I am a Catholic who still believes what the nuns and priests taught me. Anymore reason needed?
Thank you for the reply. Your statement recalls a recent conversation with my 80 y/o mother. When she attended catholic school, she was told not to read the Bible. That was more than 60 years ago. The Catholic Church has never taught that. It was a local admonition from a group of well meaning nuns who were concerned that young, impressionable minds might turn into their own interpreters of scripture. That message took hold and no matter how much coaxing, she still refuses to read the Bible.
My childhood was pre VCII. Like my mother, I too attended catholic school. The nuns told us never to attend services at a non-catholic church. Like my mother, I took that message to heart until a protestant co-worker of mine was going through a tough personal experience. I invited her to attend mass at my Catholic Church. Instead, she asked me to join her at her protestant church service. Recognizing that it was more important for her, in such distress, to redirect herself to God, I joined her at the worship service. That was 40 or so years ago. As a result, I was then able to understand why the nuns had made that admonition, out of love and concern for their student charges.
Your statement provides no time reference - were you taught these things before or after VCII? Were you a child or an adult? It was not unusual pre-VCII to be given such instructions without any explanation. It takes an adult mindset to fit the pieces together in order to understand the how and why.
In your initial post, you wrote: "I am STILL with “no room in the Church for people like me”?" That comment is what generated this discussion. It is non-specific be it in regard to time frame or subject. Posting such information in an open forum can be disconcerting. Should you care to pursue the discussion, please do not hesitate to freepmail me. I am sorry you have been left with such an impression from the nuns and priests who taught you. This is obviously a sensitive issue which you rightfully prefer to keep personal. If I can assist in any way, please freepmail me. God's blessings on you.