My dear FRiend. You know I have tons of respect for you. You’re one of the good ones here. So please, take my words as they are given. With friendship.
If the Catholics you have been with, whether family or friends, are telling you things that are against what the Catechism teaches, they are either 1. Being more Catholic than the Pope or 2. Were taught by progressives that were trying to “make things better”. Neither of which are Catholics teachings.
We are overcoming those progressives, on both ends of the spectrum. We are trying to correct the myths and mores that the progressives injected into the teachings of the Catechism.
Those people must be corrected kindly. We are doing our best to do so.
Hugs again!
I got the impression you thought that I didn’t know much about the Catholic church, that’s why you sent me the link.
FWIW, after I got married and moved, I’ve encountered a different breed of Catholics, not like the ones in the area in which I previously lived.
Their attitudes are much different and much less arrogant. However, I’ve never gotten into theological discussions with any of them. Suffice it to say, that morally, they are more conservative than many Protestants I know, which was not the case with the Catholics I was raised with and worked with. There is a non-denominational protestant church of sorts in town and the Catholic one, and most of the people here go to one or the other of them and I have NEVER heard any denominational bickering from either side.
They are very respectful of each others beliefs and for the tiny congregation this Catholic church is, I am very impressed with the involvement of its congregation. That tiny church is ALWAYS busy and has a great outreach to the community. The priest there is very gracious to everyone. Matter of fact, I know him better than the priests who were in the parish I grew up in. Them I only recognized by sight. Never even knew their names.