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I have come to accept the necessity of the Catholic Church in the Lord's salvation architecture.

I do have this problem, however:

I have come to regard Catholicism as sort of an "advanced placement" course in Christianity. I find that submission to the Church answers questions that protestantism leaves open.

However, based on the experiences of my daughters, all of whom were baptized in the Church and 4 of whom (except the baby) attend CCD - it's not obvious that the Church is transmitting BASIC (dare I say fundamental) Christianity.

Our local evangelical congregations are brilliant with the children, and with the lost and unconverted.

The Catholic Church? Not so much.

Responses are welcome.

it's not obvious that the Church is transmitting BASIC (dare I say fundamental) Christianity.

Catholic parents should seriously consider finding a catechitical program for thier children that uses texts published prior to 1960. Such programs can be found at traditionalist Catholic mass centers. Unfortunately, the modern catechism textbooks publishing requires censorship by committees who screen out all hard sayings to leave nothing but toothless drivel.

Children must learn about the power of Christ, dangers of Hell, and ways of avoiding sin in preparation for the vicissitudes of modern life.

Our local evangelical congregations are brilliant with the children, and with the lost and unconverted.

The Catholic Church? Not so much.

Ritual versus learning.

Evangelical Churches get into Scripture in much greater detail. Most Pastors will give a message for 45 minutes or more on one particular chapter of one book in Scripture, or a theme. When I've been in RCC's the priest usually talks for about 10-15 minutes. Another difference is people coming to services at Evangelical Churches bring their Bibles and follow the message. Also, The Gospel is preached almost every Sunday in Evangelical Churches.

Finally, Evangelical Churches tend to be conservative. The country is right of center and always has been.

Jim, we Catholics have suffered forty-five years of chaos following Vatican II. In some American dioceses such as the Rockford Diocese where I live, great progress has been made in restoring the Church and rejecting the anarchy imposed fraudulently in the name of "the spirit of Vatican II. Thanks to our Bishop Doran. OTOH, many dioceses remain under the control of unreconstructed liberal enthusiasts such as Bishop Clark of Rochester or Bishop Hubbard of Albany. Fortunately those two and most of the other moldy oldies are approaching 75 and mandatory retirement. Many like them have already been replaced by bishops who are actually Catholic such as Olmstead who succeeded O'Brien in Phoenix. Cardinal Mahoney will be replaced by a Catholic in Los Angeles early next year. I believe that the bishop at Manchester, New Hampshire is in the category spineless or worse bishops who need to be replaced by actually Catholic ones.

It is very hard for people who are Catholic to adequately measure the fearsome damage done to the Roman Catholic Church during these last 45 years. It must be nearly impossible for those not members of the Church to accurately measure the damage.

Particularly weak during these decades has been Catholic education and catechization and evangelism, but we are getting better.

The good news is that under John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, much improvement has taken place in the US and elsewhere and there is every expectation that the improvement will continue.

We Catholics have many advantages but, as fallen humans, we have failed to make the most of them. Hopefully, with God's grace, we will do better and better in His service.

Consider joining the Church of your daughters and grandchildren and bringing your insights to our pastors.

Regardless, meanwhile, may God bless you and yours!