The hierarchy labels Catholics
who have moved beyond the boundaries
of institutional religion in search of Spiritual growth
Fallen-away Catholics
as if not following the man-made rules and regulations
signifies a loss of faith.
Outrageous!
I asked people for a more appropriate name for us;
Here are some of the responses:
Homeless Catholics, Nomad Catholics,
Catholic Alumni, Exodus Catholics, Liberated Catholics,
Adult Catholics, Non-Attending Catholics,
Un-fearful Catholics, Alienated Catholics
Non-bureaucratic Catholics, Inclusive Catholics
Catholics in Love, Catholics in Exile,
Recovering Catholics, Kinda Catholics,
Liberal Catholics, Raised Catholics, USTA B Catholics
Wandering Catholics, Roamin’ Catholics
Disgruntled Catholics, Wayward Catholics
Activist Catholics, Gypsy Catholics
Agitator Catholics, Jesus Catholics
Non-bureaucratic Catholics, Un-hierarchied Catholics
Protesting Catholics, Re-Formed Catholics
Metanoiaed Catholics, Pray, Play, DisObey Catholics
Non-Babel Catholics, Catholics Living in the Real World
Post-medieval Catholics, Un-clericalized Catholics
Freed Catholics, New World Catholics, Rebel Catholics,
Disenfranchised Catholics, Home-Liturgy Catholics
True-Tradition Catholics, Non-Lay Catholics
De-Catechized Catholics, Open-Table Catholics
De-institutionalized Catholics,
De-programmed Catholics, De-culted Catholics
Ecumenical Catholics, catholic Catholics
Christian Catholics
Fundamental Catholics
(as opposed to Catholic fundamentalists)
Un-intimidated Catholics, Illuminated Catholics
Former Catholics, Universe Catholics
Refreshed Catholics, Progressive Catholics
Small-Faith-Group Catholics, Happy liberal Catholics
Discerning Catholics, Thinking Catholics
Emmaus Catholics, John XXIII Catholics
Global Catholics, Welcoming Catholics
Beatitude Catholics
Episcopalians
Call-To-Action Catholics, Pot Luck Catholics,
People of God,
Catholics-with-a-brain-not-afraid-to-use-it,
Thinking Catholics, Catholics Conflicted
The Newly Marginalized Catholics
First-Century Catholics, Run-Away Catholics
Fallen Away?
Notice what description is missing?
Faithful Catholics.
People leave the Church all the time - for all sorts of reasons - and yet many still consider themselves Catholic. Catholic on their own terms. At least the 16th Century Catholics who apostatized had the integrity to call themselves Protestant. This bunch is awfully non-committal about the whole thing. I mean, if you've "moved beyond the boundaries of institutional religion in search of Spiritual growth", doesn't that pretty much mean you're not Catholic anymore? What's the appeal in calling yourself Catholic?
The saddest thing about this list (and remember - the contributors are Fallen Away Catholics) is that they seem so darn proud of it.
