Why is the Catholic Church falling apart?

Question

I'm Catholic so don't think I'm bashing here. I love being Catholic. I love the Eucharist and the Rosary and Sacraments and all that. The religion itself is beautiful. But the people are ruining it. It's becoming a known fact that Catholics are rude and judge everybody whos not like them. The only Catholics I can actually get along with and see to have truly good faith are the converts coming from other faith. I really like them. And this whole sin thing is getting to be too much. Do this or else you've committed a mortal sin. Don't do this or else its a mortal sin. At this rate we're all going to hell if we dont become like nuns. You can enjoy life and still follow the way of Jesus. Get real. I'm thinking more and more about taking a look at other faiths but I would hate to abandon my religion. What should I do? Is it just me? Or is the Catholic Church really becoming a mess. Especially now that Benedict is changing everything JP2 worked so hard to make. Pray. Think. Answer. God Bless

Answer 1

You said you like converts, so here I am, LOL!

Is the Church falling apart? Heck no! Not if I can help it!

It’s tough living the Faith. GOD it’s tough. Since becoming Catholic, I’ve discovered the truth about religion and Christianity. I’ve also discovered the truth about myself, which at times makes it hard for me to look in the mirror.

I’m a sinner. Horrible and rotten. I do not deserve the mercy of Jesus. What brings me to tears most times is that I know He gives it to me anyway. He loves me. He gave me His Church, and… oh my God… Himself, in that most beautiful, blessed sacrament, the Holy Eucharist. His body and blood is what converted me.

We can’t base our faith or ever depend it on others. People will always let you down. We almost can’t help it; it’s our sin. This is why we are called even louder and harder to prayer. We must put our focus on Jesus and Him alone. Ultimately, He IS the only one we can place our trust in, because He will never fail us. So we go to Him in prayer. We seek communion with Him in this way, because that’s what prayer is - communion with God. It’s the source of all our strength and vigor. The closer we move to God, the stronger the Church will be, because WE are the Church. We are the body. And when we join with the head, Christ, life flows.

Turn your eye to the Eucharist. He will never fail you, and never disappoint. Other faiths may seem appealing, especially when everyone else in our own is not living it, but it just means we’re not supposed to be looking at them, but Him.

God bless.

Answer 2

Goodness, I'm not judgy and I'm Catholic and I love talking about religion to other people. Some of my best friends are Jewish and they have a muslim foreign exchange student living with them. Benedict hasn't really done anything yet that I know of. Just because people in the Church don't know what in the heck they're doing doesn't mean that the Church is wrong.

We didn't invent tradition. The Jews did and since Christians were once called a Jewish cult I would expect it to be very similar.

If a Protestant says something aginst the Church don't believe it until you've researched the history behind it. I wouldn't expect a non-Catholic to be an expert on Catholics. And if they do know a lot about the Church I wouldn't expect them to understand it.

The Crusades is a good example of this. Protestants always claim the the Church went off to kill the Muslims and the Jews for no reason at all but that's far from the truth.

Many older Catholics believe that those who aren't Catholic are going to hell because that's what the Church used to teach before the second vatican.

Answer 3

Yeah, the _what????_ fell apart? Sorry, but the Catholic Church is still the fastest growing (by default of babies being born to a huge population of Catholic parents) Christian denomination. It's growth outpaces in pure numbers (not per capita), per year, the entire population of most of Christian denominations. Protestants are a group of religions that: 1 - disagreed with the practices of Catholicism and so produced a "reformed" version, which often have many of the same teachings, or 2 - decided that the Bible provided the authority to preach a different Gospel than that which the Catholics teach (even though they borrow many of the same teachings). For most traditional Catholics and Protestants, the common denominator is the Trinity. But the Catholic church has not fallen apart at all and is showing remarkable resiliency in most parts of the world. Where it is "falling apart," all denominations, both protestant and catholic, are taking a hit in attendance and followers.

Answer 4

I think your basing all this on the situation around you. As a Catholic, the other Catholics around me and in my area are not like that at all. So it seems to be a relative situation.

I think the Catholic population is relying too much on the decrees from Rome and not on their own intellect. From what you describe it sounds as though the Catholics around you are mere zombies regurgitating everything they hear from the pulpit, which implies a bad preacher, or what they hear at home, based on their upbringing.

Instead these seemingly mindless group needs to put more faith in their own brain and thinking. That we as humans have the capability and control to think whatever we want.

Ultimately, the Church is a guide. A guide for man to look at and base their own paths on, while sharing in the splendor of the faith. In the end, man is responsible only to himself in finding the Right Road. The decisions and consequences are all relative to each individual.

By the way, Benedicts changes are merely alterations of how we celebrate the Divine Worship. He's not changing how we believe in God or our Religion, he is merely changing how we can express it. So it doesn't really matter. As long as he continues to lead the faithful in their faith and guiding to help make decisions on their own, he can do whatever he wants to the HOW.

AND CHICK TRACTS ARE NOT A RELIABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON ANY FAITH, WHETHER IT BE CATHOLICS, MORMONS, JH'S... STOP READING THEM!

Answer 5

The Catholic Church is one of those Religions that has received a lot of criticism and it's like all that Criticism keeps and building and building!!!!

Answer 6

I dont exacly know why but you right, it is. Although if religion is controlled by man I guess some will go a little bad or astray.

Although not EVERYTHING in the catholic church is wrong, my priest is great and has really good sermons that make you think ( once he admited that the catholic church is actually falling apart and is getting corrupt)

Answer 7

Many reasons. But mainly, the exposition of the Church's doings, its clergy, and the myriad doctrines that are proven to be man-made [i.e., contrary or non-existent in the Bible].

All these are presented to a much broader audience today, thanks to multi-media and the Internet.

Even Catholics, such as yourself, are coming out and asking questions about the Church. No more than a generation ago, QUESTIONING the Church or any of its orders handed down from the Vatican was COMPLETELY TABOO.

It's the sign of its own end times, as it were...

Peace be with you.

Answer 8

Because your ideas seem so far fetched that anyone who didn't grow up around them find them hard to believe. I personally just switched from public to catholic school, and I have to say I think most of the people are crazy. It's the hard core catholics that try to convert you, and then you get one that says you aren't allowed to kiss someone until you are 25. (that is a true story)

Answer 9

Then what you are mad about it the mishandling and misinterpretation of everything Catholic by the leadership.

And about your "known fact", I have had Christians and Mormons and jehovah's Witnesses be extremely rude when dealing with me, so you need to avoid blanket condemnations, OK?

Answer 10

i disagree on the falling apart portion. i think it's simply the people you happen to be associating with, i don't get that kind of negativity from anyone where i go to Mass. what people need to do is get over the hype, go to church, and pray for themselves and others. the Catholic church is the oldest Christian religion and therefore will always struggle with persecution. your faith is your faith, noone else's.