Where did everyone go?

[carmenchristi]

1 hour ago, AngelofJesus said:

I got banned one-time, gee. LOL!

Haha! Oops! Sorry!!! 

[Pooooma]

I never left!

Granted, I’ve only been on here a handful of weeks.

Been swamped with work, so haven’t posted much of anything. I work for an organization that may-or-may-not rhyme with “Schmunited States Postal Service” and it’s been slaughter. Hope to get to know some of you, but can’t do much of anything ‘til after Christmas and all, since I have about 2 microseconds of free time a day.

[xTrishaxLynnx]

So good to see so many of us back, if only for a post or two. I check in every once in a while, but it's not nearly as lively here as what I was used to. We should fix that. I apparently joined in April 2006. 14½ years!? There was always something to post, back in the day. I used to sit and refresh and reply to pretty much anything. I have a lot less free time now (pretty much only if I stay up too late and suffer for it after. )  I'm married, with a 3 year old and an 18 month old... Which still seems kinda surreal to me, somehow.

[FatWinchester]

[VeniteAdoremus]

I think I've been gone for... twelve years or so?

Hi

I joined PM because I was exploring my vocation and there just aren't that many of us where I live (still the Netherlands). I met and married a lapsed Catholic who I like quite a lot. We don't have children, but lots of nephews and nieces.

To be honest I don't think I'll be coming back to PhatMass, although I did get nostalgic enough from the e-mail reminder to come back and post this. As a Western European, my view of mainly social issues is fundamentally different from what I see in the States. For example, I am convinced that the very sanctity of marriage is why the sacrament should be open to same-sex couples. I think it's pretty evident that biology ignores a lot of church teaching. There are more intersex people than redheads, to name but one thing. This may be because of the Fall. (I personally think it's because of the Creation.) But even if that is so, I think we should be much more pragmatic in dealing with the reality of people's lives and loves. As our Pope said, we are field medics. We should be out healing.

[Dr_Asik]

Was (not very) active here between 2009-2015 (early twenties for me). I had a lot of philosophical questions about whether faith was rationally justified or not. Went back and forth between my childhood religion Catholicism and atheism; eventually settled on atheism. I still enjoy thinking about these challenging questions, but I'm at peace now in my quest for the truth. Atheism has its pros and cons, but I would say I feel much more peaceful and free from an intellectual standpoint.

Thanks to everyone here who helped me find my way; really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and high level of discussion.

Edited November 3, 2020 by Dr_Asik

[tate4242]

On 8/22/2020 at 2:25 PM, cutenickname said:

Where did everyone go?

I have been on this site off and on since the beginning, though I took a very long break starting in 2013, probably only lurking once a year or so. I do not remember it being so slow. No point asking who I was I have become a new creation as they say. I also seem to remember there being a rosary app thingy and asteroid here, but that might be closer to twenty years than 7. Man I'm old.

Anna? Winchester? Donna? Kilroy? Don John? Hyper? Speechless? Msigga? Iceprincess? Basilissa? Aloysius is still around. Socrates? Ironmonk? Dave? Brother Adam and Theresa? Cmom? Jasjis? 

No matter. It will be sweeter to meet in the Spirit.

 

Thank you for getting this topic going.  I consider that these discussion forums are a massive open door and any of us who are being stirred up to be more "Philadelphian" era than "Laodicean" will feel a compulsion to get involved in these forums..... at least in comparison to watching more netflix!

 

 

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

I was known as thedude when I joined here in high school. I changed my name somewhere along the line. I'm now in my 30s with two children. I'll never forget the formation I received here as a young person, transitioning from a faith of birth to one by choice.

[MeteorShower]

Dropping in to say hi since I saw the email this morning.

I was active on here from 2011 until around 2013, when I was 16-18 years old. That seems like another life and another person now. I was absolutely convinced at the time that I had a vocation to the Religious Life. I definitely did not. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Sadly I don't really practice Catholicism anymore for a variety of reasons. This trip down memory lane was very nice though  

[Lilllabettt]

8 hours ago, VeniteAdoremus said:

I think I've been gone for... twelve years or so?

Hi

I joined PM because I was exploring my vocation and there just aren't that many of us where I live (still the Netherlands). I met and married a lapsed Catholic who I like quite a lot. We don't have children, but lots of nephews and nieces.

To be honest I don't think I'll be coming back to PhatMass, although I did get nostalgic enough from the e-mail reminder to come back and post this. As a Western European, my view of mainly social issues is fundamentally different from what I see in the States. For example, I am convinced that the very sanctity of marriage is why the sacrament should be open to same-sex couples. I think it's pretty evident that biology ignores a lot of church teaching. There are more intersex people than redheads, to name but one thing. This may be because of the Fall. (I personally think it's because of the Creation.) But even if that is so, I think we should be much more pragmatic in dealing with the reality of people's lives and loves. As our Pope said, we are field medics. We should be out healing.

I remember you! Seems like your spouse married a lapsed Catholic as well? Or did that happen after? That is often the case - the lukewarm partner converts the faithful one (and not the other way around.) 

[Cherie]

Checked my email notifications and wanted to drop in on this thread quickly. I was never popular here; I mostly stuck to Vocation Station, I guess.

Still fully practicing Catholic; Byzantine now, though. That’s a story. Turns out my husband and I were both canonically Byzantine all along but never knew til we did some digging. It’s definitely our home. If you had told me that ten years ago, though! Haha.

Six kids. Homeschooling. Normal everyday life, nothing special. 

I mostly stick to Facebook and IG, social-media wise. I do have a TikTok account but I am definitely an old person. 30s. Facebook groups are so much easier to navigate than forums but I hate Facebook and would love to do away with all of it eventually.

I do think about Phatmass and the members from time to time, though. 

  

[VeniteAdoremus]

3 hours ago, Lilllabettt said:

I remember you! Seems like your spouse married a lapsed Catholic as well? Or did that happen after? That is often the case - the lukewarm partner converts the faithful one (and not the other way around.) 

Hi Lilllabettt,

You’re right, it can be pretty tough! Especially since he is definitely a better person than me. More loving, less judgmental. He does like being in church fortunately, so he comes with me every once in a while. It doesn’t seem to stick, but that’s not up to me  His family is pretty great, I go to chant courses with his sister etc. (She can’t join our schola because her husband has choir rehearsal on our rehearsal evening but I’m poaching her as soon as her youngest is old enough)

 

[Starets]

It has been a while since I posted. I think i started in 2006 or so. I was invited by another former member. I started in my current monastery in early 2013, only expecting to e here for 1 year. I fell in love with the place and its community. I made my solemn profession about 4 years ago now. We lost our two oldest members to Congestive Heart Failure last summer. 

Hi Venite; I remember you fondly. I hope your marriage works out well. I remember a few others as well. 

[FatWinchester]

.

Edited November 3, 2020 by FatWinchester
:)

[catholicamama]

Helllllooooooo  I got an email asking me 'where i've been' and finally remembered my login info so here i am!  I agree with most of what's already been posted.  FB and IG etc. seem to take up the bulk of 'free' time folks use to interact online.  I joined here awhile ago mainly b/c my daughter was discerning a vocation to religious life and i wanted to get an idea about the process from others who were/are discerning.  I will have to go visit those old threads.  My daughter is still feeling called, and hopes to enter the convent in August.  Please keep her in your prayers.

[VeniteAdoremus]

1 hour ago, Starets said:

It has been a while since I posted. I think i started in 2006 or so. I was invited by another former member. I started in my current monastery in early 2013, only expecting to e here for 1 year. I fell in love with the place and its community. I made my solemn profession about 4 years ago now. We lost our two oldest members to Congestive Heart Failure last summer. 

Hi Venite; I remember you fondly. I hope your marriage works out well. I remember a few others as well. 

Starets! I remember you as well, of course! So glad to hear you’re happily professed. And sad to lose two community members so quickly after another, though they might have liked not having to do without each other for too long  

[Cherie]

Are you all on Facebook? I feel like there are so many huge Catholic Facebook groups and so many people know each other from those, that I really wonder if I’m FB friends (or at least FB familiar) with Phatmass people that I didn’t actually realize I knew from Phatmass ... 

[rachael]

who?

[Nihil Obstat]

3 hours ago, Cherie said:

Are you all on Facebook? I feel like there are so many huge Catholic Facebook groups and so many people know each other from those, that I really wonder if I’m FB friends (or at least FB familiar) with Phatmass people that I didn’t actually realize I knew from Phatmass ... 

Soldiers of the Church Militant - Traditional Catholic Group is pretty good. It is a little too American capitalist sometimes, but not as bad as many.

[Lilllabettt]

5 hours ago, VeniteAdoremus said:

Hi Lilllabettt,

You’re right, it can be pretty tough! Especially since he is definitely a better person than me. More loving, less judgmental. He does like being in church fortunately, so he comes with me every once in a while. It doesn’t seem to stick, but that’s not up to me  His family is pretty great, I go to chant courses with his sister etc. (She can’t join our schola because her husband has choir rehearsal on our rehearsal evening but I’m poaching her as soon as her youngest is old enough)

 

Ah but, you didn't answer ... did you fall away before or after marriage? Or did you never believe, holding nothing back?

I do not think your example to your husband will "work" as you are not really proposing Christianity to him, but something adulterated with the "social issue" politics of post Christian Europe. Do you not admit as much? You have exchanged the Catholic understanding and view of the world for the perspective on "social issues" of your milieu? 

Admittedly schola, Gregorian chant, the saints, the history and symbolism of the Church is attractive, but that is not true religion is it?  That is all surface level, window dressing. 

Be careful if you are acting as a music "minister" in the Church (it's not clear if you are or if it's a hobby choir)  As Pope Francis says, better to be an atheist than a hypocritical Catholic - one who mouths or chants the words - but who in their heart does not believe.  To be clear many people struggle with a core tenet of Catholic faith - esp. on marriage, myself included. But struggling to believe or wanting to believe - or even wishing one wanted to believe - is very different from sure, satisfied, proud, unbelief. When someone says "biology contradicts Church teaching" that suggests they are pretty far gone ... maybe you are more conflicted than you let on, in which case I wish you strength for the struggle, which I too share.

But if you are at peace with your unbelief I pray for you a crisis of conscience which will shake the foundations of your life and force you to choose between the true faith and the European way of looking at the world and "social issues". May God bless you with circumstances in which compromise is impossible! I pray also an African enters your life to witness radical Christianity to your husband (and you too!) 

On 11/2/2020 at 7:35 PM, Fr. Antony Maria OSB said:

It's good to see so many familiar names (even though I didn't engage in much conversation with many of you back in the day). My username was originally NazFarmer, and I was part of the small-ish contingent of high-school youth that moved over here back in the day when the LifeTeen forum shut down (I think back in 2006 or so?) I'm pretty sure deus_te_amat was the one who convinced me to join this forum....

I'll still check in here from time to time and make a post every couple of months or so, but I haven't been very active for years. I've since graduated college and joined the Benedictines. I'm now ordained, teaching in our high-school, and serve as the house Master of Ceremonies and Sacristan, along with other odd jobs here and there.

I remember you. Very cool.