How does the Catholic Church get new members?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t tell if you are an Uber obnoxious holier than thou Catholic or a nasty anti Catholic. For me, I don’t assume anything about people who don’t take communion because I’m not really watching. I’m spending that time singing I’d thers music, or you know, actually praying and worrying about my own soul rather than judging others. But you do you, PP.

One wonders if pp notices people outside of church, when prayer and worship are not impeding normal observation

[Anonymous]

Sit up front in church and you won’t see anyone behind you. Then you won’t have to be keep score about who goes and who doesn’t!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Catholic Church really isn't focusing on drawing in new members. IME, you either grow up in the church or marry into it.

This is not true. Converting people across Asia, specifically India has been the goal for the past 20 years.

After being given a state welcome in India, this is what the Pope had to say on Diwali day-

"Just as the first millennium saw the cross firmly planted in the soil of Europe, and the second in that of America and Africa, so may the third Christian millennium witness a great harvest of faith on this vast and vital continent,"

India has become a hotbed for mission trips. And more recently Nepal as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sit up front in church and you won’t see anyone behind you. Then you won’t have to be keep score about who goes and who doesn’t!

And everyone else will be able to see how devout you are.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of people not taking communion at any given mass, enough that I only really notice if I have to step past them to get to communion myself and I never really think about why they might not be taking it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read an old thread about how only certain Catholics are allowed to take communion and it made a Catholic service sound kind of uncomfortable for a visitor
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/476684.page

I was thinking of visiting a local Catholic church but this has me reconsidering it a bit. I don't want to end up embarrassed because of my ignorance of what to do. I guess I can just take a seat and never leave it and that's fine?

Between the scandals and the seemingly non-visitor friendly approach, I wonder how the church gains new members.

That being said, I'm impressed by the 'stickiness' of the faith with the Catholic schools, knights of Columbus etc. It definitely feels like a club that people wouldn't leave so easily once they join.

Another hate on Catholics thread. I think there are other religions that are quite a bit less welcoming and more “sticky” as you call it. Especially ones that forbid their children from birth to marry outside their religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

2. When regular parishioners do not go to communion, everyone knows it means they have sinned and not gone to confession to have their sins absolved.

I guess all the nuns in my parish have committed mortal sins then!

Except on Christmas and Easter, when you can go to communion during the vigil and during the day, Catholics can only go to communion once a day.Believe it or not, many Catholics in my parish go to church more than once on Sunday, for a variety of reasons. Examples: Some churches have the same choir sing at multiple masses.People who go to the "family mass," often helping with the kids, playing guitar, leading songs, etc., who also go to an evening mass because they want to hear an adult homily. One of the ushers in my parish feels that he can't really "focus" on mass with all the things he has to do, so he goes to a second mass at which he doesn't usher. In some parishes, there are too few volunteers, so one person might agree to usher, lector, or otherwise help at two masses.

Some people are gluten intolerant. These people usually take communion in the form of wine. They either go to a parish where this is always an option or make special arrangments. If they are traveling and attend a different parish, they won't take communion if there's not a wine option.


Nobody assumes anything if you don't take communion.

You just refuted your own point. People assume all sorts of things if you don't go to communion. In addition to sin and lack of absolution, there is gluten intolerance, attending more than one mass, etc. The main reason for going to communication is to have your soul cleansed. Only a small % of people have gluten intolerance or attend more than one service, so it's obvious that some of the people who don't go have unconfessed sins.

They might be big sins like marital infidelity or smaller sins, like missing mass. But they are sins that people know disqualify them from the sacraments until they go to confession. Why deny it?

NP here and this is the stupidest thing I've read, and this PP must be trolling. Nobody notices who is going to communion and who is not. Let's say you DID notice someone. Nobody (except maybe this PP) makes judgements about why people are not going. If I were to notice someone, I'd assume that the person was non-Catholic--there are lots of couples where one is not Catholic.

The other thing is if you go up and cross your hands, you don't get communion but get a blessing. Nobody can even SEE what's happening; because there are people milling around and standing in the pews etc. All you sort of see is the priest's face and a bunch of people's backs who are shuttling through.

I think this PP is a troll. I doubt they go to mass...because they don't have the right spirit for it; the vibe is hopeful, not judgmental.

[Anonymous]

Looks like no one mentioned this -- there will be a book in the back of each pew, often called a missal. It has all the readings for the week, and also lists every prayer and the order of the mass, including when to sit/stand/kneel, and even who may take communion (certain Orthodox church members can for example). At my church, at least 10% of people don't go up for communion. I was raised Catholic but my father is not Catholic. He'd just sit in the pews during communion and it's no big deal at all. DW is not Catholic and she does the same. Communion is only maybe 10 minutes of the entire mass anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anti Catholic troll, find a different thread please.

[Anonymous]

The Catholic Church in the US is recruiting a lot of new members from immigrants who were Catholic in their prior countries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anti Catholic troll, find a different thread please.

Yes. This person hates Catholics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read an old thread about how only certain Catholics are allowed to take communion and it made a Catholic service sound kind of uncomfortable for a visitor
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/476684.page

I was thinking of visiting a local Catholic church but this has me reconsidering it a bit. I don't want to end up embarrassed because of my ignorance of what to do. I guess I can just take a seat and never leave it and that's fine?

Between the scandals and the seemingly non-visitor friendly approach, I wonder how the church gains new members.

That being said, I'm impressed by the 'stickiness' of the faith with the Catholic schools, knights of Columbus etc. It definitely feels like a club that people wouldn't leave so easily once they join.

Convert here. Yeah, some protestants have a really hard time getting past the communion thing, but you just have to be respectful and recognize that Catholics recognize communion as more than a symbol. Indeed, it's one of the defining elements of the faith. During the communion, you may remain seated, or often, you may approach the priest with your hands folded over your chest and request a blessing. There is no shame in either course.

In the meantime, there is plenty to get out of a mass. And if your interest is piqued, go to an RCIA class. One of the things you will be impressed by is how intellectually coherent and "thought-through" it is, and how varied the tradition is. (Note, that is not to say everything is "rational" in the scientific sense - no religion is that way - but there is a reason for virtually everything.) Most priests and parishes would love to have you learn more, even if you have no present intent to convert and just want to learn more. Alternatively, if you're not comfortable with that, stream Robert Barron's Catholicism series on your TV - a very nice overview of Catholic faith and tradition.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Cool idea about rcia, thank you

They really wouldn't mind if I said I'm Protestant but interested in the course? Sounds like I could offend them

[Anonymous]

You are born into it or marry into it. You could go and sit in the back during a mass. Do not go up and get communion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Cool idea about rcia, thank you

They really wouldn't mind if I said I'm Protestant but interested in the course? Sounds like I could offend them

If in doubt ask. They certainly won’t be offended