Catholicism to Unitarian Universalist

[Anonymous]

I really appreciate the responses and those that have said it’s a bit too broad and informal.

I did use to find comfort in those rituals too, PP. I think in the last 5 years I’ve simply found the scales are shifting — I find far less comfort there as I struggle with the underlying tenets and practices.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP. I am a current UU member and have been for about 10 years (spread between 2 different congregations in the area). I was raised firmly Presbyterian but attended Catholic school K-12, so I feel like I have a good handle on both those styles of worship.

First, there are a ton of former Catholics among UUs, so if you visit you will be in good company.

Second, UU congregations differ quite a bit, so if you are "shopping" you should attend several and see what fits. Some are closer to traditional Christian service and sermons, others are more New-Age, and still others have the feel of a seminar with some musical interludes. To the extent there is a typical service, the format is closer to a mainline Protestant service than to Catholic Mass; some of the songs are even Protestant hymns with different lyrics.

But come visit -- you will be welcome. Casual clothes, sit anywhere, and no donation is required. Usually the late summer is poorly attended so you may get a better feel for the place in the autumn. Ask about the religious education (RE) program for kids, it's really great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went as a kid some. For me it’s too amorphous to offer spiritual direction. The atmosphere was like a conference room at a big, liberal, contentiously run nonprofit. It was interesting but didn’t have the mystery I like in my religion. [/b]As a kid I was also uncomfortable with the sex ed curriculum used in the high school religious ed program. In theory as an adult I think it is ok, but as a sporadic attendee I didn’t feel comfortable enough with the other kids or leaders to want to talk about such personal things[b]. My take was that UU would be a great fit for an older couple looking for community primarily, but it’s pretty far from main line churches.

I'm a former Catholic who was looking into UU myself. However, what you mentioned makes me pause. What personal things where you require to share? Also, is the sex ed curriculum similar to what you may learn in health class in a public school or is it way out in left field?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went as a kid some. For me it’s too amorphous to offer spiritual direction. The atmosphere was like a conference room at a big, liberal, contentiously run nonprofit. It was interesting but didn’t have the mystery I like in my religion. [/b]As a kid I was also uncomfortable with the sex ed curriculum used in the high school religious ed program. In theory as an adult I think it is ok, but as a sporadic attendee I didn’t feel comfortable enough with the other kids or leaders to want to talk about such personal things[b]. My take was that UU would be a great fit for an older couple looking for community primarily, but it’s pretty far from main line churches.

I'm a former Catholic who was looking into UU myself. However, what you mentioned makes me pause. What personal things where you require to share? Also, is the sex ed curriculum similar to what you may learn in health class in a public school or is it way out in left field?

I'm not the PP, but I posted earlier about having grown up in the church. You're not required to share anything you don't want to, it's more that the subject matter does go further than what at least I had in public health class, which focused on puberty and the science behind conception. This program talks more about relationships and sex itself, including things like homosexual sex, which makes some people uncomfortable. I was a total prude, so I shared nothing at all, but other people would occasionally if they had personal concerns. The curriculum also spans several years and gets more detailed as you move through it, vs the two days I had in public school. You can check it out here:

https://www.uua.org/re/owl

[Anonymous]

We liked a lot of the ideas at UU, but the services didn't suit us. We wanted something more traditional, we realized.

Ended up at a Presbyterian Church at the liberal end of the spectrum.

[Anonymous]

My formerly Catholic DH attends UU services and has asked me to attend sometimes (I am Jewish). My problem with UU is there is no God there - only whatever higher power you believe in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went as a kid some. For me it’s too amorphous to offer spiritual direction. The atmosphere was like a conference room at a big, liberal, contentiously run nonprofit. It was interesting but didn’t have the mystery I like in my religion. [/b]As a kid I was also uncomfortable with the sex ed curriculum used in the high school religious ed program. In theory as an adult I think it is ok, but as a sporadic attendee I didn’t feel comfortable enough with the other kids or leaders to want to talk about such personal things[b]. My take was that UU would be a great fit for an older couple looking for community primarily, but it’s pretty far from main line churches.

I'm a former Catholic who was looking into UU myself. However, what you mentioned makes me pause. What personal things where you require to share? Also, is the sex ed curriculum similar to what you may learn in health class in a public school or is it way out in left field?

I'm not the PP, but I posted earlier about having grown up in the church. You're not required to share anything you don't want to, it's more that the subject matter does go further than what at least I had in public health class, which focused on puberty and the science behind conception. This program talks more about relationships and sex itself, including things like homosexual sex, which makes some people uncomfortable. I was a total prude, so I shared nothing at all, but other people would occasionally if they had personal concerns. The curriculum also spans several years and gets more detailed as you move through it, vs the two days I had in public school. You can check it out here:

https://www.uua.org/re/owl

I was the PP. There was no requirement to share personal things, and the other poster explained it well. I didn't find any of the content "out of left field," even at the time, though it was much more comprehensive than any sex ed I had in school. It just wasn't my preference as a young teen to go discuss sex and birth control and relationships and related issues with people I didn't know terribly well, at a church I didn't attend all that regularly. I can see how it would be a great program for some.

[Anonymous]

You may want to try a left-leaning Episcopal Church. (I know people believe they’re all lefty, but there’s a lot of variation).Given some of the things that you say you still believe in/like, not sure UU is totally for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may want to try a left-leaning Episcopal Church. (I know people believe they’re all lefty, but there’s a lot of variation).Given some of the things that you say you still believe in/like, not sure UU is totally for you.

Do you know the names of some Episcopal Churches in the NWDC or NoVA area that are not so left-leaning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went as a kid some. For me it’s too amorphous to offer spiritual direction. The atmosphere was like a conference room at a big, liberal, contentiously run nonprofit. It was interesting but didn’t have the mystery I like in my religion. [/b]As a kid I was also uncomfortable with the sex ed curriculum used in the high school religious ed program. In theory as an adult I think it is ok, but as a sporadic attendee I didn’t feel comfortable enough with the other kids or leaders to want to talk about such personal things[b]. My take was that UU would be a great fit for an older couple looking for community primarily, but it’s pretty far from main line churches.

I'm a former Catholic who was looking into UU myself. However, what you mentioned makes me pause. What personal things where you require to share? Also, is the sex ed curriculum similar to what you may learn in health class in a public school or is it way out in left field?

I think the OWLs classes are one of the best thing about RE in a UU Church. My children went through it and liked it too. They go through the good, the bad and the ugly. They address what is a healthy relationship and what is not. They learn how to react if they are caught in a situation that is uncomfortable. They learn how to have those uneasy conversations. It is an abstinence now approach (at least the 8th grade year long class is) and that works for many children. Knowledge is power. OWLs stand for Our Whole Lives. There is an aged adjusted curriculum that is for 1st graders (where do babies come from), 5th graders (changing bodies), 8th graders, Highschool/college and adults. The 8th grade is a year long class, the others are usually 4-6 weeks. IME, The 8th grade class gets really close and that helps form the high school youth group for those who stay.

OWLs was developed by the UU and the UCC denominations together and has been around since the 1960’s.

[Anonymous]

You should try church of the redeemer in gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went as a kid some. For me it’s too amorphous to offer spiritual direction. The atmosphere was like a conference room at a big, liberal, contentiously run nonprofit. It was interesting but didn’t have the mystery I like in my religion. [/b]As a kid I was also uncomfortable with the sex ed curriculum used in the high school religious ed program. In theory as an adult I think it is ok, but as a sporadic attendee I didn’t feel comfortable enough with the other kids or leaders to want to talk about such personal things[b]. My take was that UU would be a great fit for an older couple looking for community primarily, but it’s pretty far from main line churches.

I'm a former Catholic who was looking into UU myself. However, what you mentioned makes me pause. What personal things where you require to share? Also, is the sex ed curriculum similar to what you may learn in health class in a public school or is it way out in left field?

I did OWL as a kid and I think it's great and set me up for a lifetime of healthy sexuality and sexual boundaries. First of all, it isn't a requirement to attend. There is no required sharing (we sometimes did anonymous questions. It is very frank, and I feel like it gave me the knowledge and confidence to tell a partner clearly what I did and didn't want to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another Catholic in a similar situation here. I’ve been church shopping for a few months and can say that UU isn’t for me either. Intellectually, I think they’re great. I like the emphasis on social justice and inclusion. However, at some basic level I missed the ritual and doctrine of the Catholic Church. Even though I don’t think there’s meaning in the rituals of Catholicism, the rote prayers and formula of mass were always comforting to me. I don’t have a church yet but have found that generally I feel more at home in Protestant churches than in the UU church.

+1

Another cradle Catholic here. My kids were baptized in the RCC but when the Boston Globe story came out in 2002, my son was in kindergarten and I just couldn’t do it anymore. I certainly could not trust that he would be safe with the priests at our parish. Moreover, my DH is Jewish and divorced, and our marriage is not valid in the eyes of the RCC. I should not have been taking communion. I didn’t want to have to maintain the cognitive dissonance required to stay.

I tried the UU Church, but it felt “off” to me. Like a meeting, not a religious observance. So I tried some Protestant churches and ultimately chose my local ELCA Lutheran congregation, which has been my church home since then. My kids have had a great experience, as have I. I love how close knit the congregation is, the beauty of the liturgy, the music (which is way better than the music in any Catholic Mass I have ever attended).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may want to try a left-leaning Episcopal Church. (I know people believe they’re all lefty, but there’s a lot of variation).Given some of the things that you say you still believe in/like, not sure UU is totally for you.

Do you know the names of some Episcopal Churches in the NWDC or NoVA area that are not so left-leaning?

All saints, chevy chase, right at the circle -- it may be in MD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My formerly Catholic DH attends UU services and has asked me to attend sometimes (I am Jewish). My problem with UU is there is no God there - only whatever higher power you believe in.

See I will have a problem with the free for all type of environment. I would rather convert to Judaism and have some type of purpose, history, tradition, and structure. Is the UU like secular humanist?