My Church breaks my heart sometimes.

[ok_cpu]

Last edited Fri Jun 18, 2021, 05:08 PM - Edit history (1)

This won't be a fully formed or elegant post, but I just need to get this out on a place where hopefully it will be understood. I will delete if I miss the mark as it's not my intention to hurt anyone.

I joined the Catholic Church through RCIA going on 30 years ago. PSR teacher, Eucharistic Minister, Lector, K of C, parish council, etc.. I love my parish and my faith.

But I feel like at least the US leadership keeps breaking off parts of me to say they don't belong. I have an LGBTQ son and am a fierce ally. I unequivocally support the rights of women to have agency over their own body and health, including abortion.

I know this vote today is just to move forward with drafting a policy on the Eucharist, but the intent seems clear. If the US bishops would separate President Biden from communion, they would do the same to me.

[Ocelot II]

1. You might want to check out the Episcopal church.

Rituals and services are very similar but it is liberal and welcoming.

[shrike3]

14. Please remember this is a safe haven group for Catholics.

I don't consider your comment offensive at all, but thought I'd post a reminder.

[Ocelot II]

18. Sorry, but you were the one complaining about and criticizing the church, not me.

I have no axe to grind but was just trying to be helpful.

[shrike3]

19. Where did I complain about the church? I am not the original poster.

Last edited Sat Jun 19, 2021, 01:59 PM - Edit history (1)

This is simply a reminder of where you are. And you didn't tell the poster anything new. If I had a dollar for every time a Catholic's been urged to become an Episcopalian, I'd be rich.

[Ocelot II]

20. Why not criticize the OP for criticizing the church, then?

[shrike3]

22. Are you Catholic? Probably not.

This is our group. Please respect it.

[Binkie The Clown]

2. 16th century churches just don't work in the 21st century. nt

[shrike3]

13. Please remember this is a safe haven group for Catholics.

Your comment would be better served in GD.

[Binkie The Clown]

23. Sorry. Saw this in latest threads. Didn't look at the group. nt

[shrike3]

24. Not a problem, you didn't mean any harm.

I didn't find your comment incendiary at all, but I try to remind people because it's so easy to forget where you are.

[Scrivener7]

3. 16 years of Catholic school. I tried, I really did. But I walked away 20 years ago.

[shrike3]

15. While your comment isn't offensive.

And I know many in your shoes, please note this is the safe haven group for Catholics.

[XanaDUer2]

4. I'm catholic and super liberal

I guess I was lucky. The clergy I knew were liberal, too.

I find US Bishops too conservative. And this will blow up in their faces

[ok_cpu]

5. That's why I'm comfortable in my parish

I don't know whether my priest and deacon are liberal or conservative, but we don't do exclusion and they talk about everything that we believe in as Catholics, not just abortion.

I hope others are feeling like I am today and I hope they speak up. I'm sure some of it is who we choose to be friends with, but the overwhelming majority of Catholics I know are more liberal than conservative.

[demosincebirth]

9. I echo your position.

[shrike3]

21. I am a member of a parish of color.

Franciscans are very involved in our area of the diocese and have proven to be wonderful men: inclusive, justice-oriented. Unfortunately actions like the USCCB is on the verge of taking buries a lot of the good done.

The priests who serve my church rarely if ever mention abortion. An AA one did weeks ago, but followed up by saying, "How can you call yourself pro-life if you are not concerned about the living?" Meaning those who don't happen to occupy a womb at the moment.

[people]

6. sorry about your dilemma

I was not raised Catholic so I don't have your experience. Just finished watching the Netflix documentary called The Keepers about a young nun who taught in a Catholic girls high school who was murdered in 1969 in Baltimore.
It was quite awful in terms of how the church dealt with this. All of the families involved in this documentary were 100% tied into the church and its community. Do not want to say more in case you have not seen it and may want to in the future.

[shrike3]

10. While I understand your position.

Please keep in mind that this is a safe haven for Catholics and Orthodox. Not a general forum.

btw, you might want to know that the nun in question was exhumed, and the DNA of the priest accused by many of killing her did not match the DNA left on her body. I know many want it to be the priest, but there may also have been a serial killer working in that area. Storylines do not always match the ones we want them to.

[Freddie]

7. How can the US Bishops defy the Pope

Who specifically said he does not want the Eucharist to be used as a weapon. Do they have more authority than the Pope?

[XanaDUer2]

8. they don't and need to sthu

[shrike3]

16. Because the church isn't the monolith people think it is.

It can be very disorganized and at times it's amazing anything gets done.

Here in Chicago, one church has a gay/lesbian ministry. Lots of active gay Catholics. Cardinal Cupich will not be shutting it down, and his far more conservative predecessor, Cardinal George, didn't either.

And please remember this is a safe haven group for Catholics.

[shrike3]

11. A reminder that this is a safe haven for Catholics and the Orthodox.

Everybody's been pretty respectful, but non-Catholics seem to pop in and out of here on a regular basis and aren't always mindful of where they are.

[shrike3]

12. I consider myself a member of the global church.

Which is very diverse, quite complex and largely in the third world at this point. I've ignored the bishops for years and will continue to do so.

FWIW, eight percent of the RCC is in the U.S. Shows how insignificant the bishops, and we, are in the scheme of things.