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The Collapse of Cultural Catholicism
Standing on My Head ^ | 1/27/11 | Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Posted on 01/28/2011 9:32:34 AM PST by marshmallow

Shery Weddell at the St Catherine of Siena Institute reports that 32% of Americans raised Catholic abandon the identity altogether by their mid twenties. An additional 38% retain the identity but rarely practice their faith. 30% of those who call themselves Catholic attend Mass only once a month. On a given Sunday only about 15.6% of American Catholics attend Mass.

What is the reason for these disastrous statistics? Basically because for the last forty years Catholics themselves have not taught Catholicism to their children. They've taught 'American Catholicism' which is a watered down blend of sentimentalism, political correctness, community activism and utilitarianism. In other words, "Catholicism is about feeling good about yourself, being just to others and trying to change the world." The next generation have drawn the obvious conclusion that you don't need to go to Mass to do all that. You can feel good about yourself much more effectively with a good book from the self help shelf, or by attending a personal development seminar. You can be involved in making the world a better place without going to church.

If only 15% of Catholics go to Mass on a given Sunday, look around and see how many of them are old. Even the 15% who are there won't be there for very long.

The solution is simple: we must return to the supernatural realities of the historic faith and evangelize like the Apostles of old. The big difference is that the Apostles knew their targets were pagans and the pagans knew they weren't Christians. We're dealing with a huge population of Americans (Catholics and Protestants alike) who are pagan but who think they're 'good Christians.' It is very difficult to evangelize people who already think they're fine just as they are. We don't know what we don't know, and the vast majority of poorly catechized, lazy and worldly Catholics aren't aware that there's anything wrong.

What will it take for us to wake up?


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: 376; ec
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To: Judith Anne

Don’t loose your time with YOPIOS. They can’t even agree among themselves if Saturday or Sunday is the Lord’s Day, or if Jesus Christ is God 100% equal to the Father.


141 posted on 01/28/2011 4:26:58 PM PST by verdugo
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To: ex 98C MI Dude

We will all be spoken of in the past tense one day.. the question is where will we spend that future past??


142 posted on 01/28/2011 4:43:01 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: ex 98C MI Dude

I don’t know. He went a number of places for training, four in all I think, maybe 5 including a year in Monterrey, CA;

I don’t know what he did, and I don’t know where all he went. I do know that he got a lot of things to pin on his shirt, and a lot of really nice letters from people I’ve never heard of, and I know he had a wonderful time. He did send some pictures of him hanging out of a two man helo by his feet. I asked him where his parachute was and he said they don’t give them to people in a helicopter. I said that does it I’m calling the freaking president! He said, please Mom, don’t call the president.

About a year after he left, the CIA was calling our house asking me where he was, they wanted to talk to him. I said, “Who is this?” and the woman said, “It’s the government, ma’am.” I said “Who governement?” She said, “CIA” but she had the kind of voice you can’t believe. I know the NSA and the DIA both tried to recruit him, and he declined because he didn’t want to live in DC.

As far as what he did, I KNOW that Elint was part of it, along with translating, but he didn’t want to kill me, so he didn’t tell me. Or his wife.


143 posted on 01/28/2011 4:43:08 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: verdugo

Agreed.


144 posted on 01/28/2011 4:46:17 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: verdugo
They can’t even agree among themselves if Saturday or Sunday is the Lord’s Day,

Don't Catholic churchs have Mass on Saturday to "fulfill" your Sabbath" obligation"?

So who is confused here?

or if Jesus Christ is God 100% equal to the Father.

Really?

145 posted on 01/28/2011 4:48:47 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: Judith Anne
I don't know how anyone looks in the mirror and sees Christ, unless they are deluded.

The "mirror" allusion was regarding our good works or our condemnation, remember? It is just plain sad that Roman Catholics believe their good works are their own when they are actually Jesus Christ within them and they in Him.

"That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." -- Philemon 1:6


"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" -- Colossians 1:27


"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." -- 1 Corinthians 15:10

If you do not perceive Christ in you, you should return to your Bible and look for Him.

146 posted on 01/28/2011 4:55:04 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: RnMomof7; Judith Anne
That is disgusting. The very idea that you aren't going to apologize to her for insulting her dead husband tells me that you are a heretic. You do not know God, or his Son.

I pray that you return to the Church.

147 posted on 01/28/2011 5:02:14 PM PST by ex 98C MI Dude (Alea Iacta Est)
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To: verdugo
They can't even agree among themselves...if Jesus Christ is God 100% equal to the Father.

All Protestants believe in the Trinity.

148 posted on 01/28/2011 5:03:28 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

You have ceased to make sense.

The cross alone?
God’s grace alone?
Through faith alone?

Come on. Straighten out your brain. Quit looking in the mirror. You WILL answer for any hate.


149 posted on 01/28/2011 5:04:09 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: diamond6
Why don’t you stay off our threads and well gladly staff off yours.

ROTFL since when does an open thread become "ours" or "yours"?

150 posted on 01/28/2011 5:05:58 PM PST by Alex Murphy ("Posting news feeds, making eyes bleed, he's hated on seven continents")
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To: ex 98C MI Dude; RnMomof7
I pray that you return to the Church.

I pray she doesn't. LOL! IF she thinks she is saved now, and IF she thinks that allows her to preach to others and tell them they're in danger of hellfire for being Catholic, then I do NOT want her back. That's some kind of personality.

151 posted on 01/28/2011 5:06:49 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: Judith Anne
I pray she doesn't. LOL! IF she thinks she is saved now, and IF she thinks that allows her to preach to others and tell them they're in danger of hellfire for being Catholic, then I do NOT want her back. That's some kind of personality.

How Christian of you :)

152 posted on 01/28/2011 5:11:38 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: Judith Anne; RnMomof7
He said he was sick of hearing that all his works were as filthy rags in the sight of God.

All men love their own music and prefer to believe they're playing all the instruments themselves.

True peace comes from loathing our sin and loving Christ's covering of it.

153 posted on 01/28/2011 5:12:05 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

Exactly..


154 posted on 01/28/2011 5:15:04 PM PST by RnMomof7
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To: Judith Anne

LOL. YOU brought up the mirror, Judith. Is your memory that faulty?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2664899/posts?page=128#128

Yes, men are saved BY God’s grace alone THROUGH faith alone IN Jesus Christ alone.

It’s part of Rome’s shame that it doesn’t believe nor teach that simple Scriptural fact.


155 posted on 01/28/2011 5:15:51 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Alex Murphy

lol. Since they capitalized the “c” in “catholic.”


156 posted on 01/28/2011 5:17:12 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: RnMomof7
How Christian of you :)

I'm debating posting about the last time someone said that to me...

157 posted on 01/28/2011 5:20:30 PM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.)
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To: ex 98C MI Dude

Biblical truth has always been offensive to some.


158 posted on 01/28/2011 5:21:22 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Judith Anne; RnMomof7; Alex Murphy; Quix

Losing that one, too?


159 posted on 01/28/2011 5:22:35 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg ("I don't think they want my respect; I think they want my submission." - Flemming Rose)
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

YUP.


160 posted on 01/28/2011 5:23:02 PM PST by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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