Can you reconcile remaining Catholic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left the Catholic Church 10 years ago in fairly large part because of this issue.

I drifted away from the Catholic church decades ago, unrelated to any scandal. I'm so glad I didn't have to deal with all that. I'm not religious but still love the familiar Catholic liturgy. I used to go occasionally to a high Latin mass and throw a few dollars in the basket.

From now on, if I go, I won't give any money. If the church dies out, I'll pay to go to concerts of the numerous beautiful Catholic masses composed by some of the world's greatest composers.

I adore a good portion of the religious works written by these greatest composers, and I absolutely loathe the church.

You may not be able to afford too many of those concerts when your taxes go up to fill the gap in social services left by the demise of the extensive social services provided by the Church in the US:
Cradle to grave medical care
food banks
Clothing closets
Emergency utility payments
Burial funds
orphanages, foster care, and adoption
nursing homes and adult day care
outpatient mental health services

These services are offered to all and often the majority of recipients are non-Catholics.

Outside the US, the Church provides an even greater percentage of services in developing countries. If it dies, so will millions of disabled and discarded people.

Efforts should be made to force massive reform, not kill the only lifeline many people around the world have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know how people switch churches so casually. Clearly you must not have been truly faithful is you can suddenly just not believe things you used to claim or start believing new things. I love the Mass and I have a strong faith in the beliefs of the Catholic Church. I will continue going to Mass for me.

Yeah, you are "truly faithful " and everyone leaving is a poseur. You win!!! More heaven for you!

Bet you would change your tune if your kids were abused.

Or maybe not, which would damage them for life. Would you blame your kids for the abuse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know how people switch churches so casually. Clearly you must not have been truly faithful is you can suddenly just not believe things you used to claim or start believing new things. I love the Mass and I have a strong faith in the beliefs of the Catholic Church. I will continue going to Mass for me.

Why do you think this is a casual decision? For many, this is a heart wrenching decision reached after much introspection. Do you count yourself “truly faithful,” above others? Humility before God is part of the faith, I hear.

PPP is using the same guilt-tripping language that Catholic families use to keep you in the "family." That is why many Catholics never have the courage to leave. They will be ostracized from their families.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I have no idea. I am really struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

No, because they don’t have parishes, but thousands of children live in Buddhist monasteries either as novices or as orphans.

Do you know of any abuse scandals amongst the Buddhist monk community? I am sincere in my question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These crimes happen in every church - the abuse and the cover up. It's horrible and inexcusable, and has no influence on my ability to reconcile with the decision to remain Catholic.

Tell me more about that. Here and there? Or on a grand scale like the Catholics?

+1. Nothing like this has happened in other churches. It's the celibate priesthood and the power structure that encourages the abuse.

The AU government created a Royal Commission to investigate institutional sexual abuse, it is a well done investigation. It shows that the majority of abuse reports in religious institutions were from the Catholic Church, but that all of the churches investigated had a similar pattern of cover up when abuse was discovered. If you have been following the recent push to end child marriage in the US, you can see how other religions work to cover abuse.

if you want to read more. https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/particular-institutions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left the Catholic Church 10 years ago in fairly large part because of this issue.

I drifted away from the Catholic church decades ago, unrelated to any scandal. I'm so glad I didn't have to deal with all that. I'm not religious but still love the familiar Catholic liturgy. I used to go occasionally to a high Latin mass and throw a few dollars in the basket.

From now on, if I go, I won't give any money. If the church dies out, I'll pay to go to concerts of the numerous beautiful Catholic masses composed by some of the world's greatest composers.

I adore a good portion of the religious works written by these greatest composers, and I absolutely loathe the church.

You may not be able to afford too many of those concerts when your taxes go up to fill the gap in social services left by the demise of the extensive social services provided by the Church in the US:
Cradle to grave medical care
food banks
Clothing closets
Emergency utility payments
Burial funds
orphanages, foster care, and adoption
nursing homes and adult day care
outpatient mental health services

These services are offered to all and often the majority of recipients are non-Catholics.

Outside the US, the Church provides an even greater percentage of services in developing countries. If it dies, so will millions of disabled and discarded people.

Efforts should be made to force massive reform, not kill the only lifeline many people around the world have.

And we have here the PR person for Catholic Charities or the Archdiocese of Washington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know how people switch churches so casually. Clearly you must not have been truly faithful is you can suddenly just not believe things you used to claim or start believing new things. I love the Mass and I have a strong faith in the beliefs of the Catholic Church. I will continue going to Mass for me.

The church hopes there are lots of people who think like you, but knows there are not -- otherwise the Church would not be losing so many members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

No, because they don’t have parishes, but thousands of children live in Buddhist monasteries either as novices or as orphans.

Do you know of any abuse scandals amongst the Buddhist monk community? I am sincere in my question.

No and that’s my point. Stop blaming celibacy. Celibacy = perv has replaced “closeted gay” as the latest attempt to claim no normal man would enter the priesthood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left the Catholic Church 10 years ago in fairly large part because of this issue.

I drifted away from the Catholic church decades ago, unrelated to any scandal. I'm so glad I didn't have to deal with all that. I'm not religious but still love the familiar Catholic liturgy. I used to go occasionally to a high Latin mass and throw a few dollars in the basket.

From now on, if I go, I won't give any money. If the church dies out, I'll pay to go to concerts of the numerous beautiful Catholic masses composed by some of the world's greatest composers.

I adore a good portion of the religious works written by these greatest composers, and I absolutely loathe the church.

You may not be able to afford too many of those concerts when your taxes go up to fill the gap in social services left by the demise of the extensive social services provided by the Church in the US:
Cradle to grave medical care
food banks
Clothing closets
Emergency utility payments
Burial funds
orphanages, foster care, and adoption
nursing homes and adult day care
outpatient mental health services

These services are offered to all and often the majority of recipients are non-Catholics.

Outside the US, the Church provides an even greater percentage of services in developing countries. If it dies, so will millions of disabled and discarded people.

Efforts should be made to force massive reform, not kill the only lifeline many people around the world have.

And we have here the PR person for Catholic Charities or the Archdiocese of Washington.

Using the Church's usual fear and intimidation tactics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I left the Catholic Church 10 years ago in fairly large part because of this issue.

I drifted away from the Catholic church decades ago, unrelated to any scandal. I'm so glad I didn't have to deal with all that. I'm not religious but still love the familiar Catholic liturgy. I used to go occasionally to a high Latin mass and throw a few dollars in the basket.

From now on, if I go, I won't give any money. If the church dies out, I'll pay to go to concerts of the numerous beautiful Catholic masses composed by some of the world's greatest composers.

I adore a good portion of the religious works written by these greatest composers, and I absolutely loathe the church.

You may not be able to afford too many of those concerts when your taxes go up to fill the gap in social services left by the demise of the extensive social services provided by the Church in the US:
Cradle to grave medical care
food banks
Clothing closets
Emergency utility payments
Burial funds
orphanages, foster care, and adoption
nursing homes and adult day care
outpatient mental health services

These services are offered to all and often the majority of recipients are non-Catholics.

Outside the US, the Church provides an even greater percentage of services in developing countries. If it dies, so will millions of disabled and discarded people.

Efforts should be made to force massive reform, not kill the only lifeline many people around the world have.

And we have here the PR person for Catholic Charities or the Archdiocese of Washington.

Nope, just someone who has been a recipient of these services at different points in my life and know many people dependent on them now.

[Anonymous]

There is no way to morally reconcile remaining Catholic, especially now. Our family left several years ago and joined the Episcopal Church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

No, because they don’t have parishes, but thousands of children live in Buddhist monasteries either as novices or as orphans.

Do you know of any abuse scandals amongst the Buddhist monk community? I am sincere in my question.

No and that’s my point. Stop blaming celibacy. Celibacy = perv has replaced “closeted gay” as the latest attempt to claim no normal man would enter the priesthood.

I suppose there are some normal men who enter the priesthood -- and some who stay normal, despite the various types of perversity around them. This is not a good enough reason to preserve celibacy or the institution that requires it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

No, because they don’t have parishes, but thousands of children live in Buddhist monasteries either as novices or as orphans.

Do you know of any abuse scandals amongst the Buddhist monk community? I am sincere in my question.

No and that’s my point. Stop blaming celibacy. Celibacy = perv has replaced “closeted gay” as the latest attempt to claim no normal man would enter the priesthood.

I suppose there are some normal men who enter the priesthood -- and some who stay normal, despite the various types of perversity around them. This is not a good enough reason to preserve celibacy or the institution that requires it.

I agree that being celibate does not automatically make someone a perv, but the Catholic church seems to have a higher number of sexual abusers than society at large. Why is this? Also, as an institution the Catholic has not dealt with it in a transparent way.

I think child molestation happens in all religions, but Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination so it gets the most attention.

[Anonymous]

I’m not Catholic and female so Im probably talking out my a$$ but the celibacy requirement is very interesting to me.

There are so many posts on DCUM that men must have sex X times per week/month, that if you’re not having sex by the 3rd date, a woman is just using a man for a free dinner, or that if a woman no longer prioritizes sex in a marriage, that’s grounds for an affair, opening the marriage, or divorce.

So obviuosly sex is important. Perhaps there is even some sort of innate need for the body to engage in this behavior. Maybe celibacy is just not a reasonable requirement.

And I don’t thing any of this is new. I believe that there has been homosexual sex and child sex in the priesthood for thousands of years. The difference is now the general public is no longer willing to look the other way. Those that have been abused are telling the world and the church can no longer pretend that this does not occur.