I was at last at a Catholic mass in about 1968, when I went to hear an anti-Vietnam war message from a priest on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. I can’t imagine what response I would get from a priest if I confessed THAT. I’ll tell you something personal, Mary: your earlier invitation has triggered some reflection. That is quite unexpected.

That said, I grew up in the American Baptist Church (not liturgical in the least). It was a bit of an adjustment to land in the UMC when I got married many years later. I would not say that the liturgy per se has deepened my faith. Joining the choir, I have found, has made me much more aware (and concerned) about the progress of the service of worship. Now I have a heightened awareness of everything that is going on, and prayerful concern about the “feeding” of all the parishioners.

History argues against some of the “traditions” of the RCC–significant elements having been introduced during the Middle Ages or later, and some for pragmatic reasons. It is frustrating to hear attacks against Christianity based on claims that it is a mechanism for “control” of people. Naturally, the venerable RCC is a favorite target for these attacks. I don’t accept them, and as a Christian, I really can’t (Mark 9:40).

Since you’ve challenged me in a couple of areas, I’ll toss this out: is it not curious that the Anglican Church, whose structure was “invented” as a “replacement” for the RCC, for nefarious purposes, should, because of the presence of the accouterments of the RCC (the bureaucracy, and other structural elements, arguably fraudulently produced in their original form), should be, because of these very formal similarities to the RCC, be singled out for an entrance into communion with the RCC? Isn’t this a case of “form over function?” From the article above: “At the same time [Anglicans] wanted to retain some aspects of their liturgy and tradition.” Is that what it’s really all about?

Thanks for your charitable response.

You wrote: The early Christian church, composed of Jews who would meet in a private homes after temple to celebrate communion, have inspired the development of orders of service in many churches that reflect ancient worship: meeting, praise and worship, the Word, and then Holy Communion and passing of peace.

Now let me ask in all seriousness: HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A MASS?

Where really do you think that order of worship (when it is used in those Protestant services that are still liturgical) comes from? You think it jumped over 1000 years of history and landed in Protestantism? You think that the Protestant communions went back to the early Christians and read their worship books and patterned themselves after that?

Have YOU read the early Christians on worship?

I pray for the action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Pope. I didn’t come here to be dismissive. I’m supportive of ecumenism, and found the reported developments interesting and surprising, especially under the auspices of this particular Pope.

The so-called “English Reformation”–something based on a specific and untoward set of circumstances–doesn’t offer much insight into Protestantism generally, of course.

The Protestantism that developed in the years leading up to 1517 had, besides the particular issues related to RCC practices such as indulgences, a principle feature that distinguishes it today: a questioning of the function the priesthood vis a vis an individual’s personal relationship with God. From the Wiki: “Catholics and Anglicans point to passages such as Matthew 16:18-19 (‘upon this rock I will build my church’) as the establishment of the Papacy and ecclestiastical hierarchy. Most Protestant and Orthodox theologians believe Jesus was referring to Peter’s confession of faith or himself as ‘rock.’” There’s not enough space on your servers to revisit 500 years of Protestantism.

All Christians rejoice in the love of our Savior–this Sunday is Gaudete (“rejoice”) Sunday, where in our (Methodist) church we will light two violet candles, and one rose candle on the Advent wreath. Advent itself, which began to be observed perhaps 500 years before 1517, has for a thousand years been recognized as a penitential and reflective time in the lives of Christians (please disregard the commercial version on TV). The exception is this coming Sunday–woo hoo! Rejoice!

The decry of a missed opportunity with the election of the current Pope is something that needs to be taken up with the Holy Spirit. BXV1 was also the choice of JP2, You talk about bringing youth into the church, he was a rock star.

Our pope IS a “speaker for Christian values” just as Jesus was a speaker for Judaic values. But there is so much more. How dare I make the comparison that the two are in any way equivalent?
The answer is in the title – The Vicar of Christ.

That being said however, we acknowledge that the Church is still in need of reform and ever will be. Come home to her as she is, please (we invite you from the heart) and be part of the solution. Be part of today’s Catholic reformation — for God has placed you in this time, not in 1517. You may find as I did that coming into the Catholic Church and joining today’s reform means your own personal reform and ongoing conversion — and what, dear man, could be more Methodist than that?

(You may also be surprised to find that youths are among B16′s biggest fans.)

As mentioned in my profile, I’m United Methodist (not even in communion with Anglicans, come to think of it). It’s important, I think, for Catholics to realize–if they don’t, that many, if not most, Protestants do not denigrate the RCC as less than a worthy denomination of the catholic (universal) Church of Jesus Christ. What many Protestants may find curious is the construction of a view that is wholly RCC-centric, as may be implied by statements such as “the separation weighs down on leaders from both sides. They are all acutely aware that Jesus’ intention was to found his Church, not many churches: ‘That they may be one.’” If one were cynical about it, one might question whether the RCC is that “one.” The form of that analysis would practically prompt a correction, that in terms of a church bureaucracy, it was more Constantine than Jesus who wanted “one” church. Jesus showed us one path to God, and to seek communion with God in Christ is the essence of our faith.

Surely from Malachi forward, the idea of a universal God who reigns over all of humankind is the stage that is set for Jesus’ dramatic and ultimately triumphant entry into history. When one delves into issues of church hierarchy one must, I think, be guided less by “branding” than by two great commandments that Jesus taught us, and by the great commission of bringing people to Christ.

So I look at words like “slackening of moral doctrine” and I wonder about many issues that reflect upon various denominations, including the RCC. As much as I respect the Pope as a good and moral pastor and speaker for Christian values, I cannot help but pick up on the wording of another commenter above, who speaks of a “a spiral into total irrelevance.” There was an opportunity, with the selection of the current Pope, to bring young people to Christ and to strengthen ecumenical ties. We’ll see what these latest developments bring (surely nothing as dramatic as the events that began in 1641 in England, but perhaps as important).

I don’t want to go “home,” to the “home” of 1517. Five hundred years later, I wonder how many Catholics can hear that?

He has also made the point that what Papa Ben is after is that we may all be one.

It’s a good one. As the Episcopal Church in America and other portions of the Anglican community continue down a spiral into total irrelevance, many faithful Christians of those groups want an authentic church home. It’s a brilliant, as well as benevolent, move by our Shepherd to roll out the red carpet to them. Welcome home indeed!