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Traditions
I think this will be
problems in many churches, where traditions are not relevant for
the times that we live in. One good thing about the Catholic
Church is that it started well, and then committed some of the
worse crimes every seen in history, but now seems to have its act
together. One thing I do like about the Catholic Church is that
compared to other Churches, it is a modern Church. None the less,
there are traditions that I question or totally disagree with. If
I went through all the Catholic Traditions and beliefs, then this
would be a book. So I will take the major ones.
Traditions are good. Or
are they? Some traditions that annoy me could be a vital part of
another persons religion. Yet I might see them as crap and a waste
of time. It is important to question the traditions. I believe we
should not accept them that we do not agree with, after studying
the purpose of them.
One tradition that I
really question is the Mass. I think its a great idea that we all
meet in prayer. At the same time, I always think does God ever get
tired of hearing the same thing every single week. Actually there
is a mass every day. But the words in the mass, the prayers and
the structure is the same. At times I think do we even think about
what is being said. I meen that we say the same thing every week,
so after a while we sound like a flock geese that are mumbling
prayers. Prayers and texts that we say every week and are just
words that recite. And as I said, God must be very tired of
hearing the same thing every week. The tradition of praying
together, or service or mass is good. But maybe we should change
it so it is our service/mass. Not something that was created 1,000
years ago.
Prayer is a good thing. No
doubt about that. But I never did get the idea of Rosaries and
Novenas and those things we have in the Catholic Church. I know
they are important for my mother. She is always sending novenas to
me. To those that don't know it, a novena is a prayer you say over
nine days. I tried the Rosary, but I get caught up so much in
counting the hair Marys, that I do not have time to meditate. This
is the whole idea of the Rosary, to meditate. This is a deep
catholic tradition. Reciting prayers and other things. Personally
the only prayer that means anything to me is Our Father. The
tradition of reciting prayers means nothing if you do not think of
what you are saying and why you are saying it
One controversial thing
about the Catholic Church is the saints. A lot of people pray to
saints. Again I do not understand this. Why do we not pray to God
himself? Why do we need all the middle people. As of yet. no one
could give me an answer about this. OK, I admit once in a while I
talk with my grandmother, whom is dead. Its a question about
comfort as I have always been close to her. But the concept of
praying to saints and Mary is something that goes against the
commandments, Tho should not have more than one God. When we pray,
we should primary pray to God. Not mainly to the saints.
One last thing, I would
bring attention to is the hierarchy. We have the pope, that is a
sort of dictator. He could proclaim something as if its the word
of God. This only happens every 100 years. The problem when he
does this, is that it cannot be changed. We have arch bishops and
then priests. At the bottom is us. One could also provoke by
saying at the bottom are women. This hierarchy always annoyed me,
as it leaves the people far away. I always thought about democracy
in the Church. Like some protestant Churches, why can we not
choose what priest we want? What priest we need? Why can we not
vote for the Pope? We live in a modern age where that is possible.
I am sure that if we did this, many people would take an interest
in their local church as well as the Vatican.
Not to appear as a whiner,
I also have written my favourite traditions:
- Prayer: This is of
course the same with every Church. But thanks to my parents, I
have learnt the importance of prayer and I can testify that it
does effect my life.
- Mary: I know that many
non-Catholics think we think too much of Mary, and indeed saints.
I do not pray to them, but It is great that we have some people
that who's example we can follow. My favourite is St. Bernadette
- Fasting: I do not fast
on official times or when the Church tells me. I do it when I
think I need to. I do not tell anyone. Fasting is a sign to myself
that I am giving myself to God and using this time to be closer to
him
- Family: This is the most
important part of being religious or a Catholic. I can say that it
is my families identity. It is what holds us together. Family
strengthens our bonds and our relationship with God. My parents
were visiting here a month ago. They were chanting the rosary at
night when they thought I didn't hear. Another mistake I made when
I was married. We forgot to be together with God. But my parents
remembered it, and as much as I hate the rosary, I found myself
reciting it.
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