“Certainly some people leave the Church”
Some is, perhaps, an understatement, but we agree that people leave, which was my point alone.
“...but most of the priests and religious leaving the Church are not seeking something more Christian.”
The testimonies linked to would indicate the opposite. Other than their words, I have no information.
“Those few [an opinion?] that do generally have poor formation [opinion?] and are looking for better formation [opinion?] —albeit missing places in the Church from which they might receive better formation.”
I assume you are referring to a survey that determined this was true, of is this your opinion? I don’t know the motivation - other than what priests an nuns said, who posted their life story on that website I linked earlier upthread.
“Even a glance at the web-page indicates that the person putting it together really doesn’t know Catholic theology—though undoubtedly they know the Bible better than many people offering Catholic formation.”
I have no opinion on what the web-page founder knows or doesn’t know. That wasn’t my point.
“These nuns searched as a well-informed group and journeyed as a group—the truth unites. I would be interested in seeing if you know of any groups of three or more Catholic priests or religious who have made a journey to a protestant destination as a group.”
I don’t follow these movements, since I have no dog in the hunt. If someone wants to leave the Roman church and go to another, I have no problem with that - I would encourage them. If someone wants to leave another church to worship in a Roman church, I have no problem with that. Being in a particular church doesn’t give someone salvation or place them into the Bride of Christ. Any brother in Christ is a brother to me.
Having said that, I think you have an unusual situation here, where groups of people - whole churches even - are fleeing the Anglican Church, as it turns against Biblical truth, and they are looking for a new home, similar to their old home. What you ask about a group of professional Roman clergy going in a group to a protestant faith seems pretty different.
I hope that answers your questions. They were outside my original comment - which was simply that many, many, many Catholics leave the church and either become unchurched or become a different denomination. They don’t usually make the news...
You are right, some at first glance is an understatement: tens of millions formally or practically leave the Church each year, but tens of millions join the Church each year. Given that we are dealing with 1.2 billion Catholics, “some” could be argued for, but there is a great deal of movement.
Most of those leaving either do not know their right hand from their left and have no clue about what they are leaving, or have found the demands of Catholicism too hard and are headed elsewhere.
Usually when priests (or other people with a fair bit of formation) leave, it is the later—I would guess that for every three Anglican clergymen that swim the Tiber, one Catholic goes the other way. For example, Fr. Mattew Fox, who was ordained a Dominican is now an Anglican. It is a good fit. http://www.matthewfox.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Fox_(priest) While it would be better if he were in a monastery focusing on improving his relationship with God, at least he can’t do much harm to the Anglican communion.
No doubt in many cases like this, some blame may be passed on to people in charge of formation, to those who decided to ordain the individual, and/or to those who ought to have overseen him after ordination, but whatever the case, the individual reaches a stage where they clearly ought to not be exercising the priesthood and if going voluntarily gets them cleared out quickly, this is good.
Another nice example comes to mind—involved with a woman—a divorced woman at that, but it works for the Anglicans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Cuti%C3%A9
From the 1960’s through the 1980’s there was an exodus from the priesthood and religious life in North America, but this has slowed. Right now, about one priest in 400 leaves each year.
As to the web-page you cite, I wouldn’t rely on it too heavily. I glanced at the page on Church History, and it was about what I was expected. A fairly easy example to demonstrate their lack of scholarship is their biography of Tyndale, which ends by noting that he was burnt by Catholics in 1536. He was burnt in 1536 on the orders of Henry VIII, who was two years excommunicated at that point. I suppose the people lighting the match hadn’t been excommunicated, but it is a bit much to chalk it up to the Pope. http://www.whateverycatholicshouldknow.com/helpforcatholics/Watch/Church_History.html
The nuns are really running away and finding refuge
I applaud / feel sorry for them, just as I do for those Anglicans who join the Born-Again, Presbyterian etc. movements -- they are running from a horrible virus that infected their denomination
And, if you and I are not careful, the same would happen elsewhere.
Of course Catholics leave, but as christianity in general stagnates, the Catholic church is slowly growing. That growth includes ordained priests and other vocations. We remain the largest christian denomination in the world, and one of the few that continues to grow in numbers. That said, dormant Catholics need to wake up now.
Of course Catholics leave, but as christianity in general stagnates, the Catholic church is slowly growing. That growth includes ordained priests and other vocations. We remain the largest christian denomination in the world, and one of the few that continues to grow in numbers. That said, dormant Catholics need to wake up now.