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DocJBB
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| Joined: | Mon May 7th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 3 |
| First Name: | John | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic to Lutheran (ELCA) to PCA to CREC to Catholic ... |
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Posted: Mon May 7th, 2007 11:10 am |
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Please pray for peace, wisdom and humility for me and my family as we struggle with integrating into our local Church community. Our area of the NW is progressive, and seems to want to mimic the least formal and most pedestrian protestant worship traditions in the mass. We are having difficulty feeling a part of the community and have taken to travelling an hour to a more reverent mass most Sundays. However, we cannot really be a part of such a distant parish, and so are feeling isolated. We are contemplating coming together with like minded local catholics for fellowship and support (there are a few orthodox folks here), but I hesitate to form a cliche, and worry I am just carrying my protestant tendencies into the Catholic Church. Please pray for us that we would be faithful, loving and submissive Catholics, faithful to our Lord and His Church, and faithful to our consciences as well.
In Christ,
John B
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CajunRick
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Posted: Mon May 7th, 2007 11:37 am |
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DocJBB wrote: Please pray for peace, wisdom and humility for me and my family as we struggle with integrating into our local Church community. Our area of the NW is progressive, and seems to want to mimic the least formal and most pedestrian protestant worship traditions in the mass. We are having difficulty feeling a part of the community and have taken to travelling an hour to a more reverent mass most Sundays. However, we cannot really be a part of such a distant parish, and so are feeling isolated. We are contemplating coming together with like minded local catholics for fellowship and support (there are a few orthodox folks here), but I hesitate to form a cliche, and worry I am just carrying my protestant tendencies into the Catholic Church. Please pray for us that we would be faithful, loving and submissive Catholics, faithful to our Lord and His Church, and faithful to our consciences as well.
In Christ,
John B
John, welcome to our forum and to the Coming Home Network, as well as to the Catholic faith. We look forward to reading your and your family's faith story when you are comfortable posting it.
Have you considered approaching your bishop? There is certainly room for more traditional forms of worship within the Church, and he may be amenable to creating a personal parish or at least scheduling more traditional worship for those who are so inclined.
Another alternative is to attend your local parish regularly, and travel to the distant parish only occasionally. Your primary obligation is to support the parish of which you are a member, and support includes not only financial obligations but also obligations of attendance. If you will visit that parish for sacraments and religious education, you also owe it at least your primary allegiance.
As to coming together with other local Catholics, that is certainly an alternative. You could meet for scripture study, a study of the Catechism, the new Adult Catechism, or other educational activities. Perhaps a priest, deacon, religious, or qualified lay person would be willing to guide your group as a Spiritual Director. Again, your pastor or bishop might be able to help.
We welcome you here, and to the Catholic faith. Welcome home.
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DocJBB
Member
| Joined: | Mon May 7th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 3 |
| First Name: | John | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic to Lutheran (ELCA) to PCA to CREC to Catholic ... |
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Posted: Mon May 7th, 2007 09:25 pm |
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Thanks Rick!
I decided to take you up on your offer of sharing our story, at least from my perspective. Thank you for the advice, and for your prayers. May God richly bless your ministry here, and the CHN as well.
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Steven Barrett
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Absurdistan, AKA , Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 1462 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed May 9th, 2007 12:43 am |
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John, Welcome to the Forum Gang. We don't banter like the McLaughlin Group on the tube, but we sure like to keep commenting on the Faith and how to help more Christians feel at Home with Rome.
You certainly have a spot on my prayer list!
Steven
____________________
James Michael Curley to a young Thomas “Tip” O’Neill -- “Son, it’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”
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