Hello fellow Liberals. I'm going through a time of spiritual exploration, and any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Hello everyone. Please let me know if I'm stepping on any feet. I don't want this thread to turn controversial or anything, I am exploring things, trying to find a faith path, and I have long been at least mildly interested in Catholicism. I nearly converted while I was a teen. Here's a brief back story.
I was raise in a split religion home. My father is a devout Catholic, and my mom is a Christmas/Easter Lutheran. The choice was made for us kids to be raise Lutheran so my mom could participate in my first communion/confirmation and sit in the front row of at my wedding. Yep, those were the deciding factors. My dad allowed this, as long as Catholicism would be part of my faith life. I grew up squarely between the two churches. I went to Sunday school and was confirmed ELCA Lutheran, but I predominately went to Mass with my dad.
This was well and good, but my father's parents made everything very scary for me. They would regularly mail me checks with "convert?" in the memo line; whenever I would visit them, they would take time to remind me to convert or I'd end up in hell. When I was five, we had just finished a meal at their house and my grandpa turned to my dad and said "Well, you better enjoy your family here, because you'll be alone in heaven while they're being tormented in hell". Those words burned in my mind. Both my parents sat me down and explained that grandpa didn't understand, and I wasn't necessarily going to hell. That did, however, kick off my further exploration of the Catholic church. Aside from an occasional Christmas, I haven't been back to the Lutheran church since 2000. I haven't regularly attended church since then, a lot has gone on in my life, and I've struggled to have a faith life. I talked with my father about converting, and where he said that would bring him great joy, it was something I really needed to think about, and think of the ramifications for my mother. I didn't understand this until both of his parents passed away.
I have never felt like less of a human at my grandparents' funerals. My dad was able to sit in the front row at my grandpa's funeral, while my mother and sibling sat in the third. At my grandma's funeral my sibling and I were both pallbearers, and weren't allowed to sit with the other 3. We had to sit in the 4th row. Unfortunately, the priest wouldn't allow my father to sit in the front row with his aunts and brother, he had to sit in the fourth row with his "Protestant family" (direct quote from the priest). I saw the hurt in my father, not only from losing his mother, but being banished from participating as a normal family member would.
I don't hate the Catholic Church at all, but there are a lot of things I don't understand. I've befriended a Catholic woman, and she's been teaching me a lot. She puts up with my questioning and is a good role model. I haven't made it to Mass with her yet (I work during the times it's offered) but I do go with her every week for her Adoration hour. Adoration is something I find fascinating. I enjoy going because it's peaceful, and I feel a deep connection to God while I'm there; which is something I've been lacking for a great while. Do most Catholic churches have Adoration? It's something I never had heard of until I met her.
I have a very soft spot for the Catholic church, mainly because I have a deep respect and admiration for my father. With some sadness, it's something that I don't think I could ever fully subscribe to, dogmatically (such as I am staunchly pro choice from a legal aspect (I'm an attorney) but am pro life when it comes to my own decisions. I am also pro human rights and equality (including but not limited to homosexual equality). Which is somewhat bittersweet to me, because I enjoy the Catholic church and feel like a stranger in a familiar place when I attend Mass due to the stares I get for not partaking in Communion.
Basically, I'm open to anyone's thoughts or commentary. Thanks for letting me intrude into your space. Peace be with you all.
Hello everyone. Please let me know if I'm stepping on any feet. I don't want this thread to turn controversial or anything, I am exploring things, trying to find a faith path, and I have long been at least mildly interested in Catholicism. I nearly converted while I was a teen. Here's a brief back story.
I was raise in a split religion home. My father is a devout Catholic, and my mom is a Christmas/Easter Lutheran. The choice was made for us kids to be raise Lutheran so my mom could participate in my first communion/confirmation and sit in the front row of at my wedding. Yep, those were the deciding factors. My dad allowed this, as long as Catholicism would be part of my faith life. I grew up squarely between the two churches. I went to Sunday school and was confirmed ELCA Lutheran, but I predominately went to Mass with my dad.
This was well and good, but my father's parents made everything very scary for me. They would regularly mail me checks with "convert?" in the memo line; whenever I would visit them, they would take time to remind me to convert or I'd end up in hell. When I was five, we had just finished a meal at their house and my grandpa turned to my dad and said "Well, you better enjoy your family here, because you'll be alone in heaven while they're being tormented in hell". Those words burned in my mind. Both my parents sat me down and explained that grandpa didn't understand, and I wasn't necessarily going to hell. That did, however, kick off my further exploration of the Catholic church. Aside from an occasional Christmas, I haven't been back to the Lutheran church since 2000. I haven't regularly attended church since then, a lot has gone on in my life, and I've struggled to have a faith life. I talked with my father about converting, and where he said that would bring him great joy, it was something I really needed to think about, and think of the ramifications for my mother. I didn't understand this until both of his parents passed away.
I have never felt like less of a human at my grandparents' funerals. My dad was able to sit in the front row at my grandpa's funeral, while my mother and sibling sat in the third. At my grandma's funeral my sibling and I were both pallbearers, and weren't allowed to sit with the other 3. We had to sit in the 4th row. Unfortunately, the priest wouldn't allow my father to sit in the front row with his aunts and brother, he had to sit in the fourth row with his "Protestant family" (direct quote from the priest). I saw the hurt in my father, not only from losing his mother, but being banished from participating as a normal family member would.
I don't hate the Catholic Church at all, but there are a lot of things I don't understand. I've befriended a Catholic woman, and she's been teaching me a lot. She puts up with my questioning and is a good role model. I haven't made it to Mass with her yet (I work during the times it's offered) but I do go with her every week for her Adoration hour. Adoration is something I find fascinating. I enjoy going because it's peaceful, and I feel a deep connection to God while I'm there; which is something I've been lacking for a great while. Do most Catholic churches have Adoration? It's something I never had heard of until I met her.
I have a very soft spot for the Catholic church, mainly because I have a deep respect and admiration for my father. With some sadness, it's something that I don't think I could ever fully subscribe to, dogmatically (such as I am staunchly pro choice from a legal aspect (I'm an attorney) but am pro life when it comes to my own decisions. I am also pro human rights and equality (including but not limited to homosexual equality). Which is somewhat bittersweet to me, because I enjoy the Catholic church and feel like a stranger in a familiar place when I attend Mass due to the stares I get for not partaking in Communion.
Basically, I'm open to anyone's thoughts or commentary. Thanks for letting me intrude into your space. Peace be with you all.
Is there some theological reasoning the priest used to justify splitting up family members in mourning based upon their religious affiliation? I've never heard of that being done.
