After reading some of the responses to a few new posts, I'm wondering why, in reality, people STAY Catholic nowdays..I mean,if a Catholic can now ask for a perhaps obtain an OK from his local bishop to marry in a Lutheran church, and the same with outdoor weddings, and now, as opposed to when I was a kiddo years ago, the latest teaching is that people outside the Faith who intend to do God's will are all OK and don't really "need" to be Catholic, but it would be nice if they were..etc..what KEEPS people in the church? It seems as if the church itself is saying to some,"it's OK if you want to be Lutheran, we'll let you marry in their church, because they're nice folks who try to please God and they're going to heaven too, so don't worry, it's all OK"..It seems that the more pervasive this idea of "it's all OK " the more folks just do as they please..I don;t know..what am I missing here??? Is my question clear or am I rambling??

-- Lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), April 19, 2004

Answers

bump

-- (bump@bump.bump), April 19, 2004.

Lesley,

People stay in the Church because it is the rock, and unshakeable and unchanging rock of faith for 2000 years. The salvation of countless billions of souls through the ages has been through the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Even today, the souls of over 1 billion Catholics need a solid and immovable foundation.

The mixed marriage section of your answer needs in depth study, and you need to read from the source of what the Church teaches. First of all, ONLY with the consent of the Bishop can this occur, and it does not happen too frequently. People are always cautioned not to go through with a mixed marriage because of the grave possible consequences. I know these consequences intimately Lesley; I am seeing a 24 yr old Baptist girl (I'm a 19 yr old Catholic), and right now we had to take time off due to intense debates about the Church and such. It's really tough, and the Church stands firm in its conviction to provide marriages usually only to two Catholics.

Other special circumstances, such as remarriage or annulment etc..., need a Tribunal. This isn't an everyday thing. The Catholic Church doesn't say "it's OK, just do what you want". Quite the opposite: there are clear regulations and promises that MUST be taken and fulfilled for a Bishops' consent. Read the Cathechism of the Catholic Church for a more in-depth study of this topic. God bless

-- Andrew Staupe (stau0085@umn.edu), April 19, 2004.

lesley,

the latest teaching is that people outside the Faith who intend to do God's will are all OK and don't really "need" to be Catholic

this statement is incorrect. Catholic teaching states that if a person is not properly exposed to catholic teaching that, if they commit no mortal sin, and live a good life according to the precepts of their faith they may be saved by desire (a notion which dates back to before you were a "kiddo").

HOWEVER, once you have been exposed to christian truth in the catholic church, if you reject that truth in favor of the traditions of men, then you are on a sad path. Who knows where they will end up but God?

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), April 20, 2004.

Lesley,

Even today, in the 21st Century, same as ever, a Catholic should still fear for the souls of those outside the Holy Catholic Church; and those outside the Holy Catholic Church should still fear for their own souls. It's either you're in the Ark -- the Holy Catholic Church; or you're in the Great Flood -- outside the Holy Catholic Church. But some people like to go for a swim in the Great Flood of 40,000 man-made, schismatic, apostate, heretical, conflicting, non- Catholic substitute.

-- (No@h's.Ark), April 20, 2004.

And now I feel ever so much better..I thank you..all of you.

-- lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), April 20, 2004.