Is it wrong?

[Micheal5403]

I want your opinions. I guess you can add some church teaching too (if there is any), but don't start arguing about it, and don't just paste some big document that no one will want to read (at least I won't). please give me YOUR answer.

[jmjtina]

If you don't want a debate, that's why there is open mic

you mean attend weekly the other denomination as well or just a couple times a year?



I don't think you should go [u]weekly[/u] to another denomination, (protestant, mormon, baptists, etc) but I've visited a couple of times a friends church. I don't think nothing is wrong with a couple of times a year, but weekly? No.

[Paphnutius]

It is a good way to understand what many of us talk about. I think it is fine to go and see what they do and why, as long as it does not replace the Mass for that person. Well i would also add it depends on the involvement that the church requires and what church that is.

Edited March 23, 2005 by Paphnutius

[nikkan_hanil]

I think once every time the moon is blue it's OK but only for certain reasons, and if you ever do I think it is important that you should be on your gaurd against anything the say that you don't exactly agree with.

[Micheal5403]

[quote]If you don't want a debate, that's why there is open mic

you mean attend weekly the other denomination as well or just a couple times a year?



I don't think you should go weekly to another denomination, (protestant, mormon, baptists, etc) but I've visited a couple of times a friends church. I don't think nothing is wrong with a couple of times a year, but weekly? No.[/quote]

I meant a couple of times a year. I want a debate; I just don't want people arguing about a church teaching (if there is one) because there would be no end to it.

[Ash Wednesday]

I checked "depends on the church" ... because whether or not it is okay really depends on the situation, in my opinion. I'm sure a great deal of people in interfaith marriages might do something like that. I think like Nikkan said, one needs to be very grounded and well studied in their own Catholic faith to avoid a bad, detrimental situation to one's own faith.

Personally, I don't really feel like attending churches that come from the school of Jack Chick and Ian Paisley, or Fred Phelp's Westboro Baptist Church, in any circumstance.

It's my understanding that you can attend services of another church but just not formally and actively participate in the service itself without permission/dispensation from a bishop. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) For example, you can't take communion from a church that isn't Catholic, the same way they can't take communion at ours. But apparently there is no rule stopping you from attending and praying together.

Of course, there are sometimes formally interdenominational gatherings and celebrations that I think can be okay. After 9/11 we had one, a vigil of sorts at a stadium here and various pastors (and maybe even a rabbi -- I forgot...) including our priest talked about the events, scripture was read and we all prayed. It was nice.

[cmotherofpirl]

It depends on why you are doing it. What is your purpose?

[epiclesis]

I would say it depends... not only upon the church that you are attending, the purpose, the occassion, and the frequency... but also upon the impression that it may make on others.

It is possible that attending another church could cause members of that church, who know you to be Catholic, to get the idea that you believe that one church is the same as another, or that their church is an adequate substitute for attending Mass.

We make statements of faith by our actions everyday, whether we are aware of them or not.

[Carnanc]

you need to have a specific reason for going each time. For me once I played in a band at a Protestant Church. Also, we are not to recieve communion from any other denomination.

[jasJis]

epiclesis tookd the words out of my mouth. Good job!

[argent_paladin]

It's ok as long as
a. You don't endanger your own Catholc faith. So I certainly wouldn't go if you are waivering, uninformed, or if it's your girlfriend's church.

b. You don't cause scandal, either by allowing others to believe that you have apostasized your Catholic faith or that you are indifferent i.e. believe that one religion is as good as another.

Basically, you should avoid the temptation to "fit in" when you are there. You are Catholic and should not be ashamed. Don't apologize (unless you mean it in the sense of "defense"). You don't want people saying "I didn't know you were Catholic!" or "You're ok for a Catholic!"

I have been to Baptist services off and on because my father was recently appointed pastor at a Baptist Church (he entered seminary after retiring from the army). But it is very clear that I am a guest and that I am an orthodox Catholic. Especially when I wear a habit.

[Micheal5403]

[quote]What is your purpose?[/quote]

Basically, just to gain a better understanding of other people's beliefs.

[quote]or that their church is an adequate substitute for attending Mass.
[/quote]

I said, as long as you still attend mass that week.

Edited March 24, 2005 by Micheal5403

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='argent_paladin' date='Mar 23 2005, 03:34 PM']


I have been to Baptist services off and on because my father was recently appointed pastor at a Baptist Church (he entered seminary after retiring from the army). But it is very clear that I am a guest and that I am an orthodox Catholic. Especially when I wear a habit. [/quote]
What is the reaction to your habit?

[argent_paladin]

Well, the reaction was pretty positive. There are three reasons:
1. My dad is the pastor.
2. It is the english language service of a korean baptist church. So the average age of the people is about 16, because they are the english speaking children of korean parents.
3. The church is in San Francisco.

So, it probably would have been a different scene if it had been an elders meeting at a Texas Southern Baptist church.

But they were just curious about Catholicism and about monasticism. It was great, actually.

[IamCatholic]

This is my first time writing on here, but I really think it is wrong to go to other religious services, activities, etc, if they are not Catholic. The Church has taught us in the past that only Catholic worship (especially the holy Mass) is pleasing to God and that other worship is not accepting or pleasing to Him at all. I can get a reference for that if you want. Also, the Saints have gone even further and said that non-Catholic worship also is offensive or blasphemous against God, not just unpleasing to Him. And, there was even a local Council of the Church a long time ago that said it was a mortal sin to eat a meal with Jews and to converse with them in a friendly manner (this was in the 700s, so they were the only non-Catholics in this area, as far as I know). Anyway, considering all of that, I think it is definitely wrong all the time to go to their services and things, but if you are going into their 'church' building in order to evangelize and to specifically go give a speech about Catholicism and you are telling them that they are wrong and need to convert, then that would be acceptable because you are obviously not sanctioning their prayers, worship, etc, and you are not praying with them. I will get some references on those things I said, though, in case you guys are curious.

[IamCatholic]

Okay, I found some of the references I talked about. The first one, that says that only Catholic worship is pleasing to God and that non-Catholic worship is not acceptable to Him is found in the catechism of Trent. It says the following: "Another figure presents itself in the great city of Jerusalem, which, in Scripture, often means the Church. In Jerusalem only was it lawful to offer sacrifice to God, and in the Church of God only are to be found the true worship and true sacrifice which can at all be acceptable to God." This is in the section on the Creed, Article 9 "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church", under Figures of the Church. This same teaching is found in Pope Pius XI's Encyclical [i]Mortalium Animos[/i] which says: "8. This being so, it is clear that the Apostolic See cannot on any terms take part in their assemblies [speaking of non-Catholic religious ceremonies, especially those that seek to foster a false "unity", which he condemns in the entire Encyclical], nor is it anyway lawful for Catholics either to support or to work for such enterprises; for if they do so they will be giving countenance to a false Christianity, quite alien to the one Church of Christ." So, he says it is forbidden to "on any terms" take part in their assemblies (not just if you are participating). I remember reading several Saints who said non-Catholic prayers are blasphemy, etc, but I will need to get back on that (if you guys are interested in that). The Council was the Council of Elvira that talked about even eating a meal with non-Catholics, specifically Jews in this case: "Indeed, if any one of the clergy or faithful has taken a meal with Jews, he is to abstain from Communion so that he may be reformed." This quote is from Canon 50 of the Council. I was incorrect earlier. The Council actually took place in the early fourth century in Spain. It was in the first two decades of the 300s, but apparently there is disagreement about when exactly it took place, so this was before Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, and even Muslims, so Jews were pretty much representative of all non-Catholics. Anyway, you can read about the Council on New Advent at [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05395b.htm"]http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05395b.htm[/url] As for the Saints, if you are interested, I will look for some of the quotes.

[scardella]

What would be the take on a non-denominational prayer meeting (as opposed to "services")? Do they see a distinction?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='jmjtina' date='Mar 23 2005, 12:10 AM'] If you don't want a debate, that's why there is open mic

you mean attend weekly the other denomination as well or just a couple times a year?



I don't think you should go [u]weekly[/u] to another denomination, (protestant, mormon, baptists, etc) but I've visited a couple of times a friends church. I don't think nothing is wrong with a couple of times a year, but weekly? No. [/quote]
Ahem...Mormons are a cult, not a denomination. No valid baptisms.

[CarpeDiem88]

I believe that if it is out of the will of love (which I do for my family since they are non-Catholic) it's okay. Why would it be wrong to attend another church? I mean as long as they don't partake in Communion, why would it matter?

[Dudette]

My friend who is Baptist wanted me to go with herto her service, well, we kind of, kind of not, made a deal. If she came to Mass with me, I would go to her service but my dad didn't want me to. Even though I am very strong in my faith, he was just being cautious. My personal choice, I wouldn't want to anyway.

I don't think it's wrong though. If a Catholic starts going and starts to take more interest in it, get more involved then it's bad. It you're going just to be charitable and you have no intention of giving way I think it's okay. Though not regularly of course.