REFLECTION: To Those Shopping for a Church, Come Home to the Catholic Church

Catholic Online ^ | 7/28/08 | Deacon Keith Fournier

[tcg]

I recently visited a local Bookstore and in the Religion section noted the following title “They like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations”.

In a quick review of its contents, I saw nothing new. This claim emerges repeatedly in some Christian circles, the notion that you can separate Jesus from His Church. The very concept would have seemed nonsensical to the early Christians and it still should to those who choose to stand on their shoulders and carry forward the fullness of Christianity into a waiting world...

The very notion that we can “shop” for a church like we shop for consumer goods is simply mistaken. It misses the nature of the Church. The Christian faith is not just about “Me and Jesus”, it is about “Me in Jesus”, joined with all who are Baptized into Him and then sent into the world to continue His redemptive mission. It also implies that Church membership is one more optional consumer selection among many in a growing smorgasbord of modern materialist/consumerist lifestyles.

The expression “church shopping” emerged from the “seeker” movement. This movement is rooted in the most basic human experience, the existential search for meaning in life. The “search” can become the doorway to faith, or a return to faith as in my own life. It can open the seeker up to the limits of his or her own ability to answer the existential questions of life thereby turning them away from self absorption and toward the God who created them for loving communion. However, it can also lead to emptiness and delusion if it ends up “spiritualizing” what is just another form of self centeredness.

[tcg]

We do not make the Church in our image, the Church re-makes us into Christ’s Image through the grace which is mediated through the Sacraments, revealed in His Word and experienced in our ecclesial life together.

[big'ol_freeper]

Catholics Come Home

[Digger]

We do not make the Church in our image, the Church re-makes us into Christ’s Image through the grace which is mediated through the Sacraments, revealed in His Word and experienced in our ecclesial life together.

Good line for McLame when he comes to visit that Rick Warren "cult" church in Orange Co, CA.

[tiki]

Amen!

[arbee4bush]

Thanks—I’m home 3 months now after being away for over 10 years. It’s great to be home. We are going to Latin Mass tonight. This is the first time our church is offering it. I’m really excited!

[lainie]

I disagree with the whole premise of this article. I feel that I've been 'church shopping' haven't found mine yet. I'm 3,000 miles away from the church that feels like home to me, and California's strange in more ways that one. It doesn't mean I'm some new agey weirdo about it.

[Redleg Duke]

The Catholic Church has become a "creation of man". The Christian Church is inspired by God's one true son, Jesus Christ.

My former Mother-in-Law, when told that her grandson's Godparents were "good Christian people", state, "Christian? I thought they were Presbyterian?" She is a staunch Roman Catholic and has taught me a great deal about the Christian Church on Earth. It may not always be the Roman Catholic Church.

[colorcountry]

I don’t want to cause dissention on this thread, but I want to relay my experience with attending a Catholic Vigil last evening.

I was born into and raised Mormon, and was active LDS for the first 25 years of my life. When I discovered Mormonism to be a fictional creation of Joseph Smith I became agnostic for the next 20 years.

Five years ago my thirst for God was renewed and I became a follower of Christ....I turned my life over to Him and pray that I will bring Him glory.

I have been looking for a Church and have attended many that were focused upon Christ and the Salvation from our sins that He offers us. Just recently (mostly through FR) I have been motivated to attend Catholic services.

I must say, I was underwhelmed. The focus of the Vigil was upon the vigil. It was centered around ceremony and tradition and while those things can be very comforting for people who were raised with that particular ceremony and tradition, the service was disturbing to me. The singing was strange, the candles, the gold (I presume it was) Bible held alof behind the image of a cross, the robes, the intonation of the priest were remiscent of a time gone by when the power behind the Church was sought after and abused.

There is only one name I worship. I do not worship a Church, but I worship Him through which the Church serves. While I do consider Catholics to be my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I have come to the conclusion that it is simply a part of the body of Christ, and not the whole....(and that can be said of any congregation).

Thank you for the invite, but no thank you.

[Salvation]

Welcome home!

[Salvation]

Christ instituted the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Giving the keys of the kingdom to St. Peter, and giving the apostles the power to forgive or not forgive sins. It’s in the Holy Scripture.

[Salvation]

Thank you for sharing your search. Christ is the treasure in the field; the beauty of heaven is the pearl of great price. I wish that you could have been to our Mass this morning. It would have been a totally different experience for you.

Blessings!

[Salvation]

You might enjoy these Beginning Catholic threads. Find a priest that you can sit down and talk with and get your questions answered. We welcome you with open arms.

Beginning Catholic: The Catholic Church's Origin [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Church Authority In Scripture [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Tradition: Life in the Spirit [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Infallibility: Keeping the Faith [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Moral Conscience: Catholic Teaching for a Strong Faith [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: Catholic Morality: Life in Christ [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: When Was The Bible Written? [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Books of the Catholic Bible: The Complete Scriptures [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: A Strong Start in the Faith: The Catholic RCIA Stages [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The RCIA Inquiry Stage In the Catholic Church [Ecumenical]

PS. There will be more of these threads. Please feel free to FReepmail any of the Catholics that post regularly here on FR and we can also try to answer your questions.

[colorcountry]

After defending Mormonism, I shy away from identifying with a Church, and really, really hesitate in pledging myself to a denomination. It IS all about Him afterall.

Thank you for your kind response. My resources in SLC are limited, but there are two Catholic Churches within five miles of me. I think I could talk to the Priest at Our Lady of Lourdes, but the Priest at St Xavier’s really seemed like an blockhead. I mean, he really seemed emotionally flat, and learning disabled. He kind of gave me the creeps.

[Manfred the Wonder Dawg]

Seeker sensitive, emergent, prosperity gospel, and the Roman tradition of scripture twisting are all antagonistic toward the Bible and the Spirit of God that indwells every Christian. The challenge for the saint is to find a church (a local body of believers) that preaches and teaches the Word of God and glorifies the Lord Jesus, equips the saints for the ministry of the church, led by a group of elders, under the lordship of Jesus.

[Iscool]

From the frying pan into the fire...Your old church has Joe Smith...The Catholic church has their church fathers and magisterium...

As a Christian, you are already in the church Jesus founded...Now, you just need a place where you can fellowship and interract with other believers...

My (and God’s) advice is to avoid the pomp...Avoid the rituals...Avoid the fancy buildings, robes, etc...Go where ONLY the bible is taught...

And independent church where the focus is Jesus Christ and His Holy Word is anyone’s best bet...Where nothing; no man, or organizations comes before Jesus Christ...

Independent Baptist churches...Grace Bible churches...Places where your tithes go to support the local church and any excesses go directly to the mission field to spread the word of God...

There are many independent churches out there to check out...

[Salvation]

The Catholic Church has Jesus Christ as its center. The Catholic Mass has Jesus Christ at its center.

I think you know that.

Hyperbole won’t fly when it comes to Jesus Christ.

[hunter112]

It was centered around ceremony and tradition and while those things can be very comforting for people who were raised with that particular ceremony and tradition, the service was disturbing to me. The singing was strange, the candles, the gold (I presume it was) Bible held alof behind the image of a cross, the robes, the intonation of the priest were remiscent of a time gone by when the power behind the Church was sought after and abused.

Just yesterday, I was in a Catholic church again for the first time in many years, and it was for a wedding contained within a High Mass that the couple wanted. I really had enough distance from my old Catholic upbringing to make the same observations you did. It's all about the ceremony, but I suppose that gives a lot of people a feeling of reality.

It was interesting when my lady (it was one of her family members getting married) asked for a buck to burn a candle for my mom (who has a stomach illness that is still in the process of being diagnosed). I said, "Hasn't she been good enough in her life, that bribing God with a dollar at this point is futile?"

[guitarplayer1953]

Would a non denominational church be what your talking about?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Independent Baptist churches...Grace Bible churches...Places where your tithes go to support the local church and any excesses go directly to the mission field to spread the word of God...

There are many independent churches out there to check out...***
I will agree with this. But even then you must listen closely to see if Christ is preached or not. Is the BIBLE taught or not. Be careful of excess emotionalism and stay rooted on the SOLID ROCK.

I mentioned not long ago that Madaline Murray O’Hair told Larry King that the best atheists were former mormons and Catholics. I saw that show.

We all know how Madaline ended up.

[Jeff Chandler]

Catholics Come Home

Wow! What a great website. Hats off to the web designer.