Forum improvements?

[MundaCorMeum]

You want me to start a natural vs. medicated childbirth thread???  I will do it!   

[mikemac]

What's some stuff you all would like to see happen around here to make it a livelier joint?

I've noticed activity has been slipping. 

Open to ideas all across the board. 

No personal attacks to me. 

Well maybe if you didn't encourage blatant attacks on approved apparitions.  I know some people have left the forum for that reason alone.

[Kaesekopf]

What's some stuff you all would like to see happen around here to make it a livelier joint?

I've noticed activity has been slipping. 

Open to ideas all across the board. 

No personal attacks to me. 

Well maybe if you didn't encourage blatant attacks on approved apparitions.  I know some people have left the forum for that reason alone.

 

[Chestertonian]

You want me to start a natural vs. medicated childbirth thread???  I will do it!   

It all depends on whether the woman is wearing pants.

[Davis Blank - EG]

Men like action.  The forum could collectively take on a mission such as evangelization / apologetics through whatever means.  Writing, youtubing, comboxing, blogging, Twittering, or even street evangelization on specific days (and then we share with each other here how it went).  A small little organization targeted towards some goal.

Goal Examples:

- evangelization to Protestants
- evangelization to atheists
- evangelization to NO Catholics
- independent street evangelization (and share stories together here afterwards)
- writing campaigns to parishes to fix their liturgy
- writing campaigns to bishops to man up

I think the internal debates had on this forum are generally toxic.  Part of that is the nature of the times and all of us trying to make sense of how this all holds together.  But even as such, I think much of it ends up being scandalous.  To me, at least, it is damaging to see so many with widely varying beliefs - Fatima is from God / from the devil, EENS is true / its a heresy, Francis is the Pope / he's the antipope, NO is licit / its not licit, VII was valid / its a robber council, etc etc.

The positives of the forum are the Q/A aspect of it, the advice threads, the news discussion and the friendly chats.

[Xavier]

Don't forget prayer crusades. To me, that's the best aspect of this forum, that we can unite in prayer with many Traditional Catholics from around the globe. We should have specific purposes and express intentions to ask for, all for God's glory and for the Church's victory, and persevere in collective prayer till we see God's Triumph come in that area, which will always happen sooner or later.

We could have one specifically for the Tridentine Mass to return quickly to parishes worldwide. We could pray something like the Holy Wounds Chaplet round the clock for that intention. Or Litanies and offerings of the Precious Blood as St. Gertrude and St. Faustina have taught us obtain very much grace from God. Or we could have something like the Hours as they do in seminaries, convents and monasteries.

Starting this month and continuing indefinitely, we could have an indefinite prayer campaign to empty Purgatory forever. We have of course some things like that, but we should all support and participate in them with great zeal. Then we will see victories come thick and fast.

I agree with Davis about evangelism/apologetics. That's very important.

The advice threads, the prayer intentions forum, the traditional spirituality discussions, the liturgical and other devotions stuff are also great imo. We should have more of that.

Different Catholics I guess are attracted to one or more of the above. There'll be something for everybody.

Edit: And sorry, but allowing people to say publicly on the forum that Our Lady of Fatima is a deception of the devil is imho totally wrong and likely, as Mike says, a great discouragement to many Catholics who would otherwise participate more. We should not question sacred things which our ancestors held in esteem. No one began questioning Our Lady of Fatima till some few years ago. One of them has expressed doubt about basic Christian doctrines and the supernatural. That's what is likely to happen when we deny a public miracle that was a great grace from God and Our Lady to the One True Church. We should rather be praising God for this favor saying "He has not done in like manner for every nation" as the Psalmist says; it is a great grace of God to be guided by Our Lord and Our Lady in every generation. Given only to us Catholics.

[Innocent Smith]

Men like action.  The forum could collectively take on a mission such as evangelization / apologetics through whatever means.  Writing, youtubing, comboxing, blogging, Twittering, or even street evangelization on specific days (and then we share with each other here how it went).  A small little organization targeted towards some goal.

Goal Examples:

- evangelization to Protestants
- evangelization to atheists
- evangelization to NO Catholics
- independent street evangelization (and share stories together here afterwards)
- writing campaigns to parishes to fix their liturgy
- writing campaigns to bishops to man up

I think the internal debates had on this forum are generally toxic.  Part of that is the nature of the times and all of us trying to make sense of how this all holds together.  But even as such, I think much of it ends up being scandalous.  To me, at least, it is damaging to see so many with widely varying beliefs - Fatima is from God / from the devil, EENS is true / its a heresy, Francis is the Pope / he's the antipope, NO is licit / its not licit, VII was valid / its a robber council, etc etc.

The positives of the forum are the Q/A aspect of it, the advice threads, the news discussion and the friendly chats.

You're on the right track here. But I think it even needs a little, shall we say, testosterone.

That might mean getting in the face of prelates and trying to find ways to take the Church back from them before all the property gets sold off to pay lawsuits. Or at least find ways of protecting it.

St. Patrick took care of the snakes in Ireland. It's time for a saint to emerge, or a collective of men on the way to sainthood, to rid the Church of all the homosexuals. Which are the snakes of our day.

Voris, and jerkoffs like him, can't wait for RICO hearings to take away all the property. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your own face.

Constant threads about Marian apparitions are grating and toxic. Because most are BS.

[Philip G.]

I think an improvement could be the creation of a recent topics section.  I liked using Cathinfo's recent topics function.  But, I have never really liked using this forums type which is a "recent posts" function.  Perhaps consider having both options for the forum.  Or, if you only want to have only one "recent" function, ask the forum its thoughts on the matter/if a switch might be a good idea.

[Davis Blank - EG]

Another example mission would be to pass out liturgy info cards at parish carparks.  I have in mind little postcard or prayer card size notes that we can slip under windshield wipers.  These notes would be on individual liturgy-related matters, such as:

- Communion in the hand
- Eucharistic ministers
- Versus populum
- Altars
- Tabernacle location
- The sacrifice of the Mass

etc

Nothing combative, just information to show how the liturgy can be made more pious.  The cards are cheap as chips to print up, the cost primarily comes from shipping and then the labor in having people go and plaster parish carparks on Sundays.

Anyways, I think rallying the forum around some actions to be taken is a good idea.

[Miriam_M]

Another example mission would be to pass out liturgy info cards at parish carparks.  I have in mind little postcard or prayer card size notes that we can slip under windshield wipers.  These notes would be on individual liturgy-related matters, such as:

- Communion in the hand
- Eucharistic ministers
- Versus populum
- Altars
- Tabernacle location
- The sacrifice of the Mass

etc

This is not meant to be critical, but rather constructive.  I haven't seen, in my experience, polemics succeed, such as written or oral material criticizing aspects of the N.O. -- especially from a distance.  You say it's not "combative," but I'm afraid that those uninitiated to Tradition generally regard it as such, and react defensively or dismissively if they're laypeople, angrily if they're priests.  They don't know anything else than what they've been doing (in most cases), so we are criticizing their experience and knowledge base if they have no context.

I try instead to be a "woman of action" myself by personally and gently inviting others to the Latin Mass.  How/when do I do that?  By occasionally attending a N.O. when I don't have to sacrifice the TLM to do so, such as a Saturday "vigil Mass."  I just offer it up.  I behave reverently.  In my case that means I dress differently from all the other women there, and I pray my rosary ahead of time,etc.  For a guy that could mean also dressing differently but especially behaving differently (not talking, not acting like you're at a spectator sport), bringing your missal, kneeling, maybe even visiting the confessional beforehand.  It's a great witness. 

Then I stay after Mass.  First, of course, I greet the priest and start up a conversation about his background.  Inevitably, he asks about mine, and notices that I'm "new to the parish."  I explain I happen to be at this Mass today, but normally I'm at X Mass and thoroughly enjoy it; it has changed my life.  The conversation never stops there.  The priest is curious, wants to know more; wants the names of the priest or priests who celebrate there, etc.  I openly invite him to join us.

This sometimes happens with lay people as well.  And there's a particular N.O. parish near my work on Saturday.  I sometimes hang out there (when I can) and do what I describe above.  People are beginning to be more curious about me.

In addition, some apostolates have their own flyers/brochures/pamphlets about their Latin Mass. I sometimes leave a few in the pew, because again -- it's not a criticism of the N.O. or implied criticism of those attending.  It's an invitation.  When they accept the invitation, they will learn why CITH and Eucharistic Ministers are so wrong and it won't be a matter of logical argumentation.
 

[Gardener]

Another example mission would be to pass out liturgy info cards at parish carparks.  I have in mind little postcard or prayer card size notes that we can slip under windshield wipers.  These notes would be on individual liturgy-related matters, such as:

- Communion in the hand
- Eucharistic ministers
- Versus populum
- Altars
- Tabernacle location
- The sacrifice of the Mass

etc

This is not meant to be critical, but rather constructive.  I haven't seen, in my experience, polemics succeed, such as written or oral material criticizing aspects of the N.O. -- especially from a distance.  You say it's not "combative," but I'm afraid that those uninitiated to Tradition generally regard it as such, and react defensively or dismissively if they're laypeople, angrily if they're priests.  They don't know anything else than what they've been doing (in most cases), so we are criticizing their experience and knowledge base if they have no context.

I try instead to be a "woman of action" myself by personally and gently inviting others to the Latin Mass.  How/when do I do that?  By occasionally attending a N.O. when I don't have to sacrifice the TLM to do so, such as a Saturday "vigil Mass."  I just offer it up.  I behave reverently.  In my case that means I dress differently from all the other women there, and I pray my rosary ahead of time,etc.  For a guy that could mean also dressing differently but especially behaving differently (not talking, not acting like you're at a spectator sport), bringing your missal, kneeling, maybe even visiting the confessional beforehand.  It's a great witness. 

Then I stay after Mass.  First, of course, I greet the priest and start up a conversation about his background.  Inevitably, he asks about mine, and notices that I'm "new to the parish."  I explain I happen to be at this Mass today, but normally I'm at X Mass and thoroughly enjoy it; it has changed my life.  The conversation never stops there.  The priest is curious, wants to know more; wants the names of the priest or priests who celebrate there, etc.  I openly invite him to join us.

This sometimes happens with lay people as well.  And there's a particular N.O. parish near my work on Saturday.  I sometimes hang out there (when I can) and do what I describe above.  People are beginning to be more curious about me.

In addition, some apostolates have their own flyers/brochures/pamphlets about their Latin Mass. I sometimes leave a few in the pew, because again -- it's not a criticism of the N.O. or implied criticism of those attending.  It's an invitation.  When they accept the invitation, they will learn why CITH and Eucharistic Ministers are so wrong and it won't be a matter of logical argumentation.
 

I got to experience this approach today.

We have an older woman on my team. So, as team lead I've been training her. We went up to the cafeteria today and I was looking around. Nothing which was Keto and Friday friendly that struck my fancy. She got pepperoni pizza and some French fries. As she was checking out she asked why I didn't get pizza, as I'd mentioned maybe "cheating" on Keto today. Since they didn't have cheese pizza available, I said because it's Friday. She asked what I meant and I explained I don't eat meat on Fridays. She says, "Oh, we only do that in Lent. Is that part of your religion?" I affirmed and said that it's done in Catholicism. I had suspected she is Catholic as she is Irish to the hilt, but hadn't asked.

She looked shocked and said, "You're Catholic? I went to Catholic schools my whole life and I didn't know this!" (I'd have figured my St. Therese of Liseux brown scapular might have given it away prior, but oh well).

So I briefly explained that under 1983 code of canon law it's optional outside of Lent, but a penance isn't optional. She was sort of upset and said, "Why didn't anyone ever tell me this!?" So I made a brief comment that the Bishops and Priests of the last 50 years have done a bang up job of not actually teaching these things.

When we got back to the room, I sent her an article explaining: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/steven-greydanus/meatless-fridays

She said thanks and proceeded to read it.

All the sudden she basically shouts, "I'm doing this from now on! I had no idea!"

Truth works, if you're not an ass about it and the person is disposed to it. We cannot control whether grace is given, nor can we control the other's disposition. But we can control ourselves.

[Davis Blank - EG]

Both of you made great points and offered wonderful witnesses.

[Heinrich]

For Miriam and G.:

[Miriam_M]

How sweet, Heinrich.  Thank you.

[Christe Eleison]

For Miriam and G.:

I love it, Heinrich  Thank you!