24/08/2024
A GREAT RESPONSE TO A READER: his question and statement are below and the Priest who responds is AWESOME!
DARIO: Hello Fr,
I'm thinking about leaving the Catholic Church to be Christian, I know this is probably wrong but do you have any advice?
Hello Dario,
Well, for one Catholic is Christian, they were and are the first Christians actually, the only Church established by Jesus Christ himself 2000 years ago. All other non Catholic Christians are late comers from 600 years ago, were formed by men who rejected the Truths of the Catholic Church. When you say you want to leave the Catholic Church to be Christian I’m assuming you mean Protestant or Evangelical?
I can’t tell you what to do, but I’m going to tell you that you have an obligation to know what you’re leaving.
The very word “Protestant” (all non-Catholic Christians) means “protest” and by protest obviously they are referring to the Catholic Church, the one True Church founded by Christ (Mathew 16: 18-19) 18. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.
The Catholic Church also has the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, and the other Sacraments established by Christ. ( http://www.catholicbridge.com/catholic/eucharist.php) The Eucharist can never be found in any Protestant Church because not only do they reject the words of Christ, but because they do not have the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the Priesthood, so they could never have it.
Protestant Christianity rejects the communion of the Saints, the Body of Christ in Heaven, Earth, and purgatory. They believe that those who are in Heaven cannot pray for us, that those who are in heaven are not alive (http://www.catholicbridge.com/catholic/saints.php) but dead. They believe that only those who are on Earth, are part of the Body of Christ, and the Body of Christ is “formed” by faith in Jesus Christ, not by the Sacrament of Baptism established by Christ, or any other sacraments.
The Evangelicalism, evangelical Christianity, or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide trans-denominational movement within Protestant Christianity that maintains the belief that the essence of the Gospel consists of the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, solely through faith in Jesus's atonement.
Protestants reject that an effort must be made to enter heaven, that you can sin as much as you so choose and if you believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son, and died for your sins, you are “saved” and can enter heaven no matter what (http://catholicbridge.com/catholic/once_saved_always_saved.php). This is a rejection and abuse of the mercy of Christ, that simply because Christ has shed His precious blood for us, we can live worldly and sinful lives, that there is no repentance, penance, or effort to live Holy lives, bear your cross, or do Gods good and Holy work, or see His Holy will.
They believe that Catholics worship Mary and the Saints, which as a Catholic I can assure you is an absolute lie. We love Mary and the Saints as our family, the Saints our brothers and sisters in Christ, Mary our mother as Christ is our Brother. We place ourselves in the arms of our Blessed Mother because Christ did so. She is not a God, she is the bearer of God. We respect her because God does not discard her, she is a Masterpiece, who was saved by the Grace of Jesus Christ the moment of her conception, much like we are in baptism. It was necessary that she was protected by God from sin because God was made Flesh in her womb.
Protestants believe that Statues of Saints or Mary are “idols”. Yet, they have no problem with photographs or images of their family on earth, statues or art for decor. They misunderstand, a Saint is like a masterpiece of God. When we look upon the life of a Saint we see God. Like we see the hands of an artist in painting. Saints are our brothers and sisters of Christ, who sought the will of God alone, abandoning themselves for God and God alone.
There are thousands and thousands of denominations of Protestantism, each with a different interpretation of the bible, some ‘non-denominational’ are simply people who read the bible and personally interpret the bible, lacking knowledge of history, culture, language of that time, and more. They reject that Christ is, was, and always will be, that Christ must Change throughout time to fit taste, modernity and to fit our sins. The Protestant churches believe that Christ must change to fit them, to fit current times, the Catholic Church upholds the truth that we, like the saints have shown us, must Change for Christ. Now with so many denominations, keep in mind protestant teachings to vary.
But there is only One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, that remains the same as it always has been, professing the Truth, the Truth that is Jesus Christ Himself, that is was and always will be.
You can leave the Catholic Church if you so choose to, but you leave the fullness of the Truth, the Holy Sacraments that poor fourth Graces from Jesus Christ.
You can leave, but you have an obligation to know what you are leaving. I suggest studying the Catholic Church, the faith, from actual practicing Catholics, maybe you could sign up for Adult Catechism at your parish, even if just to fully understand the faith you wish to leave behind. Based on your question alone, you were unaware that Catholics were Christians, let alone the first ones. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask off Dario.
Also I wanted to tell my Protestant brothers and sisters that I do not love you any less, but I am Catholic before I am anything else. I believe I have a obligation, or holy opportunity, to speak the truth at all times no matter the cost. Love you all, and God bless!
(Sorry for grammar/spelling issues, I didn’t have time to double check)
God bless you all. Fr. David Olusi
source: Catholic Study Fellowship
September 17, 2020
