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mayappleridge
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| Posted: May 11 2009 at 12:40am | IP Logged
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I once asked someone with a large family if they were Catholic and they said, "No, we're Christian." As if the two weren't the same.
In my view, Catholic is just another kind of church. I don't get the Catholic is separate from Christian thing, but I have so seen it. It is based on misconceptions about Catholicism.
I'm sorry you have to experience this. But I applaud your willingness to talk about it.
And, speaking as a Protestant (raised as one, married to a Catholic who is now Quaker), we aren't all like that!!!
Jo
(edited to add my name)
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www.cyfaill.blogspot.com
Quaker, Mama to 4, former American ex-pat
the Artist (boy) age 10
the Explorer (boy) age 8
the Tiny Goddess (girl) age 3
and Miss Mousie (girl) age 2
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melanie
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| Posted: May 11 2009 at 9:35am | IP Logged
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Thanks for the info on the Monk story...I'd never heard that before, it was interesting!
I think my problems have been largely geographical. I grew up in Northern VA, the Arlington diocese...being Catholic there was not a big deal. I now live in the Bible belt, and I have lived in a couple of very small towns here. Being Catholic there is like belonging to some kind of cult. I have literally been berated in the grocery store for wearing a crucifix...this was all very surprising to me, lol. Reactions have ranged from intense efforts to convert me to outright disgust. Praise God for the opportunity to be persecuted!  Now we live in a biggish city and those things are less common. Now it seems here like Catholicism is more...quaint. People will say things like, "Oh! You're Catholic! My brother in law in Tulsa has a friend who's Catholic, do you know him?" The plus side is that the Catholic community here is pretty tight. If you see a car with a rosary on their rearview mirror in the library parking lot, you are scanning around when you get inside because you know you will probably at least recognize them.
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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Alice R
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| Posted: May 11 2009 at 11:21am | IP Logged
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As a Protestant with many good friends and family who are Catholic, I think I'd avoid the whole topic.
You are doing what you want and believe to be right.
She is doing what she wants and what she believes to be right.
You can each quote articles, Bible verses and theological points but most likely, no one will change their mind.
If it gets heated, it might cost you a friendship and is that what you want?
My sons recently asked me why I don't talk to my (Catholic) friend about why we feel X is wrong or Y is wrong and I said "we will gain nothing and loose a friendship. I choose to share what we do have in common which is a deep love of God. In today's times, that is a lot".
I have one Cathlic friend who enjoys debating theology and sometimes I know she is trying to set me up. I say "You're not going to get me to fight with you. Sorry" 
As much as we each love our faith and so sincerely want others to believe as we believe, sometimes it's better to not get involved. Live a good life, a Holy life and be a role model for your beliefs...that catches people's eye more than anything.
I'd tell your friend "this is what we believe, I guess we don't agree."
Edit to add:
You know, when I was younger, I was a bit more hot to argue and prove my point. As I've gotten older and I hope wiser, I realize that I'm not interested in arguing. I have my own family, my own salvation and my own family's religious education to worry about. That can keep me very busy and I need to hush up and focus on that. If someone were to sit down with me and ask me why I believe what I believe, I'd be happy to share. But that's it. I am happy for my Catholic friends who are doing a FHC, baptism and all the rest. I'd hope that they can be happy for me as we celebrate our faith as well. We might not agree on every point but if you really really think about, we agree on so, so much. I choose to focus on that. I'll leave those other points for someone smarter than me to debate.
Blessings,
ALice
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Mom to Nathaniel (10), Noah (8) Alise (6) Rebekah (3)and expecting another blessing Faith, Grace and Family
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Servant2theKing
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Alice, the words you shared are full of wisdom and grace. I appreciate what you said about having so, so much that we can agree on.
A T & F question, in a catechism class I once took, based on the teachings of the late Fr. John Hardon, stated; "All baptized persons are members of the Catholic Church". The surprising answer to that statement is, True. The lessons from which that question was taken teach us, "Baptism does indeed make one a Christian and a member of the one true Church". Additionally the lesson states, "All baptized persons belong to the Church. 'It remains true', says the Second Vatican Council, 'that all who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ. They therefore have a right to be called Christians and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church.'"
I was deeply touched to learn this, since I have several family members on both dh's and my side of our family who represent various denominations of Protestant believers...my heart had long been burdened by all that appears to divide us. Fr. Hardon's teaching underscores the fact that all Protestant denominations have their roots in the Catholic Church. Each, for various reasons, fell away from the Church, through the leading of various earthly leaders. Often, current debates and arguments have their roots in former protests, upon which various denominations were founded. Goodness and holiness cannot be founded on division and protest, in the past or in the present.
When I was young, I remember different priests or nuns referring to Protestants as "our separated brethren", always with loving, prayerful concern that we ought to pray for their reunion with Mother Church. I've learned, through thoughtful discussion over the years, that most of what divides us has come from misunderstanding, human error or sin from various parties on either side. If we simply go back to Christ and His own words to us we learn that He always intended to establish one Church. It certainly was not His Will that His Mystical Body be severed into hundreds of parts, pitted against one another.
If we truly seek to follow Christ we will look for ways to unite and bind together His members, healing all that has been torn asunder in the Church, which He established for all our sakes. The greatest way to do so is by living grace-filled, holy lives, bringing the Light of Christ to one another and to the entire world. Just as estranged family members will never return to the fold through argument or debate, the Church will never be reunited through such means. Praying for one another and strengthening the bonds that unite us is our greatest hope, especially in a world that often attacks believers in Christ Jesus from so many other fronts. We need one another more than ever. The forces of evil love nothing more than to divide believers and create strife and dissension in the Church.
Blest, may your return to the Church and the baptisms of your children be a grace-filled beginning of a truly blessed lifetime giving honor and glory to the Lord and His Church. May our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, gift you with abundant grace to live in loving witness, that your family might help bring greater unity within His Mystical Body. It is no mere accident that your lives have been intermingled with so many souls whom the Lord yearns to bring into full union within the Church He established. So many souls are missing out on the sacramental graces that Christ intended to be spiritual food for their journey to His Kingdom. May the lives of all Catholics be a silent, holy invitation to return to the fold, that they too may enjoy the full blessings and benefits of Christ's Mystical Body!
edited to add: Today's mail brought a letter from Marcus Grodi, President of Coming Home Network International and host of EWTN's Journeys Home...in it he states that the Coming Home Network has already helped 441 Protestant pastors come home to the Catholic Church in the past, while they are currently assisting 447 more Protestant pastors make their way into the Catholic Church. He goes on to say that their ministry also assists scores of lay faithful make the journey from their Protestant roots back to the fold of the Catholic Church! This is such an incredible answer to prayer, but it is not without cost to those who are taking this profound step. While Blest and her family are perhaps losing friendships, pastors who are coming into the Church are losing their livelihood. Marcus Grodi and the Coming Home Network need our prayer support and financial support to assist and uphold the groundswell of converts as they journey back to the Catholic Church.
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All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
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stellamaris
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For those who would like to read more on the efforts being made by some evangelicals and Catholics to clarify both what unites us and what divides us, this book is interesting reading. I appreciate the effort to emphasize our common life in Christ, while not discounting the fact that there are still some significant theological differences that need to be resolved. This thread is a reminder that we ought to all be praying with our Lord that all believers might be one. Surely it grieves His Sacred Heart to see the divisions that exist in His body today.
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Caroline
Wife to  dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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Blestwith8
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| Posted: May 11 2009 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
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Alice I agree. I too am at that age where I carefully pick my battles. This is a no win debate with this particular person. Better to just witness by actions.
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homeschool4Him
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| Posted: May 11 2009 at 9:19pm | IP Logged
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Alice R wrote:
As a Protestant with many good friends and family who are Catholic, I think I'd avoid the whole topic.
You are doing what you want and believe to be right.
She is doing what she wants and what she believes to be right.
You can each quote articles, Bible verses and theological points but most likely, no one will change their mind.
If it gets heated, it might cost you a friendship and is that what you want?
My sons recently asked me why I don't talk to my (Catholic) friend about why we feel X is wrong or Y is wrong and I said "we will gain nothing and loose a friendship. I choose to share what we do have in common which is a deep love of God. In today's times, that is a lot".
I have one Cathlic friend who enjoys debating theology and sometimes I know she is trying to set me up. I say "You're not going to get me to fight with you. Sorry"
As much as we each love our faith and so sincerely want others to believe as we believe, sometimes it's better to not get involved. Live a good life, a Holy life and be a role model for your beliefs...that catches people's eye more than anything.
I'd tell your friend "this is what we believe, I guess we don't agree."
Edit to add:
You know, when I was younger, I was a bit more hot to argue and prove my point. As I've gotten older and I hope wiser, I realize that I'm not interested in arguing. I have my own family, my own salvation and my own family's religious education to worry about. That can keep me very busy and I need to hush up and focus on that. If someone were to sit down with me and ask me why I believe what I believe, I'd be happy to share. But that's it. I am happy for my Catholic friends who are doing a FHC, baptism and all the rest. I'd hope that they can be happy for me as we celebrate our faith as well. We might not agree on every point but if you really really think about, we agree on so, so much. I choose to focus on that. I'll leave those other points for someone smarter than me to debate.
Blessings,
ALice
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Beautiful!
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Bella
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| Posted: May 13 2009 at 4:56pm | IP Logged
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Alice,
I cannot tell you how much your post touched my heart, cleaning up clutter on this matter! I found nout recently, that the DH of an old friend is dying.  When I first met her, we were both in LLL, neither of us really Christian. Long story short, she soon became a Christian Fundamentalist, and me a Catholic. It became so trying on our friendship, that I had to let it go. When I heards of her DH's health, I was devastated for her family. I picked up the phone to call her, and the conversation went much better than I could have imagined! I promised her an email this week-and your post has given me even more courage and motivation to do so. Thank you! 
Blest- many hugs and prayers for you! I lost friends and family when I first started hsing-and then when I became Catholic. One needs to walk your shoes to really understand how heartwrenching and eye-opening it can be.
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Peace and Blessings,
Bella
Wife and Mom to my sweeties!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Protestant Friend Upset at my return.
