Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity Thats been a problem. I have visited many many churches and I have noticed a pattern.
Protestant churches are the most welcoming. Orthodox aren't too far behind except for maybe the Greek Orthodox. Roman Catholic churches virtually do not acknowledge or welcome. The only thing that I was ever told by a priest once was to close a door for him after a service.
--- Guilty people wear pumpkins for Landmine Awareness Day.
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity I never attended an Orthodox or anything other than the Roman Catholic, the other churches, a few services at the Worldwide Church of God plus their Feast of Trumpets... 1 Lutheran service in 1976 for the bicentennial (along with the service they had a production for the bicentennial) and the AoG church I had been going to. At the AoG church when it was time to greet the other parishioners people actually got out of their seat and made their way around to everyone. I tended not to move too much only because I'm always afraid of tripping over someone/something... but even the Pastor came down and would make a point of greeting every person. I miss that. My memories of the first time around are more vague these days but a lot of people back then I saw in school, students, some of my teachers etc... I think we did some chatting with people after once in a great while.
At the AoG we had adult classes in the morning before service but a lot of them were going through someone's book about the Bible... and I didn't necessarily agree with all in the books & didn't want to keep buying books I wasn't necessarily led to buy. It was more like a family on the other hand I would get stuck on some things that I've already mentioned.
There definitely was that underlying belief that Catholics weren't Christian.
--- ...Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Amen
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity Hi HasahZ
Most websites that I go to these days do not believe Catholics to be Christian.
There isn't much you can do about their belief other than to behave and post in a way that comparatively displays a greater, more evident Christian spirit.
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity IMHO the reason for the differences is that the Catholic Church worship is liturgical and the focus is on worship..with the Eucharist being central.We don't tend to view Mass as a social gathering as we do a spiritual gathering.
For socializing in the Church there are groups that do socialize.The K of C,CD of A, Altar and rosary society, There are prayer groups one can form or join. Third orders. etc. But i don't think you're going to find that in the order of worship itself. Sorry.
Just not there.
For a Catholic who truly believe in the real presence and takes anything at all away from the liturgy it is what you take out into the world that matters.
At least that's what we ought to do.
When we leave the Mass we would hope to take Jesus and His grace with us into our everyday lives.
Now i think in the Protestant and other non Catholic services the focus tends to be on various things depending on denomination.
I doubt socializing is out of the question.
I don't want to give any of this a characterization but if i were going to sum up the difference would you think it fair of me to say that one is to meet Jesus ..one is to meet other ppl? Acts seem to suggest outside the liturgy (breaking of the bread)they held much in common.i see that as saying that the focus of worship was the breaking of the bread and outside this they had a community bond.
I personally think that anyone who attends a Catholic Mass and anticipates a welcoming committee and/or a social get together they are taking into the worship the Protestant experience and that may make the Mass disconcerting to them. If you drop off the expectations and focus on the word and eucharist..understand what it's about then i think it would be less disconcerting.
I hope none of this was offensive.Wasn't intended to be. Just trying to point out the real differences.They are there.
No, has anyone been to an Eastern Catholic service?
God bless,
p4p
Last edited by praying4patience, 8/26/2007, 4:12 pm
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity There is an Eastern Catholic Church not far from me easily bus-able, in fact it looks to be a block or so away from where my eye doc used to be & I'd go in that area a lot. I can easily get there. I was informed about I might have a hard time with the accents but considering I grew up hearing a lot of different accents and I'm pretty much used to that I don't think it would be a problem.
I'm not looking for a social gathering when going to church and yeah, I guess it is having been used to the Protestant experience & then going back to Catholic. It was the Protestant equivalent of when you greet the other church members. Just getting used to things again, it is a different world. Not sure how to explain it well enough, I mean in a way that wouldn't sound wrong so I'll just leave it at that. I know I'm where I should be, too much keeps clicking in, falling into place.
Last edited by HasahZ, 8/26/2007, 4:45 pm
--- ...Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Amen
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity I tend to agree with you P4P. I'm with ya sister. But there is a whole lot we can do better as Catholics so that strangers can come to know the Eucharistic Lord. Our diocese makes a point before Mass to have folks introduce themselves to those around them and invite newcomers to visit the Welcome Center and get a free loaf of friendship bread. It's a start.
I totally agree that the focus during Mass must be the liturgy, but our focus also needs to be evangelization, and not at least trying to be more welcoming before and after Mass can be a stumbling block for many. God forbid we be a stumbling block, even unintentionally. Now that we're aware we can make an effort to do better, at least in our own parishes.
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity I know everything will click in again eventually but right now still feeling so new and that's ironic but I guess 20 yrs away can do that. I guess there are still churches with multiple masses on Sunday but not around here that I know of yet.
--- ...Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Amen
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity Our Church has "greeters" who welcome everyone coming in, presenting them with the daily missalette and bulletin. There is a socialization period, light snacks coffee etc after Mass. Its worked well and doesn't require much effort. Attendance increased from 120 in the early 90's before I attended, to well over 700 today.
Hi Andy, I'm still around. Getting beat up at the anti-C. boards and still trying to help straighten things out at Catholicbulletinboard.net. Its a total mess there now. It may be hopeless.
Re: A Lutheran perspective on Catholic Christianity I'm an ex-anti & revert... something and I just may have been active on some of those. :( I learned the errors of my ways. Maybe they need to try that here as they've had to close a number of parishes & consolidate them. They have a big book for our missalette, I'm used to the old ones... I think they went by month? Thought that was the norm everywhere.
--- ...Bless my enemies, O Lord. Even I bless them and do not curse them.
Amen
