Has anyone heard what is going on in the Catholic church?

Question

A friend of mine who used to be catholic and is now a born-again Christian told me about this. She is mexican and has a lot of mexican friends who are catholic - she witnesses to them regularly.
She told me that some of the catholic members are turning away from saint worship and mary worship and beginning to just focus on Jesus! Praise God! Anyway, some of the catholics are completely against this and have even had parades to honor mary - with mary shirts that have rosaries on them. I saw the shirt with my own eyes.
Had anyone heard of this? I think that many catholics are beginning to open their eyes!

Answer 1

Then let Mary save them.

Yeah right.

Did you know that on the Vatican website, it is written in three languages (English, Italian and Latin) that Mary is the Savior of the Roman Catholics. Not Jesus but Mary!

Answer 2

Oh, for goodness sake.

Catholicism has always been about Jesus. The whole Mass is about Jesus. Really, Suzi, come and see for yourself! I promise, nobody will try to recruit you. Just sit in the back and take notes and you'll see how Christ-focused (and Biblical) Catholic worship really is.

As for the Rosary, that's a devotion involving meditations on the life of CHRIST. Today, for example, we are meditating on His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, the scourging at the pillar (when Pilate had him flogged), the crowning of thorns, the carrying of the cross and His Crucifixion. Does your church encourage you to spend 20 minutes every day meditating on those events (and others) in Christ's life? Do you think that Catholics would do that if they were so busy worshiping Mary instead of Jesus?

Regarding your friend who is from Mexico, it is true that some Catholic parishes in Mexico and elsewhere in the world put an inordinate emphasis on Mary, which was an error on their part. But it's not right to say that ALL Catholics ever fell into this same error. And even if those people were too focussed on Mary, the Mass was still all about Jesus and the Sacraments were still all about Jesus, because that's just the way it is in the Catholic Church.

Keep looking for FACTS, Suzi.

Answer 3

To begin with, we Catholics do not now nor have we EVER worshiped saints or the Virgin Mary. We honor them as holy people who loved God and sought to obey His will. Our Lord and Savior is the same Jesus Christ that you profess, and we worship the One Living and True God. We don't need to open our eyes to the glory and majesty of our Father in Heaven and the love of our Savior: we experience these things each time we go to Mass to hear the Word preached and to receive the Eucharist.

And how would you feel if members of your particular denomination suddenly left your church and joined the Catholic faith? I suspect you'd be hurt and upset -- at the very least. But because some Catholics have left the Church and gone over to the Protestants, you sound like you're ecstatic. I suggest you try living out your Christian faith and be a little more aware of your fellow believers' feelings.

And incidentally, we Catholics ARE your fellow believers, whether you accept that or not.

Answer 4

Sweetie, did you know that we are not *required* to venerate Mary or the saints? And as I'm sure you've been told before, "worship" is not what we do where they are concerned, either. It would be considered a great kindness if you would cease calling it that. It's a false witness.

Any well-catechized, orthodox (small "o") Catholic knows full well that the focus of our Church, our worship, and our prayers is on Christ. Everything else points to Him. Even Mary, who said "do whatever He tells you".

Whether some communities and cultures are more or less heavily emphasizing Mary and the saints or not (and really, a rosary on a T-shirt means ... what, exactly, other than the devotion is meaningful to the wearer), the fact remains that most of us already have our eyes wide open and focused on Christ. This is not a new phenomenon. It has been the case for much longer than you or I have been around.

I am Catholic. And I know my Redeemer lives. Please do not try to tell me otherwise; you do not know me. But Jesus does.

Answer 5

I wish protestants would open their eyes and talk to real Catholics. Perhaps then they could get rid of this stupid ignorant false and slanderous idea that Catholics worship ANYONE other than God. THEY DON'T.

Nor do they worship the Bible like many protestants do.

Catholics worship God ALONE.

LEARN THIS: Honor is not worship.
Prayer is not worship.
Respect is not worship.

Catholics Worship God.

Prayer to a saint is NOT worship. It is merely asking those who have gone before us to pray for us, as we ask each other to pray for us.

LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU SLANDER!

Catholics have had their eyes open for 2000 years. Protestants shut theirs to the truth much later. They are so afraid of worshiping anyone else then god that they have forgotten scripture. Mary was to be remembered and honored. Scripture says so.

Try to remember this: Just because something isn't in scripture doesn't mean it's forbidden. Nowhere in scripture does it say we can fly in aeroplanes, talk about God on telephone or watch a service on TV.

On the other hand, the Bible says to hold to traditions, which protestants rail against.

Nowhere in scripture is there a list of books which were to constitute the Bible. The church had one for centuries, but the protestants decided that list wasn't good enough and changed it.

Catholics follow scripture. They believe Christ when he said "This is my body" and "This is my blood". Protestants seem to think he was playing a joke or lying.

Catholics believe Christ when he told the apostles that they had authority to forgive sins. Protestants don't believe him.

Catholics believe the Bible when it says "Faith without works is dead". Protestants don't believe that. They think that works are useless. You're saved and you don't have to do anything else. You can rest in blessed assurance and sloth.

Not worshiping Mary or the Saints is nothing new in Catholicism. The church has taught that to worship anyone other than God is heresy since the beginning.

I really think people need to look at who has the gospel.

Answer 6

LOL......I don't think so.

Nov 01, 2007
All Saints Day!


Ephesians 2:19

So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow
citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Question: What do you call a "fellow citizen with an American"?

Answer: An American

Question: What do you call a "fellow citizen with a saint"?

Answer: A saint.

In short, if you believe in Jesus, you are a saint. Enjoy your Feast
Day! And if you haven't been acting too saintly, God is quite willing to
accept a change of heart and help you become what you are!


You seem to be reflecting on what today is....All Saints Day.

Maybe you should think about that.

Answer 7

Catholics do not worship Mary or any other saint.

Catholics share the belief in the Communion of Saints with many other Christians, including the Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopal, and Methodist Churches.

The Communion of Saints is the belief where all saints are intimately related in the Body of Christ, a family. When you die and go to heaven, you do not leave this family.

Everyone in heaven or on their way to heaven are saints, you, me, my deceased grandmother, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II.

As part of this family, you may ask your family and friends living here on earth to pray for you. Or, you may also ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Andrew, or your deceased grandmother living in heaven to pray for you.

Prayer to saints in heaven is simple communication, not worship.

Asking others to pray for you whether your loved ones on Earth or your loved ones in heaven is always optional.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 946 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p5.htm#946

With love in Christ.

Answer 8

I agree with Raven.. the church has always been Christ centered. Not to say that saints are not an important part of our faith, but there is only one god. I would hope that any true Christian catholic or not would understand that.

And you cant open the eyes of people that have had them wide open the entire time.

And remember:

"Judge not, that you may not be judged, For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. " Matthew 7:1-2

Answer 9

Sure, some Catholics do venerate Mary stronger than others. There are many Catholics who do not pray the rosary. As a non-Catholic, I realize that it is a personal thing. Not everybody prays the same way or worships the same way. Praying the rosary is not a manditory practice, but it is something that many Catholics use to help themselves pray.

Answer 10

All Catholics are born again Christians and none worship saints or the blessed mother . Catholics worship God alone.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 11

Poor poor Suzi.

We do not worship Mary or the saints - we honor them. You seem to be having ALOT of trouble grasping that concept. The Church does not teach Mary or saint worship - it is only twisted minds who WANT to believe that.

Many Catholics are indeed opening their eyes - they are fighting back against the lies and the hatred that people like you spread. Bummer for you.