regardless if you are married or not, you are delighting yourself in evil.
In conclusion, I have been affected adversely by divorce. My petition for annulment represents my calling out to the Lord to have the spirit of healing and bring me out of darkness.
I honestly and whole heartily believed that civil law had the power to dissolve marriage and that remarriage was acceptable after civil divorce.
- Canon 1099
Matthew 19:9 - I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery
1 Corinthians 7:15 - But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.
Since my divorce and remarriage, I have felt abandoned and betrayed by the Catholic Church, excommunicated, convicted of a mortal sin and promised of an eternity outside of the presence of God in hell. I’m honestly being convicted of a sin in which I didn’t commit.
I’ve also been excluded from the Lord’s supper, the celebration of the Eucharist, forbidden to receive the bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, all while reciting - Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
I will continue to pray each and every day in faith that justice will prevail in my petition for a declaration of nullity.
Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
God Bless.
Thank you for the comment and very sorry to hear about the anguish you went through with marriage and ‘the church’ .. it doesn’t seem right at all
@@neo23thirty-eightSome people are told by their priest-spiritual directors that if they want to remarry, there are acceptable ways to do it if your conscience will allow it. They advise to simply remarry in a Lutheran Church privately and grant themselves an annulment of conscience. Keep it private and do not expose the background of your wife. If she refused the annulment, and if you can't "buy" an annulment from a more tolerant diocese, then talk to Christian psychological counselors. But stop smearing her reputation.
Our secretary thought she was the second most important person in our parish; I’m uncertain if that was God or our pastor. Not incidentally, our pastor was the kindest, caring, most thoughtful priest I have ever met. When people came to him with concerns, he didn’t tell them to go home and pray about it, he gave sound practical advice. After he retired I lost interest in attending church.
The people I know who have left the Catholic Church has to do 2 things, the teachings on human sexuality mainly same sex acts and those who have been divorced and remarried without an annulment.
I left because I was sick of being treated so badly. The church has learned nothing about the child abuse scandle because a bunch abuse is still really common.
words like "concubinage" have such derogatory meanings. Even the use of that in this video validated my reason for leaving.
The first reason back in 1966 is Vatican 2 and the cost of catholic education.
Sounds like you need to train your Ministers more if they are driving people away.
15:55 God bless you father. It makes my heart glad that you said that it's good if former Catholics find home and refuge in another Christian denomination, because they are still serving the Lord. I feel the same way about Christians find refuge and a better walk in the Catholic church. We may not agree w/ all each others doctrines, but I'm an echumenical Christian and I want people to stay serving Jesus either way. If they are closer to Jesus on another branch of Christianity, then praise God. The closer the better. We don't want Christians to be lost or become reprobate.
the church not being transparent. Trying to control every issue with an iron fist. sweeping abuses under the rug and pretending it will go away. Any and all abuse should be reported to police, then the church but the directions are always do nothing until the church reviews and decides if valid or not. You guys say "reported"....you want to define that for us, who should it be reported to?
Best comment award goes to you sir. Incredibly well said.
These guys have no idea and perhaps they should interview real former Catholics.
A problem I’m having is that I find the Anglican service is closer to the Catholic service of my youth
The Catholic Church has to focus more on the word of God than traditions. People are in the Church but spiritually thirsty and want to know Christ personally
Yes! We Catholics, should be more “christians”
As Catholics it's also our responsibility to feed our souls with the word of God via reading the Bible, maybe joining a Bible study, and our joining a women's ministry group. Most or all Catholic churches offer these.
Former Roman Catholic here. I left for several reasons, but I will cite only one here: I no longer believe in the philosophy of turn the other cheek. Too many times I have endured physical, verbal, and emotional hurts (some of which came from church clergy) only to be reprimanded when I ever tried to defend myself.
How does someone formally walk away from catholicism? Is there a procedure to follow, a form to fill out, like you would for an annulment ? Catholicism was forced on me from day one. It was not my choice ever. Want nothing to do with it. Just want it to be official.
You just don’t go back. Then find another church you like better. I understand about being forced to go, my mom force us to go to the baptist church every Sunday and during the summer, we had to go to vacation bible school. We got the old Bible stories, Jonah and the whale etc, but never a personal relationship with Jesus. I quit going after graduation from high school.
i will tell you some of the reasons i have thought about leaving..... hateful parish secretaries, priests who talk down to you in confession, being left out of things as a single person..... its all about married couples and families.... i feel the church just wants me for my money.... they dont care about me as a person.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Feeling used and abused is definitely not the way anyone wants to be treated. Sorry you feel like this. If I were you I would ask my pastor to meet with me one on one so I could get some clarification and share my thoughts about these things. I'd ask questions, share how I feel, tell him what I would want to see changed, but not be accusatory. If you do this, I'd hope he'd be receptive, if not maybe you can try another near by parish.
I agree. The secretaries are awful and act as gatekeepers.
I’m an American in the UK and it feels like the Church is dying here. The priests act like they’re fed up and they moan if they have to hear confession, they moan if you go to ask them a question, they moan about this or that and they wonder why there’s only 20 people at Sunday Mass. Yet I’m not going to leave the church bc of the attitude of the priests. They’re are martyrs for Christ in the Catholic Church so if they can die for the faith I can put up and shut up and pray and fast for them instead if stomping my feet and crying bc “ im not getting fed”. Grow up people
The only thing that I like about my parents' church, now is the food pantry.
I am 41 years old and say the catholic church is the most free believing than other christians churches.
I see catholics leaving our faith without knowing it. I invite people with doubts in catholic faith to investigate more and not saying "all the priests, decons, nuns and the pope are wrong".
Our church has been make corrections gradually 🙏🏻
For me it was the misbehaviour, mistreatment, and abuse in religious orders and institutes and how little actually there is discussion on this topic.
For example, if you have left a religious institute because of the horrible experiences, no catholic will believe you, they just think you are trying to defame the church and the institute.
This Cosa Nostra is truly untouchable.
Every “lapsed Catholic” I know … “One day I started reading the Bible …”.
I am 66, cradle Catholic, still practicing. I remain so because I simply "don't throw out the baby with the bathwater". There is a deep mysticism within our faith that I discovered, through grace, that focuses on the very core of the faith; this singular relationship with Jesus and the constant presence of Divine Love. There is NEVER a mention as to how to develop this depth, the readings of the mystics, etc.,in sermons that seldom go beyond the literal and banal. IMO the people are starved. Give them some real food. They desire spiritual food that they can use for their own deep, personal, spiritual development. In that way the boring priest or unfriendly neighbor won't chase them away. If they run that easily it's because they were never spiritually embedded. As a former Spiritual Director what I heard from young women is that they could never remain or become Catholic because in their view, it's an empire institution that allows oppresion of women. Why, they say, would I practice within a religion that does not allow me to advance. If this were the "real world" and I was employed by them, it would be illegal. They're not wrong. They find the exclusion of women in the priesthood archaic, medieval, and offensive. In my conversations, there is no "spin" or explanation that will get them to see it differently as it's just too counter cultural. The church's teachings on many topics are a hard sell in 2014. As I see it, the institution will evolve into something new or die. Right now it's dying. Those of us in the pews hold no power. You, as priests, deacons, bishops, cardinals, & the Popes, do.
Did anyone ever consider that going back to the traditional Mass and practices? People demand discipline and want to be told the truth. You priests are responsible for the loss of souls and will be held accountable. As long as you try to please everyone you will please no one.
As some one exploring joining the catholic faith, as of today my biggest hang up is the Social Teaching and specifically the official approach of the church to achieving those goals as I understand. I can't submit myself to policy suggestions that to my reasoning mind clearly don't work in the way they are intended to. I agree with the stated goals I just don't agree with the way the church would like to achieve those goals.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Because I am unaware of where you are getting your information, I thought I'd share an article that outlines Catholic social teaching. Look it over and let me know what your object to. www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/seven-principles-of-catholic-social-teaching
The USCCB is definitely going to be an authentic authoritative voice on this matter. Can you more directly point me to the part that talks about the redistribution of wealth? I might be able to offer you further insight.
@Saint Dominic Media
I would like to apologize for the extremely long incoming reply.
Taken from the expanded section of Option for the Poor
You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what is his. You have been appropriating things that are meant to be for the common use of everyone. The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich.”
(Charity is a virtue to be sure and while the church does seem to show a respect to the right to property this would imply that it ignores the right to property since we collectively own the earth and all that is in it)
"Therefore everyone has the right to possess a sufficient amount of the earth's goods for themselves and their family. This has been the opinion of the Fathers and Doctors of the church, who taught that people are bound to come to the aid of the poor and to do so not merely out of their superfluous goods. Persons in extreme necessity are entitled to take what they need from the riches of others." (Does this mean revolution is an option should the necessity be great enough?)
"Still, when there is a question of defending the rights of individuals, the poor and badly off have a claim to especial consideration. The richer class have many ways of shielding themselves, and stand less in need of help from the State; whereas the mass of the poor have no resources of their own to fall back upon, and must chiefly depend upon the assistance of the State." (This seems not to necessarily call for redistribution of wealth but does indicate a preferred reliance on the state as a positive outcome)
Taken from Rights and Responsibilities section
Underlying the principle of the common good is respect for the human person as such, endowed with basic and inalienable rights ordered to his or her integral development. It has also to do with the overall welfare of society and the development of a variety of intermediate groups, applying the principle of subsidiarity. Outstanding among those groups is the family, as the basic cell of society. Finally, the common good calls for social peace, the stability and security provided by a certain order which cannot be achieved without particular concern for distributive justice; whenever this is violated, violence always ensues. Society as a whole, and the state in particular, are obliged to defend and promote the common good.
(In this section we see the term "distributive justice" a philosophical concept that is directly derived from Utilitarianism a concept that primarily concerns itself with managing resources in a top down manner that when taken to its logical end involves involuntary participation)
Taken from Life and Dignity of the Human Person
The dignity of the individual and the demands of justice require, particularly today, that economic choices do not cause disparities in wealth to increase in an excessive and morally unacceptable manner.
(I wonder what is the unacceptable manner? The rich man has a moral obligation to spend his money in charity and development of his fellow man, yes. But does his wealth cause the poverty of others? If his decisions and choices do harm his fellow man and strip them of their dignity then yes he should be shamed for it and it is morally reprehensible but is the separation itself morally wrong? There shouldn't be people who don't have clean water or unspoiled food to eat, nor should they be without shelter agreed wholeheartedly. But some would argue that their inability to spend money on luxury items or their relative poverty to the insanely wealthy is in itself unacceptable when they have all that they need to thrive if not to be able to live in excess as they might wish)
@@einarrjamesson9643 Thanks for all of this. I'm going to respond to your points to the best of my ability.
The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it. This I think is the point you are missing. We are all children of God. What we have is a gift from Him and belongs to him. We are asked to be good stewards with these gifts.
This kinda ties into the distributive justice idea listed below. It seems the Church is acknowledging the natural consequences of perceived fairness.
I'm sure church leaders have varying opinions about reliance on the state. These things listed on the USCCB and elsewhere are guiding principles.
This last part is saying that the very rich need to keep the very poor in mind.
Okay, so all that is said and done. Maybe you will still have some reservations about the politics of the Church. As a Catholic of 10+ years I'm gonna say that you probably will continue to see political friction in the Church as it is made up of humans. These things are minuscule compared to what Christ offers in the Church. Also, if you feel called to live out Catholic social teaching in a better way, the church is always in need of saints giving shining examples.
@Saint Dominic Media I can't tell you how much I appreciate the response. So often online discussions like these devolve into gross arguments and I am grateful that you seemed to want to answer my questions in a helpful manner. Truly, thank you. I feel a true calling in life to serve my fellow man, to give back to my community with the gifts I have been given, and I do feel called to the Church in some way. I want to continue my exploration of the Catholic Church and it means so much have had such a positive and genuine experience about this.
The restrictions on Latin Mass, very traditional traditions and going woke are my pet peeves with the church. As for being political, church must have the guts to call out sin and the remedy for it, woke society or not.
Latin isn't a magic language. Mass sucks no matter the language
For me, it was other Catholics that used woke incorrectly or as a dog whistle?
*FULL DISCLOSURE:* I’m a Protestant.
As for _”not being fed”,_ I’m not sure what the Catholic view is on teaching _(catechesis?),_ but if a Protestant told me that, I would ask how long they had known the Lord. We are to mature spiritually just as we mature physically. At some point, we should have learned how to *FEED OURSELVES!* And then, in turn, learn to *feed others.*
But, if I were Catholic, I would still attend Mass, since that would be my only access to at least some of the sacraments.
The most serious issue I have with the Catholic Church is that it is unable to heal people (both spiritually and mentally). For example, I was told that confession is not psychotherapy, which is definitely true, but then, what is it? Why should God care if my sins are forgiven by such a rotten institution? How helpful can 10 Hail Mary's be to avoid the same sins in the future? At the moment, I just feel like letting the church bask in its sense of perfection until there are literally two or three believers in a parish, and heating in churches is financially unsustainable.
Pope Francis is s good reason to leave
Father, sorry, but I draw the line at "Roll Tide!" (Multiply-dipped Gator here and sometime parishioner during my student days at St. Augustine's Catholic Church in Gainesville, right across University Avenue from UF, in that diocese way east of y'all.) But seriously, God bless all y'all, and pray for me, David peccator.😅
The Vatican is adorned with gold and diamonds and jewelry when you walk through it the Halls everything solid gold but your picture about suffering and overcoming
yes, it's thoroughly described in Rev 17 - the scarlet and purple harlot.
I am an Indian ...And very much attracted to catholic faith ....can anyone help me to fulfil my desire
Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment. Look for the closest Catholic church to your home. They will have people that will teach you the faith. You will be able to ask questions and explore the Catholic faith. God bless!
@@SaintDominicMedia I tried , and I have realized that accepting the would- be Catholics in Syro Malabar Catholic Church in Kerala, India is a tedious process...They are not short of parishers... I happened to receive very warm response from the all the Western Catholic Churches I had contacted... This is my situation , I am forgiving and forgetting the reactions I got. Only thing I can assure u is I have accepted Christ into my heart...That is more than a blessing and I will pray for them who gave a lukewarm response ....PEACE BE WITH U AND PLEASE PRAY FOR ME ...THANK U
@@BIJITHBL-i6y I think I'm following what you are saying. Did you go to the local Catholic parish and they weren't welcoming because they had so many people interested?
If so, that is terrible. They should have welcomed you with open arms. Please don't give up. Forgive them and go back. Remember the real reason you are there, your love for Jesus. God bless!
U should be honest with divorced n married couples. The bible says no divorce n remarriage. So such couples should live as brother n sister as one cath priest preached. It's not easy. The holy spirit will give strength, real strength, to fulfil this task. He will surely do it if we seek him
I am not a Catholic. I went to a Catholic wedding recently. It was conducted in Latin. While the proceedings were visually pleasing, I had no idea what was going on. I thought it was all silly beyond description. Nothing I saw or heard would have any chance of causing me to explore becoming Catholic. If anything, it drove me in the opposite direction. I noted that, even while folks were speaking English about Catholic concepts, I didn't stand a chance of understanding anything.
Thanks for leaving a comment. You're always welcome to visit mass (in English), before you completely write it off.
Silly? You better stick with something simple minded.
I recommend you never attend a Jewish wedding, they speak Hebrew, and never attend a Greek Orthodox wedding, they speak Greek. I've been to all of these ceremonies, and they are beautifully rich in their respective traditions.
Yeah ... silly
Covering up for pedophiles for years around the world ,
and it still continues. Cardinial Law gets moved to Rome and gets a promotion ? He should have been arrested in Boston. That's one prime example that drove many away . Not feeling supported by the church during a parents funeral. The priest told us that he wrote the book on Catholic funerals. My Jewish niece chose a beautiful reading from the Bible that applied beautifully to her grandfather and she was told it wasn't an approved reading . Dogma was more important to him than the greaving families feelings. The church is the people; not the institution. These are some examples why people walked away.
I was baptized Catholic as an infant but raised agnostic. I went to a lot of East Coast holiday masses with extended family. My experiences at these churches were not mean but highly reserved. I grew up under the impression that Catholicism is the Christian denomination for introverts in that most members wanted to be left alone in their prayers.
Also, it’s hard to ignore that the Catholic Church was a world power like the modern day United Nations in the Middle Ages and it still is to some extent today. There’s definitely an element of protecting “the state” at all costs in the Church like any modern government. I think there’s a lot of reprogramming work in the Church that needs to be done to remake the Church as a spiritual beacon of truth and not a political one.
I’m attracted to the guidance of spiritual discipline in the Church. Nevertheless, I’m turned off by the attempts at social discipline from the Church that’s a vestigial goal from a powerful political past.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I think you have some insightful ideas here. I think though that they may lack necessary development for myself to go along with. When a Catholic speaks about Christendom, especially a well read Catholic, they know that it is a very complex issue with all the good and bad parts of humanity tied in. Here is an article that talks a little about Church history: www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/church-and-state-a-history-of-conflict
Also, I laughed at the introvert thing. I've never thought that, maybe because of all of the extroverted Catholics I know.
In regards to the Church as a world power, my spiritual director makes the distinguishment between power and authority, the later coming from God and the former from man. The Church is guided by God, but lead by men. Sometimes that doesn't go so good, but sometimes it does.
I was a strong Catholic from childhood to my early 30's but was shown the Bible (by an ex Catholic) I researched the church teachings against the Bible and found too many errors, paganisms and heresies which I sadly followed. Coming out from that institution to understand what by Grace through Faith for salvation is not a "works" based salvation which is the Catholic teaching "the Gospel plus works" than a time spent in Purgatory for the purification of sins. In the light of the New Testament there is a real revelation and freedom to worship God through Jesus Christ without condemnation, to know once saved always saved, choosing to live by the flesh or the spirit but always knowing that the Spirit in me cannot sin!...above all the Bible tells me without any reservation or confusion or doubt that the moment I take my last breath I will be in the present of my Lord regardless what the Catholic church teaches " In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the apostle Paul writes, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (KJV). The expression absent from the body refers to physical death. When this life ends, believers will be immediately ushered into the glorious presence of the Lord. Then we will see Him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). And, at that moment, we will be “present with the Lord.” READ YOUR
BIBLE!
I watched n fast forwarded the video n couldn't find any solution to divorce n remarriage. But throughout the video all of u hv ignored 1 very important matter tht such people should turn to. But as always the rcc is all based on man made teachings n nothing more
Thanks for leaving a comment. You can speak with a priest about annulment. That is your best route if you'd like to reconnect with the Catholic Church.
@@SaintDominicMedia no, its not for me
Too many divorces an annulments. The US is crazy in this matter
1 Timothy:2:5.. For there is ONE God,and there is One mediater between God and man,the man Jesus Christ...John 14:6; Jesus said to him,I am the way,and the truth,and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.
@@donc9556 Far from it,it's as clear as can be,yet they twist it.Its shameful.
How can a priest be married? I thought that was against the rules.
I definitely do not want to do that (attend a mass in English)!
It's the attitude of the priest and staff. Mocking people in the name of righteousness, telling people to go elsewhere, paranoia, NO spiritual direction for people who really need it...can't be bothered and not even pointing us in any direction. Who in their right mind would want to deepen their faith when they can't even find a spiritual leader to guide them. I am so angry and can't get over it.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Sorry to hear you've had a bad experience. Pray about your anger. We'll pray for you. Try not to make this experience at your parish a universal within all of Catholicism.
For me, there’s no feeling of reverence, no sense that either the priests or Eucharist ministers believe in the body of Christ - it’s like they’re just going to g through the motions .
There’s also far less concern for the community at large than there is in the Protestant communities, aren’t we supposed to be bringing people into Christ?
My parish feels very excluding, like we are better than anyone else and yet our Mass doesn’t do anything to strengthen parishioners belief.
let's see. If I'm divorced and remarried, but have no annulment, I can't receive Communion. But if I'm a pro-abortion politician, I can?
Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment. If a public figure advocates for abortion they technically ex-communicate themself. If you are divorced and choose to live with your new partner as brother and sister, you go to confession, then you can receive communion. You can work on the annulment, which can be a hard experience, but people say it is worth it in the end.
Exactly
@@SaintDominicMediachurch and state are separate things. As long as those politicians don’t advocate abortion, but allow it legally for others, why would they be out of communion with Rome? Leave to Caesar that which is Caesars?
@@SamanthaIreneYTube Life is not Caesars'.
@@SaintDominicMedia the beginning of life is an open theological question. The jews believe it begins at first breath.
Wow. I feel you are mind readers. Right on!
Re mwntoring - it works. Look at the sponsorships in most AA groups. They work. I have 2 AA kids (in their 50's). I know it works.
♥️ from India
One, Holy, Universal, or Apostolic??? The Chosen? Infallibility? Sacrificial candibalism? It is a cult I was born into. Took many years to deprogram. No more cults for me.
If people can’t accept Church teaching and they end up leaving then I say good riddance. If people who know they’re in the True faith and leave bc someone said something not nice or the priest didn’t give a nice homily abd they leave then good riddance. Leave and leave the rest of us alone who want to live the Faith to the full without others making it difficult
Priest should be bold n make additional extra effort to teach the word of God to there parish church.
Catholics like myself leave the Catholic Church after decades because they finally read their Bible and become born again and leave dead religion for a Bible believing church that preaches the good news of Jesus Christ! We are sinners he died for us so that we may have eternal life to all who accept this free gift!
The good news is you can not earn or work for your salvation…salvation is a free gift from the Lord my good deeds are like filthy rags! Once you realize what a sinner you are you can finally realize your need for a savior!!!! I pray everyone picks up the Bible and seeks God while he can be found!!!!!! There is a time coming very soon that your time will run out don’t be found without Jesus!!!!!!!
They leave the church because of the sheer hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. I love the church and am a cradle Catholic but I find the “rules” of the Catholic church a lesson in hypocrisy. You have a married priest (which is fantastic) but my gosh, what a bend of the rules for the Pope to suit the church’s needs.
This episode honestly made me cry. The Church is ridiculous in so many cases. Now I’m listening to a married priest state being lonely is a state of grace. Be serious. I am sure Father Doug means the best but he cannot be serious that a woman who was abandoned by a MAN that now loneliness is a friend. I have to stop watching now.
I wouldn't call it the elephant in the room but with the shortage of priests I see more and
and more priest from other countries preaching in America. Unfortunately, I feel that the language barrier is a serious
problem. So much in that it's hard to stay focused. Everyone loves a good homily. I think we connect better.
I think the shortage of priests is compounded because of the churches refusal to allow men to marry ( at least in America) and refusal to allow woman to become priest. I think its a larger issue than the church realizes.
The Priests don’t uphold Catholic dogma they pander to certain groups and do not give sinners correct guidance - in a word, today’s Priests are weak.
The Catholic Church is a Middle Ages (circa 1500) religion that still lives in a "sin universe" where leaving the world and retreating to a church is the way to live!
Please note that Jesus did not retreat from the world, but went into the world to reach out to "saints and sinners."
When it comes to sinners, the Catholic Church does not reach out to them as Jesus did.
The Catholic Church only reaches out to Catholics and the "saved".
The Salvation Army is the only religion that exists to reach out to "the poor and the hungry," hence they are doing the work of Jesus.
If the holy eucharist is individual what does a marriage have to do with it. This promotes no marriage and fornication.
The Eucharist is basically our gathering to worship the Holy Trinity, a foreshadowing of the time when the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven, so to speak.
I am struggling with staying with the church because of my divorce and remarriage. My current husband (of 12 years) refuses to get an annulment from his 1st marriage. I may have gone on with mine if he was willing to pursue his. I talked to a priest, and he was very black and white and very rude. Basically stating church law. I knew the church law. I have not walked away completely, but it has slowly been happening since that conversation 10 years ago. I know if I go through the process, I will still not be free from sin of adultry as my husband (non-catholic) won't. My past marriage was horrible with mental and physical abuse and infidelity. I do not want to visit that trauma anymore. My children are adults now and would get backlash from their father and possible family if I pursue this annulment. They don't understand as they are not Catholic. I know the kind of questions that are on the annulment forms. My mom was a DRE, and she helped with annulment processes at that time. These are very personal questions my ex would not be willing to answer. And if he does, he is a narcissist and tells a different story than reality. So yes I am hurt by the rejection and I am seriously looking at Episcopalian or Lutheran church but I am Catholic and feel that guilt and that grief of losing my faith to where I would rather not even attend church at all.
Also, the new priests that are coming out to the seminarian ( it seems like our church recieve the fresh out in the last 10 years) seem very black and white in their thinking. Very unreachable humans and give the impression of not compassionate at all. Definitely not someone I want to open up to. This is another reason I am thinking of leaving. They seem to not be the same compassionate priests I grew up with in the 80's and 90's. Are they trying to make them too unreachable for a reason. I am not the only one noticing this.
Thank you for writing us. Can you please email us at: contact@saintdominicmedia.com ? We would love to continue this conversation with you and Father Michael would like to personally reach out.
Our local TLM priests both had childhoods, and they are very empathetic. Heaps of broken and traumatised people come to TLM here, and young people. It's a very vibrant community. Not always like that but this one is excellent for spiritual renewal .
Seek the Holy Spirit
I stand with Martin Luther "The Bible and the Bible only." Babylon has fallen Revelation 14.
Because it’s religious and not about seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. .. Jesus hates religion ! The religious people of His day were the only ones He ever spoke harshly to
Political Parties are irrelevant. What @pd417 is trying to say is the sermons are repetitious and don't address how they affect us as people today.
One thing I think Protestants have that I envy are the bible studies.
Thanks for leaving a comment. You should start a bible study if there isn't a group already doing so at your parish. Talk with your pastor about your interest in it. I suggest Jeff Cavins Bible timeline course.
@@SaintDominicMedia if they just follow basics, they will see how catholicism isn't even Christianity. i often ask 2 or 3 questions from Scripture to catholics and they can't answer.
RCIA class taught heresy. Prayed to holy feminine holy spirit. Would not say that Homosexuality is a sin. Alter girls, laity eucharistic servers and blessings. I left looking for a more Traditional Catholic church.
That sounds awful! Are you sure you were at a Catholic church?
Man... this was just a big nothing burger
Ok! Too many reasons, but, JIMHO, none of them really addresses the real ones happening now... Let us to pick Generation Z for an instant. IN all Human history, Zoomers are:
1) The ones with the highest average life expectancy ever.
2) The ones with the highest average academic level ever.
3) The ones with the highest average general immediate information access ever.
With a so high life expectancy, academic level and immediate information level, those youth have gained the highest OPTION level ever in human history!... When they feel ill they'll search a doctor, when they'll feel there is no justice in their case, they'll search for a lawyer, when they feel in need they'll search for a social worker professional... They won't search for a Priest, Pastor or any other religious leader of sorts... Forgive me... But the Church, JIMHO, has miserably failed on addressing this when that has started to be that way, back in mid XX century!... Surely Vat. II has tried to address a little bit of the thing... But ultimately the Church remained more or less like it has always been!...
Being a Philosopher myself from State University training may have provided me with such that sensibility... But, sadly, it is rare for me to find someone whom shares all of my concerns... Because one cannot have a good answer, while not posing the question the right way!...
People simply ceased to believe because they ceased to see a reason for believing and publicly to practice their belief. Sadly as "simple" as that. For me, now it is sort of too late. The society as a whole is going in a diverse direction most religious people dislike... Whatever we can now to do is to minimize the damage by retaining, at least some of the younger remnant... And TBHH: It would have been better if the leaders ceased to be so obsessed over human sexuality!... It would make wonders if simply the Church would go out of human sexuality for a while. No compromise with the world, but no condemnation as well. Simply out of that stuff.
Currently I live in a rural area near Holly Mother of Fátima Shrine in Portugal that back in the day was a very solid conservative Catholic area... Not anymore. Here pretty much only the 75+ yo are going weekly to Mass. At my late 40's, I'm regularly one of the 5 youngest individuals on Church, other than on the few days when the kids Catechism comes. I've no hope on a better future. When kids make Confirmation day, it is like Church freedom day for them. That is what that "party" means for them. We will need some decades till we can again to restart on Europe as a Missionary area... But humility will need to prevail... And watch the Bible as a wonderful Catechism about the human salvation... Not a literal inerrant life guide like in the not so distant past.
Forgive me if you find this far off topic, but I'm sort of tired of those discussions. Yeah: The scandals and corruptions matters... But there is tons of life out of that stuff to be addressed. And sadly nobody ready to address it... Oh, well... At least our beloved Pope Francis seems to be ready, but quite a Preacher in the desert, TBHH...
Have a wonderful day!...
Maybe it has to do with the fact that the teachings of the Church simple contradicts so much of what the culture teaches us as we are growing up. I am nearly ninety now, and the end the Council came when was thirty. That was about the time when the sexual revolution hit the scene. It is my opinion that the Council failed to see the real situation of the world at a time when they were seeking to come to some accommodation with it. That the modernists at the council failed to see that, Modernism, which dated back to the Enlightenment was entering a period when its fundamental preconceptions would be
be called into question because of the radicalism implicit in the whole enterprise. The way that so many clergy embraced modern psychology, for instance, and the therapeutic INDUSTRY which made the self the focus of all things caused them to abandon all developments in Catholicism since the Council of Trent. Ironically, it was the Society of Jesus, which had been the leader of the Counter-reformation who seem to have been the leaders of this revolt. The culmination is the papacy of Francis, of course the first Jesuit to be elected pope who like many liberal Catholics is trying to manage forces he cannot control.
@@johnschuh8616 Yeah, to an extent, obviously that adds to the count, no doubt.
I'll add another another reason I didn't hear mentioned... with widespread availability of the internet people can readily learn the Truths surrounding the formation of the early imperial Roman church/state, as well as liberal borrowings and influence its from pagan ancestors. An increasing amount of scholarship on this topic is being presented in the US and abroad, without fear of repercussion form the once-menacing Holy Roman church.
The whole pagan influence isn’t true
@@tvhead7074 You might want to rethink that proposition, are you familiar with the pagan sun God? During the third century AD, this second Sol (Sol Indiges, god of agriculture, being the first) gradually evolved from a god into "the god" of Rome. The transition from Sol Invictus to Jesus Christ is best documented in archeological finds. In 1953, researchers began digging underneath St. Peter’s Basilica, built under Constantine, in hope of finding its namesake’s tomb. Although they didn’t find St. Peter, they did stumble across the bodies of various pagans and Christians. In particular, one Christian tomb was decorated with a mosaic that portrayed Christ as Sol Invictus encircled by a rayed nimbus and riding a chariot. Identification with the Sun god may also be preserved in Biblical passages describing Christ and God in relation to light and fire. (Source: BigThink.com/the past/Sol Invictus)
I am no longer a Roman Catholic and have no animosity towards Roman Catholics. Why I can not go back, is for many reasons. One thing I recognized, Eusebius rewrote history to define an orthodox view of the relationship between church and state. He rewrote history to accomplish this. He did this to help stop the murder of Christian’s, and he succeeded. Peter never even stepped foot in Rome. He did not have time to be an overseer/bishop and this was not his role. He was an apostle and elder. He did not speak the languages of Rome and was not a Roman citizen. His purpose had 99.9% to do with the house of Israel. He preached the gospel one time to a Gentile household, then he withdrew from the Gentiles. Paul, the only apostle to the Gentiles, was a Roman citizen and spoke their languages.
Priests can not get married
This is old rubbish . Read the time of it.