In this episode of the Journey Home, Marcus doesn't focus on the "coldness of Catholics". It is an objection which a person mentions in an email
This episode is about some of the verses of Scripture which Marcus had not noticed when he was a Protestant minister.
I focused upon it because I have seen it mentioned quite often and I thought I'd put in my two cents on the question.
Its a Convert problem
One of the first things I'd like to mention is that I don't remember any lifelong Catholics with this objection. It is an objection I've only heard from recent converts and from anti-Catholics. Am I wrong? Does anyone know of a life-long Catholic who believes that Catholics are cold and unfriendly?
We know why anti-Catholics repeatedly say this. They want to put down Catholics and by extension, the Church. But, why would a convert to Catholicism say this?
In my opinion, because this is what he truly experiences. But why is that true?
A family affair
I'm a revert to the Catholic faith and I am married to a life-long (cradle) Catholic. So, I did some introspection.
I remembered that, when I was young, going to Mass was a family affair. Not only that, but in my Mexican culture, there was a central Church in the neighborhood and 99.9% of the neighborhood was Catholic. Sooo, guess who was sitting next to us in Church? Our neighbors, friends and family.
I was an atheist when I met my wife. But she was Catholic. And so, I sometimes went to Mass with her. Guess what? I experienced the same thing. I was the stranger but I was next to my girlfriend in Mass and she was next to her mother and sisters and their husbands and kids. And they were next to friends and neighbors, because we were attending their neighborhood Church.
So, is it a real problem?
So, are Catholics actually cold and unwelcoming to converts? I don't think so. This is one of those "problems" that has a solution built-in. Remain in the Church. Soon enough, you'll meet people, make friends and as time goes on, raise a family. And then, one day, you'll turn around during Mass and see that you're surrounded by all the people that you love most in the world.
That's my two cents.
Without further ado, Marcus Grodi and the verses he never saw when he was a Protestant minister.
I would like to comment on this as well.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is that most converts to Catholicism don't understand that the Mass is an organized, structured, and disciplined form of Worship that is directed strictly towards the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We as Catholics don't jump up and down and hoot "Hallelujah!" because no one at Calvary was doing such a thing when Christ was Crucified.
We as Catholics also understand the importance of suffering and what it entails as part of our lives "Pick up your Crosses daily" and we wish to unite our sufferings to those of Christ as he commanded us.
If we go to the Old Testament, we don't see the early Israelites dancing in circles, clapping their hands together, dropping to the floor and flopping around like a fish out of water during the Holy Mass of the Tabernacle. Oh sure they sang songs but their worship was structured and organized.
I think that is one of THE main problems with converts encountering Catholics: they want the "oh it makes me feel so good inside" feeling.
God Bless and great post De Maria!
I picked up on that because I have heard that objection quite a bit lately. But I really enjoyed the rest of the program. Its funny how there were so many verses that Marcus had not seen as a Protestant. Its not like they weren't in the Bible.
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