Q: I was born and baptized Catholic, and I’m now 40 years old. I’ve always loved the Catholic Church deeply. I pray the rosary, say my Catholic prayers, and regularly ask God for forgiveness. Lately, I’ve found myself feeling confused about the path I should take. While I remain devoted to my Catholic faith, I’ve also grown to appreciate the atmosphere of some Christian (non-Catholic) churches — the music, the sense of welcome, the energy in the room. It speaks to my heart in a different way, but not in a way that replaces my love for the Catholic Church. My question is this: Is it wrong to desire both? Is it possible to attend, say, a day service at a Christian church and a night Mass at a Catholic church, while still remaining true to my Catholic faith? I don’t want to do anything that goes against the teachings of the Church, but I’m searching for something that feeds both my spirit and my soul. Any guidance you can offer would mean a lot to me. — Stephen
Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:
A: It’s good that you dedicate yourself to prayer and that you love your faith.
Your faith is something you want to guard and nurture. But the way to do it is through Catholic means.
For a Catholic it is important, at least, to attend Mass every Sunday and holy day.
Participation at Mass lets us glorify God in community and affirm the common faith we all share. The Mass is the highest prayer because the celebration of the Eucharist re-presents the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary for our redemption.
Feelings and “energy” are OK as far as they go. Some Catholic parishes are livelier than others, so it might be worth looking around for one where you feel more at home.
Enjoying the energy at a Protestant service is not sinful, but this is not the main reason why we attend services or prayer events. We do it to communicate with the Lord, to glory him, and to express our love for him.
This can culminate in the worthy reception of Jesus in the Eucharist, something Protestantism doesn’t offer.
You want to be careful, too, not to expose yourself to sermons that might shake your faith.
By finding a parish to your liking you will have a better chance of building a network of friendships with other Catholics. And that can generate its own kind of energy.
