A Protestant's First Mass

[Kajiki]

Yeah it wasn't a matter of choice. He has it and uses it. Honestly I'd rather go through something else hearing all that but it is what it is. To be honest, on Chapter 4 nothing really is different from my Protestant upbringing.

What are the main issues with it?

 

[Kajiki]

Just thought I'd swing by for a quick update:
I'm Back to the Forums w/o Much Change - A Salvation Army Soldier Thirsting for The Bread and Wine

 

[SaNcTaMaRiA]

Welcome back. I will be honest with you. I have read everything you have posted on this issue. I want to commend you for your discernment and commitment to your personal faith journey. With that being said I get a sense that you are not and will never be fully happy with the Salvation Army. I fully believe that is because like most protestant denominations it lacks the fullness of the truth. That truth being of course the sacraments. No baptism by water? No Eucharist? These things are what feeds our soul. These things are where we meet Jesus face to face. You have to ask yourself if the Salvation Army has the elements to feed your soul and strengthen your walk with Christ. From everything I have read I think you already know the answer to that. I would encourage you to sit down some where silent. Where you can be a lone. Ask yourself "am I being fed and if not where should I go to be fed?" Then listen for God's answer.

I am praying for you.

 

[Kajiki]

Welcome back. I will be honest with you. I have read everything you have posted on this issue. I want to commend you for your discernment and commitment to your personal faith journey. With that being said I get a sense that you are not and will never be fully happy with the Salvation Army. I fully believe that is because like most protestant denominations it lacks the fullness of the truth. That truth being of course the sacraments. No baptism by water? No Eucharist? These things are what feeds our soul. These things are where we meet Jesus face to face. You have to ask yourself if the Salvation Army has the elements to feed your soul and strengthen your walk with Christ. From everything I have read I think you already know the answer to that. I would encourage you to sit down some where silent. Where you can be a lone. Ask yourself "am I being fed and if not where should I go to be fed?" Then listen for God's answer.

I am praying for you.

I want to thank you for your kindness. I felt a call to ordained ministry a good while back. I still feel that call and I affirm it. However, I can't help but feel that going in line with TSA and being unable to receive nor participate in the sacraments would be denying myself and others. All of my family is TSA as well. I teach the high school sunday school class at my corps...but there is something missing.

 

[SaNcTaMaRiA]

I want to thank you for your kindness. I felt a call to ordained ministry a good while back. I still feel that call and I affirm it. However, I can't help but feel that going in line with TSA and being unable to receive nor participate in the sacraments would be denying myself and others. All of my family is TSA as well. I teach the high school sunday school class at my corps...but there is something missing.

You are right. There certainly is something missing. The Eucharist is missing. The baptism is missing. What you are feeling is not weird or strange. It is the feelings lots and lots of people get who are called to Christ. Without the Eucharist our worship is flat and meaningless. Our souls cry out for the supper of the Lamb.

There are no shortage of places for you within the Catholic church to lead and minister. Our outreach is plentiful and always in need of those to work the fields. Do not feel limited to and obligated to stay with the TSA just because your family is and you are a Sunday school teacher. That small voice will continue to nag you until you answer it. It is after all calling you home.

 

[Anhelyna]

Kajiki

Sometimes it can be a long wait till God Himself shows you where He intends to you to.

Till then - read , explore , keep an open mind.

Remember God is with you - He cares for you

 

[SaNcTaMaRiA]

I would encourage you to read others conversion stories to the Catholic Church. Many of them might look just like your story.

 

[Kajiki]

I will resay this of course in respect to really both of your churches. Even if I stay with TSA or if I go to a different denomination under the Wesleyan-Arminian umbrella I will not call myself a Protestant. Honestly what's pulling me away from Roman Catholicism is how secular my local priest is even going as far as to say that we can't say what is and what isn't sin just because it's in the bible. And Eastern Orthodox, despite how beautiful its liturgy is, it just isn't around me and so it would be unfathomably difficult for me to attend such a service due to distance.

I do feel I owe the local Priest a message or something however since I did kinda leave him without any explanation.

 

[Root of Jesse]

I will resay this of course in respect to really both of your churches. Even if I stay with TSA or if I go to a different denomination under the Wesleyan-Arminian umbrella I will not call myself a Protestant. Honestly what's pulling me away from Roman Catholicism is how secular my local priest is even going as far as to say that we can't say what is and what isn't sin just because it's in the bible. And Eastern Orthodox, despite how beautiful its liturgy is, it just isn't around me and so it would be unfathomably difficult for me to attend such a service due to distance.

I do feel I owe the local Priest a message or something however since I did kinda leave him without any explanation.

Regardless of how good or bad or secular or whatever your priest is, even if you love him, he should not be the reason you would convert to Catholicism. The reason to become a Catholic or Orthodox is simply because you know that Jesus is there at the Liturgy. Really there. I hunger for what Jesus has to offer me, that's why I'm Catholic.

 

[Kajiki]

Regardless of how good or bad or secular or whatever your priest is, even if you love him, he should not be the reason you would convert to Catholicism. The reason to become a Catholic or Orthodox is simply because you know that Jesus is there at the Liturgy. Really there. I hunger for what Jesus has to offer me, that's why I'm Catholic.

It's not really just how secular he is as an individual but he says that what he is saying is what the catholic church holds as truth. I just spoke with him today and yeah he says how Adam and Eve story is completely historically inaccurate and that that is the stance of the Catholic Church.

 

[Root of Jesse]

It's not really just how secular he is as an individual but he says that what he is saying is what the catholic church holds as truth. I just spoke with him today and yeah he says how Adam and Eve story is completely historically inaccurate and that that is the stance of the Catholic Church.

He's absolutely wrong. Find another priest, please.

 

[Meowzltov]

Welcome back.

I can appreciate the SA's emphasis on holiness and good works. But as you have found, there is something wrong when they leave out the sacraments, which feed our souls. May the holy spirit guide you on your journey.

 

[The Grouch]

It's not really just how secular he is as an individual but he says that what he is saying is what the catholic church holds as truth. I just spoke with him today and yeah he says how Adam and Eve story is completely historically inaccurate and that that is the stance of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic church is a very big organisation with lots of diverse people couple that with decades of poor catechisis and priestly formation and you start getting misinformation half truths and confusion ...then there are those who want to push their own agenda they see the catholic faith as a way to share their own beliefs then there are those who actually want to destroy the church from within... so its very important to do your own research go direct to the horses mouth the catechism, encyclicals, church fathers etc.. due to poor formation and catechisis its just not wise any more to blindly take the word of a priest or even a bishop as to what the church teaches

 

[SaNcTaMaRiA]

Priests are just people. They too are fallible. You cannot base your conversion on one priest's miss understanding of the Bible and what the church teaches.

 

[Root of Jesse]

The Catholic church is a very big organisation with lots of diverse people couple that with decades of poor catechisis and priestly formation and you start getting misinformation half truths and confusion ...then there are those who want to push their own agenda they see the catholic faith as a way to share their own beliefs then there are those who actually want to destroy the church from within... so its very important to do your own research go direct to the horses mouth the catechism, encyclicals, church fathers etc.. due to poor formation and catechisis its just not wise any more to blindly take the word of a priest or even a bishop as to what the church teaches

Even Bishops Conferences and even Popes. We got a message from our bishop telling us to call Congress in support of DACA. Now, I'm all for treating folks with dignity, and not holding things over their heads (while making our borders stronger...), but this instruction was poorly spoken. I support what the President wants Congress to do. But I'm not sure that's the message I was supposed to be getting.

 

[Meowzltov]

The Catholic church is a very big organisation with lots of diverse people couple that with decades of poor catechisis and priestly formation and you start getting misinformation half truths and confusion ...then there are those who want to push their own agenda they see the catholic faith as a way to share their own beliefs then there are those who actually want to destroy the church from within... so its very important to do your own research go direct to the horses mouth the catechism, encyclicals, church fathers etc.. due to poor formation and catechisis its just not wise any more to blindly take the word of a priest or even a bishop as to what the church teaches

There just is no substitute for reading the catechism.