I think I might be done with the Catholic Church...

[Blackrook]

The bishops allowed 1000 children to be molested by priests, a grand jury has found.

I might be done with carrying the water of a Church that has failed on such an epic level to live up to their own moral rules.

As long as my father is alive, I will continue to go to Mass with him, because I don't want to break his heart.

But after that, I think I'm done.

 

[Meriweather]

The bishops allowed 1000 children to be molested by priests, a grand jury has found.

I might be done with carrying the water of a Church that has failed on such an epic level to live up to their own moral rules.

As long as my father is alive, I will continue to go to Mass with him, because I don't want to break his heart.

But after that, I think I'm done.

You may want to keep in mind that Judas decided he was done, as well. The other eleven decided they had something worth carrying forward. Judas represents eight percent of the Apostles. The number of priests who broke their own vows is far less than that. Leaving the Church because of this would also be a slap in the face to the ninety-seven percent who did not break their vows.

Here is the real deal. I have found in my life there is never one reason for someone to reach a major decision. There are always at least three reasons that push a person into making such a change. Have you pondered what those other two reasons might be that may also be pushing you towards this choice?

 

[frigidweirdo]

The bishops allowed 1000 children to be molested by priests, a grand jury has found.

I might be done with carrying the water of a Church that has failed on such an epic level to live up to their own moral rules.

As long as my father is alive, I will continue to go to Mass with him, because I don't want to break his heart.

But after that, I think I'm done.

You may want to keep in mind that Judas decided he was done, as well. The other eleven decided they had something worth carrying forward. Judas represents eight percent of the Apostles. The number of priests who broke their own vows is far less than that. Leaving the Church because of this would also be a slap in the face to the ninety-seven percent who did not break their vows.

Here is the real deal. I have found in my life there is never one reason for someone to reach a major decision. There are always at least three reasons that push a person into making such a change. Have you pondered what those other two reasons might be that may also be pushing you towards this choice?

It's always funny how people can come up with arguments for why people should support the unsupportable.

 

[Blackrook]

The Catholic Church is failing in many respects, many priests are unfaithful to Catholic teachings, for example. You find them out in confession, when they tell you masturbation is not really a sin, or that you should take Communion even if you are in a state of sin.

 

[JakeStarkey]

When a church fails children (whether RC or LDS), you know that church is on trembly ground.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

I was taught by Catholic teachers. Best education on the planet. Never went to any camps or retreats though. I really didn't get involved beyond class time in the elementary grades, which were all run by the nuns.

 

[JakeStarkey]

I was not Catholic but ran with the RC boys who were my comrades.

Father Benedict at St. Patricks would smack my head as readily as the others if he heard my potty mouth.

 

[Harry Dresden]

i was through with them when i was about 16.....to much bullshit...

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

Was funny. In the early 70s the Jesuits from Georgetown U. would congregate at a bar called The Tombs. We'd roll in and get into deep philosophical discussions with them as we methodically outdrank them into comas. They didn't get around much.

 

[Meriweather]

The Catholic Church is failing in many respects, many priests are unfaithful to Catholic teachings, for example. You find them out in confession, when they tell you masturbation is not really a sin, or that you should take Communion even if you are in a state of sin.

The Mass begins with the (general) confession of sins, where we ask forgiveness from both God and the community. This forgiveness covers all venial sins. Naturally, anyone in the state of mortal sin needs to seek forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation before joining in Communion. Masturbation would be covered as a venial sin, not a mortal one. The reason masturbation is considered a sin at all is that it misses the mark, the ideal for sexuality.

In one respect, we are always in the state of sin, while at the same time working to overcome the sins in our lives. Who better to help us overcome these weaknesses than Our Lord, himself? He is our greatest inspiration.

Do keep in mind the Pennsylvania report covers seventy years, dating back to 1947. Mentioned in the report is that in the last twenty years the Church has new procedures in place to prevent today what took place between 1947 through the mid 1980s. Catholics themselves have been involved with these changes.

Again, when a small percentage fails, this is no reason for the rest to fail in the faith as well. It is a time for us to strengthen and rebuild. Christ brought and left us a legacy. Are we going to fail him because of an even smaller percentage that failed him?

 

[Meriweather]

When a church fails children (whether RC or LDS), you know that church is on trembly ground.

We see this in modern families, right? When parents fail children (through abortion, desertion, and divorce) we see the family on shaky ground. The solution is not to abandon the idea of family, but to step up and rebuild it.

 

[cnm]

As long as my father is alive, I will continue to go to Mass with him, because I don't want to break his heart.

But after that, I think I'm done.

You can go to confession for your temporary hypocrisy, see, it's not all bad.

 

[cnm]

The Catholic Church is failing in many respects, many priests are unfaithful to Catholic teachings, for example. You find them out in confession, when they tell you masturbation is not really a sin, or that you should take Communion even if you are in a state of sin.

So are you going to take communion when you attend mass with your father? If such a thing is what happens.

 

[Meriweather]

It's always funny how people can come up with arguments for why people should support the unsupportable.

It's a shame that people shrug and give up rather than change what can be changed. Look in the report. It does mention Church procedures have changed. In other places you will find that the Catholic Church has now become the model for other agencies of how to protect children from predators.

Pedophiles can be found in all professions, including, unfortunately, all faiths. I don't see people calling for the abolition of schools, sports, and clubs because of the same situation there.

 

[Darkwind]

The bishops allowed 1000 children to be molested by priests, a grand jury has found.

I might be done with carrying the water of a Church that has failed on such an epic level to live up to their own moral rules.

As long as my father is alive, I will continue to go to Mass with him, because I don't want to break his heart.

But after that, I think I'm done.

I was never a Catholic so that part isn't an issue for Me.

However, given some of the evidence the problem isn't just in PA and they -- prosecutors -- think this is more systemic throughout the entire Catholic organization. If that is true, then the magnitude of their betrayal is, and you'll have to forgive Me, of biblical proportion.

 

[Meriweather]

You can go to confession for your temporary hypocrisy, see, it's not all bad.

Jesus' entire ministry was to proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He wanted people to hear this news, not just wonder if forgiveness is possible.

 

[JakeStarkey]

When a church fails children (whether RC or LDS), you know that church is on trembly ground.

We see this in modern families, right? When parents fail children (through abortion, desertion, and divorce) we see the family on shaky ground. The solution is not to abandon the idea of family, but to step up and rebuild it.

That is one of your better false equivalencies. Yes, one can give up a family if a member(s) fail(s) seriously enough. The same, since we are playing false equivalencies, applies to churches.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Schools, sports, and clubs generally do not preach from a pulpit of infallibility.

 

[ptbw forever]

The bishops allowed 1000 children to be molested by priests, a grand jury has found.

I might be done with carrying the water of a Church that has failed on such an epic level to live up to their own moral rules.

As long as my father is alive, I will continue to go to Mass with him, because I don't want to break his heart.

But after that, I think I'm done.

Join the club.

 

[frigidweirdo]

It's always funny how people can come up with arguments for why people should support the unsupportable.

It's a shame that people shrug and give up rather than change what can be changed. Look in the report. It does mention Church procedures have changed. In other places you will find that the Catholic Church has now become the model for other agencies of how to protect children from predators.

Pedophiles can be found in all professions, including, unfortunately, all faiths. I don't see people calling for the abolition of schools, sports, and clubs because of the same situation there.

But then again, that wasn't the argument I was replying to.

The Catholic Church can change. The problem with change is that you have to accept there were problems, which also seems to imply that either there's a problem with God, or that the Church is very human, and they don't like to do either.