Comments on: Institution, Shminstitution? http://youngadultcatholics-blog.com/2009/06/19/institution-shminstitution/ YoungAdultCatholics - a blog of NextGen at Call To Action Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:31:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Becky Schwantes http://youngadultcatholics-blog.com/2009/06/19/institution-shminstitution/#comment-1249 Becky Schwantes Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:31:29 +0000 http://youngadultcatholics-blog.com/?p=1249#comment-1249 I find myself questioning this quite often as well. There are days I love and value the institution and days I want to be catholic (lowercase 'c' and no Roman). I am currently in a parish where many parishioners are trying to be a parish without the institution, and I find that bothersome as well. They tend to neglect a lot of wonderful aspects of the institution because they want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. And on some days, I'm right there with them, but on most other days, I'm horribly frustrated with it because they want to pretend that being Catholic isn't about us--all the people and God, but just me (or only the parish) and God. The whole us and God verses me and God is what makes me Catholic, and I cannot and will not define the us by only looking in the mirror. There are bishops I won't agree with on much, but they are children of God too and just as prone to error as I. This is such a difficult one, Kate, so thanks for sharing your struggles too! I find myself questioning this quite often as well. There are days I love and value the institution and days I want to be catholic (lowercase ‘c’ and no Roman). I am currently in a parish where many parishioners are trying to be a parish without the institution, and I find that bothersome as well. They tend to neglect a lot of wonderful aspects of the institution because they want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. And on some days, I’m right there with them, but on most other days, I’m horribly frustrated with it because they want to pretend that being Catholic isn’t about us–all the people and God, but just me (or only the parish) and God. The whole us and God verses me and God is what makes me Catholic, and I cannot and will not define the us by only looking in the mirror. There are bishops I won’t agree with on much, but they are children of God too and just as prone to error as I. This is such a difficult one, Kate, so thanks for sharing your struggles too!

]]> By: Stacey http://youngadultcatholics-blog.com/2009/06/19/institution-shminstitution/#comment-1245 Stacey Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:39:01 +0000 http://youngadultcatholics-blog.com/?p=1249#comment-1245 Hi Kate, Reference point: I'm currently converting from Protestant to Catholic. Haven't taken the plunge quite yet, but have been looking into things for a year now. I guess I don't understand <i>how it's possible</i> to separate a Catholic from the Catholic Church. Catholicism is more than just a group of beliefs and traditions (lower case "t"). It can't stand without unity and brotherly love of the Body of Christ. And unity is a BIG part of it. The mass and Eucharist are a real action that we take to unify the Body, and submission to those in authority as if they are Christ is another vital part of it. It's a natural consequence of surrender to Christ and giving up our selves and our own desires to follow Him. So considering those things, how can you do any of that without the institution? Hi Kate,

Reference point: I’m currently converting from Protestant to Catholic. Haven’t taken the plunge quite yet, but have been looking into things for a year now.

I guess I don’t understand how it’s possible to separate a Catholic from the Catholic Church. Catholicism is more than just a group of beliefs and traditions (lower case “t”). It can’t stand without unity and brotherly love of the Body of Christ. And unity is a BIG part of it. The mass and Eucharist are a real action that we take to unify the Body, and submission to those in authority as if they are Christ is another vital part of it. It’s a natural consequence of surrender to Christ and giving up our selves and our own desires to follow Him. So considering those things, how can you do any of that without the institution?

]]> By: jjhatch http://youngadultcatholics-blog.com/2009/06/19/institution-shminstitution/#comment-1243 jjhatch Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:24:43 +0000 http://youngadultcatholics-blog.com/?p=1249#comment-1243 This is something I struggle with constantly ... you wrote, "It is my lens, it melds my worldview, and even though it is influenced by all the other facets of my identity, it is at my core." There are times that I am so appalled by the action of the institution or its agents that I can't even bring myself to attend my local church (and some days, ANY church in my diocese, thanks Bishop Morlino). But there's no way I can un-Catholicize myself either - my worldview and spirituality are too Catholic for me to fully give myself over to another tradition (even though I keep trying!). This is something I struggle with constantly … you wrote, “It is my lens, it melds my worldview, and even though it is influenced by all the other facets of my identity, it is at my core.” There are times that I am so appalled by the action of the institution or its agents that I can’t even bring myself to attend my local church (and some days, ANY church in my diocese, thanks Bishop Morlino). But there’s no way I can un-Catholicize myself either – my worldview and spirituality are too Catholic for me to fully give myself over to another tradition (even though I keep trying!).

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