Should unhappy Catholics leave the Church? Joy Behar and guests debate

There are many Roman Catholics who are dismayed, unhappy, and tired of trying. They've belonged to Voice of the Faithful, dignity, and other organizations, within the congregations, but feel they are beating their head against a wall.

In addition, the new 3rd Edition of the Roman Missal is considered by many prominent priests, bishops and theologians in the Roman Church to be a step back from Vatican II

What you if were to remain Catholic, keep your progressive values, and remain in a Catholic Community which embraces Vatican II and follows 2nd Edition.

Consider an independent Catholic Community. The Roman Church is the not only option out in the world for Roman Catholics who feel dismayed and disappointed. And those who are wanting to remain Catholic, often try Eastern Orthodox, but maybe feel it is not quite what they really expect either. The want Vatican II. The want to be progressive. They want the church to see that Celibacy is not a requirement from Christ, but a creation of the Roman Church and want Married Priests, Women Priest, and others.

Consider an Independent Catholic Community today.

There are several good independent Catholic Communities. To find some, you can check out some of the following links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Independent-Catholic-Churches/110238992362361

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Catholic_Churches

http://www.concentric.net/~cosmas/independent_catholic_churc.htm

http://www.concentric.net/~cosmas/indcathjuris.htm

I am a member of the American Catholic Church in the United States (ACCUS). We are one of the fastest growing independent Catholic Communities in the country with parishes from the East Coast to the West Coast. To learn about ACCUS, check out our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/AmericanCatholicChurchUS or visit our home page at http://www.accus.us. We have locations across the US and world wide (see http://www.stjohnxxiiipoc.org/index.php?p=1_49_United-States),

I serve St John XXIII Pastoral & Outreach Center in Indianapolis (http://www.stjohnxxiiipoc.org).

Don't become a lapsed Catholic. Consider an Independent Catholic Community near you.

Peace,
Br Jeff

I don't agree with Keller. Why use the word "undermine" when it comes to people trying to transform the Catholic church in positive directions. Why not "reform." Why not "evolve" Why not help and change from within...

i can only speak for myself... i'm a person who left regular church services due to subject and topics like weither women should have a leadership roll or weither my gay freinds are sinners for who they love....and i understand thats not everybody in the church but i rather not be part of a church who excludes people because a decision was made by men many hundreds of years ago.... But i would go back if they were more willing to change

Joy, it isn't cold to say 'leave if you don't like it.' Give the church at least one break. It's a fair, reasonable, market-driven view, which allows Americans to choose which imaginary ghost to worship, or in my case, to decide that it's all rubbish.

Tell me: when was compulsory belief ever true belief in any sense of the word? By definition, it cannot be. Bravo to anyone who recognizes this, whether friend or foe.

Previously when the church held sway, if you wanted to leave, or were even falsely accused of heresy of any sort, you'd be tied to a chair and roasted alive. This is not the stuff of movies; it happened to lots, and lots, of people.

In this regard at least, give me cold over hot any day!! Who needs those old geezers running around in impressive buildings, pointy hats, and long dresses to tell anyone what to do, especially on the subject of sex?

As for the Sister's remarks: The church is not a fossil ONLY by dint of the emergence of the western democracies, laws which consider people to be equal irrespective of faith, and free press. Without these, for example, Galileo still wouldn't have received his apology. The blood libel would still be official doctrine, and there would be no apology, ever, for helping Nazi officers escape to South America. The church spreads no end of disinformation, and capitulates only occasionally when at the brink of total public humiliation, or loss of more members (whichever will cost them more).

Im a gay liberal Catholic, and choose to stay worshipping the Lord through the values taught to me by my parents and my Vatican II reformed Roman Catholic Church. I'm not going anywhere, nor are some 50,000 Catholic nuns. This small contentious group called The Catholic League gets way too much attention!