Go here to read the story. Of course some call themselves Catholic who haven’t been to Mass in decades. I recall however that my late Father-in-Law was a fallen away Catholic, and he returned to the Faith shortly before his death 27 years ago. Where there is life, there is hope. That could also be said of President Trump, a non-Catholic but who ran the most pro-Catholic administration in American history. Let’s give him an opportunity to do so again.
*Make America Christian Again.* -Catholic Vote
The slippery slope. 70 years ago some priest with Gods grace could perdict a time to come where indifference would erode the dominate Christian structure that was America 1954.
Fr. John A. Hardon S.J. was such a man.
It’s sobering to look back at that time and compare it to today in relationship to the faith or lack thereof. Four or five priest to a parish. A team of Nuns teaching the children the three R’s as well as being catechists for them.
How far we have slid.
We haven’t hit the bottom, yet, in regards to what Fr. Hardon perdicted. That being; if the Catholic Church in America doesn’t reclaim it’s zeal for souls and love of God, it will one day be found to exist as the 1st century Christians did. Being persecuited and having to gather in the catacombs to celebrate Mass. (my paraphrasing.)
With the anti-Christian Harris at the helm, I believe the ship will hit bottom, and in America the shipwreck will be a warning to other nations that have followed the Pagan ways of America. Abortion on demand being the largest submerged rock near the shoreline.
We honestly need Trump to buy America and Christian churches more time to navagate away from the shoals.
If he has a relic of the True Cross now, there are reasonable grounds to believe grace may play a part in what follows.
I know that he and Melania have been given blessed Rosaries by a priest friend of mine.
Finally, the blood of St. Januarius liquefied yesterday. So maybe, just maybe! catastrophe will be averted.
[…] News, Punditry, and Analysis: We Can Do Better Than That – Donald R. McClarey, J.D., at The American CatholicWhistleblower Claims ABC News Colluded […]
I am a Catholic but my husband is not and was raised Baptist. He fell away from the Baptists but I insisted on raising our children in the Catholic Church. They were all baptized and confirmed as Catholic. After that, the parish I went to went through a lot of changes and a couple began basically running things in a very uninviting way. It’s a long story but the guy was a deacon and the woman ran the choir and they liked things done their way only. We had lots of changes in priests so no one looked at how they were pushing people away. As a result, I fell away for a long time.
Fast forward 20 years and we moved to a small town in Texas. It has a Catholic Church but most Masses as in Spanish and I don’t speak that language. My husband started wanting to attend a church so we went to a few nondenominational churches and have found a church home at one. I always laugh and say that at nondenominational churches you go to a concert, then someone preaches a bit, and then sometimes you have a bit more of a concert. LOL. This church has my husband playing in the worship band and I am head of a couple of small groups and run the coffee bar. We are considered to be part of the churches leadership.
I still call myself Catholic because it has been a part of me for so very long. I frequently have to explain to people at our church that Catholics don’t worship any idols and we don’t worship Mary. That kind of perception always irritates me. The communion that is done at a nondenominational church always seems to not recognize the seriousness of the sacrament. In short I frequently feel like a fish out of water but also know that God pushed us(especially my husband) back to church in a good way. We will continue at this church as long as we feel like we are being given the Good News.
I guess I wrote all of this because I miss many things about Mass at a Catholic church and I am a little out of my comfort zone. I hope that does not make me not a Catholic any more. Catholicism is part of me. But, it’s very important for my husband to be at church again so that is where we will be.
— Army Mom
Army Mom, I am about to be absolutely not snarky, so please bear with me. Generations of Catholics attended Latin Mass. Many did not understand Latin. I bear that in mind when I attend a Spanish Mass. (Admittedly, I had Spanish in school, but that was 60 years ago). I once attended an Arabic Mass, in which I understood only 6 words, and 3 of them were in the Kyrie. I just spoke my part in English, and no one seemed to either notice or mind. I never lost track of where I was in the Mass. Also there are now good online Spanish lessons, some free (I am currently refreshing my Spanish on Duolingo.)
I offer this unsolicited advice as an invitation to come home. I understand that you will feel the loss of friends and fellowship at your current church, and do not trivialize it. As a convert, I have been there.
But, have you considered contacting the priest at the Spanish parish? Perhaps he might be open to having a bilingual “bridge” group in his parish to guide English speakers through the Spanish Mass and vice versa?
Anyway, sorry to have run on so long, but, I have prayed for you, and I wish you very well.
Army Mom – your Catholicism will never leave you. Perhaps what you are missing, that no other Mass besides the Catholic Mass can give you is the Holy Eucharist – Jesus Himself ready to enter your heart. The Grace which comes from this transcends any language or any culture. You can attend a Mass in Swahili and Jesus will still be there for you. Personally, that’s why I attend Mass even if sometimes the community can be far from perfect. The Priest and parishioners come and go but Jesus remains. Humans will let you down one time or the other. But Jesus will not.
And don’t forget the sacrament of Confession. A privilege in our Catholic Faith. a means to always be able to start afresh.
Can I suggest you attend Catholic Mass by starting off 1 day a month? Even if it’s on a weekday. Even if you don’t understand the Homily. And maybe as South Coast suggested, ask the priest if he doesn’t mind saying part of his Homily in English…?
And see how you go from there…Jesus may be drawing you to Him for something greater.
God Bless you.