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CalvinistinCrisis
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Indiana USA |
| Posts: | 34 |
| First Name: | Keith | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | non-denominational, reformed Presbyterian, Catholic (RCIA currently, class of 08) |
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Posted: Thu Nov 29th, 2007 11:14 pm |
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I apollogize for this question if it's offensive or dumb but I REALLY AM STRUGGLING WITH IT. I come from a long line of Masons since before the revolutionary war. My Dad quit and broke the family tradition when he become a protestant Christian when I was a kid. Anyway, we had a rehearsal after RCIA class for the rite of welcoming this past Tuesday night and they marked our eyes (with the sign of the cross for gospel readings) ears, mouth, legs, with various blessing spoken over them by our sponsers and it reminded me so much of a masonic lodge initiation. Is this all ok and what is supposed to happen? Am I just being paranoid? Help please. I can't find anything with my google button.
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"It is one thing to see the Land of Peace from a wooded ridge and another to tread the path that leads to it" St. Augustines Confessions 7:21
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4971 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Fri Nov 30th, 2007 12:57 am |
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CalvinistinCrisis wrote: I apollogize for this question if it's offensive or dumb but I REALLY AM STRUGGLING WITH IT. I come from a long line of Masons since before the revolutionary war. My Dad quit and broke the family tradition when he become a protestant Christian when I was a kid. Anyway, we had a rehearsal after RCIA class for the rite of welcoming this past Tuesday night and they marked our eyes (with the sign of the cross for gospel readings) ears, mouth, legs, with various blessing spoken over them by our sponsers and it reminded me so much of a masonic lodge initiation. Is this all ok and what is supposed to happen? Am I just being paranoid? Help please. I can't find anything with my google button.
No question asked sincerely is offensive. No question is dumb except the one that isn't asked.
This is known as the "Signing of the Senses". Each of your human senses is blessed. Your eyes help you see God in everyone you meet; your ears help you hear God's Word; your hands help you do God's work; your feet help you walk God's walk; etc. The same extremities are blessed in the Anointing of the Sick.
If it bears any resemblance to a Masonic ritual, it would be because they perverted it. The signing of the senses is based on Jesus' blessings of the blind man's eyes and similar episodes where he and the apostles cured the sick. It is a "minor exorcism" which helps to defend your senses from the onslaught of the devil.
We practice what Jesus taught. We will not stop consecrating the Eucharist because others have their clown ministry serve crackers and juice in church. We will not stop singing praise to God because others sing louder or better. We will never replace our altar with a bandstand. We will never replace the crucifix with an empty cross or a picture of the pastor, or even the pope.
We do what we do because we believe it is right. What others do is irrelevant.
By the way, I come from a long line of Catholics. It goes back way before the Revolutionary War. My wife's family has been traced back to a (legitimately) married Catholic priest who died in France in 1158. The Church is 2000 years old. Masons, Protestants, Anglicans, and even Muslims are historically much younger than the Catholic faith (as the Catholic faith is younger than the Jewish faith). It is reasonable to believe that Catholics took many of their practices from religions in existence at the time (Jews and pagans), and it is reasonable to believe that every other religion founded in the last 2000 years has taken many of its practices from the Catholic Church.
The Masons are considered an anti-Catholic organization, and Catholics are forbidden to join the Masons, specifically because of their anti-Catholic practices. The perversion of Church ceremonies is only one of the many reasons for the prohibition.
You can read more about the reasons Catholics may not belong to the Masons at Catholics United for the Faith. You can read an article published by the Vatican in 1985 here. The actual statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is available here.
Last edited on Fri Nov 30th, 2007 01:22 am by CajunRick
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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CalvinistinCrisis
Member
| Joined: | Thu Jun 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | Indiana USA |
| Posts: | 34 |
| First Name: | Keith | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | non-denominational, reformed Presbyterian, Catholic (RCIA currently, class of 08) |
| Status: |
Offline
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Posted: Fri Nov 30th, 2007 04:28 am |
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CajunRick wrote: CalvinistinCrisis wrote: I apollogize for this question if it's offensive or dumb but I REALLY AM STRUGGLING WITH IT. I come from a long line of Masons since before the revolutionary war. My Dad quit and broke the family tradition when he become a protestant Christian when I was a kid. Anyway, we had a rehearsal after RCIA class for the rite of welcoming this past Tuesday night and they marked our eyes (with the sign of the cross for gospel readings) ears, mouth, legs, with various blessing spoken over them by our sponsers and it reminded me so much of a masonic lodge initiation. Is this all ok and what is supposed to happen? Am I just being paranoid? Help please. I can't find anything with my google button.
No question asked sincerely is offensive. No question is dumb except the one that isn't asked.
This is known as the "Signing of the Senses". Each of your human senses is blessed. Your eyes help you see God in everyone you meet; your ears help you hear God's Word; your hands help you do God's work; your feet help you walk God's walk; etc. The same extremities are blessed in the Anointing of the Sick.
If it bears any resemblance to a Masonic ritual, it would be because they perverted it. The signing of the senses is based on Jesus' blessings of the blind man's eyes and similar episodes where he and the apostles cured the sick. It is a "minor exorcism" which helps to defend your senses from the onslaught of the devil.
We practice what Jesus taught. We will not stop consecrating the Eucharist because others have their clown ministry serve crackers and juice in church. We will not stop singing praise to God because others sing louder or better. We will never replace our altar with a bandstand. We will never replace the crucifix with an empty cross or a picture of the pastor, or even the pope.
We do what we do because we believe it is right. What others do is irrelevant.
By the way, I come from a long line of Catholics. It goes back way before the Revolutionary War. My wife's family has been traced back to a (legitimately) married Catholic priest who died in France in 1158. The Church is 2000 years old. Masons, Protestants, Anglicans, and even Muslims are historically much younger than the Catholic faith (as the Catholic faith is younger than the Jewish faith). It is reasonable to believe that Catholics took many of their practices from religions in existence at the time (Jews and pagans), and it is reasonable to believe that every other religion founded in the last 2000 years has taken many of its practices from the Catholic Church.
The Masons are considered an anti-Catholic organization, and Catholics are forbidden to join the Masons, specifically because of their anti-Catholic practices. The perversion of Church ceremonies is only one of the many reasons for the prohibition.
You can read more about the reasons Catholics may not belong to the Masons at Catholics United for the Faith. You can read an article published by the Vatican in 1985 here. The actual statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is available here.
Rick, Thanks you so much for the intelligent, informative response and links.
You been a huge help and we have missed you at chat and hope everything is going well or at least your getiing your laundry caught up lol. Again, thank you
____________________
"It is one thing to see the Land of Peace from a wooded ridge and another to tread the path that leads to it" St. Augustines Confessions 7:21
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4971 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
| Status: |
Offline
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Posted: Fri Nov 30th, 2007 08:49 am |
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CalvinistinCrisis wrote: You been a huge help and we have missed you at chat and hope everything is going well or at least your getiing your laundry caught up lol.
After having said this:
No question asked sincerely is offensive. No question is dumb except the one that isn't asked.
I'm going to say that I would respond, but it's off-topic (especially in this area), and I'm trying to start a trend! 
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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