Midnight Mass
Catholicism is a very ritualistic religion,with a lot of pomp and circumstance. Confession just about debilitates your sense of self esteem. Going to the confessional is always unnerving and you feel so awful. We forever memorize "Bless me Father for I have sinned it's been blank days since my last confession" then we pour out a litany of sins from "venal" the lesser to "mortal" the greater--off we go to do 25 Hail Mary's 10 our Fathers and whatever else the Priest decides you need to clean your soul.
They should do a study on the effect this has on children. I believe it's damaging, because it causes you to be very honest in a very dishonest world. As I grew older, I would notice that when, the Priest would say show the sign of peace to your neighbor and shake their hand, many would refuse to do so. We are talking at the actual Sunday Mass!
Many of us left the church because of its unrelenting positions on family issues, yet they provided no support, especially not being able to divorce a spouse even if he was abusive. Of course abortion and birth control are prohibited. What is really curious? Is that the average Catholic does not know the Bible. We had "Missals." Some Charismatic Catholics,who speak in tongues do read the Bible,but that is not the Roman Catholic Church's mandate.
I started attending "Vineyard" Churches and that is where I learned to read the Bible, as I reflect on this Christmas eve--how can this be? Catholics don't quote scripture--They know of Jesus' teachings, and of course the Saints, we are inundated with Saints. It's really a complicated,hidden religion with lots of secrets,those of us that left consider ourselves lucky.
Never mind the elitist side of it--the other telling mark is once you are a Catholic as Rev. Wyatt T.Walker , former Pastor of the Harlem Abyssinian Church told me --you are so deeply indoctrinated that it is hard to leave. He was right, so we just live with the vistages of our Catholicism--at least we find solace in one God.
We had a big beautiful Bible at home with the Old and New Testament,but I never saw anyone "studying" it. So it's all Pomp and Circumstance.
True dat--my friend!