Ping!
Is it within your world view to admit that the Holy Spirit can behind the wave of Catholics converting to Protestant denominations?
????? There are still twice as many Protestants as Catholics in this country. The only thing keeping the Catholic population at its current levels is all the illegal immigrants coming into this country. It is not a major shift from Protestant to Catholic, although anecdotal evidence for any claim is always available.
Does the author have any numbers of the Catholics converting to Protestantism? I suspect the weight is on the side of the Protestants!
What is the number of Catholics who just sort of “deconvert” - period? I’m guessing that that is the biggest number of them all.
And the news is that the pope will be hosting Akma-nut-job at the Vatican soon. What’s up with that?
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=1.0.2203931225
I would think one of the best things someone could do to learn how to welcome people from very non-Catholic backgrounds would be to understand how they may speak with an entirely different theological language, and have very different cultural presumptions when it comes to religion, despite having so much culturally in common in other areas.
Hopefully, these 'waves' of converts are not liberals coming into the church to try to get it to change it's positions.
Gee! Catholic families don't shun? Well, some do.
Some Catholics who have converted to my religion have testified that their families have given them a very hard time about it. One young man was disinherited, and thrown out of the house. ( Literally!)
By the way, the author mentions Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses and then in the next breath talks about shunning.
To my knowledge neither Mormons or Jehovah Witnesses preach or teach shunning. It is not part of their doctrine. It isn't part of Catholic doctrine either but some Catholics do it. If Catholics, as individuals can do it, I suppose Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses, as individuals, may be found doing it too. It bet all leaders ( Catholic, Mormon, and Jehovah Witness) would counsel their members that this is highly uncharitable behavior.
I have **personal** experience with Catholic shunning.
My brother married a Methodist girl in a Methodist church in 1959. My mother's entire family refused to attend the wedding, claimed that they were not married and were living in sin, and refused to speak to my brother and his wife, or step foot in their house for many years. They also shunned my mother and her children ( me) for many years because we attended the wedding. Nice folks there. ( sarc)
My mother never went back to church, although she insisted that we go to Mass. As soon as I left home, I left the Catholic church too. Today, I do not blame the Catholic Church for the cruel behavior of my mother's family.
Basically, I support the Catholic Church, although I am not a member, and I disagree with them on some doctrinal points, however, I would like to see the Catholic Church grow. For those who are Catholic I would be pleased if they practice their religion ( ALL of it). Our nation would be stronger, more peaceful, more prosperous, families and children happier if we had **more** believing Catholics ( and Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses.)
For the most part it is better to focus in on all the commonalities between religions than make mountains out of molehill doctrinal issues.
non denominational ping
**Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses**
One of my best friends — I do cooking with her for certain things in our parish — is an ex-JW. she is a very strong Catholic.
Another personal friend is a former Mormon. What a story he has to tell!
This is far from being true. There is a very lucrative business for ex-Protestant ministers who have converted to Catholicism in their conversion story itself. There are numerous ex-prot ministers writing books and articles and doing speaking engagements about their conversions and about Catholic apologetics from a (supposedly) Protestant point of view. Catholics never seem to tire of these stories of how they "came home" through serious Bible study, studying the Church fathers, logic and reason. The more intellectual they are in presenting the Catholic case, the better.
First the Protestants, Now the Cults: Will We (the Catholic Church) Be Ready? [Open]
A TRIUMPH AND A TRAGEDY [James Akin]
Alex Jones: the evangelical who became a Catholic deacon
Mary and the Problem of Christian Unity [Kenneth J. Howell, Ph. D.}
How the Saints Helped Lead Me Home [Chris Findley]
Who is Mary of Nazareth? [Kenneth J. Howell, Ph. D.}
A story of conversion at the Lamb of God Shrine
EWTN - Journey Home - 4/7/08 - Rosalind Moss - Former Jew & Evangelical Christian
Our Lady’s Gentle Call to Peace [Joan Tussing]
Coming Out of Sodom (Reversion Experience of Once-Active Homosexual) [Eric Hess]
Our Journey Home [Larry and Joetta Lewis]
Book on Mary turns runaway youngster immersed in drugs and crime into a priest
Dr. Robert C. Koons (former Lutheran) - Journey Home - Monday 3/31 - Conversion Story
The Story of a Convert from Islam – Baptized by the Pope at St. Peter's [Magdi Cristiano Allam]
How Do We Know It’s the True Church? - Twelve Things to Look For [Fr. Dwight Longenecker]
"Have you not read?" The Authority behind Biblical Interpretation [Robert Sungenis]
New faith pulls Hot Springs family together (Baptists join Catholic Church at Easter Vigil) [Danny Morrison and family
SciFi Writer, John C. Wright, Enters Catholic Church at Easter Vigil (conversion story)[John C. Wright]
"What is Truth?" An Examination of Sola Scriptura [Dwight Longenecker’family]
LOGIC AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF PROTESTANTISM [Fr. Brian Harrison]
Pope baptizes prominent Italian Muslim [Magdi Allam]
My Journey of Faith [Marco Fallon]
My (Imminent) Reception into the Roman Catholic Church [Robert Koons]
Thousands in U.S. to Join (Catholic) Church - Many Feel They Have Found a Home
TURN ABOUT (Carl Olson, former Evangelical and Monday's guest on EWTN's Journey Home)
Former Southern Baptist Pastor Now a Traveling Crusader for the Catholic Church [Michael Cumbie]
All Roads Lead To Rome (A Southern Baptist's Journey into the Catholic Church)[John David Young]
Allen Hunt, Methodist Minister ...Journeys Home (Catholic, Re: Real Presence)
The Challenges and Graces of Conversion [Chris Findley]
An Open Letter...from Bishop John Lipscomb [Another TEC Bishop Goes Papist]
Unlocking the Convert's Heart [Marcus Grodi]
His Open Arms Welcomed Me [ Paul Thigpen}
Why I'm Catholic (Sola Scriptura leads atheist to Catholic Church)
From Calvinist to Catholic (another powerful conversion story) Rodney Beason
Good-bye To All That (Another Episcopalian gets ready to swim the Tiber)
Bp. Steenson's Letter to his clergy on his conversion to the Catholic Church
Bishop Steenson’s Statement to the House [of Bishops: Episcopal (TEC) to Catholic]
Bp. Steenson's Letter to his clergy on his conversion to the Catholic Church
Bishop Steenson Will Become a Roman Catholic
Married man considers turn as Catholic priest
Pavarotti returns to the Catholic faith before dying
Searching For Authority (A Methodist minister finds himself surprised by Truth!)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part VI: The Biblical Reality (Al Kresta)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part V: The Catholics and the Pope(Al Kresta)
The Hail Mary of a Protestant (A true story)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part IV: Crucifix and Altar(Al Kresta)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part III: Tradition and Church (Al Kresta)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part II: Doubts (Al Kresta)
Conversion Story - Rusty Tisdale (former Pentecostal)
Why I Returned to the Catholic Church. Part I: Darkness(Al Kresta)
Conversion Story - Matt Enloe (former Baptist) [prepare to be amazed!]
THE ORTHODOX REVIVAL IN RUSSIA
Conversion Story - David Finkelstein (former Jew)
Conversion Story - John Weidner (former Evangelical)
12 Reasons I Joined the Catholic Church
Conversion Story - Tom Hunt
The Tide Is Turning Toward Catholicism: The Converts
John Calvin Made Me Catholic
Journey Home - May 21 - Neil Babcox (former Presbyterian) - A minister encounters Mary
Going Catholic - Six journeys to Rome
My (Imminent) Reception into the Roman Catholic Church
A Convert's Pilgrimage [Christopher Cuddy]
From Pastor to Parishioner: My Love for Christ Led Me Home (to the Catholic Church) [Drake McCalister]
Lutheran professor of philosophy prepares to enter Catholic Church
Patty Bonds (former Baptist and sister of Dr. James White) to appear on The Journey Home - May 7
Pastor and Flock Become Catholics
Why Converts Choose Catholicism
From Calvinist to Catholic
The journey back - Dr. Beckwith explains his reasons for returning to the Catholic Church
Famous Homosexual Italian Author Returned to the Church Before Dying of AIDS
Dr. Francis Beckwith Returns To Full Communion With The Church
laetare (commentary on ordination of married Anglican convert to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles) Father Bill Lowe
Catholic Converts - Stephen K. Ray (former Evangelical)
Catholic Converts - Malcolm Muggeridge
Catholic Converts - Richard John Neuhaus
Catholic Converts - Avery Cardinal Dulles
Catholic Converts - Israel (Eugenio) Zolli - Chief Rabbi of Rome
Catholic Converts - Robert H. Bork , American Jurist (Catholic Caucus)
Catholic Converts - Marcus Grodi
He Was an Evangelical Christian Until He Read Aquinas [Rob Evans]
The Scott Hahn Conversion Story
FORMER PENTECOSTAL RELATES MIRACLE THAT OCCURRED WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD
Interview with Roy Schoeman - A Jewish Convert
More and more, we are seeing converts whose backgrounds are much stranger, theologically and socially, than any former Baptist or Episcopalian. Have we noticed that they are coming in? Are we ready for them?
One way we can get ready is by understanding more about what life in cult does to a person, the wounds that may be left from years of spiritual and emotional abuse, from years of living in existential terror of violating dehumanizing and arbitrary — and constantly changing — rules. The people most equipped to convey this understanding to us are the people who have lived the experience of being in a cult, coming out, and coming into the Catholic Church. The richness of their experience cannot be overstated any more than can the depth of their gratitude. The one who has been forgiven much, loves much, and the one in whom the light itself has been darkness finds special joy in the true light.
Seriously, out of all the Christian churches, the Catholic church should be the best one equipped to deal with ex-cultists. The Catholic church has the longest history and the widest geographic spread for the most amount of time. You should he prepared for anything. But this article seems to say you have gotten lazy by adding people who already believe in Jesus to your church. This does not bring Jesus to those who haven't heard, it just becomes a shuffling game, and Protestants are already great at swapping members between denominations. I guess we can welcome the Catholic church to the Protestant shuffle now.
Priests
Between 1930 and 1965, the number of priests in the United States more than doubled to 58,000.
Since then the number has fallen to 45,000.
By 2020, there will be only 31,000 priests left, and more than half of these priests will be over 70.
In 1965, 1,575 new priests were ordained in the United States.
In 2002, the number was 450.
In 1965, only 1% of U.S. parishes were without a priest. In 2002 this number is 15%.
Between 1965 and 2002, the number of seminarians dropped from 49,000 to 4,700.
Two-thirds of the 600 seminaries that were operating in 1965 have now closed.
Religious Orders.
In 1965, there were 179,954 women in Catholic religious orders.
By 2002, that had fallen to 75,000, in 2005 it was 68,634 and the average age of a Catholic nun is today 68.
In 1965, 3,559 young men were studying to become Jesuit priests.
In 2000, the figure was 389.
With the Christian Brothers, the situation is even more dire.
Their number has now shrunk by two-thirds.
In 1965, there were 912 seminarians in the Christian Brothers.
In 2000, there were only 7.
The number of young men studying to become Franciscan and Redemptorist priests fell from 3,379 in 1965 to 84 in 2000.
Catholic schools.
Almost half of all Catholic high schools in the United States have closed since 1965.
The student population has fallen from 700,000 to 386,000. Parochial schools have suffered even worse. Some 4,000 have shut down, and the number of pupils has fallen from 4.5 million to just under 2 million.
Catholic Marriage.
Catholic marriages have fallen in number by one-third since 1965.
The annual number of annulments has soared from 338 in 1968 to 50,000 in 2002.
Attendance at Mass.
In 1958, a Gallup Poll reported that 74% of Catholics then attended church on Sundays.
In 1965, it seems that 65% attended, according to a recent Fordham University study.
In 1994, it seems that 27% attended church, according to study by the University of Notre Dame.
In 2000, the rate was 25%, according to the Fordham study.
Indicative beliefs
70% of all Catholics in the age group 18 to 44 believe the Eucharist is a "symbolic reminder" of Jesus.
90% of lay religious teachers reject church teaching on contraception.
53% believe a Catholic can have an abortion and remain a good Catholic.
65% believe that Catholics may divorce and remarry.
75% believe one can be a good Catholic without attending mass on Sundays.
