[MurphsLaw]

Christianity is not always one-sided. We have to do things- whether not we think we can decide otherwise. Yes- you MUST worship at Mass every week - you MUST repent at Confession - You MUST marry on the Altar - You MUST Observe Holy Days of Obligation....etc.etc. Only shutdowns can stop that obligation. Tp become spiritually lazy is glaring for Catholics. We just don't get to decide for ourselves. And that is attractive to many....

[TheThirdRuffian]

Where do us Catholics go now that the Catholic Church has increasingly ceased to be Catholic?

In fact, in the case of many of our leaders, I’m not sure they are even generically Christian, let alone in communion with the actual teachings of the Catholic Church.

I went to mass again, after a break, and was greeting with teachings and a class about supporting BLM and a priest who hates me because I am a white English speaker. No thanks.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Better question...

Why have tens of millions of Catholics come to saving faith in Christ and left rome...

... in South America alone.

[Ford4000]

These days a person would need to be crazy to become a Catholic when even the pope isn’t one.

[Old Yeller]

Yes. It is big news when an “evangelical” gives up Christianity and becomes a Catholic. It’s not news when it goes the other way, because it happens thousands of time each day.

[cloudmountain]

Christianity is not always one-sided. We have to do things- whether not we think we can decide otherwise. Yes- you MUST worship at Mass every week - you MUST repent at Confession - You MUST marry on the Altar - You MUST Observe Holy Days of Obligation....etc.etc. Only shutdowns can stop that obligation. Tp become spiritually lazy is glaring for Catholics. We just don't get to decide for ourselves. And that is attractive to many...

All true.

Also, Jesus started it so how could it be anything less than wonderful?

[daniel1212]

Mark Galli, who will be confirmed under the name of St. Francis, is a former Presbyterian pastor and editor-in-chief for Christianity Today. Additionally, as RNS noted, for a few days last December, he was perhaps the best-known evangelical in the nation calling for the impeachment and removal of Donald Trump from the presidency.

Galli, however, says the timing of his conversion to Catholicism two months before the next election is for personal reasons. After 20 years in the Anglican Church, he believes moving to Catholicism is not a rejection of evangelicalism but instead taking his existing “Anglicanism deeper and thicker.” His faith journey has taken him from Presbyterianism to becoming an Episcopalian, then Anglican, with a brief interlude of attending the Orthodox Church.

Well that figures, having gone downward from Presbyterianism to becoming an Episcopalian, then an Anglican, and then a brief interlude of attending the Orthodox Church, and rejecting Trump (as we were electing a pastor, versus the best captain among two choices to sail the ship starboard to our desired national destination), and which fosters the election of the liberal alternative, then he continues his apostasy by becoming a Catholic, joining a church which a near majority vote liberal.

Are you sure you want to use this guy to promote your church? He is actually another argument against joining it. Besides the distinctive Catholic teachings that are not manifest in the only wholly inspired substantive authoritative record of what the NT church believed (which is Scripture, in particular Acts through Revelation, which best shows how the NT church understood the gospels), why would we conservative evangelicals want to be become brethren with this man?

This runs counter to trends in the U.S.; Currently for every one convert to Catholicism, six leave the tradition.

And far more become evangelical then convert to Rome.

In Protestantism, there’s a tendency to dismiss any reason other than the intellectual.

"Protestantism?" That is not synonymous with being evangelical, and is so bread a term as to become meaningless here, and this the polemicists is engaging is sophistry.

In the Catholic Church, he found, intellect and reason are respected; but the Catholic Church is also more beautiful and more historical.

Really? You mean perfunctory professions and a few lackluster singing of hymns (I speaks as a former altar body, CCD teacher and lector, and one of my former priests used to cajole us by saying, "sing like Protestants) in a 45 minute Mass is to be preferred over up to 45 minutes of heart-felt singing and intercession for healing, and actual preaching? No wonder so many RCs leave for evangelical faith, as I did.

68% of those raised Roman Catholic still are Catholic (higher than the retention rates of individual Protestant denoms, but less than Jews at 76%). 15% are now Protestant (9% evangelical); 14% are unaffiliated. Pew forum, Faith in Flux (April 27, 2009);https://www.pewforum.org/2009/04/27/faith-in-flux3">https://www.pewforum.org/2009/04/27/faith-in-flux3

• 51% of Protestants from a different Protestant denomination cite a lack of spiritual fulfillment as a reason for leaving their childhood faith. 85% say they joined their current denominational faith because they enjoy the services and style of worship. Only 15% left say they left because they stopped believing in its teachings. ^

• Those who have left Catholicism outnumber those who have joined the Catholic Church by nearly a four-to-one margin. 10.1% have left the Catholic Church after having been raised Catholic, while only 2.6% of adults have become Catholic after having been raised in a different faith.^

  Over 75% of those who left Catholicism attended Mass at least once a week as children, versus 86% having done so who remain Catholics today.^

• Regarding reasons for leaving Catholicism, less than 30% of former Catholics agreed that the clergy sexual abuse scandal played a role in their departure. ^

• 71% of converts from Catholicism to Protestant faith said that their spiritual needs were not being met in Catholicism, with 78% of Evangelical Protestants in particular concurring, versus 43% of those now unaffiliated. ^

• Only 23% (20% now evangelical) of all Protestants converts from Catholicism said they were unhappy about Catholicism's teachings on abortion/homosexuality (versus 46% of those now unaffiliated); 23% also expressed disagreement with teaching on divorce/remarriage; 16% (12% now evangelical) were dissatisfied with teachings on birth control, 70% said they found a religion they liked more in Protestantism.

• 55% of evangelical converts from Catholicism cited dissatisfaction with Catholic teachings about the Bible was a reason for leaving Catholicism, with 46% saying the Catholic Church did not view the Bible literally enough.

• 81% of all Protestant converts from Catholicism said they enjoyed the service and worship of Protestant faith as a reason for joining a Protestant denomination, with 62% of all Protestants and 74% Evangelicals also saying that they felt God's call to do so. ^

  More, by the grace of God.

[boatbums]

Galli, however, says the timing of his conversion to Catholicism two months before the next election is for personal reasons. After 20 years in the Anglican Church, he believes moving to Catholicism is not a rejection of evangelicalism but instead taking his existing “Anglicanism deeper and thicker.” His faith journey has taken him from Presbyterianism to becoming an Episcopalian, then Anglican, with a brief interlude of attending the Orthodox Church. This runs counter to trends in the U.S.; Currently for every one convert to Catholicism, six leave the tradition.

Doesn't look like it was that big of a deal to him. It has been trending that for every one person who "swims the Tiber", SIX swim out. I was one who left Roman Catholicism nearly fifty years ago and I have NEVER had the slightest desire to go back!

MurphsLaw, I know you are supposedly a newbie here, but you keep posting threads that have shown up here for years. What usually happens is Catholics take it personally when non-Catholic Christians dispute the claims these kind of threads make and they can't remain civil. Some of them get so enraged that they try to get others zotted or banned. When that doesn't work, they try to get the thread closed. Do you check to see if a thread has already been posted before? I've got a big list of articles I could post that I know Catholics wouldn't appreciate. I hold off because I don't want to intentionally provoke people to anger. Maybe think about that the next time you post threads like this. Check your motivations.

[Luircin]

Ya need to search for threads for reposts before putting up something, especially something provocative. Just sayin’.

[Elsie]

One thing I like about both Orthodoxy and Catholicism is that you have to do these things, whether you like it or not, whether you’re in the mood or not, sometimes whether you believe or not. You just have to plow ahead. I want that.

This is sure a compelling reason.

---

[Elsie]

And that is attractive to many....

A Masochist can ALWAYS find a Sadist to beat then.

[infool7]

For those wondering just how Catholic they already are.

Just add up all the points and see where you stand.

RCIA is just starting, check with your local parish for when classes meet.

I am sure there is plenty of room for you in the...

The One True Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Christ Jesus
                                                                                                                            , that built Christendom(western civilization.)

          The Nicene Creed
          I believe in one God,
          the Father almighty,
          maker of heaven and earth,
          of all things visible and invisible.
+10 One God
          I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
          the Only Begotten Son of God,
          born of the Father before all ages.
+15 Christ Jesus
          God from God, Light from Light,
          true God from true God,
          begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
          through him all things were made.
+ 1 Consubstantial with the Father
          For us men and for our salvation
          he came down from heaven,
+ 1 For our salvation
           and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
          and became man.
+ 1 Virgin Birth
          For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
          he suffered death and was buried,
          and rose again on the third day
          in accordance with the Scriptures.
+10 Suffered, Died and Rose
          He ascended into heaven
          and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
+ 1 Ascended, Seated
          He will come again in glory
          to judge the living and the dead
          and his kingdom will have no end.
+10 Come Again in Glory to Judge
          I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
          who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
          who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
          who has spoken through the prophets.
+10 Holy Trinity
          I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
+10 One Visible Church
          I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
+ 1 One Baptism
          and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
          and the life of the world to come.
+10 Resurrection of the Dead

          The Ten Commandments:
          1. I am the LORD your God. You shall worship the Lord your God
              and Him only shall you serve.
          2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
          3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
          4. Honor your father and your mother.
          5. You shall not murder.
          6. You shall not commit adultery.
          7. You shall not steal.
          8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
          9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
          10.You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
+10 The Ten Commandments

          The Greatest Commandment
          1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy
               whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength
          2. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
+ 2 The Greatest Commnadments

          The Seven Sacraments Catholic Church:
          1. Baptism.
          2. Eucharist.
          3. Confirmation.
          4. Reconciliation.
          5. Anointing of the sick.
          6. Marriage.(XY+XX, Till death do us part)
          7. Holy orders.
+ 7 The Seven Sacraments

          The Precepts of the Catholic Church:
          1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation
               and rest from servile labor.
          2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
          3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the
              Easter season.
          4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by
               the Church.
          5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
+ 5 The Precepts

          The seven chief corporal works of mercy:
          1. To feed the hungry.
          2. To give drink to the thirsty.
          3. To clothe the naked.
          4. To visit the imprisoned.
          5. To shelter the homeless.
          6. To visit the sick.
          7. To bury the dead.
+ 7 Corporal Works

          The seven chief spiritual works of mercy:
          1. To admonish the sinner.
          2. To instruct the ignorant.
          3. To counsel the doubtful.
          4. To comfort the sorrowful.
          5. To bear wrongs patiently.
          6. To forgive all injuries.
          7. To pray for the living and the dead.
+ 7 Spiritual Works

          Pro-Life - From Conception Until Natural Death
+10 Pro-Life

          _____ How Catholic am I?
                                   >15 Praise God!
                                   16-87 Good Candidate for RCIA
                                   88-100 Impressive
                                   > 100 You are on the Way.

There are not a hundred people in America who hate
the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate
what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church
— which is, of course, quite a different thing. - Fulton J. Sheen

Lord, keep us strong. Keep us bold and filled with love for our
enemies and for all those who are troubled and in need of healing.
Never allow us to hide or to be concerned for our own safety, but
rather concerned only that your glorious and Holy Name
bring healing and grace, conviction for our sins, repentance, and
therefore mercy.
Help us, Lord, to stay faithful, courageous, and bold no matter the threats,
the hardships, the persecution, and even the ruthless attempts at suppression.
May no one who looks at us conclude anything less than
that we “have been with Jesus."
           -Dr. Mary Healy

Amen

                                                            * Click the pic to learn how to say it in Latin
Please note that this image is merely an artistic depiction of Saint Michael the Archangel
and Satan in human like form and may or may not be an accurate resemblance to their actual
forms or all accounts of forms in which they may or may not have actually appeared either
separately or together.

Sáncte Míchael Archángele,
Saint Michael the Archangel,
Sahn tay Me kale ark ann ja lay

defénde nos in proélio,
defend us in battle.
de fen day nos en pro leo

cóntra nequítiam et insídias diáboli ésto præsídium.
Be our protection against the malice and snares of the devil.
contra neh-queet ee um et in cid e ah s dee ob lay esto pray sid ee um

Ímperet ílli Déus,súpplices deprecámur:
May God rebuke him we humbly pray;
Im pair et ee lay Day-ews soup-lay-chase day-pray-che-more

tuque, prínceps milítiæ cæléstis,
O Prince of the Heavenly host
too quay pren-cheps may-lee-tea-a che-lace-tees

Sátanam aliósque spíritus malígnos,
Satan and all evil spirits
Say tan um ah lee o squeece spear ee toose mah ling nos

qui ad perditiónem animárum pervagántur in múndo,
who wander through the world for the ruin of souls
quee ard per dits ee own um ani mon um prev a gon tour en mundo

divína virtúte,
by the divine power of God,
day vee nay ver-toot-tay

in inférnum detrúde.
thrust into hell
en in fair num day-too-tay

Ámen.

                                                                                                            * Click the pic

7

[Mr Rogers]

“from Presbyterianism to becoming an Episcopalian, then Anglican”

IOW, he was NEVER an evangelical!

And NO: Christianity does NOT require one to go to Mass, confess to priests (who didn’t exist in the New Testament!), etc, etc. You cannot earn your way to heaven.