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EMPTYING PEWS
Topic Started: Monday, 2. October 2006, 11:21 (1,611 Views)
EROS
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Today I was reading the Tablet and an article came straight out at me with the headline The Emptying Pews. What hit me was the amount of people that have left the church since 1998. I Quote what it said.

From 1998 to 2005
Roman Catholic 1,230,100. in 1998. 893.100 in 2005
this is a drop of 337,000 or -28% were have all these people gone maybe to the Pentecostals who had a 34% rise.

What are we doing wrong to lose so many, we must look deep into the running of the Church and find out why. Lets get rid of the dead wood and get some one with fire in thier soul , and then maybe the people of this Christian Country will sit up and take notice that God is still here in the CATHOLIC CHURCH.
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Gerard

All,

Pentecostals 34% increase :rolleyes:


You want fire? The Holy Spirit? -

But

the people in the pews dont want charismatics
the people in the pews dont want catholic pentecostals
the people in the pews dont want Baptism in The Holy Spirit
the people in the pews dont want tongues spoken
the people in the pews dont want prophets prophesying
the people in the pews dont want signs and wonders
the people in the pews dont want deliverance and exorcism


so, just keep doing it the way we always did it........

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Angus Toanimo
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Have I missed something here?

:unsure:
Posted Image
Posted Image
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Gerard

Patrick,

Thats said in sorrow, not in anger.

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Gerard

All,

Yesterdays first reading at Mass:

Quote:
 
First reading
Numbers 11:25 - 29

The Lord came down in the Cloud. He spoke with him, but took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied, but not again.

Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled among the rest. These began to prophesy in the camp. The young man ran to tell this to Moses, ‘Look,’ he said ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp’. Then said Joshua the son of Nun, who had served Moses from his youth, ‘My Lord Moses, stop them!’ Moses answered him, ‘Are you jealous on my account? If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets, and the Lord gave his Spirit to them all!’


5,000 years later and Joshua's offspring are still saying "Stop Them!"

You can also get a clearer understanding of this reading if every time you read "prophesied, prophecy or prophecying" you substitute "speaking in tongues" (which is probably what they were doing :D )

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Deacon Robert
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Here is a Zenit article that says thesame thing

http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=95719


We in the US would probably be seeing a similar reduction if it wasn't for the Latin immigrants. There is a lack of attendance in almost all industrialized countries.

I beleive what most people want is to hear: the Gospel proclaimed with authority, an end to weak or "feel good" sermons, and an end to Priest making themselves the focus of the Mass instead of Christ.
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne

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Rose of York
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Gerard
Oct 2 2006, 01:41 PM
All,

the people in the pews dont want catholic pentecostals

Gerry

Gerry I note you did not say the people on the forum don't want Catholic pentecostals.

Have you seen what wondrous things I have in store for you?

http://z10.invisionfree.com/Catholic_Cyber...hp?showtopic=83

Just bear with me, it takes time.

:D
Keep the Faith!

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Josephine
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Rose,
Thank you - we appreciate all the time and effort - you're wonderful!

Josephine
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Rose of York
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Josephine
Oct 2 2006, 05:41 PM
Rose,
- you're wonderful!

Josephine

Josephine

I agree, 100% :angel:
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Joking apart, it is nice to have appreciation and thanks.

One reason some people stop going to Mass, is, parishes do not always get lay involvement right. Clergy have a little group who are willing to do everything, and they are allowed to selfishly take too much upon themselves. Newcomers, and young people entering adulthood are shoved out. They feel marginalised, rejected,. hurt and cannot face going to a supposedly Christian community and being treated as though they do not exist.

Sometimes a person will be missing for weeks. Nobody notices. Nobody enquires. Nobody notices them when they come back. They could have been hospitalised, or dead. :angel:
Keep the Faith!

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Gerard

Rose,

Thanks. Yes. I originally said you don't want (meaning a general you) and this was what Patrick read while I was changing it to the more impersonal people in the pews dont want. My editing is not obvious since the software does not automatically note editing.

Thanks for your hard work in transferring the prophecy thread. I thought that was finished already. Its a good example though. Patrick thought no one should prophecy without a Bishops permission and attached discernment. You thought much the same and expressed your unease with the whole thing and Tomais said it had nothing to do with religion.........

Anyone want prophecies?

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Gerard

Rose

Quote:
 
One reason some people stop going to Mass, is, parishes do not always get lay involvement right. Clergy have a little group who are willing to do everything, and they are allowed to selfishly take too much upon themselves. Newcomers, and young people entering adulthood are shoved out. They feel marginalised, rejected,. hurt and cannot face going to a supposedly Christian community and being treated as though they do not exist.


Wheels within wheels, that little group is surrounded by a slightly larger group behaving similarly.

I know of parents, very committed and active in Parish life and worship, whose teenage children attend the local lively Pentecostal Church and not our Church. When I ask the parents about this and about the possibility of giving the teenagers what they need. The parents say, in effect, no - I want my Church my way. Let them go to the Pentecostal Church.

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Rose of York
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Gerry, time for frankness. Charismatics are very good at telling other people what they need.

A lot of people have stopped attending Mass at their local parishes, because they prefer to travel to get to churches with Gregorian chant, fine vestments, incense, and "high ritual".

There are people who deserted their parishes, due to domination by Charismatic Renewal.

And a third group desert their local parish to travel to other churches that do have Charismatic Renewal.

It takes all sorts to make a world and all sorts to make a Church.



Keep the Faith!

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Michael

perhaps we could reverse the decline if we put our permanent deacons out to the lapsed catholics doors, perhaps a few kind words and a chat about the church / faith in general would help encourage those back who still believe in god but been away for so long and feel embarrassed or awkward about returning after a lengthy absence,
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Gerard

Rose of York
Oct 2 2006, 08:26 PM
Gerry, time for frankness.  Charismatics are very good at telling other people what they need.

A lot of people have stopped attending Mass at their local parishes, because they prefer to  travel to get to churches with Gregorian chant, fine vestments, incense, and "high ritual".

There are people who deserted their parishes, due to domination by Charismatic Renewal.

And a third group desert their local parish to travel to other churches that do have Charismatic Renewal.

It takes all sorts to make a world and all sorts to make a Church.

Rose,

I disagree, all such people will find themselves counted in the statistics. The group you failed to mention is the biggest group. They are not in any church on a Sunday. They have stopped going to church altogether. hey no longer consider themselves Christian.

Eros showed that of those attending church Catholics had lost 28% whereas Pentecostals had gained 34%. I told you that while my church had lost its young people our local Pentecoastal church had picked them up.

Gerry

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Rose of York
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Gerry the solution may be to convert the local Pentecostals to Catholicism. There is no Mass at the Pentecostal Church. It is for The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that we go to our Catholic churches.
Keep the Faith!

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