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angiesherm
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| Posted: Aug 24 2007 at 5:30pm | IP Logged
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Hi, does anyone here know anything about MOPS? (mothers of preschoolers) I have a neighbor (Baptist) who is wanting me to come w/her to some meetings, but I was thinking that I had heard before that they aren't real open to Catholics, but I could be wrong. I really don't want to get suckered in and get uncomfortable and leave!!! LOL
Any info. would be greatly appreciated!!! 
Thanks!
God Bless,
Angela
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Angela in KS.,
wife to Dave, Mom to Brett (10)Ryan (8),Hallie (3)and Emily (born 6-19-08)
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folklaur
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| Posted: Aug 24 2007 at 5:47pm | IP Logged
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From what I understand, at least from the groups that are here in AZ, everyone is "welcome" - however, to hold a leadership position, you have to sign a Statement of Faith that really isn't compatible with Catholicism.
hth,
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Erin
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Angela
Back when I was new in town and had only two little ones I was in Mops. I loved it, for me it was a friendship thing for a lonely mum. I was aware that it was Protestant (in our town it was run by the Anglicans) but I made some life long friends. And they were impressed to meet a Catholic who was a 'Christian' 
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Erin
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organiclilac
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I think it really varies from group to group. I have a friend who really enjoyed one of our local groups, but heard that in another local one, some of the women were trying to sway a Catholic mom to leave the Church - and her husband, when he wouldn't leave the Church with her.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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kingvozzo
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I was in MOPS in TX, when my oldest was a toddler. The first group I was in was run through the local Baptist Church. No one ever gave me any trouble for being Catholic, everyone was very respectful, although non-members of that particular church were not allowed to be in leadership positions, because the group was considered a ministry of the church. Fair enough.
The second group I was in was actually chartered at a Catholic Church in Houston...The woman who helped charter it was a very devout and knowledgeable woman, who, I believe, was able to take whatever concerns Catholics had with the Faith Statement to the upper leadership of MOPS and had the statement reworded . My memory's a bit fuzzy because this was 7 years ago or more  . I do remember being very surprised to see the MOPS at the Catholic Church, but it was all "legit."
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MrsKey
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It has been a while since I had a preschooler. And when I did have a a preschool age child I wasn't Catholic (we were still Lutheran then). But I was very uncomfortable with the MOPS group that I was a part of.
As someone else mentioned the churches that host MOPS and the leaders of the programs have to sign a statement of faith that isn't pretty bland but has one part about he Bible be authoritative on all issues on which is speaks that can be viewed as incompatible with the Catholic faith. The over all tone of the group was very fundamentalist.
As a Lutheran I stood out by holding beliefs in things like infant baptism and Holy Communion as something other than a mere symbolic reenactment. I imagine that as a Catholic I would stand out even further.
I could have been just the group that I was a part of - but I tend to think that since most MOPS groups are part of non-denom or Baptist churches that this might be a reasonably common issue.
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marihalojen
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Wow! I had no idea MOPS was connected with religion at all! When dd and I went to MOPS it was held at the local high school's gym.
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MrsKey
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marihalojen wrote:
| Wow! I had no idea MOPS was connected with religion at all! When dd and I went to MOPS it was held at the local high school's gym. |
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Technically MOPS is a non-denominational group. And there's not, from what I gather, an overt religious focus or direction from the main organization.
When it is hosted in a church, though, the beliefs of that church can bleed through to the group.
In my experience it wasn't an "official" fundamentalist bias - but most of the women were non-denom, Baptist or Church of Christ. The conversations and prayers were decidedly evangelical.
I don't think that it was part of MOPS program. It just worked out that way.
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Carole
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ShawnaB
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One thing to be aware of, if you are not already, is that the MOPS meeting format separates the children and the moms. (at least from what I understand.) Children are cared for by volunteers while moms meet for fellowship and usually some kind of speaker or activity. I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing, but you should be aware that this is not a "mommy-and-me" kind of thing.
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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com
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Topic: MOPS?????
