Posted by Kevin Bates on July 25, 2006, 8:54 pm, in reply to "Re: That Other Big Church Event..." This is the very solution that the Church of Latin America has found adn it works briliantly. People are taking up their own responsiblity for the church's life and then feeding back into the larger community their experiences and reflections on those experiences, and over time this will impact massively on Church teaching at the official level. My own experience is that life is too precious a gift to allow someone else, be it a person, a group or an isntitution, to substantially ruin it for me. Love and prayers for yoru peace. Kevin --Previous Message--
Hi Cathy and thanks for your posting which I've just had the chance to read. You seem to write out of an experience of some pain and loneliness in relation to "church." I hope you can turn a few corners and perhaps find, or as Jo says in her response, create some form of local church within the Catholic community there that would be life-giving for you and others.
: Hi Cathy,
:
: It's an interesting topic that you have
: brought up and strangely enough, I have had
: a mixed reaction to your post....
:
: It's the end of a busy Sunday here in a
: large family (six kids) and I am wondering
: what the "Church" could have done
: for me today, that we didn't achieve for
: ourselves already.
:
: My first thought was "What do you
: want?" *grin
:
: So many are critical that the
: "Church" has too much say on how
: we live our lives and what we should and
: shouldn't do etc. and yet, I hear you saying
: that you want the Church to be more involved
: and check on how we are doing with our
: families!
:
: Cathy, you said : “the Church is making it
: harder, not easier, for people to come to
: God and/or live out their Christian faith
: through their family life.”
:
: I have seriously reflected on this, since
: first reading your post and I have come to
: the conclusion that you are looking too
: high!! *grin “The Church” provides
: guidelines and gives “instructions”, but
: ultimately Cathy, the grass roots is where
: it is at. You and I are the Church! To ask
: all these questions of “authority” you must
: be willing to ask them of yourself.
:
: My own hope would be that I brought my
: family (and those around me) closer to God
: by their encounter with me. I would also
: hope that I improve everyday, in striving to
: live my Christian faith.
:
: If you are not feeling supported in your
: family life Cathy, then maybe you need to
: seek to belong to a different community…one
: where you feel welcomed and understood.
: There are so many opportunities to be
: involved in Parishes…
:
: By the way, I am not for one minute saying
: that we have it all “right” and there is no
: need for improvement…and I do hear what you
: are saying! However, there does come a time
: when we have to stop waiting for “someone”
: to tell us what to do and give us an
: instruction we agree with, so we can
: “start”. It’s up to us to create the kind
: of Church we need/desire. Roll your sleeves
: up and start a parent’s group, if there
: isn’t one…create a small Christian
: community….volunteer to do
: visitations……wherever there is a need - be
: involved!
:
: Take care Cathy and be assured that you and
: your family will be remembered in prayer…
: I look forward to reading more from you…
:
: Regards,
:
: Jo
:
:
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