What type of Catholic are you?

[Beer Snob-50]

I was curious on what school of Catholism you are all a member of. I have lurked in other Catholic sites were most of the members were of the hard core conservative style of catholic (Vatican 2 was very very bad)and I think I know the answer here but am just curious. (liberal or conservative Catholic)

[AngryOldDem]

1. Moderate Catholic, here, I guess n/t

[demosincebirth]

7. ditto

[CBHagman]

2. Very liberal Vatican II Catholic here.

I admire the current pope's stances on Jewish-Christian relations, for example, but I am frustrated by his conservative approach about many issues. For example, I favor the ordination of women.

I spent a few years in the Charismatic movement and also worshipping at churches of various denominations. I even stopped attending Mass when I was in college and went to other services instead. The first time I was taken to a non-Catholic church was by my father (a devout Catholic) and stepmother, and I felt horribly uncomfortable about the whole thing. Remember, we were brought up to believe that the only legitimate church was the Catholic Church.

Later on, ironically enough, I got some of my relatives concerned when I started attending non-Catholic services and seminars, besides attending Mass. My parents were all right with that but made me reassure my relatives that I wasn't converting! Today virtually all of my siblings have left the church they were brought up with and either don't practice or attend another kind of church. I'm the only one still going to Mass.

[Beer Snob-50]

3. There were 7 children in my family

and only my brother and I still attend mass. I also teach CCD for my church. I didn't give my view. I am considered a liberal who questions some of the churches teachings but love many of the changes over the years.

I tend to teach my students a more liberal and more human view of the church. One night we were acting out one of Jesus' sermons and when I asked the kids how do they feel the crowd acted, they said they prayed and were quite. I suggested that maybe they were having a great time and while acting I made them do a wave for Jesus. They tend to want to still do that every now and then.

[Maeve]

4. Liberal, with moderating aspects

I favor the ordination of women, but don't expect to see it in my lifetime--and certainly not in this pope's lifetime! When the Holy Spirit says "enough, already!" we will see it...
I have no problem with married clergy, either, but object to anyone taking a vow and breaking it--if you sign up for celibacy, live with it or leave.
I think the Curia would micro-manage the lives of the whole billion or so of us if they could; I think the Church did just fine without them bothering folks' consciences for centuries. Too much judging of others goes on in and out of the Church.

I suspect God wonders "What was I thinking turning this over to a bunch of silly humans?" much the way I wondered what I was thinking when I left the kids in charge of the house for two weeks (the results were similar--chaos and general disaster).

[DemBones DemBones]

5. Mostly liberal. I don't think Vatican II was bad but think Latin Mass

should be more widely offered -- and should have always been more widely offered. Some people were very upset by the radical changes. Some left the Church entirely over Vatican II, whch was hardly the desired effect! And I think younger Catholics should have easy access to the Latin Mass. I never understood the argument that Mass had to be in the vernacular so people could understand it since missals were available that had a complete translation of everything the priest said. The beauty of a Latin Mass with Gregorian chant is something to cherish.

But I digress! Personally, I was raised Protestant but always thought I was supposed to be Catholic, was always happy to go to Mass with friends. When I was forty, I finally made the change and am glad I did.

I particularly support the Catholic social teachings and liberation theology. Unlike many liberal Catholics, I am pro-life, but don't see outlawing abortion as an answer to the problem. Like most American and European Catholics today, I disagree with the Church's opposition to contraception because people need to limit the size of their families. But I'm glad the Roman Catholic Church isn't afraid to stand up against popular opinion. It's not a focus group, after all.

I've been as angry and sad about the scandals involving priests as anyone, I guess, but I don't think allowing priests to marry is the answer. I think there are real advantages to a celibate clergy -- Protestants expect so much of a minister's wife and kids that it is an unfair burden on them, plus the family is a distraction from God and parish work. Nor does it bother me that as a woman I could never have been a priest. There will always be things women can't do and things men can't do. It's in the areas where we can work that we should look for equality.

But if the Church decides to change its position on admission to the priesthood, I trust that it will do so for good reasons. We must have priests and I won't be surprised if the next pope decides to allow married priests.

[Zynx]

6. Fairly liberal Catholic. n/t

[Reverend_Smitty]

8. Like most of the others here

I am a liberal Catholic...I think the church has it's head buried in the sand over some issues but and it took me some time to try and come to grip with my own faith. I may have times when I am "away" from the church but I will never leave.

I believe that Vatican II was a good thing, science should be embraced. I think the Church needs to review it's stance on birth control. I am pro-choice but I think abortion is wrong except for extreme cases (people have a hard time understanding that position it seems like). Thats about it I guess...

[AngryOldDem]

10. That pretty much sums it up for me, too

So, I'd like to amend my earlier post to say that I am a "liberal" Catholic.

(And I understand your position on abortion perfectly, BTW.)

[Hans Delbrook]

11. Wow - that about sums up my position too!

Except that I would support restricting abortion in the second trimester and banning it in the third except for the life and health of the mother.

I really hope the Church comes around on "artificial birth control." If it's OK to prevent conception w/ a calendar then it should be OK to prevent it with a condom (etc.)

[Narraback]

9. Irish Catholic trained by Sisters of St Joseph, Fraciscans, and

Augustinians and educated..beyond my intellegence... so I would be called a liberal... Much like St Fracis and his boss Jesus Christ.

[Stunster]

12. Totally left wing

on social justice and environmental and ecology issues.

And very traditional and orthodox on doctrinal issues.

On other, moral issues---I'm liberal. Except sexual ones. On those, I'm conservative theoretically, and liberal practically speaking.

Sex is good, and I absolutely adore any woman who is a) sexually interesting and b) intellectually interesting---not necessarily in that order, either.

[Midlodemocrat]

13. Very liberal Vatican II here.

although I do remember the Latin Mass. I am liberal because I have an inate devotion to social justice and I truly adore the Blessed Mother.

[TexasProgresive]

14. I would say-progressive

I stand firmly for the 2nd Vatican council. The Church should open ordination to the priesthood to married people including women. Maybe like the Byzantine Catholics do where you can be ordained if married but not marry after ordination.

I believe in a consistant ethic of life, ie. we must stand for life in all its stages and not put all the chips on abortion. Like Kerry I am against abortion but do not support a law of the land prohibiting it unless certain problems are fixed. And like Kerry I believe the Church should examine why Catholic women obtain abortions at roughly the same rate as the general population of women.

[The Jacobin]

27. I like that

The only thing I would add is that I would take the pro-life apostolate much more seriously if they held a mass on the anniversary of Gregg v. Georgia as well as Roe.

[elshiva]

15. I am a Jewish Anglo-Catholic Episcopalian

I was baptized Episcopalian, but consider myself Anglo-Catholic because I pray through saints, pray the rosary and novenas, and believe in Roman Catholic social teaching.
I consider myself a moderate liberal extremist.
God blesses y'all!

[Beer Snob-50]

16. wow!!

you are never alone if you are a schiophrenic (sp). LOL

[elshiva]

17. WTF? Is that a compliment or is it mocking?

I am for real, dearheart. I love y'all.

[Beer Snob-50]

19. it was meant as a compliment

i am sorry if i offended you. juggling so many trains of thoughts and not going crazy!

[elshiva]

20. God bless you. I thought it was a compliment!

[JohnKleeb]

18. Definely a liberal Catholic

and proud to be Catholic.

[demosincebirth]

21. Being Mexican-American, its part of my culture.

A very liberal Catholic.

[SOteric]

22. Liberal, one of those who,

in my youth stood hand in hand with Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen and protested the movement of nuclear weapons. My parents were more conservative, being Parmesanos. My brothers and I were all educated by the Jesuits and I now teach in a Jesuit school. I have to say, I think the Jesuits I know in this part of the country are particularly liberal as well, though, of course, they're obedient to the church.

[Cuban_Liberal]

23. Liberal, post-Vatican II, liberation/social-justice theology Catholic.

I believe that we should have women in the clergy, that the Church should re-examine its stance on contraception, that aborton should be highly-restricted in the 2nd trimester and not available in the 3rd, except to save the life of the mother, etc. . I am also somewhat of an evangelical, believing that we should more actively seek out the 'unchurched' and 'fallen away', and teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are ignorant of it.

:)

[Matilda]

24. Very liberal Catholic.

I'm pro-choice, but believe in strong restrictions after the first
trimester. Good birth control is better than abortion, and the
Church should get over its objections.

I think we must look at ordaining women, and also married priests -
in Australia, we now have many parishes amalgamated, which means
in some areas, people can't count on a priest being available all
the time - definitely time to consider alternatives, I think.

I adored Pope John XXIII and bless him for Vatican II. I like the
accessibility of the Mass today, and think it's good that the laity
are more involved in the Mass itself and in parish work. But I
can still remember the beauty of a sung Mass in Latin, and would like
to see it revived on certain occasions.

We have a new, very conservative Cardinal-Archbishop in Sydney who
is doing his best to bring back the bad old days of interference in
people's daily lives and sticking rigidly to outmoded rules and
regulations. I'm sure he approves of Opus Dei. I think the Church
should be working against poverty and injustice, and reaching out
to the marginalised as its priority.

[Padraig18]

25. I'm an amalgam.

I'm generally quite liberal, although odd bits of conservative doctrine will pop up at the most interesting times.

:shrug:

[etherealtruth]

26. Liberal Irish Catholic

Like so many others I am pro-choice, but share Clinton's belief, "Abortion should be safe, legal and rare." I guess I depart from the church r/t all things sexual.

The Catholic church is really a church of social justice and I wish more people understood this.

[DemBones DemBones]

28. Welcome to the Catholic group, etherealtruth!

:hi:

[Padraig18]

30. Echoing DemBones DemBones' sentiments--- welcome!

:hi:

[etherealtruth]

31. Thank you both!

"Welcomes" are nice.

[Padraig18]

32. You're welcome.

We were all new here at one time, and I still remember the folks who went out of their way to make me feel welcome. New blood is what keeps DU fresh. Happy posting!

:hi:

[ElectroPrincess]

29. I'm a Liberal Catholic in the spirit of the Franciscans ...

But it's so difficult to "stand fast" my support toward many progressives here who IMHO are as whacked out by hate every bit as much as the RW fringe.

Why do they hate us so much? We can't control The Pope any more than the Protestants can identify with Jerry Falwell.

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