The Dead Silence of Catholic Enrichment Programs

The priest at my church has an axe to grind with the local Protestant mega-church. He says they "steal" teenagers right out from under our noses, and as a result, many a young Catholic youth never makes it back to the Catholic Church to be confirmed. Either that or they get confirmed and then disappear - to lose their faith altogether or they convert to evangelical Protestantism.

I think he's right. And while I believe the blame lies more on the parents who mistakenly believe that letting Johnny go to ANY Christian youth group or program is better than him not going to any at all, I have to say that some of the blame also lies with the Catholic Church itself for not filling this void of "programming" for its own members.

It's a void which pulls many well-meaning adult Catholics out into Protestantism, as well. I know, because in the past I've been there. I, too, was once enticed by the glitter and glow of the numerous, fun, and culturally-friendly programs offered by Milwaukee-area mega-churches during my years in Protestantism. Today I was reminded of this phenomenon again because I attended a mom's group at a local Protestant church for the first time.

What is it about the Catholic faith that persists in not making enrichment programs and activities available to its membership?

Now, in asking this question, I am not saying we should become more like Protestants. I have to say this in case this is what someone thinks I'm getting at. I'm not saying that Catholic parishes should model themselves after typical Protestant ministries. For example, I'm not suggesting that there should be home-based Bible studies where everyone gets together and discusses their own personal interpretation of sacred scripture. That's not to be desired because that's not Catholic. Rather, we trust Mother Church's wise, time-tested understanding and teaching of scripture.

Still, because of this Catholic mindset about the Bible, there is very little study of the Bible in Catholic churches, which, quite frankly, I see as a problem. Why can't there be "Bible studies" held in parishioners' homes (or at church) that are guided by one of the deacons or the RCIA instructors, or that use Catholic publications as the curriculum by which to explore and examine holy scripture? (Better yet, how about something led by a parish priest?!?) Yes, I know this kind of thing does exist in some Catholic parishes. But overall, no, it doesn't, and we Catholics all know it.

Remember that St. Jerome said "Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ"? In my mind, the Protestants take heed of this advice much better than Catholics do. Case in point: Today this "ignorance" of the Bible bit me in the butt. A woman I met at the Protestant mom's group, upon learning that I'm Catholic, asked me if I read the Bible? I answered, "Of course!" To which she responded, "I know one Catholic family that reads the Bible, but most of the others don't." When I hear something like that, I just want to scream! Especially because it's such an ironic, if not cliche statement to hear from someone about Catholicism - ironic and cliche because it's simultaneously so true and yet so wrong all at the same time.

Which leads me to my observations about attending a Catholic mommy group for the first time last week and attending a Protestant mommy program for the first time today. Here's what the new-ish Catholic group "meeting" consisted of: Approximately 7 moms sitting in a church nursery talking while the kids ran and played around us. We sat huddled at the toddler-height table in chairs designed for 4-year-olds. There was no prayer. There was no program. We sat there staring at each other until someone decided to talk about cancer, potty training, and then someone's Hawaiian vacation. When I asked what Catholic parishes everyone attended or was associated with, I got strange looks as if to say "We don't discuss religion around here!" While I am so desperate for any kind of daily human contact with other adults that I will possibly go again, it was a real downer. Not stimulating one bit.

Contrast this with today's group meeting of Mom's Life at a local Bible church: Women in name tags waiting at the front doors of the church complex, huge smiles on their faces to greet you while they opened the doors for you and offered to carry your diaper bag. A complete ala carte breakfast served and childcare provided in the nursery (i.e. a get-together where you get a break from your child.) Prayer. A break-the-ice game. A great presentation (with handouts) that was about ordering and organizing your day, interspersed with Bible verses that gave a Christian backbone to what was being discussed. When the program was over, there were discussion questions at each table for the women to answer and explore with each other. And also a craft to take home and make. (OK, I can do without that part, I admit.)

Here's what I think.....There is NO REASON whatsoever why this kind of mommy group can't exist in a Catholic setting. Ditto for Catholic Bible studies, apologetics studies, kids' youth groups, men's prayer groups, etc.

Yes, again, I know that some of these things exist in some Catholic parishes. But it's not guaranteed and it's not consistent. And it's usually not well promoted or attended. When I say this, I admit to holding up Catholicism to the Protestant yardstick (when I know it should be the other way around.) Still, can you imagine a Protestant church not having a brochure in the church vestibule that details and describes the numerous classes and programs offered at that church? Me neither.

OK, I'll be charitable and fair. Should I give credit to the women who actually attempted to start up the Catholic mommy group (Moms and Tots)? Of course I will. Did the women mention that sometimes they like to do something, like go together to a pumpkin farm or go to a park? Yes, they did. And I suppose that's a start, considering that this is a new venture for them, and also, I might add, virtually unheard of in Catholic circles. (Heck, having a staffed nursery in a Catholic church is almost unheard of.) But my point is, again, it's a far cry from something that is really comprehensive and ministers to a real need. Which then perpetuates the vicious circle that results in......

......people like myself looking to fill the need at a Protestant church. Which can, though not always necessarily, create its own set of problems. Like, for example, the potential canard of some Protestants to say that they welcome Catholics with open arms, when in actuality they are eyeing you up for conversion. I happened to have emailed the head of Mom's Life before attending, explaining that I was Catholic and staying Catholic, and I also asked the female coordinator to just be honest with me if they were going to want to "save me." The answer I received was no, they would respect my beliefs and that there was one other Catholic in the group. I believed her. But that being said, when I was introduced to women at the meeting, someone gleefully exclaimed "Oh, you must be the new member we prayed for this morning as we were setting up!"

Oh, that and the woman who said "You used to be Protestant? Well, why did you go back to Catholicism?" I smilingly laughed off her comment and said something like "Oh, that's complicated....." I mean, what was I supposed to say? "Um, I believe that both you and I are saved and going to heaven, it's just that I believe that as a Catholic I hold the fullness of Truth that Christ intended for his catholic (small c) church and you don't?" I can't respond with something like that; I have to have tact and politeness, as well as respect for that woman's beliefs - just as I am expecting from her, even if she doesn't realize that what she said to me was irritating.

Well, I'm a big girl and I can handle this kind of situation. Although I have to admit, this one experience this morning, as awesome as it was, reminded me of how I need to really KNOW my apologetics. Thus, I understand how some Catholics would chide me for going at all, believing that I'm putting my faith at risk. I see the point, but I know myself and I know the faith journey I've been on in my life. On the other hand, as the first paragraph of this post explains, when it comes to kids, teens, and those who are new in the faith, attending a Protestant group like I did poses a real risk. This past week, this was the very topic of discussion over at Faith and Family Live! I don't think ONE person advocated for a Catholic child/teen to attend a Protestant youth group, and the readers that comment on that blog are usually pretty tame.

This is not to say I'm against ecumenism (which is the one of the hallmark traits of the Traditional Catholic). I'm not. But I am against ecumenism for the sake of ecumenism, and ecumenism at the sacrifice of Truth. Which is why I decided against the MOPS group in our town. While I have no issues with MOPS in general, I have issues with the church that sponsors MOPS in our town (the church our priest resents). It's a church I am convinced is either already in or on its way to Purpose-Driven/entertainment church craziness. (In fact, the Mom's Life group I attended today used to be a MOPS group, but they separated over doctrinal issues. Interesting. I hope to learn more about that some day.....)

Until the Catholic Church - any Catholic church in my area - can provide something that meets the need for fellowship with other young Christian mothers (wait - am I young? - I'm turning 40 soon!), I will continue to attend this Protestant mommy group. I didn't just enjoy it, I loved it. I admit that I am grossly disappointed that something similar doesn't exist within my Catholic community, but I need to be "fed," so to speak.

I await the day when the sound of Catholic lay programming/enrichment doesn't resemble the deafening hum of a field of crickets chirping at sundown.