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SK's avatar

I'm a devout Catholic so this concept is new to me. However I don't care if it's fake or not. The message is still one that is needed. I don't care if it's not my religion. We need God, we need faith again to keep us grounded. I hope this event truly begins a transformation of our country to welcome God again, whatever form of religion or expression it may take.

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JP Misheff's avatar

Richard Rohr, a Fransican friar and priest and the guy who started the Center for Action and Contemplation, was part of a revival in Cincinatti Ohio in the early 80s that led to the establishment of the New Jerusalem community there. Similarly, the young people there gathered for weeks before dispersing, and doing some extraordinary work! Rohr has written and spoke a lot on this тАФ easy enough to find online! IтАЩm a Catholic too. And absolutely ready for a shake up by the Holy Spirit.

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Kevin's avatar

We live in a secular nation without belief that any god. Read what the founding fathers wrote and believed. Nothings against faith, but in the history of christianity, more have died than have been saved. Former catholic whoтАЩs seen sectarian strife up close.

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JP Misheff's avatar

But my friend: in the Christian faith, death is not anything to be feared. Your metric doesnтАЩt work, regardless of whether it could be believed or not. (By the way, How could you possibly know more have died than have been saved????) At any rate, weтАЩre not trying to avoid death. Someone who is saved (or who has come to this wisdom by other means) will leap into their death joyously, ready. тАЬFaith is the *assurance* of things hoped for.тАЭ

YouтАЩve said in many different comments that youтАЩre a former Catholic. That identity doesnтАЩt make you an expert on anything other than your own personal experience, and even on that, we are mostly misguidedтАж very few people can actually say theyтАЩre experts on their own personal experience, and they can only say that after a lifetime of deep, sincere, reverential, humbled self-reflection. I think if weтАЩre being honest, thereтАЩs probably no one here in this thread who can really claim that. (You *are* claiming that, by the way, with your insistence on letting everyone know you used to be a Catholic, inferring that you wised up and chose the better path тАФ good for you, by the way! Hope it works out!)

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Kevin's avatar

As a former catholic who grew up in an old school house and attended catholic grammar school, I understand where youтАЩre coming from. Personally, IтАЩm all for faith. But weтАЩre a secular nation and praying itself doesnтАЩt change the world. Action does, and for me, praying isnтАЩt action.

Appreciate the article but find it hypocritical for these people praying for? For what? Peace on earth? AinтАЩt happening. The will of their god? I see prayer as a placebo. Put prayer into action if you want things done. Just my opinion

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JP Misheff's avatar

What do you think cloistered nuns are doing? Twiddling their thumbs? Their prayers are literally the glue for our broken systems, not just the church. i mean all respect but knocking prayer is truly bonkers buddy, regardless of what you believe. Just because you donтАЩt believe it doesnтАЩt make it not real. Radical, appropriate action bursts forth from seismic shifts like this. Action without prayer is completely useless. This is wonderful news.

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Pacificus's avatar

Kevin, for many people, prayer is a means of preparing for action, for knowing what to do, and how. It's not an either/or.

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Kevin's avatar

I do get that. If people want to pray, more power to them. ItтАЩs just my personal feelings from prior experience.

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Sharon F.'s avatar

Some of us believe that we can make better/more successful actions if aligned with Spirit. Just think if politicians stopped engaging in name-calling, for example. How much time would they have to discuss and produce bills?

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Kevin's avatar

Faith is important. Faith can be the spirit. Again, just my perspective/observations

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User's avatar
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Feb 20, 2023
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Kevin's avatar

IтАЩm just trying to be. IтАЩve seen the evils of religion firsthand. Nothing against faith, just organized religion

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MAGC's avatar

DonтАЩt let the sins of men come between you and the Lord. And check out the Hallow app if you really want some incredible content to reconnect with your faith.

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Kevin's avatar

What if one no longer believes in a god?

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Feb 20, 2023
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Leah Rose's avatar

Well said. And when you are talking to God and asking what to do you will be praying, because that's what prayer is: speech with God. It's about the most profound action anyone can take.

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MAGC's avatar

IтАЩm a Catholic too and I grew up in the town next to the Franciscan University in Ohio. We would go to mass there often. Those students were DEVOUT. It might not have been numbers in the thousands but I recall attending masses there where the energy was I like any other church I had been to (even still today). Stories of Asbury has me remembering it fondly.

I wish more Catholics lost themselves in worship more often. It was a beautiful thing and it cemented to me that God was real.

God bless these kids. This is beautiful.

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Nancy's avatar

2 of my children attended Franciscan U. and we experienced the same thing- attended mass with the students who were so joyful and reverent. They have 4 masses a day and all are well attended. My husband and I still go back occasionally for a sit in the arm of HOPE - such a holy ( not perfect, but trying) place

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MAGC's avatar

I had the benefit of being there for several Easter vigils and many Christmas midnight masses. Even at 7 and 8 years old, I knew it was special.

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