Why Does The Catholic Church Do Such A Poor Job Teaching Its Members? - Page 2

Lancer · #16 May 24, '12, 3:52 pm

We have had the remarkable gift of the The Catechism of the Catholic Church Second Edition since @ 1995...from the Holy Spirit using Blessed John Paul II's Pontificate...yet you and I blame the Church for doing a lousy job of teaching the faith.

I have to say that GK Chesterton's answer to your question is my answer...He said (paraphrasing)...I can tell you in one word the answer to your question...ME....I am a cradle Catholic and I am not yet a saint...maybe I get "close" to it on some days...but "close" only counts in horseshoes...and I don't know my faith as well as I should...enough to teach it...or to explain it.

How many of us cradle Catholics in the last 50+ yrs...or just say during Blessed John Paul II's Pontificate (27 yrs +7yrs of Pope Benedict XVI's Pontificate...34 years...have bought new cell (smart) phones, computers, TV's, autos/trucks/bikes (with GPS), new TV cable/media/sound systems, new tools for auto or house, new home state of art building and landscape tools/upgrades...global warming efficiency systems...new sports, fitness, hobby stuff...etc., etc., etc.,...and in every case we spend hours with the "owners manual"...sometimes obsessively with the really neat high tech "stuff"...to learn everything about it...how to operate it...what to do/not do...and learn to utilize every nuance and option of our "new toy"...and yet we don't know our Catholic faith well enough to explain it even to another Catholic...let alone to a Protestant...or even a pagan ...and we consistently hear ...the reason is "poor catechesis"..."a bad era and/or generation of Church catechesis" is to blame...and boy, do we blame it on others: the Church...the pope, bishop, priest, the religious, lay apostolates, our parents, Godparents, siblings, the homilies...etc., etc.,...yada...yada...yada...!

The hard cold facts...I believe tell a different story about the real problem...as the old saying goes it is the same with your "thesis"..."that dog won't hunt"...here in time and surely not in eternity...especially when the Just Judge starts asking us about all the "toys" we knew so much about...!

For your consideration...
Pax Christi

Allegra · #17 May 24, '12, 4:13 pm

Most of the parishes around me have multiple opportunities for adult faith formation. However, I live in a city with a large Catholic population and most of the churches are large and have more than one priest. In a smaller parish, they may only have one priest who may be strapped for time to organize things like this. That leaves it up to the lay people. I do know that RCIA classes in my area are often suggested for Catholic adults who would like to know more about the Church's teachings. In fact, I imagine it makes the class more interesting and comfortable if there are more people there to discuss and ask questions. There are also lots of other resources outside of the parish, like Catholic radio and websites like this. I guess my point is, the opportunity is there for most people, but maybe the problem is that it isn't required that adults take advantage of it.

Nicea325 · #18 May 24, '12, 4:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by asia53

I respectfully disagree. My parish has Bible classes (offered morning and evening), lectures on CCC, Church teachings, etc, advertised in the bulletin, and mentioned by Father at the end of all Masses. Bible classes usually cost $25 for a 26 week study, lectures are free.

A parish of 400 families, only 50 people will attend, and time and time again, it's the same 50 people. Can you tell I'm one of those 50?

As T More has said, we have an embarrassment of riches, and so few take advantage.

A parish of 400? Wow! I wish I could be at a smaller parish. The parish I work at has over 7,000 registered families. Indeed,but I can tell you that at being the same parish for seven years as the Director of Catechetical Ministry it certainly is not the same 50 asking for monetary assistance.

Phemie · #19 May 24, '12, 6:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by FAB

There are tones of education programs. Part of the problem is the faithful taking advantage of them. Most do expect a homily a week to educate them.

Honestly, I was involved in the Church in various capacities for years before I found out about the Cathechism, the Code of Canon Law, documents, etc. I was on liturgy committees for years before I found out about the GIRM. Once I discovered all this I couldn't get enough but nobody in all those years mentioned any of that and no parish I was ever in offered any of the programs that are mentioned here. You don't know that you're missing something if you don't know those things exist.

choliks · #20 May 24, '12, 6:32 pm

I think this thread belongs to the Evangelization sub-forum.

tabycat · #21 May 24, '12, 7:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by T More

As a new convert, I look at it a bit differently. The Church has an embarrassment of riches for us to learn the faith. 2000 years worth. My question was, and is, why more Catholics don't take take advantage of what they have. I have a few theories on this, but I don't want to derail the thread.

For the same reason that the average nonCstholic knows little about the church they go to

.It is easier to set in a pew on Sunday morning then coming out on another day/night for a class.

benjohnson · #22 May 24, '12, 8:29 pm

Several parents of local Catholic parish send their children to our Lutheran Sunday school. I'm happy that our standards are high enough , but it absolutly shocks me that it's they don't have their own Sunday school.

From a Lutheran point of view, the Catholic Church should hand out the CCC for free to anybody who asks. The CCC is a bold step for the Catholic Church and good things will come form it. Combined with EWTN, and Catholic Answers, I really see a reawakening in the American Catholic Church.

TimothyH · #23 May 24, '12, 8:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by number2wilkins

as one waiting for RCIA to begin, i am OVERWHELMED with how much there is to learn about Catholicism!

it's like trying to sip water from a fire hose

i am having a blast reading everything i can get my hands on and bothering my priests with questions..

wish i had more hours in the day to study

It's like a giant buffet, and you know you will never get to everything, and that makes you sad, but you go to the buffet tables anyway, and fill your plate, as much as you want.

-Tim-

wasserfall · #24 May 24, '12, 8:37 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by benjohnson

Several parents of local Catholic parish send their children to our Lutheran Sunday school. I'm happy that our standards are high enough , but it absolutly shocks me that it's they don't have their own Sunday school.

It shocks me that Catholic parents would do such a thing, but then again, they obviously weren't sufficiently catechized themselves.

nightranger · #25 May 24, '12, 8:44 pm

[quote=The Wizard;9334060]Why does The Church neglect the education of It's members? [quote]

I don't think The Church neglects it my friend.

It's just that Church teaching, when truly lived out, is a heavy burden to bear.

If you are young, married and with a good job, you are fulfilled. The burden (or "yolk" as Christ put it), is light. When things don't work out that way, the burden becomes heavy. Indeed, too heavy for some to bear.
So I think it becomes a question of circumstance.

YoungTradCath · #26 May 24, '12, 11:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimothyH

It's like a giant buffet, and you know you will never get to everything, and that makes you sad, but you go to the buffet tables anyway, and fill your plate, as much as you want.

-Tim-

Yes but let's keep the figurative language as it is because this could easily be tweaked to be about cafeteria Catholicism!

benjohnson · #27 May 25, '12, 6:35 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasserfall

It shocks me that Catholic parents would do such a thing, but then again, they obviously weren't sufficiently catechized themselves.

That assumption is perhaps not correct. The Catholic parents that assist in the classrooms are very knowledgeable; I have no problem having my Lutheran children learn at their feet.

The important thing is not that "there's innocent Catholic children being subjugated to bad Lutheran teaching" but "There's a thriving Catholic parish that doesn't have a needed child education program."

I'm trying to share that works for us.

I would also say that given my experiences, that some Lutheran can do really good sermons. Personally, I think that one of the most important teaching opportunities available, as it reaches people that may not ordinarily seek out knowledge.

Andre1000 · #28 May 25, '12, 7:26 am

In my area are tons of catholic educational programs and in public schools is catholic religion education a subject (in school the religion teachers are appointed by the bishop), so the number is good but almost all of them are heretical and there is no CCC. I offered my help for a CCC but the priest did not like the idea because the Protestants here might be upset.

smallgirl01 · #29 May 25, '12, 7:40 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by number2wilkins

as one waiting for RCIA to begin, i am OVERWHELMED with how much there is to learn about Catholicism!

it's like trying to sip water from a fire hose

i am having a blast reading everything i can get my hands on and bothering my priests with questions..

wish i had more hours in the day to study

wish you all the best on the journey to the one true apostolic church....welcome.

kkollwitz · #30 May 25, '12, 5:17 pm

Adult Catholics must act like adults when it comes to their faith and not loll around waiting to be coddled and taught like 3rd graders. Adults learn all kinds of stuff on their own all the time because they are interested in knowing more. So I would ask the question:

Why do lazy Catholics blame their own indolence on the Church?