My Journey Back To The Catholic Church

 

 I was brought up in the Catholic Church and went to Catholic Elementary School. When I was about 18 years old I kind of slacked off. I got involved in going to college and did some running around. I did my share of drinking beer and made some mistakes. It wasn't that I forgot my Catholic Faith, no I just started wandering. I thought as a child and acted like a child.
 Well when I was about 22 Years old I met my wife and we fell in love. She was going to one of the full gospel churches at the time with her family. I decided to go to be nice and see what it was about. I did enjoy it at first and my wife and I were married there. We spent a few years in the church until one day when I thought my mother was not and did not believe in Jesus. I had a thought that she was going to hell. Well I thought wait a minute, I know what she believed about Jesus and it was the same as I believed. I knew something was wrong and we decided to leave the protestant born again church.
 We looked around and went to a variety of churches,seeking to find a place where we were both comfortable in. We ended up in the Lutheran Church as it seemed to combine both Catholic and Protestant Ideas. It was a nice church and the people were all loving people. The pastor  was a very nice person and I loved listening to him on Sundays. We stayed in the church while our children were born. One day during communion I realized that they believed that the host was just a symbol. I knew this was wrong in my heart and finally decided to look for a different church.
 I decided to search through history, to determine what was the original church. As I searched with a book on the history of religion, I kept ending up at the Catholic Church. My mother gave me some religious books she bought at a garage sale. Well one was called 30 years with Christ. As I read through it, the woman made a statement that there are thousands of different denominations and they were all saying different things about the same subject. She said that they could not all be right as this was what the Holy Spirit said. She then said that either the Holy Spirit did not know what he was saying or he was lying. She then said of course this can not be true as the Holy Spirit is the mouth piece for God and God can not be wrong.
 So which was the true church started by Jesus Christ. Well as it happened I was flipping channels on cable tv and happened to watch the Journey Home show on EWTN. This is the Catholic channel on cable tv. This was a show about people that came back to or decided to become Catholic. The topic of the show that night was with Scott Hahn and about the Holy Eucharist.After I listened to what he had to say I knew that I had to go back to the Catholic Church. I learned about the Early Church Fathers. I came to realize that some of them were directly associated with the apostles and they were doing what Jesus taught them. The only church following this was the Catholic Church.
 Well I prayed about it and spoke to my wife. I explained how I felt and what I believed. I came back to the Catholic Church and have been there for quite a few years now. I told my wife she had to decide for herself what she wanted to do. Well she decided to become Catholic and all my children became Catholic. We all go to Mass at the same time and receive Holy Communion together I absolutely love eating Jesus Body by partaking in the Holy Eucharist and drinking His Blood .I practice all the various sacraments and try to teach my children about them.
 I will never leave the Catholic Church again. Amen

Stop The Hand Holding During The Our Father At Mass

 Yes as we are praying the Our Father at Mass there are numerous individuals that are holding hands and then raising them when the priest does. Is this okay to do this during Mass ? The answer to that is no , it should not be done. The reason why is that it is not in the rubrics, which is what is to be done during Mass by the priest and the congregation. This has also never been approved by the Pope or the Holy See.

 Okay so exactly what should be done to put an end to this action. Well the priest should either send a written letter to all those in the congregation explaining why this should not be done any longer. The other choice would be to explain this during the beginning of the Mass. I am sure there will be those that will be upset, but we can not have people just doing what they please. If they do we will be heading for a split of the Church or a Schism in the Church.

 Many people seem to be asking where did this hand holding exactly come from. I spent a few years in the Assembly Of God Church and quite a few years in the protestant church. I believe that people that have come from these churches, brought some of their protestant ways with them. If this is so, then they clearly do not understand the ways of the Catholic Church.

 Below is the reading and order taken from the Rubrics: 

What the Priest does is in red.

 The Communion Rite 124. After the chalice and paten have been set down, the Priest, with hands joined, says: At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say: He extends his hands and, together with the people, continues: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Or: Alternate musical settings of the Lord’s Prayer may be found in Appendix I, pp. 0000-0000. 125. With hands extended, the Priest alone continues, saying: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. He joins his hands. The people conclude the prayer, acclaiming: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever. 126. Then the Priest, with hands extended, says aloud: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you; look not on our sins, 38 THE ORDER OF MASS but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. He joins his hands. Who live and reign for ever and ever. The people reply: Amen.

If you would like to see the whole Rubrics or Order Of The Mass in a pdf file click this link:  The Holy Order Of The Mass

Here are a few articles I came across on the subject of holding hands during the Mass:

1. Holding Hands During The Our Father
2. Video About Holding Hands
3. Stop Holding Hands
4. Holding Hands During The Lords Prayer