u/Tasty-Ad6800

I struggled for a good title for the following rant/venting. I've been going to a NO mass for a couple of years in a local diocesan church that I generally like. The pastor is warm hearted and joyful. And while he celebrates the sanctioned TLM, keeps the tradism out of his homilies.

There is however a retired priest who say mass and hears confessions on weekends. If he's celebrated the TLM, it was only recently and privately. But you wouldn't know it from his homilies. He likes to emphasis worthy reception of holy communion, etc. It's not necessarily a bad thing to talk about but it seems very frequent and excessive. As I sat there this past week, I couldn't help think that God would really condemn someone for an unworthy communion because they may have missed mass, willingly. Of course they could go to confession or just refrain, but the very thought that if someone still chose to go, BAM they go to hell! This homily was given in the context of the pearl of great price.

It's interesting that this priest walks with a cane and will not distribute communion but rather rely on deacons or lay ministers to do so. For someone who preaches like him, you'd think he would find it impermissable to have a lay person, even a woman, stand at the altar. He made a note of correcting people for sitting prior to the priest after the reading of the collect by emphasizing that the priest is in a position of authority (as demonstrated with the wearing of vestments) in the person of christ when on the altar and therefore it is the respect that is due to Jesus that we sit when the priest does. This triggered my disdain for what I have been working through in my deconstruction. As much as the church tries to move in one direction, it can't help be brought back to what it's been for centuries. I am reaching the conclusion that the church is the religion of a (past) empire. Without said empire, it's seeking a new identity and trads don't realize it.

On a tangential note, a more youthful priest at this church, while mostly pleasant, would go out of his to demonstrate the superiority of being catholic and how there should be standing room only in the church if people truly understood what the eucharist is about. I've heard that multiple times and it's getting old at this stage of my life. One one occasion, he mentioned in a homliy how the infancy narrative in Luke was based on historical events. I walked out shortly thereafter because I recently learned that they were not. He also made it a point to speak of the eucharistic miracles in Mexico that occurred 20 years ago. When I researched them later, he basically repeated a bunch of apologetics making it sound like there was no doubt a miracle occurred.

I guess this brings me back to the title, what's the point? Should one be shamed into going to church because of fear of hell? Or, should we go because there in no doubt what the church teaches is true because apologists say so? I realize that I just touched on the 2 major things that kept me catholic for so long that it short order have lost their grip on me. With a spouse and children that are catholic because of me, I find it difficult to be in a position where what I once held to be true is just not appealing anymore.

*EDIT - title should read Tales

I’ve heard Fellay on 2 separate occasions tell the story of how a man came to chapel in a miraculous way. he was apparently driving in one direction on a highway and somehow found himself going in the opposite direction when he got off at the next exit to find an SSPX chapel and found a mass was taking place. another is of a woman from Central America or a Caribbean island who had a dream seeing 3 figures. she recogn 2 as saints, ine was Padre Pio and forgot the second. the third was unknown to her. she was told to go to a specific time add which she did to find an SSPX chapel. upon visiting, she saw a pic of Lefebvre and recogniZed him as the third man in her dream. I want to say that this story had the woman come from 2 different places when I heard both accounts.

im wondering if anyone has heard either other story or others like them I can’t believe they tell such BS stories and wonder why I didn’t realize they were such when I heard them first hand.

Due to developing an SVT, I had bloodwork that determined I was heterozygous Factor V. I've had DVT's and a PE since. One of my children, 20 YO, just developed an SVT, unprovoked, not taking birth control, not obsess not injured, etc. Odds are they have Factor V too. Given it was unprovoked, I am really surprised that they would have a clot at such a young age. They are meeting with a hematologist soon. I suspect that they'll be nothing else other than Factor V but can anyone shed light on possible causes other than random bad luck.

S Four Mile Run Service Road on street parking has signs stating No Commercial Vehicles. however there are several such vehicles parked on the street. are parking restrictions not enforced?

I know this will draw the HELL NO! response. however I was wondering if there is anything besides the differential that makes being a supervisor worth it.

I’m currently a supervisor and want to transfer to a nonsupervisoTy position. in my case the grade is the same and I don’t plan on going past my current GS level.

I drove a stretch of a road home today that has 5-6 churches in a row. one had a big sign advertising revival and the guest speaker. another had a sign that read your revival starts here. it got me thinking about the revival culture that exists in evangelical communities. why does there need to be any at all? In secular communities, there are similar activities like conferences, pep rallies, etc. why does Christianity need to follow the world when it rejects it? is there any evidence for revivals in the first-second centuries?

my wife’s car was tinned to a CCM music station and a song was playing while I was moviNG it in my driveway. it had to do with miracles happening now. it reminded me of other songs that had a similar theme and got me wonderin. what are those miracles that they are singing about that people hearing the song actually believe iare happening? I remember peoples testimony of god doing this and that but in retrospect would someone without faith have attributed those “miracles” to ordinary happenings?

i was in the car the other day with her and listening to K-Love is so cringe now, from the prayers by the hosts to the songs that have lost all meaning for me.

I work for a branch of the Dod and suspect my frustration is universal among acquisition workforce civilians. I’m not prior service and entered the workforce mid career from the private sector. I’ve reached the point of ultimate frustration where I’m a middle manager with no authority and no influence on decisions leaving me wondering whats the point of my position. my leadership on the civilian and military level is no help. I’ve heard of more dysfunctional places but mine seems to be that low level incompetence is overshadowed by the visibility of our programs. we would not be so good if it weren’t for the worker bees who get work done in spite of our leaders. I’ve lost any motivation to make things better. while our input is sought, they dont care what you have to say. Almost the outcome is already determined or they are reluctant to true change for the better. I suspect this is common but needed to vent. Im open to advice or any encouragement.