www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization How I led Catholics Out of the Church

Seems as though they especially sought men.

http://catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0057.html

This is the counter to the Promise Keepers thing. Only I understand it is much better.

THE AUTHOR

Steve Wood is the founder of St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers (SJCK), a dynamic apostolate for Catholic men. For more information on SJCK, or to find out about men's conferences in your area, please call 1-800-705-6131 or (941) 764-7725.

The sad fact is that most catholics stop learning about their faith after they finish their basic catechism classes. In the RC this is usually right after confirmation.

As a 8th Grade religious ed teacher I was stunned at the ignorance that 90% of my class had and these were kids that had 7 previous years of religious education.

This means that when they get out in the real world, they make easy targets for those who can twist the scriptures. I read once that the JWs are made up of like 75% ex-catholics.

I remember being downtown on Ash Wednesday and the JWs were out handing out literature to those catholics who had ashes on their foreheads.

:::sigh:::

Great Movement! I began one in the Air Force and its still going strong. Hope to start one in the parish here.
Stephanos I
PS I highly recomend it to men. We taylored it to once a month, with Mass and breakfast.
Does anyone know if there is a similar program for women?

Steve Wood's article is very thought provoking and does explain a lot about the numbers involved in the contemporary exodus from the Roman Catholic Church.

And I especially appreciate the comments about "salvation by grace" as part of essential Catholic teaching. And the part about Martin Luther adding "faith alone" to the scriptures and making a doctrine out of it.

I was involved in interdenominational Christian women's ministries for years and witnessed the good example of many non-Catholics. However, every so often I was asked by someone how I could remain a Catholic and still consider myself a Christian. Many of them do feel that Catholics are not really Christians or. at least, do not meet their qualifications for what that means...but the more mature non-Catholics know this is not true. Non-catholics need to see that we are definitely Christians by our example and testimony especially as we encounter them in the neighborhood or the workplaces. Perhaps then fewer would be so intent on trying to lead us out of our Church.

As for there being a group like "Promise Keepers" for women...I am guessing that there may be an off-shoot in time if there isn't something already. Pani Rose , do you know if there is a group specifically for women yet? Meanwhile I think I heard(can't remember exactly where) that the strengthening and enhancement of the man's loving spiritual lead in the home is one of the promise keepers' purposes. I would think this is true of St. Joseph's promise keepers as well. It seems to me that if this is done in the spirit of loving collaboration it would be beneficial for the wife and the family.

In Christ and the Theotokos,

Porter

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Yes that is a reallly good group. There is also Magnificat
http://www.magnificatocchapter.org/

There are also things that can be done to help prevent losses within the Byzantine Catholic churches themselves.

First, take to heart the papal encyclicals that have been issued encouraging us to restore eastern traditions. Monasticism has yet to be fully restored from within. Unfortunately, we have actually lost some communities, instead. There needs to be greater discernment over what nurtures the communities, because they are at the heart of the faith.

Another thing needed is to discourage substituting Latin worship and priorities for Byzantine worship and priorities just because it is too difficult to get to the nearest Byzantine church. Accept no substitute! The substitution has caused whole families to abandon their roots, because, after all, it's the same church, isn't it? A generation passes, and the next knows nothing of its Byzantine heritage, let alone ethnic heritage.

Jim and others,

Indeed you are correct. It is hard for me to imagine based upon my experience that anyone would leave this Church. Can someone help me out here?

Dan L

This hatred/dislike against Catholics is taught young. I know a girl who is 7 and over the summer a girl that was 9 years old told her on more than one occasion how the Catholic Church was wrong and worshipped Mary and that everyone in it was going to Hell.
That's a horrible thing to be teaching your children to have resentment/hatred against a group of people.
Did anyone see Regis' partner last week make fun of Catholics right on public tv for several minutes?

Pani Rose:
The site you offered is truly something to think about as a Catholic. I can see how it can affect so many Catholics. Many who attend my Byzantine Catholic church know very little about the Eastern Catholics--but of course an alarming percentage of my church are not Byzantine. I cannot understand why the Byzantine Seminary Press has not reprinted the LITURGICAL CATECHISM ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE DIVINE LITURGY (copyright 1975). I have one copy of which is truly magnificient in education from THE CHURCH BUILDING--Lesson 1 to MAJOR ORDERS--Lesson 26. I understand that some items may be outdated but why has not someone brought them up to date and printed this booklet again for our people to learn their faith. John

John,

Is that a green book with some red on the front of it. Seems, Fr. Mike used that when we came into the church back in the '70s. It is an excellent book!

Dan they leave because they have not been cachetized (sp), they do not know their faith, so they are blown about with every wind of doctrine. If they touch a nerve or an emotion, then it got to be right.

Benny Hynn (sp) was raised Orthodox. Not that I like him, but he left the Orthodox Church and didn't and still doesn't have the slightest idea of what he left.

Pani Rose

Pani Rose;
The book is light green and front has a framed like icon of St Basil the Great(left corner), St John Chrysostom(upper center), St. Gregory-Nyssa(right corner), two church domes and crosses(upper right and left corner). Imprimatur: February 6, 1975---The Most Reverend Stephen J. Kocisko, D.D., Metropolitan Archbishop of Munhall. Sent an email to Arch Priest Petras to see if it will be reprinted and updated. John