LouisvilleFan Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1791852' date='Feb 26 2009, 11:46 AM']I'll take a faithful protestant over a faithless Catholic anyday.[/quote] God will take them both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChildForever Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) [quote name='bonkers' post='1791805' date='Feb 26 2009, 08:21 AM']I guess people are seeking some sort of comfort, and Catholicism gives them that. They may also be seeking moral direction in their lives - but not wanting to compromise their individuality by giving into all moral demands of the church - particularly those they see as wrong or outdated. Some cafeteria catholics I'm sure make an outstanding contribution to your community, though it does seem odd they would be a member of an organisation which requires full obedience. I think most of them would be members for other reasons such as family tradition and ritual, and it seems the church has no problem accepting them into the pews. The priest who condemns the cafeteria catholic is probably the one without an audience to preach too.[/quote] One should not be Catholic because it is comforting to think of being looked out for and loved by God. Any individual with this mindset is really missing out on what Catholicism truly is. Catholicism is about Truth and the Eucharist. By being a Catholic we are not compromising our individuality but embracing it within the community by contributing our "specialties" to our parish (as a cantor or as a reader) and to society (as a doctor or a teacher). We acknowledge our imperfection while simultaneously acknowledging the perfection of Christ and His Church. The Church does not have any "moral demands" - I think you meant moral [i]truths[/i]. You are right, the Church does accept "Cafeteria Catholics" into the pews because the Church accepts everyone. And the priest was not necessarily condemning these people but trying to get them to realize that Catholicism is about God first, you second. If your moral opinion clashes with the Church, there is a problem, and it is not God. Edited February 26, 2009 by HisChildForever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1791855' date='Feb 26 2009, 11:50 AM']God will take them both. [/quote] Are you sure about that? A faithless catholic damages the church, while a faithful protestant upholds his [even if his theology is incorrect]. God is not known to reward disobedience, and Scriptures says He will vomit out a fencesitter. If you can't agree with the doctrine, have the guts to go elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChildForever Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1791852' date='Feb 26 2009, 10:46 AM']I'll take a faithful protestant over a faithless Catholic anyday.[/quote] I was thinking the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1791852' date='Feb 26 2009, 11:46 AM']I'll take a faithful protestant over a faithless Catholic anyday.[/quote] Ditto! To quote Saint Paul in regards to the whole sitting there and going through the motions, 1 Corthinians 11:27-29, "Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself." To partake of the Eucharist without faith, without examination of conscience, is to bring judgment upon oneself. At least in a Protestant church it might be lessened through the fact it's not believed (and truly is not) the body of Christ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChildForever Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 I initially popped "Cafeteria Catholics" into Google because I was trying to remember an acronym that describes Catholics who only go to Mass on Ash Wednesday, Christmas, and Easter...and there was another Holy Day I just cannot recall. The letters I have so far are A, C, E. "___ Catholics." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 They're called A&P Catholics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RemnantRules Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 two things I saw: 1. He stressed using the Cafeteria Catholics as those that are different and the Church accepting them even their differences in traditions. Culture Traditions and the Authority of the Church are two separate things. We are called to respect and follow the authority of the Bishops and Pope. He was just trying to take the negative word and twist it into a positive weakly. He spoke too fluff and was waaayyy to flippant on the teachings of the Church, and the fact he didn't want to co-celebrant for the sacrifice of the mass speaks volumes. 2. With transubstantiation, I have to disagree with you Louisville about the girl not caring what it was. If she didn't care then why would she ask the question? And if she thought it was just some Definition in a book that didn't mean anything then it's held responsible to the ORDAINED PRIEST who has gone through years of seminary and teaching to help educate and teach what the importance of this momentous occasion at every mass. And I believe it to be too, as KnightofChrist had said, regarding what this priest had spoken, heresy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisvilleFan Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1791859' date='Feb 26 2009, 11:55 AM']Are you sure about that? A faithless catholic damages the church, while a faithful protestant upholds his [even if his theology is incorrect]. God is not known to reward disobedience, and Scriptures says He will vomit out a fencesitter. If you can't agree with the doctrine, have the guts to go elsewhere.[/quote] Protestantism is damaging to the Church too. My point is nobody is beyond God's grace. It might be a simple concept, but it is the most important. Anyone who memorized the Baltimore Catechism knows what a sacrament is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChildForever Posted February 26, 2009 Author Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1791898' date='Feb 26 2009, 12:09 PM']Protestantism is damaging to the Church too. My point is nobody is beyond God's grace. It might be a simple concept, but it is the most important. Anyone who memorized the Baltimore Catechism knows what a sacrament is...[/quote] Right, but the faithful Protestant can attend a Sunday Mass with a Catholic friend (devout or "cafeteria") and experience the grace of the Eucharist without partaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1791898' date='Feb 26 2009, 01:09 PM']Protestantism is damaging to the Church too. My point is nobody is beyond God's grace. It might be a simple concept, but it is the most important. Anyone who memorized the Baltimore Catechism knows what a sacrament is...[/quote] Nothing damages the Church more than the faithless members inside it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisvilleFan Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='RemnantRules' post='1791889' date='Feb 26 2009, 12:55 PM']1. He stressed using the Cafeteria Catholics as those that are different and the Church accepting them even their differences in traditions. Culture Traditions and the Authority of the Church are two separate things. We are called to respect and follow the authority of the Bishops and Pope. He was just trying to take the negative word and twist it into a positive weakly. He spoke too fluff and was waaayyy to flippant on the teachings of the Church, and the fact he didn't want to co-celebrant for the sacrifice of the mass speaks volumes.[/quote] Yes, and fact is he's just a product of his time. To turn around St. Paul's words in Romans 12:2, he has been conformed to the this world, rather than being transformed by the renewal of his mind. As for co-celebrating, a priest is not required to co-celebrate at every Mass he attends, especially when he's on vacation. He is still a person who needs balance. Even Jesus needed time away from the crowds and in the public eye. How he celebrates the Mass normally would be more telling of his respect for it. [quote name='RemnantRules' post='1791889' date='Feb 26 2009, 12:55 PM']2. With transubstantiation, I have to disagree with you Louisville about the girl not caring what it was. If she didn't care then why would she ask the question? And if she thought it was just some Definition in a book that didn't mean anything then it's held responsible to the ORDAINED PRIEST who has gone through years of seminary and teaching to help educate and teach what the importance of this momentous occasion at every mass.[/quote] My point was, she apparently does care, but she doesn't care about the textbook definitions and answers. She needs to hear the truth on a personal level, which this priest clearly did not do, probably because he isn't sure if he believes it himself. Of course, you don't need to be an ordained priest with years of seminary education to evangelize. If anything, seminary is often a hindrance, especially when education makes one prideful, skeptical, or otherwise doesn't draw a person to humility and love. That's not to say seminary is a bad thing... that's just the way our fallen nature can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisvilleFan Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1791916' date='Feb 26 2009, 01:28 PM']Nothing damages the Church more than the faithless members inside it.[/quote] You really believe that? What about hope, love, and the victory of Christ over death? You do believe that the Church is untouchable and beyond this world, don't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisvilleFan Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 [quote name='HisChildForever' post='1791910' date='Feb 26 2009, 01:20 PM']Right, but the faithful Protestant can attend a Sunday Mass with a Catholic friend (devout or "cafeteria") and experience the grace of the Eucharist without partaking.[/quote] So can the Catholic. And as a former Protestant who used to proudly receive the Eucharist at Mass every chance he got, I believe love, grace, and redemption are more powerful than our many sins and points of pride. If you want to open another person to the joy of redemption, seek that same joy yourself. Or are we more concerned about making sure those unworthy Catholics aren't receiving Communion than with bringing them back into the fullness of the Faith? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 St Augustine pointed it out as well: "So many sheep without, so many wolves within". We have Obama as president because of cafeteria catholics, we have clown liturgies because of cafeteria catholics, we have uneducated laity because of cafeteria catholics, we have Kennedy, Biden and Pelosi who are cafeteria catholics who are the scandal of the church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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