As election season cranks up, I've been listening and observing the coverage and a thought occurred to me that I thought I'd pass on.
The "Catholic vote" is often discussed because it is considered one of the more important indicators of who will win. When pollsters on NPR or any of the other major news outlets talk about the "Catholic vote" they almost inevitably go on to say something like "but when you look at "Catholics who attend Mass weekly" you see..." What these pollsters are noting in their own secular way is also what the Church obviously teaches - going to Mass every Sunday MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
If only the Catholics who take weeks off here and there or miss when they are on vacation or miss when they travel etc. would notice the same thing that Rasmussen and Gallup notice as well - those who miss Mass and those who go to Mass every week are two different types of "Catholic."
I wish people would stop calling such people "Catholics." If you don't go to Mass, if you don't partake in the sacraments, if you don't know or follow Church teaching, you are NOT a Catholic.
ReplyDeleteHeck, would we call a person a "doctor" who never goes into a hospital or clinic, never practices medicine, never went to medical school, and think most prescription medication is foolish and unnecessary?
No, we wouldn't. But since the media loves to parade the Nancy Pelosi "Catholics" out in pole after pole, we have to live with this farce that anyone can be entirely non-Catholic and still identify as a Catholic.
Dear Father,
ReplyDeleteI know this doesn't really correlate with this piece but I have a question. I am part of a die hard catholic family. I can't remember the last time I missed church, and I will probably die a hardcore catholic. My problem is that my girlfriend that I have been dating for well over a year now ans she is not catholic; furthermore, she doesn't attend church at all. I have taken her to church with me a couple times, but she has subtly inferred that she doesn't really like it. She is a great person, believes in God, but doesn't believe it is necessary to go to mass on Sunday. She doesnt believe that God will punish her for not going to church. I have strayed away from asking her about it recently but I want to talk to her about it because it is extremely important to me. What should I do? Is this a test from God or is it a sign for me to move on?