Catholic Church Problems --Response to the ol' Mudrake

Thought I'd check on Mudrake after long absence --he has a topic about his wife's class reunion --about the 68 year old women who are still letting the Catholic Church affect their lives negatively --run their lives. My reply (because he will not publish it at his blog.)

Doesn’t sound to me like these women let the church run their lives at all! The one did not annul but got a divorce–even though annulment would have squared her with the church. Because of her mother’s beliefs concerning the status of the grandchildren. Not because she feared the church. She went ahead and divorced and re-married. The other lady, the heavy-drinking Catholic had no respect for the church clearly–and the church has no practices or beliefs to help the laity stay sober.

The Foundation for Life, e.g. is having a reception to raise money for the pro-life cause –and charging $60 a head for snacks and the open bar –no dinner. There will be a speech by a former Planned Parenthood director and I intend to attend in order to support the pro-life work of the foundation. But it’s sad that most of the $60 ticket will support the open bar which was considered a selling point in promoting the event. I said to the really sweet young lady at the FFL office, “O you Catholics!”

Catholics “lapse” in faith because the church has been headed by such extreme hypocrites –Evil –way too many pedophiles and uncelibate homosexuals and alcoholics in the priesthood. what kind of teaching can come from such a church? what disillusionment for the young with parents and priests addicted to nicotine, alcohol and perverse sex, affecting their temperament, behaviors, reputations.

Sepp, my experience of church has been wonderful. I go to a really “functional” church (Holland FMC on Angola Rd.) –with a history of “clean living” without nicotine and alcohol. All the pastors I’ve had were really godly and not hypocrites. Genuinely loving and sweet people. Right now, we only have a VERY few “body lice” in my congregation to test the saints with irritable personalities or control tendencies common in church lay leaders —(“Saint” meaning “believer.” ) Our pastor preaches the Bible to us –HE doesn’t tell us how to live; the Bible does. And so we know we are to be patient and forebearing with one another, “Kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven us.” And to be filled with the Holy Spirit and not excessive wine. To be sober all the time.

The music is uplifting and varied with traditional and contemporary music –most always aesthetically pleasing. And the minister is intelligent, insightful, educated, practical and inspiring.

Now, a final word about the Catholic Church:

They are leaders in the pro-life movement and some priests are surely godly men. The sincere and devout have FAITH in Jesus as the Savior of the world --on that we agree. And the sincere and devout also live lives such that their children receive the baton of faith from their parents. A Catholic layman brings our church baked goods for us to distribute after our Sunday service --from area merchants. I guess his church doesn't want to distribute these on Sundays? I'm not sure why we are the beneficiaries of this good work. And the devout Catholics also practice good deeds to neighbors --as the Bible teaches --as my mother's neighbors did for her, an elderly widow.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible