Can you reconcile remaining Catholic?

[Anonymous]

Raised and confirmed Catholic, now a Lutheran (since 2011).

Praying for healing and progress and enlightenment.

[Anonymous]

“Celibate clergy” = sex perv haven
I met so many strange men studying for the priesthood at CUA. SMH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Celibate clergy” = sex perv haven
I met so many strange men studying for the priesthood at CUA. SMH

No one says that about Buddhist monks and nuns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Celibate clergy” = sex perv haven
I met so many strange men studying for the priesthood at CUA. SMH

No one says that about Buddhist monks and nuns.

Are Buddhist monks interacting with children in parish-type communities?

[Anonymous]

I can’t reconcile it. I won’t send my children to parochial school. I won’t attend weekly mass anymore and I am looking at switching over to the Lutheran Church. To be honest- I hope thousands of Catholics do this. I do not trust the church one bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

Your beliefs sound Episcopalian.

I don’t understand how you can consider yourself Catholic and not believe in the fundamental sacraments and principles of Catholicism.

PP makes good points. You may "feel" Catholic, but hang out in an Episcopalian church for a while, and you may quickly notice that you fit in there - sacraments, music, community, smells, bells, but none of the institutionalized sexual deviance and cover-ups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am struggling. Hard. I have struggled for years.

At the same time, being Catholic is part of my core identity. I do not believe everything the church preaches (the biggies - birth control, gays, right to choose, etc), but the parts that are about building a relationship with god and building community I do strongly value.

At the same time, I am a person who believes in fixing what is wrong - not leaving and letting things get worse/more insular. If I leave the church, where are the progressive voices for reform?

The level of institutional coverup and sheer volume in this most recent report is sickening. Cardinal McCarrick. Absolutely sickening. Revolting.
'
But I can't just be protestant. I'm not a protestant. I am Catholic.

I genuinely do not know what to do. Should I drop a note in the collection basket that says I am still here, but will not donate until the church implements significant reforms?

And also - abuse of this magnitude just not just start. Reports are from the 60s, 70s, 80s to present day. Did this level of coverup and abuse exist in the 1920s? 1880s? has it always been this way?

I think you raise good questions. If you remain as a "progressive voice for reform," how do you show that? Do you feel like you actually have a voice? And yes, you could put a note in the basket and not donate, but are you somewhat showing compliance/agreement by being in the pews physically? I don't know the answers - I'm struggling too.

I keep thinking of the AMAZING Catholic nuns that I know. Women that taught me that are smart and strong and a powerful force for good in the world. The ones who have been in DC at protests for immigrant children and run the foodbanks and shelters, who are nurses and teachers that help people all day every day. What do they think? How do they reconcile their service with these reports? How do they stay and be progressive voices for reform? I don't know the answer...

1. a lot of the nuns are stuck. They've given their lives to the church and don't know how to live outside of it.

2. A lot of nuns leave anyhow -- generally quietly. They don't make a fuss about it and the church certainly doesn't advertise it.

3. the number of women entering the convent is way down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

I don't want to be harsh, PP, but SPARE ME the line that the Catholic Church doesn't allow divorce. If you have money and power, you can pay for an annulment. Did you not read about the Archdiocese of Boston's annulment of Joe (son of Bobby) Kennedy's 12- year marriage to his first wife Sheila? The annulment would have made his 2 sons illegitimate in the eyes of the Church. What an a$$ to do that to his first wife and children. He wanted to marry again in the Catholic Church -- this shows Catholic Church and Kennedy corruption at its worst. Good for his ex-wife for fighting that corruption and getting the Vatican to overturn the ruling:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-463631/Vatican-overturns-Kennedy-wifes-annulment-10-year-battle.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

What are your thoughts about the pedophilia and other sexual misconduct in the Catholic church?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

What are your thoughts about the pedophilia and other sexual misconduct in the Catholic church?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

We will have to disagree. My daughter cannot be a priest or even an altar server in some dioceses. My son can be priest, server and teacher. Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

I don't want to be harsh, PP, but SPARE ME the line that the Catholic Church doesn't allow divorce. If you have money and power, you can pay for an annulment. Did you not read about the Archdiocese of Boston's annulment of Joe (son of Bobby) Kennedy's 12- year marriage to his first wife Sheila? The annulment would have made his 2 sons illegitimate in the eyes of the Church. What an a$$ to do that to his first wife and children. He wanted to marry again in the Catholic Church -- this shows Catholic Church and Kennedy corruption at its worst. Good for his ex-wife for fighting that corruption and getting the Vatican to overturn the ruling:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-463631/Vatican-overturns-Kennedy-wifes-annulment-10-year-battle.html

Great article about Sheila Rauch Kennedy's book about Catholic Church annulment corruption, "Shattered Faith":

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/08/reviews/970608.08lydont.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

I don't want to be harsh, PP, but SPARE ME the line that the Catholic Church doesn't allow divorce. If you have money and power, you can pay for an annulment. Did you not read about the Archdiocese of Boston's annulment of Joe (son of Bobby) Kennedy's 12- year marriage to his first wife Sheila? The annulment would have made his 2 sons illegitimate in the eyes of the Church. What an a$$ to do that to his first wife and children. He wanted to marry again in the Catholic Church -- this shows Catholic Church and Kennedy corruption at its worst. Good for his ex-wife for fighting that corruption and getting the Vatican to overturn the ruling:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-463631/Vatican-overturns-Kennedy-wifes-annulment-10-year-battle.html

+1 my mother in law who had quite the colorful history got annulments from TWO of her prior husbands. No divorce my a$$

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sort of. My faith is intact. I still believe in God, and Jesus, and Mary and the saints and being a good person and loving all, etc. But I've long disagreed with many official holdings of the church - birth control, homosexuality, women can't be ordained, priests can't marry, etc. And of course, I'm disgusted by the decades (probably centuries) of sexual crimes and cover-ups. So basically, I dont consider the church any type of moral authority. The church leaders are just people, as flawed as anyone else. Certainly the church does some good in the world, and most priests are good people, but I don't see how it can hold itself out as a voice for justice and human rights and morality until it makes a LOT of big changes.

So yes, I can still be Catholic inasmuch as my faith guides my personal life. But I feel no loyalty to the institution of the Catholic Church. I hope one day the church can live up to it's potnential and promise.

I feel much the same, PP. Having been raised Catholic, I will always be a “cultural” Catholic, but I left the church years ago when I realized I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and say I was taking her to a church that valued her brother more than her. As a human-made institution, the church, like all others, is inherently flawed. I never expected it to be perfect but it had all gone too far way before yesterday’s news. Makes me sad and angry.

I'm catholic and one of the reasons I like the catholic church is that it honors women both current and saints. I don't see an issue with the Catholic church for honoring men over woman at all. I've never considered a priest the only respectable vocation. I love how the catholic church both honors women and asks that we all pick a vocation. For years most of the schools had nuns, so I can't see how the church didn't respect women for teaching the congregation.

I do not like that other Christian religions allow divorce. I think they are going against Jesus's teachings. I also don't like how many of them change with time in their beliefs. Whether I agree personally or not, it makes me feel like they don't stand for anything.

I don't want to be harsh, PP, but SPARE ME the line that the Catholic Church doesn't allow divorce. If you have money and power, you can pay for an annulment. Did you not read about the Archdiocese of Boston's annulment of Joe (son of Bobby) Kennedy's 12- year marriage to his first wife Sheila? The annulment would have made his 2 sons illegitimate in the eyes of the Church. What an a$$ to do that to his first wife and children. He wanted to marry again in the Catholic Church -- this shows Catholic Church and Kennedy corruption at its worst. Good for his ex-wife for fighting that corruption and getting the Vatican to overturn the ruling:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-463631/Vatican-overturns-Kennedy-wifes-annulment-10-year-battle.html

I don't disagree that there is corruption as I think I said before that I think similarly to the person quoted above on pedophiles and other issues within the church. But the difference to me is that other religions say divorce is just fine and I don't think Jesus said that in the bible and in fact said the opposite. So whether there is corruption or not is different than the actual teaching. Kind of strange that you decided to post an annulment though that was overturned by the Vatican. Goes against your point.