Replies

I never understood this way of thinking. I go to mass to commune with my God and to receive his grace. Communication with the priest is of little concern. A good homily is nice but not necessary.

I am not sure what you experience and background at church is, but I think it's important to remember that God doesn't interact with us all in the exact same way. Having a good priest is not just a trifling matter. They are doctors of souls and often God talks to us through them. However, in some areas priests are such bad examples that the mass itself becomes a spiritually painful an experience for many Catholics to endure. If attending mass causes unnecessary spiritual pain without helping the patient, then people won't go. Period. A bad priest like a bad doctor can be a major cause of this pain at mass. If you don't trust the doctor at the hospital are you going to go take the medicine he gives you? Mass is a medicine for us when administered correctly, but like medicine it must be administered correctly or it may be harmful to the patient.

Many masses are conducted in a scandalous way which harmful for many Catholics to handle. In fact, in many areas it can be near impossible to find a mass done properly. There are many priests and even bishops who are liberal progressives. They are often bad examples and preach false doctrines, and if a person cannot feel the presence of God in his own ministers why would they feel comfortable coming to mass? We need good priests. Pray for the ones we have to be strengthened and for the ones we need to be prepared.

Remember that God doesn't communicate and touch everyone in the same way. So your experiences with grace won't necessarily be the same as mine. Priests are one of the major ways that God touches people with Grace and without good priests to channel that grace I don't think that one can undo this crisis of Mass attendance.

I’ve always been one to look for God in the outdoors. There have been times in my adult life when I’ve attended Mass regularly, but it has always been those times when I found a Priest with whom I could relate... as a friend or mentor, not just as a guy who recites the words while on the Altar.

Those times that I’m not in regular attendance I’m still regularly contemplating God, Jesus and the nature of existence. I thank God every day for the gift of my sentience and free will, while also praying to be an integral part of Him again soon. I thank Jesus every day for being what I like to consider as my lawyer in the courtroom of God’s justice. I do not fear the sneaky words of evil — talk to my lawyer first. :)

Those times when I’m away from the Church, my favorite place to be close to God is on a mountain top or in the desert with my telescope. (I’m a fanatically avid amateur astronomer) It makes me feel just as fulfilled as after attending a great service with a full choir, honest to God pipe organ, and an awesome sermon.

But no matter how far I roam, and how many nights I spend under the stars, I’ll always be a Catholic and come back to the Church. I’ll always feel love and admiration towards the wonderful Nuns who taught me in school, and the Priests who were our spiritual guides. I dearly miss the grown-ups from when I was a kid. Those Priests and Nuns were selfless men and women doing God’s work every day. Performing the small miracle of making me who I am today.

A bad priest like a bad doctor can be a major cause of this pain at mass. If you don't trust the doctor at the hospital are you going to go take the medicine he gives you? Mass is a medicine for us when administered correctly, but like medicine it must be administered correctly or it may be harmful to the patient.

I think you put way too much on mortal men.

God is the only "doctor" and the only cure. Priests are more like receptionists at the doctors office. They try to make sure that people who are sick can see the doctor. You wouldn't expect a doctors office receptionist to cure you. Even if they were annoying, you would not let a bad receptionist prevent you from seeing the doctor who can cure you.

Mass is to commune with God, not the priest. You can talk to the priest anytime and a good relationship with a devout priest is a wonderful thing, but it does not come close in importance to your relationship with God.

I can't imagine at judgment time when God asks "where have you been? Why have you not visited my house?" that an acceptable answer will be "I didn't like the priest".

Good Luck, God Bless You and Merry Christmas.

“If attending mass causes unnecessary spiritual pain without helping the patient, then people won’t go.”

This is so true, especially whe you sense real evil, such as Fr Malachi Martin wrote about in Windswept House. I have seen what this does to a once vibrant parish that had brought 100s of converts in the previous decade in which the pastor was really saintly and beloved well beyond parish borders.