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Over the years Rickey Henderson Jersey , in conversations with Catholics and former Catholics, the question has been asked of me, "Michael, why did you leave the Catholic Church?"


As a boy, I was taught the party line that I belonged to "the one true Church." Years later, I was affiliated with another denomination that referred to itself as being the "one true church" and have since heard Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses refer to themselves likewise.


I would wholeheartedly agree that the Roman Catholic "Holy Mother" Church is the one true DENOMINATION, but who can say the deviciveness of denominationalism is a good thing?? Among the things God hates, all listed in Proverbs 6:16-19 Ozzie Smith Jersey , one of those is in verse 19, "...a man who stirs up dissension among brothers." So many splinter groups all branching off - and INCLUDING - Catholicism do NOT display the show of "Oneness" for which Jesus prayed.


I'm sure most would agree that one cannot make a good decision without good information. Even one's decision to follow Christ is based upon the hearingreading, of the Scriptures - the gathering and processing of this information about Jesus Christ, His teachings and what He claimed about Himself. My purpose here is to reveal the information I've gathered regarding Catholicism that made me ask the questions that demanded a verdict. I don't believe in blind faith for I feel that, in the end, it is really nothing more than having faith in faith. I am a firm proponent that we must resist the tendancy of most religionists of checking one's brain at the door. My mission is not to create more ex-Catholics. In fact, based on what you're about to read, if you're going to choose to be a Catholic Eric Hosmer Padres Jersey , you had BETTER excel at the role. If that's where you're going, you had BETTER be good at it. REAL good. You'll see why.


The matter of "creating EX-Catholics" appears, statistically, to be taking care of itself. Although, according to the Synod of Bishops, Rome 2003, the world's Catholic population grew by 15 MILLION between 2002-03, the last year for which full statistics could be found Manny Machado Padres Jersey , breaking the 1 BILLION mark. 1.2% of that growth took place in the America's, treated as one continent Nearly half the world's Catholics live in the Western hemisphere. There was no significant growth in Europe.


According primarily to Gallup Polls in various years, Sunday Mass attendance among Catholics in the United States has sunk by 400% since Vatican II. When asked whether they had attended Mass within the past week, the following percentage of Catholics answered 'Yes': 1958: 74%; 1965: 71%, after the Mass was allowed to be said in "the vulgar tongues"; 1968: 65%, after the very words of Consecration were changed; 1969: 63%, when the Novus Ordo Worship Service was first announced; 1970: 60%, when the Novus Ordo Worship Service was introduced; 1971: 50% Wil Myers Padres Jersey , after one year of exclusive Novus Ordo worship services; 1988: 48%; 1993: 25%; 1995: 22%; 1999: 19%, after twenty years of exclusive Novus Ordo worship services 2001: 17% (SOURCE: TRADITIO, Traditional Roman Catholic Internet Site, ). Other sources reflect that latest statistic as being from 45% to 32% in America. Catholics 36-54 are most likely to rarely or never attend Mass. According to national catholic reporter, 77% of Catholics beieve one can be a "good" Catholic without attending Mass every Sunday. Less than 23% described themselves as "highly committed" to the Church in 1999, down 4 points from 1987.