I just wanted to share this truly inspiring story with all of you here. A few months ago in our Parish here in columbia south carolina our monsignor gave us the homily and told us a truly inspiring story. He started by telling us about a small episcopal parish here in columbia,that had become lost by the numerous misdirections in there church,and voiced there feelings of coming home to the Catholic church. The entire congregation and clergy had decided to convert to Catholicism as one, and where received into the church in one big confirmation. This made me feel humbled to already be a member of the Catholic church,And be able to have something this beautiful happen in our own town was truly special.We are always blessed and encouraged to invite people into the one true Holy Roman Catholic church. Thanks be to God.

-- Andrew m Tillcock (drewmeister7@earthlink.net), January 28, 2004

Answers

If this story is true Andrew, it's an incredible one.

I have a story that is in a way opposite to yours. In our city in the past year, our bishop has closed 3 churhes due to lack of attendance city-wide. The other day while passing a Protestant church, in an area where one of our churches had closed, I noticed a very large sign out front of it that read, "Welcome, this church isn't closing!"

-- Ed (catholic4444@yahoo.ca), January 28, 2004.

Yes ed the story is true as told to all of us at our parish by Monsignor Lehockey at ST.Peter's Catholic church here in columbia. Oh my ed after seeing that sign i'm sure it felt a little disheartening. But i guess some cities the Catholic population rises as in others it falls. But this was truly special as here in the south Catholic's are a very few but stong. Pax Christi

-- Andrew m Tillcock (drewmeister7@earthlink.net), January 28, 2004.

Greetings: So people left one building to go to another, rather then going to Jesus to gain insight, to the truth,that no building causes one to be holy, nor is any religion holy. When inside the building you have sinners who are still bound in sin? The word church means called out ones, I know inside many buidlings people, have a form of godliness but deny the power that can save the soul. For this word "Gods word" is that which changes the sinner from the inside and these are they who are called out of darkness into light, who are set apart for the purpose of the kingdom. Being holy isnt a matter of religious rules and commandments of men, being holy isnt following philosophys or doctrines of man. Being holy isnt going to mass, praying the rosary, for any sinner can do that, being holy is being as Jesus who said, not my will but thy will be done. As Jesus said the work of the Father is to believe in the one he has sent JESUS. For this isnt of yourselves, indulgences, mass, days of obligation it is a gift from God, that no man may boast in his sight. Religion causes one to be self righteous as if they can work thier way into heaven. All is not lost, for the sheep hear the Lords voice and a strangers they will not follow, so they leave the pope for the truth. in Jesus name is salvation found, by faith and not by sight as religion is.

-- In Jesus name one is made holy (truthisfreedom316@yahoo.com), January 28, 2004.

Dear "In Jesus Name..."

I agree that external religious practices cannot be a substitute for a deep, personal relationship with God. But I think your treatment of religion is overly harsh.

For example, you stated:

* "So people left one building to go to another, rather then going to Jesus to gain insight, to the truth..."

And yet after the apostles witnessed the Ascension of Christ they went to the temple "continually" to worship Christ and praise God. (Lk 24:51-53). So they had no problem with going to a building. Plus, when I visit the tabernacle at a Catholic Church I am going to the Real Presence of Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. You may not believe this, but from the Catholic perspective, going to church certainly means going to Jesus.

* "...no building causes one to be holy..."

Correct, and neither does my house cause me to be holy if I decide to stay there and not go to church. But a church is more than just a building, it is where people can gather to pray together and support one another.

* "...nor is any religion holy..."

I'm not sure what you mean by "religion." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines religion as "the service and worship of God or of the supernatural." According to Revelation, this is exactly what is going on in heaven, so I do not see how I can agree that religion is not holy.

* "...When inside the building you have sinners who are still bound in sin..."

And outside the building we still find sinners who are bound in sin. But at least in a Catholic church there are sacraments that break the chains of sin by the power of Christ.

"...I know inside many buildings people, have a form of godliness but deny the power that can save the soul..."

Personally I would not be so quick to judge what goes on in the hearts of people. Also, "the power that can save the soul" is Christ. Are you suggesting that people who deny Christ still go to church?

* "For this word 'God's word' is that which changes the sinner from the inside and these are they who are called out of darkness into light, who are set apart for the purpose of the kingdom."

I agree, but you seem to imply that this can't happen in a church building.

* "Being holy isn't a matter of religious rules and commandments of men, being holy isnt following philosophys or doctrines of man."

I agree. But I fail to see where going to church means that I am following a rule/commandment/philosophy/doctrine of man. There is absolutely nothing wrong with people gathering in a building to pray as a community or to pray as individuals. Jesus did this in the synagoges and the temple.

* "...Being holy isnt going to mass..." The Mass itself is holy because Christ is the Eucharist. If I participate in the Eucharist then I participate in Christ Himself. When I receive the Eucharist, everything that Christ is is united to me on a physical, spiritual and metabolic level. We go to Mass to help us become Christ. Therefore, from the Catholic perspective, going to Mass is holy.

* "...praying the rosary, for any sinner can do that..."

Praying the Rosary is one method Catholics use for praying and meditating on the Gospel, which brings us closer to Christ. If something brings us closer to Christ then it can be said to be holy, or at least a tool to help us on our quest for holiness.

* "being holy is being as Jesus who said, not my will but thy will be done. As Jesus said the work of the Father is to believe in the one he has sent JESUS."

Are you suggesting that people who go to church, attend Mass and pray the Rosary don't believe in Jesus? They go to church, attend Mass and pray the Rosary for the very fact that they believe in Jesus and seek to live their faith in both words and deeds.

* "...For this isn't of yourselves, indulgences, mass, days of obligation, it is a gift from God, that no man may boast in his sight..."

From the Catholic perspective, indulgences, Mass and days of obligation are gifts from God.

* "Religion causes one to be self righteous as if they can work their way into heaven."

This is a very sweeping generalization. The problem with the Pharisees is that they believed that by perfectly following the Law they could earn heaven. I agree that it is possible for a Christian to fall into the same trap if they think that following certain religious practices will do the same. But to condemn religious practices entirely simply because they can be abused is going too far.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (now Blessed Teresa) went to church, attended Mass and prayed the rosary every day. Would you call her self-righteous? Would you say that the way she practiced her faith did not lead her to a deep, personal and beautiful relationship with Christ?

* "All is not lost, for the sheep hear the Lord's voice and a stranger's they will not follow, so they leave the pope for the truth."

Actually, I heard the call of the Lord and He lead me to the pope, His vicar on earth, through whom Christ showed me the wonders of Christianity. I was a lost sheep, and the call of the Lord brought me to church, brought me to Mass and brought me to the Rosary, through which God has rained down blessings on my life.

God bless,

-- Deacon Eric (erfilmer@hotmail.com), January 28, 2004.

Dear Deacon:
The above post is by Alex Ruiz Jr, a rabid anti-Catholic who was banned years ago. Alex is slightly touched in the head, and harmless, really. His worst fault is redundant and bombastic posting of scripture; to the point of saturation here on forum. If you answer Alex he will grow here like a virus. It's best to ignore his blows and allow the Moderator time to delete him. He is not here in good faith.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), January 28, 2004.

Jmj

Hello, Andrew.
Thank you for sharing the glorious story. It made me remember how something on a smaller scale had happened 20 years ago in Texas. Please read about Fr. Christopher Phillips and his parishioners (fellow converts) and what happened to them in 1983 in the second paragraph of this page. I feel sure that your local converted parish is in touch with Fr. Phillips and other leaders of former Anglicans.

And it is not just happening with Anglicans. Here is a case of a Pentecostal minister [descendant of slaves] in Detroit, who converted with part of his original congregation in 2001.

I am saddened, but not surprised about the experience that Ed described. He is in Canada, where liberalism, socialism, and an anti-religious attitude are more prevalent than in our U.S. -- resulting in lower attendance at Mass (as in Europe). Also, the Canadian Catholic population in some places is dwindling, due partly to the use of abortion and contraception. These result in something like a (societally suicidal) 1.2 children per completed family in Quebec province. Another contributing factor to the Catholic problem in Canada? For a long time, there were many less-than-orthodox Catholic bishops in Canada -- though I think that Pope John Paul II has been trying to remedy this.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), January 31, 2004.