Catholic Moms/Common Misconceptions?

[FrogMom5]

If we could back to the original op for a minute - there's one I hear all the time now that I forgot to say.

 

Catholics are too legalistic.

 

This from the same group of women who pressured another woman to have prayer and bible study time early in the a.m. instead of in the afternoon when her young ones were sleeping. Oh my!

 

As a convert, I have found the Catholic Church no more legalistic than any other Christian Church. Compared to some churches I've been in, they are less so.

 

Just my 2 cents. Sorry, now go back to the CCD and Confirmation discussions as they are of great interest to me.

Thanks!

Denise

[sunshine_librarian]

The classes aren't meaningful; this is not "old school" as a pp called it, it's just more and more requirements.

 

 

 

 

My "old school" comment was tongue in cheek and referred to catechesis before people had ready access to their copies of the bible. The three year cycle was intended to fully expose converts to scripture. Sorry if my dry humor was misconstrued.

[cathmom]

My "old school" comment was tongue in cheek and referred to catechesis before people had ready access to their copies of the bible. The three year cycle was intended to fully expose converts to scripture. Sorry if my dry humor was misconstrued.

 

Sorry!

[Murphy101]

LOL

 

Yes. When our family started attending a catholic church my dh's family was horrified. They pulled out the "Catholics are even stricter and have more rules than southern baptists! WHY would you go there?!"

 

Dh just said no, not at all actually.:D

 

For ME, I noted silently they presumed a person should live whatever faith has the less rules, ie is easiest?:001_huh:

[GWOB]

LOL

 

Yes. When our family started attending a catholic church my dh's family was horrified. They pulled out the "Catholics are even stricter and have more rules than southern baptists! WHY would you go there?!"

 

Dh just said no, not at all actually.:D

 

For ME, I noted silently they presumed a person should live whatever faith has the less rules, ie is easiest?:001_huh:

 

I'm not currently a practicing Catholic, but I just had to comment on this one.

 

I grew up Southern Baptist. I always chuckled when the SBs complained about how legalistic the Catholics were. Ummmm, all I heard about in the SB church was all the things I should NOT do- don't drink, don't smoke, don't dance, don't gossip (hahahahaha), don't vote Democrat, don't, don't, don't! I never really heard aboot how I actuall SHOULD live my life. I think the Catholic church does a great job teaching people about how to actually live a good Christian life.

[Violet Crown]

My "old school" comment was tongue in cheek and referred to catechesis before people had ready access to their copies of the bible. The three year cycle was intended to fully expose converts to scripture. Sorry if my dry humor was misconstrued.

I'm still a little confused. I've never heard of a three-year requirement for converts, and it can't possibly be that old-school, as the three-year lectionary was introduced in the 1960's. Prior to that, it was a one-year cycle, with the weekday readings (except for saints' days) just being the previous Sunday's readings.

 

While we're deploring Confirmation requirements, besides the volunteer hours, how about the mandatory co-ed overnight retreat? So your teenager can only receive the sacrament if you've acquiesced to an overnight with teenagers of the opposite sex. Don't tell me "they're supervised the whole time by carefully trained volunteers."

 

Dd15 ended up being confirmed in Scotland while we were there last summer; the poor parish priest was hopelessly confused, because (a) they confirm them at seven years old there, and he was quite sure at first I was asking for the 7yo to be confirmed, not the 14yo; and (b) he never did grasp why dd15 had to be confirmed in Scotland, because her home diocese would only confirm teenagers at Pentecost--we would be out of the country on Pentecost--and so her home diocese would actually make her wait another year. We just showed up on the indicated Sunday morning with dd in a white dress; Father took me into the sacristy to enter our names into the parish register, and after Mass he asked everyone to wait a few minutes, called her to kneel before the altar, confirmed her, and we all went home and had cake. Didn't seem so hard as the U.S. seems to make it.

 

That said, God bless our parish priest and DRE, who gave permission for the Confirmation, and looked the other way regarding the retreat (our DRE's theory was, she needed to meet the requirements for Confirmation in the Scottish diocese, and they didn't require a retreat, so...).

Edited May 27, 2011 by Sharon in Austin

[Murphy101]

I think there is confusion.

3 year cycle is referring to mass readings, not conversion time requirements.

Confirmation "prep" often requires attendance in 9th, 10th, and sometimes 11th grade CCD, with actual confirmation being giving the last year.

 

RCIA is a 1 year program. Whether a convert feels ready to participate in the RCC along the way as permitted or convert at the end is completely up to the convert and the priest overseeing their entry. (some have issues that need to be worked out prior, such as divorces/annulments and so forth)

 

For me RCIA was brutal. I kept getting pregnant and that meant I kept missing required events.

 

Finally, I begged a priest a few weeks after a baby was born to just let me and the kids through quick before I was laid up pregnant again and he, rather grudgingly I might add, permitted me to do so.:D

Edited May 27, 2011 by Martha

[Violet Crown]

I think there is confusion.

3 year cycle is referring to mass readings, not conversion time requirements.

Ah. It's true that I'm confused. I'm still not sure how the exposure to Scripture readings is supposed to relate to converts without available Bibles. :confused: But I'm a confused sort of person.

 

For me RCIA was brutal. I kept getting pregnant and that meant I kept missing required events.

 

Finally, I begged a priest a few weeks after a baby was born to just let me and the kids through quick before I was laid up pregnant again and he, rather grudgingly I might add, permitted me to do so.:D

Oh for Pete's sake. Aaaargh.

 

Dd15 did have to go through the Confirmation classes (which was more of a hardship for the parish than for her, because she had been an assistant catechist and now they were short one). One of her teenage classmates had already had a baby, and I found myself wondering how the logistics worked out, since the diocese requires proof of Confirmation before you can have your baby baptized. It occurred to me later that possibly they were making her take the Confirmation classes so the poor girl could qualify to have her baby baptized. I sure hope not. :(

[sunshine_librarian]

I'm still a little confused. I've never heard of a three-year requirement for converts, and it can't possibly be that old-school, as the three-year lectionary was introduced in the 1960's. Prior to that, it was a one-year cycle, with the weekday readings (except for saints' days) just being the previous Sunday's readings.

 

 

 

I'm sorry I don't have the reference right in from of me (trying to find a comparable one in my online resources). According to a book I just finished from my parish library recently, as a part of reconciliation in the early church penitents could be required to a lengthy period of catechism before they were allowed to return to communion. He specifically mentions a three year cycle at one point, but this would have been pre-Protestant reformation. I will see if the book's in this weekend so I could give that particular reference. :001_smile:

 

ETA: 313 AD - In the fourth century, the Lenten Catechumenate was devised in answer to the influx of converts subsequent to Constantine's legalization of Christianity in 313 CE (20) Prebaptismal preparation of catechumens decreased significantly from three years to eight weeks--a necessary adjustment in light of the large numbers joining the church. This is from an article published in Church History

 

The article itself is pretty interesting. And again, my original comment was really meant to add a little levity. I'll still try to find the original text I was thinking of as well just to share more info (although it's obviously O/T since it deals specifically with reconciliation as opposed to one's original conversion process). ;)

Edited May 27, 2011 by sunshine_librarian
Found an online source

[I.Dup.]

Our church has a great RCIA program that we just went through before being confirmed, but I have heard CCD isn't so hot. I think that has a lot to do with the kids just being kids and not really caring. It's right after school, they're already tired and antsy, there's only so much even the best teacher can do, kwim? I think the best thing we can do is teach our children at HOME and give them a good understanding of what these things mean, and why they are important. If every parent were taking that seriously (and really, we're talking about the ETERNAL aspect of our lives, what is more important) than there wouldn't be such an urgent need for CCD. JMO. :)

 

I've also heard the lack of new nuns/monks and priests is a MAJOR crisis in the Church. Parents are not encouraging their children to go this route anymore, and priests are not recruiting.

[cathmom]

A

 

Dd15 did have to go through the Confirmation classes (which was more of a hardship for the parish than for her, because she had been an assistant catechist and now they were short one).

 

My oldest went through RCIA, so he had already been confirmed, which is why we're just dealing with this nonsense now for the first time. After 8th grade RE, he volunteered in the program, making copies for teachers, getting supplies, etc. My older sister was a RE teacher when she was in high school. So not only do these ridiculous confirmation rules bother the families, it also cuts off a potential source of volunteers for the younger kids!! *rolls eyes*

[Violet Crown]

I'm sorry I don't have the reference right in from of me (trying to find a comparable one in my online resources). According to a book I just finished from my parish library recently, as a part of reconciliation in the early church penitents could be required to a lengthy period of catechism before they were allowed to return to communion. He specifically mentions a three year cycle at one point, but this would have been pre-Protestant reformation. I will see if the book's in this weekend so I could give that particular reference. :001_smile:

 

ETA: 313 AD - In the fourth century, the Lenten Catechumenate was devised in answer to the influx of converts subsequent to Constantine's legalization of Christianity in 313 CE (20) Prebaptismal preparation of catechumens decreased significantly from three years to eight weeks--a necessary adjustment in light of the large numbers joining the church. This is from an article published in Church History

 

The article itself is pretty interesting. And again, my original comment was really meant to add a little levity. I'll still try to find the original text I was thinking of as well just to share more info (although it's obviously O/T since it deals specifically with reconciliation as opposed to one's original conversion process). ;)

Thanks for the explanation. I'm mostly interested in the reference for the 3-year lectionary cycle. I hadn't been aware there had been such a thing prior to the 20th century.

[unsinkable]

:banghead:

 

Case in point to my previous post.

 

One, that is NOT what confirmation is. It is NOT just an acceptance of faith as a rite of passage into adult faith acceptance.

 

Two, I completely disagree. Even a second grader should be taught to find their place in the church and to seek spiritual guidance in making right choices. These are actually gifts of receiving the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation. And they are necessary gifts that we all need at any age to be fully equipped to battle difficulties in our spiritual lives.

 

Blackmail? Since when has religious ed become blackmail?

 

And if more people stood up and said no to practice and games on Sundays conflicts would become almost non-existent.

 

 

 

This is a common misconception due to the fact that sometimes, amazingly, some things change too quickly. It is why the restored order of the sacraments are becoming more and more popular among dioceses.

 

 

:iagree:

 

I agree with you ladies, too. But that is what DD just went through. Because they are older high schoolers I think this is how it was handled here. I am not saying it is right.

 

Does that make sense?

 

PS I actually wanted my older 2 confirmed together. They are 18 months apart but the DRE said no. it's just so weird.

[Sugarfoot]

This discussion has been so interesting, everyone.

 

The whole thing about confirmation is kind of a "hot button" for me. My oldest goes to the classes at our parish, but I do know that by canon and natural law, he doesn't "have" to.;) The education of children is specifically the right of parents. The church can decide what a confirmandi must know in order to be confirmed and question him or her on these requirements, but the method/learning is up to the parents.

 

Now adults are under the authority of the church, so RCIA is required.

 

Sorry if this has already been discussed. I tried to read everything, but I may have missed something.

[calandalsmom]

I'm slowly working on a new religious ed program, broken down into levels, loosely based on ideas in WTM. I have also felt the need for something like AWANA in the Catholic Church.

 

Not a bad idea.

 

I really love Catechesis of the Good Shepherd tho.

 

I get sick of homeschoolers slagging off on catechesis at parishes and slagging off on catechists in general. its quite a thankless little job, requires a bit of time, no real training is provided usually. These are just people who like kids trying to do something nice for their fellow moms and dads and they get the brunt of criticisms from HSers who are "better" at being catholic and it rubs me the wrong way.

 

and it did even before I started teaching it.

Edited May 27, 2011 by calandalsmom

[Parrothead]

This discussion has been so interesting, everyone.

 

The whole thing about confirmation is kind of a "hot button" for me. My oldest goes to the classes at our parish, but I do know that by canon and natural law, he doesn't "have" to.;) The education of children is specifically the right of parents. The church can decide what a confirmandi must know in order to be confirmed and question him or her on these requirements, but the method/learning is up to the parents.

 

Now adults are under the authority of the church, so RCIA is required.

 

Sorry if this has already been discussed. I tried to read everything, but I may have missed something.

The thing is, they don't *have* to know anything to be confirmed. This is one of those subjects that makes me. :banghead:

[AngelaNYC]

Just jumping in here with our experience of CCD. My kids have all gone. Ours goes only up to October of 8th grade. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are in 2nd grade, Confirmation is October of 8th grade (some kids are confirmed in 7th grade). The Confirmation Retreat was from morning to late afternoon - no overnights. Community service of some sort is still required (I remember shopping for the elderly people in my apartment building and volunteering in the 2nd grade CCD classes back in the 80s).

 

My kids all enjoyed it and seemed to have learned a lot. They go (went) for 75 minutes every Sunday after the family Mass. My girls even went back to be teachers' aides.

 

I can't believe all the things other religions say about Catholics. I've never heard most of them. I can honestly say that I can't ever recall anyone I know who is Catholic talking badly about any other Christian religion. I've been "spoken to" once or twice, though. :glare:

[cathmom]

Not a bad idea.

 

I really love Catechesis of the Good Shepherd tho.

 

I get sick of homeschoolers slagging off on catechesis at parishes and slagging off on catechists in general. its quite a thankless little job, requires a bit of time, no real training is provided usually. These are just people who like kids trying to do something nice for their fellow moms and dads and they get the brunt of criticisms from HSers who are "better" at being catholic and it rubs me the wrong way.

 

and it did even before I started teaching it.

 

I agree - it is a thankless job and I really like the teachers I have known in my parish (not sure who's teaching now since we haven't participated). There is no real training (except of course the mandatory "don't ever be alone with a child" training) and no real quality control either. And some of the reasons why many of us here choose not to send our dc to school apply to CCD/RE - children don't usually learn best in groups of other children about such important topics. My reason for sending my dc in the past were to get to know the people at the church and make friends with other Catholic children (we live in a minority Catholic area).

 

I certainly don't think I am better at being Catholic than many who volunteer, although perhaps I do know more about Church doctrine. There's a lot of confusion in the Catholic ranks, and I fear that one day many bishops will be answering for it.

 

I have never seen the Catechisis of the Good Shepherd, although I have heard of it. I'll have to check it out more.

 

Kudos to you for serving your fellow Catholics!

[amey311]

:banghead:

 

Case in point to my previous post.

 

One, that is NOT what confirmation is. It is NOT just an acceptance of faith as a rite of passage into adult faith acceptance.

 

Two, I completely disagree. Even a second grader should be taught to find their place in the church and to seek spiritual guidance in making right choices. These are actually gifts of receiving the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation. And they are necessary gifts that we all need at any age to be fully equipped to battle difficulties in our spiritual lives.

 

I've read the last several pages with interest. I had assumed Catholic confirmation was equal to Protestant confirmation ("acceptance of faith").

 

A friend's young cousins made their First Communion at at 7 or 8 and got confirmed the next year. My friend was really shocked (because despite being raised in the faith, she, too, assumed "acceptance of faith" for confirmation) that they were confirming children this young. When she asked her mother about it, her mother said (basically), "we need to confirm them young before they can change their minds." :001_huh: This is different from a previous statement here about how once you're baptized, you're Catholic for life, and well, makes some big assumptions about life choices people might make.

 

"Well, I got confirmed at 9, and now at 30 I disagree with many of the Church's teachings, but I'm not allowed to leave." - Who would think that? I think the idea of having to confirm young children so their TRAPPED in the church is not necessarily the point of confirmation.

[Ellesmere]

I think AWANAS is just jr indoctrination camp with a course in recruiting tossed in on the side. Yeah, go ahead and flame me - my kid was "invited to attend a basketball ice cream social" by his best friend - NEVER AGAIN!

 

You know what the difference is? Catholics bring their kids to church. They cry. They wail. They wiggle all over the pews. And eventually, they learn to sit, stand, and kneel when everyone else does. And they never have to memorize their prayers because "somehow", they just know them. It's almost like osmosis or somethin'...

 

:

Very interesting. I've been thinking the same thing about Awana.

 

Also I just went to a Mass where the priest said that if the baby cries, there's plenty of room to walk around and comfort the child. Stand in the back if need be, but don't leave, he said. Total opposite of a non-denom. church I attended where we heard Bible verses used to support the reasons why kids really need to be in the nursery. Nothing against people who use a church nursery. I just liked this thought. I didn't even want to bother to go when I had infants b/c I'd spend most of the time on mandatory nursery duty anyway.

 

I get the "you aren't really Christian" thing a lot because I live in a very evangelical area ...

 

:

I'm so sorry you hear that.

 

I hope that the fact that I'm not Catholic but commenting can be forgiven since I have been thoroughly embarrassed by my former misconceptions and have been trying to show that I don't believe them anymore. I used to think so many of the ones listed (Catholics aren't Christians, worship Mary, think everything the Pope says is infallible, don't follow Jesus, etc.)

 

I think it may have been another recent Catholic topic thread where someone said they were Protestant and didn't hear these kinds of misconceptions. To shed a little light, maybe (?) ... I heard these things from people that would probably be called Protestant. But the pastor of the church actually said that they weren't really Protestant because they (Baptists) didn't protest, they went beyond and got really biblical by totally going on a different track. Somehow their way was superior in every aspect (salvation, theology, church govt., etc.). And in sermons, we'd hear about the wrongs of the Catholic church. We were told "Ave Maria" was a lovely piece of music but unfortunately off limits since it is used to worship Mary.

 

Basically, if we said someone was Catholic, that automatically meant "unsaved". I remember Pope John Paul II's death was used as a springboard for a sermon again pointing to the error of the Catholic church. There was a genuine heartache for the people they believed were in need of the gospel but I scratch my head now. So many of the misconceptions that I kept hearing just stopped making any kind of sense. Sorry to also ramble but my apologies and thanks to those who have been helping me understand the truth.

[cathmom]

 

We were told "Ave Maria" was a lovely piece of music but unfortunately off limits since it is used to worship Mary.

 

 

 

Another common misconception is about praying the Hail Mary. The "Hail Mary" prayer is mostly Scripture. "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" is what the angel Gabriel said to Mary. "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb," is what Elizabeth said to Mary. Then it's "Holy Mary, Mother of God" which doesn't say anything about Mary, but about Jesus. The debate was that Jesus was only human, and the Mother of God title was given to show that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine. And then it's just "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen." We're just asking Mary to pray for us.

 

When I explained it that way to my mil, she was blown away after all of these years thinking it was wrong to pray the Hail Mary.

[Murphy101]

I agree - it is a thankless job and I really like the teachers I have known in my parish (not sure who's teaching now since we haven't participated). There is no real training (except of course the mandatory "don't ever be alone with a child" training) and no real quality control either. And some of the reasons why many of us here choose not to send our dc to school apply to CCD/RE - children don't usually learn best in groups of other children about such important topics. My reason for sending my dc in the past were to get to know the people at the church and make friends with other Catholic children (we live in a minority Catholic area).

 

I certainly don't think I am better at being Catholic than many who volunteer, although perhaps I do know more about Church doctrine. There's a lot of confusion in the Catholic ranks, and I fear that one day many bishops will be answering for it.

 

I have never seen the Catechisis of the Good Shepherd, although I have heard of it. I'll have to check it out more.

 

Kudos to you for serving your fellow Catholics!

 

 

I agree. My frustration with CCD is usually not with the volunteers themselves. It's the uphill program without mountain climbing gear I dislike.:)

 

I think the idea of having to confirm young children so their TRAPPED in the church is not necessarily the point of confirmation.

 

 

Sigh

 

I'm not even a bit surprised. I've seen it repeatedly. And it is not the point of confirmation at all.

 

If someone is baptized catholic, then they are forever catholic. Forever a child of God and His Church.

 

Just as children might, heaven forbid, one day disown their parents and say they don't want to be their kid anymore - yet they can't change that they in fact ARE forever the child of their parents.

[Parrothead]

I think the idea of having to confirm young children so their TRAPPED in the church is not necessarily the point of confirmation.

This is NOT what the Sacrament of Confirmation is.

 

From the CCC:

1302 It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

1303 From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:

- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";117

- it unites us more firmly to Christ;

- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;

- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;118

- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:119

 

Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.120 1304 Like Baptism which it completes, Confirmation is given only once, for it too imprints on the soul an indelible spiritual mark, the "character," which is the sign that Jesus Christ has marked a Christian with the seal of his Spirit by clothing him with power from on high so that he may be his witness.121

 

 

Nowhere is the Sacrament of Confirmation trapping or confining one to the Church. To believe so is ludicrous. Any Catholic who believes so is badly catechized and has never read for themselves the Catechism of the Catholic Church which is available at Amazon for a very decent price, or online for free.

[WIS0320]

When I explained it that way to my mil, she was blown away after all of these years thinking it was wrong to pray the Hail Mary.

 

AND, not to mention that the entire time you are praying the Rosary you are meditating in Jesus's life through the eyes of His mother. I had no idea what the Rosary actually was when I was Protestant and I most assuredly think about Jesus's life more now than I did before I became Catholic because I am praying while thinking about it all the time.

 

I think the Rosary is such a beautiful, meditative prayer. So many Protestants have lost sight of the value and function of meditation as part of a healthy spiritual life.

[Parrothead]

 

Also I just went to a Mass where the priest said that if the baby cries, there's plenty of room to walk around and comfort the child. Stand in the back if need be, but don't leave, he said. Total opposite of a non-denom. church I attended where we heard Bible verses used to support the reasons why kids really need to be in the nursery. Nothing against people who use a church nursery. I just liked this thought. I didn't even want to bother to go when I had infants b/c I'd spend most of the time on mandatory nursery duty anyway.

 

 

 

We like having babies in church. It is preferred that the entire family go to church together as often as possible.

[cathmom]

 

 

If someone is baptized catholic, then they are forever catholic. Forever a child of God and His Church.

 

 

But that doesn't mean that they consider themselves Catholic, and I feel that it's unhelpful to tell them they are when they don't want to be.

[Violet Crown]

We like having babies in church.

Really? Our parish hustles ladies who go into labor right out the nave and toward the hospital.

[Murphy101]

We like having babies in church. It is preferred that the entire family go to church together as often as possible.

 

 

Us too. In fact for lent I started taking all the kids for daily morning mass 3 days a week and we have kept going since. You have never seen such happy people. I was really nervous about it bc the 2 year old is really good for a 2 year old, but well she is still a 2 year old, kwim? Thankfully it is so quiet that I think she is intimidated into mostly silence.:tongue_smilie:

 

Even my almost 7 year old that visibly and literally itches with the jitters because being quiet and still for more than 20 seconds at a time takes every bit of self control he can muster.:D

 

The little old people are spoiling my kids. Daily mass is mostly retired folks and they just love seeing the kids there and comment on how good they are and what a beautiful family I have. And reminece about the kids they had or their own mothers bringing them or the kids they wish they had had. The older priest who is very close to retirement is so tickled to see us that during the exchange of peace he makes an effort to come over and give every kid a hug and tell them how happy God is to have them visit his house.

 

Really, I don't say that to brag. I just know there are other churches and parishes where parents are made to feel like they are being rude by bringing their kids to the House of God and I think it is terribly sad and discouraging. Especially for mothers of young ones and certainly mothers of many. If I stayed home until I didn't have fidgety or somewhat local little ones, I wouldn't have been able to attend church for the last 16 years!

[milovany]

Really? Our parish hustles ladies who go into labor right out the nave and toward the hospital.

 

:D

[Parrothead]

Really? Our parish hustles ladies who go into labor right out the nave and toward the hospital.

Oh, no not us. We have a couple of doctors and a few first responders. Between them they get the job done during the collection. Father gets to baptize them so they don't ever leave the Church just after Eucharist.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[WishboneDawn]

Really? Our parish hustles ladies who go into labor right out the nave and toward the hospital.

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Murphy101]

But that doesn't mean that they consider themselves Catholic, and I feel that it's unhelpful to tell them they are when they don't want to be.

 

No. That wasn't my intent. Of course they can consider themselves whatever they prefer. But I do think it important to let them know, same as I would my children, that the Church is ready and waiting to welcome them back with open arms should they ever decide to return.

 

It isn't about forcing them to accept the Church.

 

Sorry if it came across that way.

[justamouse]

 

I've also heard the lack of new nuns/monks and priests is a MAJOR crisis in the Church. Parents are not encouraging their children to go this route anymore, and priests are not recruiting.

 

I think that as parents, if we're living out the liturgical year, it's a very good thing for the kids.

 

I found out why we have such a great CCD-the Salesian Sisters took it over a few years ago.

 

The little old people are spoiling my kids. Daily mass is mostly retired folks and they just love seeing the kids there and comment on how good they are and what a beautiful family I have. And reminece about the kids they had or their own mothers bringing them or the kids they wish they had had. The older priest who is very close to retirement is so tickled to see us that during the exchange of peace he makes an effort to come over and give every kid a hug and tell them how happy God is to have them visit his house.

 

 

That is beautiful.

[WishboneDawn]

No. That wasn't my intent. Of course they can consider themselves whatever they prefer. But I do think it important to let them know, same as I would my children, that the Church is ready and waiting to welcome them back with open arms should they ever decide to return.

 

It isn't about forcing them to accept the Church.

 

Sorry if it came across that way.

 

Personally, I find it comforting. I've had doubts, I've embraced the Anglican church but it's still strangely nice to discover the RC considers me one of theirs whether I go back or not.:)

[Ellesmere]

Another common misconception is about praying the Hail Mary. The "Hail Mary" prayer is mostly Scripture. "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" is what the angel Gabriel said to Mary. "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb," is what Elizabeth said to Mary. Then it's "Holy Mary, Mother of God" which doesn't say anything about Mary, but about Jesus. The debate was that Jesus was only human, and the Mother of God title was given to show that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine. And then it's just "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen." We're just asking Mary to pray for us.

 

When I explained it that way to my mil, she was blown away after all of these years thinking it was wrong to pray the Hail Mary.

 

That's a huge one. I was just talking with a friend and was told the Hail Mary prayer was clearly idol worship. I used to buy into that idea but as I recited it, I wondered ... isn't it a request to ask Mary to pray? Baptists always ask each other to pray for things. And if they believe Mary is alive in heaven (which they do), wouldn't they want her to pray for them? The counter argument was that it is wrong to call her "Mother of God." Ahhhh! :confused:

Thank you for addressing that one.

 

We like having babies in church. It is preferred that the entire family go to church together as often as possible.

 

Glad to hear that. More than once, I've been told how certain verses prove that babies must be in the nursery.

 

AND, not to mention that the entire time you are praying the Rosary you are meditating in Jesus's life through the eyes of His mother. I had no idea what the Rosary actually was when I was Protestant and I most assuredly think about Jesus's life more now than I did before I became Catholic because I am praying while thinking about it all the time.

 

I think the Rosary is such a beautiful, meditative prayer. So many Protestants have lost sight of the value and function of meditation as part of a healthy spiritual life.

 

I used to have a book about the Rosary and it talked about the meditations on Jesus. At a Baptist church, I heard a lot about the importance of meditation, but it would probably knock their socks off to realize that the Rosary is all about Jesus, rather than idol worship or vain repetition. Recalling the Rosary meditations was a step in breaking down some of the misconceptions I've had about Catholicism.

[Parrothead]

Glad to hear that. More than once, I've been told how certain verses prove that babies must be in the nursery.

What?!? Seriously? Bless those poor babies.

[Alice]

If someone is baptized catholic, then they are forever catholic. Forever a child of God and His Church.

 

 

 

My grandmother was Catholic. My parents were not. There was no Catholic church in the small town my Mom grew up in so she went with her paternal grandmother to the Baptist church. (My grandmother was French, met my grandfather in WWII and moved here to a small tobacco farm. My grandfather later converted to Catholicism when a Catholic church was started in their town but that was when my Mom was already in college.)

 

My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She always told me she baptized me Catholic in the kitchen sink. Her claim was that in an emergency (the emergency being that my parents weren't going to take me to church to have me baptized) the Church would find that acceptable and God recognized it. So she always told me I was truly Catholic at heart even if I didn't know it. I'm not sure about her theology on that point but her heart was in the right place and I loved her dearly. She also would regularly send in donations to various convents and I'd get cards in the mail that the Sisters of So and So were praying for me daily for the next year.

 

I've been reading some of this thread and the other Catholic ones with interest as one of my biggest beefs with my own denomination (Presbyterian) and the Protestant church in general is the whole "Catholics aren't Christian" thing.

 

It's been interesting reading. I haven't made it through all 23 pages so forgive me if I'm bringing up a point that was brought up before. To me, Catholics are obviously Christian as they believe in Christ. I differ with them on a lot of points of theology and doctrine, some I think is more important than others but to say they aren't Christian is just ridiculous. Of course there are people in the Catholic church going through the motions just as there are people in the Protestant church going through the motions. To me though, although I think doctrine is important unless it is heresy (which to me means denying the fundamental beliefs of Christianity) I'm not sure it matters in the long run. I feel like we all have a lot more in common than different.

 

However, I've never been sure what Catholics believe about that. Do they think of me as someone who is wrong about a lot of things but right on the one most important thing? Or do they think of me as someone who cannot go to heaven/is not saved because I am not participating in the rituals and beliefs of the Catholic church? I've always been told by Protestants that Catholics see non-Catholics as the equivalent of non-saved and I'm not sure that's true. I think the fact that non-Catholics cannot share in Communion is one of the things that gives Protestants that idea but I'm not sure exactly.

[Teachin'Mine]

Really? Our parish hustles ladies who go into labor right out the nave and toward the hospital.

 

:lol:

 

I'm joining in here late, but what I've read is awesome!!! I share the frustration about Confirmation preparation needed in parishes. I liked the Scotland solution. :)

 

It's also so wonderful to hear so many here sharing about the beauty of the rosary. I'm a cradle Catholic, but when I prayed the rosary as a child, it was just about saying the prayers. Now that I've learned in recent years about meditating on the mysteries, which are centered on Jesus' life, it's got so much meaning and is so beautiful!

 

This forum has been such a blessing in so many ways. How awesome that we can share our Catholic faith with each other and help to shed light on some of the misconceptions.

 

Now I have a confession to make. I never knew Bill (SpyCar) is Catholic. :D

[WishboneDawn]

)

 

My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She always told me she baptized me Catholic in the kitchen sink. Her claim was that in an emergency (the emergency being that my parents weren't going to take me to church to have me baptized) the Church would find that acceptable and God recognized it.

 

I know that centuries and centuries ago when infant death rates were very high in Europe midwives would baptize babies.

[Teachin'Mine]

Oh, just remembered what I wanted to say. It is also thanks to homeschooling that I've gotten to know my Catholic faith so much better, as lame as my knowledge still is, and have been working on my conversion. I am so glad that my dd is growing up truly knowing about her faith and learning from the wonderful examples of the lives of the Saints. I wish I had had such good instruction as she's getting. For this, I thank our first Catholic homeschool group for opening my eyes, homeschooling for giving us the freedom to attend daily Mass anytime we like, and Seton homeschooling for incorporating the faith so beautifully into her lessons. And I especially thank all the board members here who so willingly share their faith and their prayers and concerns for each other - no matter what religion. This is an awesome community!!! :)

[Ms. Riding Hood]

For me, the most common misconception is that I have jettisoned my own reason in submission to Church authority. It's like you can't be an intelligent, thinking person and simultaneously be obedient and submitted to a higher authority.

 

p.s. I don't read the general boards, but now I've got to go catch up on all the previous threads! A fun way to begin summer!!! : )

[ktgrok]

I have nothing to add here except this misconception from my own childhood:

 

I was raised in a New England community where everyone I knew, and I mean EVERYONE, was either Catholic or Jewish. I was incredibly jealous that everyone else got to go someplace after school (i.e. Catechism classes or Hebrew school) and I had to go straight home. I was positive they were doing all kinds of awesome things there without me, and there was probably lots of candy. :)

 

 

Same situation here! All my best friends were either R.Catholic or Jewish. They had bar mitzvahs or confirmation parties where they had saint's names...I was so jealous!

 

Ended up going through RCIA as an adult, lol. But now hubby won't go, so we go to an Episcopal church.

[asta]

My grandmother was Catholic. My parents were not. There was no Catholic church in the small town my Mom grew up in so she went with her paternal grandmother to the Baptist church. (My grandmother was French, met my grandfather in WWII and moved here to a small tobacco farm. My grandfather later converted to Catholicism when a Catholic church was started in their town but that was when my Mom was already in college.)

 

My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She always told me she baptized me Catholic in the kitchen sink. Her claim was that in an emergency (the emergency being that my parents weren't going to take me to church to have me baptized) the Church would find that acceptable and God recognized it. So she always told me I was truly Catholic at heart even if I didn't know it. I'm not sure about her theology on that point but her heart was in the right place and I loved her dearly. She also would regularly send in donations to various convents and I'd get cards in the mail that the Sisters of So and So were praying for me daily for the next year.

 

I've been reading some of this thread and the other Catholic ones with interest as one of my biggest beefs with my own denomination (Presbyterian) and the Protestant church in general is the whole "Catholics aren't Christian" thing.

 

It's been interesting reading. I haven't made it through all 23 pages so forgive me if I'm bringing up a point that was brought up before. To me, Catholics are obviously Christian as they believe in Christ. I differ with them on a lot of points of theology and doctrine, some I think is more important than others but to say they aren't Christian is just ridiculous. Of course there are people in the Catholic church going through the motions just as there are people in the Protestant church going through the motions. To me though, although I think doctrine is important unless it is heresy (which to me means denying the fundamental beliefs of Christianity) I'm not sure it matters in the long run. I feel like we all have a lot more in common than different.

 

However, I've never been sure what Catholics believe about that. Do they think of me as someone who is wrong about a lot of things but right on the one most important thing? Or do they think of me as someone who cannot go to heaven/is not saved because I am not participating in the rituals and beliefs of the Catholic church? I've always been told by Protestants that Catholics see non-Catholics as the equivalent of non-saved and I'm not sure that's true. I think the fact that non-Catholics cannot share in Communion is one of the things that gives Protestants that idea but I'm not sure exactly.

 

The theology is sound.

 

I posted about it here.

 

 

a

[Ms. Riding Hood]

 

I get sick of homeschoolers slagging off on catechesis at parishes and slagging off on catechists in general. its quite a thankless little job, requires a bit of time, no real training is provided usually. These are just people who like kids trying to do something nice for their fellow moms and dads and they get the brunt of criticisms from HSers who are "better" at being catholic and it rubs me the wrong way.

 

and it did even before I started teaching it.

 

I don't send my kids to CCD, but it isn't because I'm "better" at being Catholic--even though people in my parish may come away with that idea. I don't send them because unless I know the teacher personally, I think that I put my kids at risk of being given wrong information. This is why I would also have difficulty sending them to Catholic school--again, unless I really knew the faithfulness of the principal and teachers.

 

Getting wrong information from a person in authority is very damaging, because kids always think that teachers know more than parents. :tongue_smilie: (They do really think that!) I don't want to find myself in the position of arguing with my kids about why the teacher is wrong. Plus, most of the time I will never be aware of any wrong they are taught!

 

This is not to say that CCD teachers are maliciously teaching falsehoods. Most are themselves almost completely uncatechized. They don't know what the Church teaches or why. Why would I have someone who never studied algebra or English teach my kids that subject?

 

In addition, the CCD we've seen is so weak and watery that I don't care to waste the time when we can do it at home. And as in p.s., the teachers are often dealing with discipline, though without having even as much authority as a p.s. teacher!

 

One bright spot: this year our parish offered one grade of the Theology of the Body for Teens. I know the material, I know the teacher and I sent my dd. It was a wonderful class and most of the kids learned more in one year than all their other CCD years put together. When I see that kind of stuff on a regular basis, then I'll send my kids every time!

[WishboneDawn]

For me, the most common misconception is that I have jettisoned my own reason in submission to Church authority. It's like you can't be an intelligent, thinking person and simultaneously be obedient and submitted to a higher authority.

 

I think all the posts related to Catholicism lately have put a SERIOUS dent in that idea. I haven't read such well-reasoned, deep, thoughtful and downright beautiful posts on religion and faith in quite some time.

[Parrothead]

For me, the most common misconception is that I have jettisoned my own reason in submission to Church authority. It's like you can't be an intelligent, thinking person and simultaneously be obedient and submitted to a higher authority.

 

p.s. I don't read the general boards, but now I've got to go catch up on all the previous threads! A fun way to begin summer!!! : )

I haven't heard that one in a long time.

 

Enjoy your summer reading. Seems like about once every six months or so we have Catholic days around here.

[Alice]

The theology is sound.

 

I posted about it here.

 

 

a

 

Thanks! Good to know I'm safe. ;)

[Teachin'Mine]

Same situation here! All my best friends were either R.Catholic or Jewish. They had bar mitzvahs or confirmation parties where they had saint's names...I was so jealous!

 

Ended up going through RCIA as an adult, lol. But now hubby won't go, so we go to an Episcopal church.

 

 

I think it's great that you go to church together as a family. You can always go to the Catholic Church yourself for special holy days not shared by both faiths. :)

[Ms. Riding Hood]

I think all the posts related to Catholicism lately have put a SERIOUS dent in that idea. I haven't read such well-reasoned, deep, thoughtful and downright beautiful posts on religion and faith in quite some time.

 

That's one of the many reasons I *love* the RCC. It is the coming together of faith and reason at the highest level (well, at least IMHO!)--it is "the true, the good, the beautiful." But there are certainly many, many people (maybe it's just my relatives? :)) who can't even begin to contemplate that. And intelligence, at least our type of materialist, relativist intelligence is generally a stumbling block to faith...and a cause for sneering at someone who finds that truth can be transmitted by imperfect institutions through celibate old men.

[Avila]

However, I've never been sure what Catholics believe about that. Do they think of me as someone who is wrong about a lot of things but right on the one most important thing? Or do they think of me as someone who cannot go to heaven/is not saved because I am not participating in the rituals and beliefs of the Catholic church? I've always been told by Protestants that Catholics see non-Catholics as the equivalent of non-saved and I'm not sure that's true. I think the fact that non-Catholics cannot share in Communion is one of the things that gives Protestants that idea but I'm not sure exactly.

 

I explained a lot of this is an earlier post on this thread, so please forgive me if I don't go through all of it again.

 

Basically, we do believe that Jesus left us the Church, and that the Church acts as the ordinary means of transmitting the faith and grace to the people through the sacraments. The Church does this for everyone, not just Catholics.

 

But we don't limit God to the ordinary. He, being God, can use extraordinary means to his purposes. In the end, Catholic or not, we all rely on his mercy. So a Catholic may tell you who IS in Heaven, but they can't say who is not.

 

We look at other Christians as Christian. They are separated from us in doctrine and practice, but still members of the body of Christ.

 

Communion, for us, is a statement of belief and unity that we unfortunately don't share with non-Catholics. When we say Amen after receiving, we are saying that we believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Catholics who are not in a state of grace cannot receive the Eucharist either.