AND WE'RE BACK!
There's something I've seen in parishes that may be a backlash from the recent scandals, but frankly I've seen it happen before. Churches are acting desperate to keep people from leaving, and especially to keep them tithing. Perhaps people are not tithing because they believe
if they cut the pursestrings, the Church will change it's policies and procedures -- especially those that led to the recent scandals.
One of the trends I have seen a lot of churches is the ministers of different organizations within the church come up during mass and talk about all the good the church has done in their area of ministry thanks to the donations we "so generously give." That and other trends in worship feel as if those in leadership are trying to make the Church feel more secular and even more Protestant. If I wanted a Protestant church, I wouldn't have converted. If I wanted to hear a lay person give a homily I would have stayed a Methodist.
We need to delve deeper into tradition and our Catholic faith, not change it to be more "hip and modern." We do that enough in a positive way with the technology we bring into it. By encouraging the use of the mobile Magnificat and prayer apps, as well as bible studies and video series outside of mass to help build a deeper understanding of the mass. We do not need to change the music entirely to what plays on the local Christian station; we do not need to avoid challenging topics in homilies that affect our day-to-day faith such as talking about life issues, chastity, birth control etc. We need to face them head on and help each of us build well-formed consciences so we can fully live the Faith. I help with the high school groups at my church, and when we do finally talk about something challenging, they embrace it! They want to know how to defend the faith, they WANT to soak up all the information! Without that information, they drift away without even knowing what the Church really teaches or how she wants to be all that Christ sees in us. Once the start driving or when they when they move away to college, they will have no reason to stay in the Church because they have no real foundation on which to say to anyone who asks them why they believe and the reasoning behind it. We are so concerned with losing them because we think we aren't cool enough that we are losing them by not being traditional enough. I'm not saying we need to go back to Latin masses and everyone wearing floor length skirts and lace over there heads. We have evolved. We are Catholics because of the rich traditions and beliefs, not because it's cool. It's because we believe in something greater than ourselves, and it's worth it to be social outcasts for it. Because someday you'll look back on your life and see the growth you gained through the trials. No one ever learns anything during the easy days, you learn when you are challenged -- challenged to do something greater than you thought you could possibly do. And for us. That final goal is Heaven, and that is no easy target.
God Bless,
Clara
There's something I've seen in parishes that may be a backlash from the recent scandals, but frankly I've seen it happen before. Churches are acting desperate to keep people from leaving, and especially to keep them tithing. Perhaps people are not tithing because they believe if they cut the pursestrings, the Church will change it's policies and procedures -- especially those that led to the recent scandals.
One of the trends I have seen a lot of churches is the ministers of different organizations within the church come up during mass and talk about all the good the church has done in their area of ministry thanks to the donations we "so generously give." That and other trends in worship feel as if those in leadership are trying to make the Church feel more secular and even more Protestant. If I wanted a Protestant church, I wouldn't have converted. If I wanted to hear a lay person give a homily I would have stayed a Methodist.
We need to delve deeper into tradition and our Catholic faith, not change it to be more "hip and modern." We do that enough in a positive way with the technology we bring into it. By encouraging the use of the mobile Magnificat and prayer apps, as well as bible studies and video series outside of mass to help build a deeper understanding of the mass. We do not need to change the music entirely to what plays on the local Christian station; we do not need to avoid challenging topics in homilies that affect our day-to-day faith such as talking about life issues, chastity, birth control etc. We need to face them head on and help each of us build well-formed consciences so we can fully live the Faith. I help with the high school groups at my church, and when we do finally talk about something challenging, they embrace it! They want to know how to defend the faith, they WANT to soak up all the information! Without that information, they drift away without even knowing what the Church really teaches or how she wants to be all that Christ sees in us. Once the start driving or when they when they move away to college, they will have no reason to stay in the Church because they have no real foundation on which to say to anyone who asks them why they believe and the reasoning behind it. We are so concerned with losing them because we think we aren't cool enough that we are losing them by not being traditional enough. I'm not saying we need to go back to Latin masses and everyone wearing floor length skirts and lace over there heads. We have evolved. We are Catholics because of the rich traditions and beliefs, not because it's cool. It's because we believe in something greater than ourselves, and it's worth it to be social outcasts for it. Because someday you'll look back on your life and see the growth you gained through the trials. No one ever learns anything during the easy days, you learn when you are challenged -- challenged to do something greater than you thought you could possibly do. And for us. That final goal is Heaven, and that is no easy target.
God Bless,
Clara
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