Sorry - don’t get the practice of making “sacrifices” for a month and a half - all to prove your “faith”.
Wouldn’t a truly faithful person make sacrifices year round ? Does giving up something you enjoy make you a truer believer ?
Obviously a lot of people use this time to quit doing things that have a negative implication on their life - drinking, inactivity, eating poorly. But the whole thing just feels like more BS sold to us by some old men in Vatican City trying to remain in power.
Born catholic and baptized/confirmed - but I just don’t see the logic in many of the things the church passes down to its followers. They build wonderfully ornate churches - but the powers that be inside of some of those buildings have different rules for themselves vs the faithful.
My last interaction with the local church was when my father passed - the local Monsignor came calling the next day (he hadn’t been in touch for months - sent a jr priest to perform last rights as he was busy playing golf - despite the fact my father had been a loyal parishioner for 67 years) - he stopped to “remind” me of my fathers loyalty and how he is certain dad would want a chunk of his estate left to the church. I thanked him for stopping by and complimented his new Mercedes. Then asked “doesn’t the clergy take a vow of poverty?” - he looked me straight in the eye and replied “only priest - that doesn’t apply to Monsignors or higher ranking officials in the church”. I sent a thank you card later and said I did not feel the church needed my funds as they could afford to pay a leader enough to buy/lease a new luxury car. Never heard from him again.
Did get a nice Christmas card from the new priest who took over once Monsignor retired a few years back. Addressed to my mother - the same person whom he performed her funeral mass at 4 years earlier. Again - reminding of the churches desperate financial situation and to help with the retired clergy fund.
Wouldn’t a truly faithful person make sacrifices year round ? Does giving up something you enjoy make you a truer believer ?
Obviously a lot of people use this time to quit doing things that have a negative implication on their life - drinking, inactivity, eating poorly. But the whole thing just feels like more BS sold to us by some old men in Vatican City trying to remain in power.
Born catholic and baptized/confirmed - but I just don’t see the logic in many of the things the church passes down to its followers. They build wonderfully ornate churches - but the powers that be inside of some of those buildings have different rules for themselves vs the faithful.
My last interaction with the local church was when my father passed - the local Monsignor came calling the next day (he hadn’t been in touch for months - sent a jr priest to perform last rights as he was busy playing golf - despite the fact my father had been a loyal parishioner for 67 years) - he stopped to “remind” me of my fathers loyalty and how he is certain dad would want a chunk of his estate left to the church. I thanked him for stopping by and complimented his new Mercedes. Then asked “doesn’t the clergy take a vow of poverty?” - he looked me straight in the eye and replied “only priest - that doesn’t apply to Monsignors or higher ranking officials in the church”. I sent a thank you card later and said I did not feel the church needed my funds as they could afford to pay a leader enough to buy/lease a new luxury car. Never heard from him again.
Did get a nice Christmas card from the new priest who took over once Monsignor retired a few years back. Addressed to my mother - the same person whom he performed her funeral mass at 4 years earlier. Again - reminding of the churches desperate financial situation and to help with the retired clergy fund.
