As an admitted "cafeteria Catholic", I would place God first, ahead of all the items on your particular list, as the focus of my faith.

I am not Catholic, but I like the way you think Joe.

It's about time...from a very disillusioned former Catholic.

I have a hard time understanding how Catholics in many diocese can continue to support the church financially when they are paying millions of dollars to victims of abuse by clergy. In Kansas City Bishop Finn has been convicted - let me repeat - CONVICTED - of failure to report known instances of abuse, yet he remains the Bishop of the Kansas City/St. Joseph diocese. I have talked with some Catholic friends and asked how this can be, when Joe Paterno, a mere football coach, was run out of his job by press and public opinion, for allegedly not doing "enough", even after he reported the single case he was aware of to his superiors? The head of a large religious organization covered up abuse by priests under his direction and he remains in a job supposedly requiring near purity? It would seem logical to me that if the Catholic Church wants to clean up its act and its reputation, it needs to a. get rid of ALL the people in its official positions that have had anything to do with the abuse cases, and b. get rid of the ridiculous requirement of chastity in the priesthood, which would appear to anyone with common sense to be a factor in attracting potential pedophiles or turning certain men into pedophiles.

Because Ed, there is a huge difference between the "institutional" church and the community of God.


It is a huge shame and a terrible thing, the abuse of children and especially from those who wear the cloak of the clergy... but it isn't the center of our faith. It isn't the heart of our religion. It isn't the reason we go to church.


We go to church because we love God and find His presence there.


Should we stop?


Sometimes I attend daily Mass. It is a beautiful thing to enter the quiet church in the morning and find several hundred people there on their knees. I am guessing that they are saying please and thank you. It is the faith they have clung to for their entire life.


This morning was the funeral of a 93 year old man who had been married to his wife for 68 years. She was in the front pew as we all celebrated his life.


There is still good in the Catholic Church. Just as there is much good in all churches. I am sure you feel love toward your own church. You can't throw the baby out with the bath water.


These are just my own personal feelings.

If I was in charge, I would prosecute the priests for their crimes and would not cover them up just because the say they are faithful to the will of God. They should have exaggerated punishment, but for some reason beyond my comprehension, they are apparently forgiven for their indiscretions and simply moved to a new Parrish with a fresh crop of innocent children. If that is Gods will, OK, but if that is not Gods will, hold them accountable for their perversions and crimes.

And your lovely personal feelings do not in any way contradict what I said. I did not advocate giving up on your church, but think you would agree that there has been a huge problem, which should be addressed. If the church has served you well, and the priests in your parishes have been Godly and righteous then you should, by all means, support their ministry. I try to couch my opinions with qualifiers, such as "in my opinion", or "if it were up to me", etc., and never expect that everyone will or should agree with me. I get spiritual nourishment from my church, but I don't think either the church hierarchy or the people in charge locally are anything other than well-meaning people who felt moved to pursue a career in organized religion. They are not infallible, and if they are not serving the Lord and their congregation, they should be fired. I have moved denominations before, and would not hesitate to do so again if I felt it was warrented.

The Eucharist, the first thing on that list, IS the body and blood of Christ. that puts God first on our list for us. everything about that list is designed to bring one closer to God.

HMM...so they got rid of Pope Benedict who "Actively"
COVERED UP the reports on child molester priests.

Then they elevate Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope Francis.
He did not COVER UP the abuse cases..........
............he simply IGNORED the facts and covered his ears
and pretended the abuse was not happening.

Database of Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse

You can find the 3300 "listed" priests on......

www.bishopaccountability.org

This is JUST the ones in the USA.
Thousands more went unreported.

Then add the thousands more in dozens of other countries.

It is more than awful, absolutely indefensible and most of us know it is time for a change. In Cincinnati our bishop was unrelenting in exposing any clergy to the authorities. It is inexcusable and wrong and beyond terrible and I can see why so many have turned away from the church. I believe that change will come.


There are many good people in the Catholic Church. We have some wonderful and caring priests at St. Timothy's and the priest that just was moved from St.Vincent de Paul was a grandfather who became a priest after his wife died.


I hear what you are both saying and you are right but many of us still find good in the church. I hope that people who are non Catholics understand.

People throughout the world turn to the church in times of trouble and I see no evidence to change that for the masses; however, the criminal activities within the hierarchy of the Catholic Church has done horrible damage to so many thousands of faithful members. This new Pope is doing the right thing in taking the first major step to stop the madness and hopefully stop future assaults.

The problem is money. These bishops and cardinals live like princes always have. They suck the earnings of the faithful like leeches and possess a huge sense of entitlement. Why would they give up their palatial digs? Have you watched the TV show "The Borgias"? Why should a "man of the cloth" sworn to poverty be permitted to live a life of luxury with servants, cooks and assistants. Pope Frances needs to fire most of these old hypocrites like he did with the German cardinal! He seems like a truly pious man and I wonder how long the old guard will allow him to continue the very necessary reforms he is making.

When I attended Catholic school we, of course, were taught about the heretics like Martin Luther who were burning in hell. History is just repeating itself again. The church was so corrupt in the middle ages that the only way to kill the beast was to leave the church and face excommunication. I have a much different perspective now... nor do I believe I will go to hell for refusing to accept business as usual in the Catholic Church. Finally, free of guilt!