This group is not CATHOLIC, they are Protestants. These evangelicals are wrong! So are any Catholic hispanics who don't see that crossing our border illegally is wrong. When America can barely take care of our own people who pay taxes and are here legally, at what point do we say we can take care of those who are ILLEGALLY HERE???? I say, take care of them in the hospital, then deport them ...more

This group is not CATHOLIC, they are Protestants.

These evangelicals are wrong! So are any Catholic hispanics who don't see that crossing our border illegally is wrong. When America can barely take care of our own people who pay taxes and are here legally, at what point do we say we can take care of those who are ILLEGALLY HERE????

I say, take care of them in the hospital, then deport them back after they heal. That would be good social justice for everyone. .less

wwjd, Yes, 2008 figures for Canada and US did decline for the first time ever, but I was referring to our total number as we are a World Wide Church as opposed to a church that has most its membership in the US like the SBC. Our growth of 16 million in one year is more than SBC as a whole.

Prophet, The Catholic Church has never taken an infallible position on whether Monday was the first day of creation. If she does, it will be right. I'll let you know. Rachel, If you were baptized in one of these churches in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, then you are a member of the body of Christ and have established a covenant with God. Water must be po...more

Prophet,

The Catholic Church has never taken an infallible position on whether Monday was the first day of creation.
If she does, it will be right. I'll let you know.


Rachel,

If you were baptized in one of these churches in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, then you are a member of the body of Christ and have established a covenant with God. Water must be poored over you in some way during the trinitarian formula as described in scripture.

I guess I would ask why you are not attending Church on Sunday since they are the 10 commandments and not the 10 Suggestions? What are your reasons? If you are sick and can't attend, then that is understandable but you need to make every effort to attend Church because it is a holy obligation. By attending Church, you receive graces that transform your soul into a more Christlike person. You hear the Word, you eat the Word, you confess your sins, you make peace with your neighbor and your God and you help build a stronger body of Christ by your participation. Church isn't just about you and God, but it is that AND you and God and the community of believers called the body of Christ. It is your chance to worship God and give thanks for all the blessings you receive during the week and in your life.

I actually try to attend Mass at least 4-6 times a week, including Sunday ofcourse.less

Of course they did! Apostates!

For all you bible alone types out there? Why do you all go to church on Sunday, when that isn't the Sabbath. Try to use the bible to support why you go to Church on Sunday. You won't find anything explicit or implicit that says in scripture the Sabbath changed. The Reason why you all go to Church on Sunday and why Sunday is a Christian day of worship, is because the Catholic Church decid...more

For all you bible alone types out there?

Why do you all go to church on Sunday, when that isn't the Sabbath.

Try to use the bible to support why you go to Church on Sunday. You won't find anything explicit or implicit that says in scripture the Sabbath changed.

The Reason why you all go to Church on Sunday and why Sunday is a Christian day of worship, is because the Catholic Church decided to change it since she has ALL AUTHORITY FROM GOD to do so through Binding and Losing.

So, if you really are a bible alone person then be honest with yourself and go on Saturdays and stop celebrating other Catholic days of worship; Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Pentecost Sunday, All Saints Day, All Hallow's Eve, etc.

I guess even the founders of your sects had to at least include some of these to rationally still think they were Christian.less

There is a three volume series from Patrick Madrid called "Surprised by Truth", where evangelical pastors and missionaries share their conversion story. Each book contains at least 10-12 evangelicals that converted based on scripture and historical record. www.suprisedbytruth.com

rachel, If you can affirm the Apostles Creed you are a Christian. Those who are not Catholic like Lutherans, Episcopalians, Non-D, Baptists and Pentecostals for example still retain enough from us to be still considered Christian. If you are a member of these churches, then any Catholic would consider you a sepparated brother or sister in the Lord. The Fullness of Christ grace is availabl...more

rachel,

If you can affirm the Apostles Creed you are a Christian.

Those who are not Catholic like Lutherans, Episcopalians, Non-D, Baptists and Pentecostals for example still retain enough from us to be still considered Christian.

If you are a member of these churches, then any Catholic would consider you a sepparated brother or sister in the Lord. The Fullness of Christ grace is available in the Catholic Church. While grace exists in these other sects and Protestant groups, it is not the fullness that God intended them to have.less

Jar, The true church of Christ had people like Judas, people like Paul, people like Peter and people like Thomas. Jesus never said his church would be perfect, as it will be full of weeds with the Wheat. What he did say is that it would be guided into all Truth and that His church would last forever without failing and the gates of Hell would never over come it. He also gave these Apostles auth...more

Jar,

The true church of Christ had people like Judas, people like Paul, people like Peter and people like Thomas. Jesus never said his church would be perfect, as it will be full of weeds with the Wheat. What he did say is that it would be guided into all Truth and that His church would last forever without failing and the gates of Hell would never over come it. He also gave these Apostles authority to legislate, interpret scripture and truth, forgive sins, excommunicate, make doctrines.

In faith and morals His church will never fail. The Catholic Church's official stand on any moral issue is always the highest and without change and the Catholic church has never changed a doctrine.

Yes, there are some bad members for sure but that does not diminish the fact he founded one church only and only this church has his promises.less

Numbers matter! It is called the great commission isn't it? It is ashame that the Largest single church with the most members in the US or on the Planet is not mentioned. Well, you all know who she is. The Bride of Christ the Catholic Church, founded by CHrist on the Apostles 2000 years ago. The first church to bring the Gospel of Christ to every continent and every country on the planet hun...more

Numbers matter! It is called the great commission isn't it?

It is ashame that the Largest single church with the most members in the US or on the Planet is not mentioned.

Well, you all know who she is. The Bride of Christ the Catholic Church, founded by CHrist on the Apostles 2000 years ago. The first church to bring the Gospel of Christ to every continent and every country on the planet hundreds of years if not a thousand years before there was a Protestant.

We grew 16 Million members in 2008 alone, which is more than most denominations have. We have 1.2 Billion Catholics with 67 Million in the US and that number is growing.

Most of the numbers mentioned of churches wouldn't even be considered large in Catholic circles. Joel Osteen's group is not a Christian Church, they are a group of Christians who go to large building that listen to motivational speeches and entertaining music with a few lines of scripture, most based on the Health and Wealth Gospel which is ME centered not Christ centered. We Catholics have 850,000 in Houston alone.less

The Catholic Church is not a denomination, it is the bride of Christ. It is the only church founded by Christ, on the Apostles. No other Church can claim this, since no other church has any credible historical, biblical arguement that can be supported. Jesus hates the divisions within Christendom. It is time for all of you to come HOME to the Catholic Church. The Fullness of Christ truth ...more

The Catholic Church is not a denomination, it is the bride of Christ. It is the only church founded by Christ, on the Apostles.

No other Church can claim this, since no other church has any credible historical, biblical arguement that can be supported.

Jesus hates the divisions within Christendom. It is time for all of you to come HOME to the Catholic Church.

The Fullness of Christ truth is only available in the Catholic Church. The farther a Protestant Church is chronologically from its sepparation with the Catholic Church or its split from another Protestant group, the more watered down its Theology and Morality it becomes!less

The President of the most prestigious Evangelical group(Evangelical Theological Society) with over 4500 pastors and theologians becomes Catholic. Dr. Beckwith explains his reasons for returning to Rome in this paragraph: I would have never predicted that I would return to the Church, for there seemed to me too many theological and ecclesiastical issues that appeared insurmountable. However, ...more

The President of the most prestigious Evangelical group(Evangelical Theological Society) with over 4500 pastors and theologians becomes Catholic.

Dr. Beckwith explains his reasons for returning to Rome in this paragraph:

I would have never predicted that I would return to the Church, for there seemed to me too many theological and ecclesiastical issues that appeared insurmountable. However, in January, at the suggestion of a dear friend, I began reading the Early Church Fathers as well as some of the more sophisticated works on justification by Catholic authors. I became convinced that the Early Church is more Catholic than Protestant and that the Catholic view of justification, correctly understood, is biblically and historically defensible. Even though I also believe that the Reformed view is biblically and historically defensible, I think the Catholic view has more explanatory power to account for both all the biblical texts on justification as well as the church’s historical understanding of salvation prior to the Reformation all the way back to the ancient church of the first few centuries. Moreover, much of what I have taken for granted as a Protestant—e.g., the catholic creeds, the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation, the Christian understanding of man, and the canon of Scripture—is the result of a Church that made judgments about these matters and on which non-Catholics, including Evangelicals, have declared and grounded their Christian orthodoxy in a world hostile to it. Given these considerations, I thought it wise for me to err on the side of the Church with historical and theological continuity with the first generations of Christians that followed Christ’s Apostles.less

Jar and believer should have a "coffee talk" show. Believer, I guess when Jesus breathed on the Apostles and said "WHOSE SINS YOU FORGIVE THEY ARE FORGIVEN, and WHOSE SINS YOU RETAIN THEY ARE RETAINED" didn't mean what it said literally. Hmmm. It looks like Jesus gave these Apostles power to forgive sins. Now, historically speaking did the successors of the Apostles forgive sins????? YES!!...more

Jar and believer should have a "coffee talk" show.

Believer, I guess when Jesus breathed on the Apostles and said "WHOSE SINS YOU FORGIVE THEY ARE FORGIVEN, and WHOSE SINS YOU RETAIN THEY ARE RETAINED" didn't mean what it said literally.

Hmmm. It looks like Jesus gave these Apostles power to forgive sins. Now, historically speaking did the successors of the Apostles forgive sins????? YES!!! All of the original FATHERS OF THE CHURCH who were Priests forgave sins either publicly or in private. FACT. So, Apostolic Christianity had Priests and Bishops that forgave sins.

Sorry Believer, but you just can't spin that one when history supports my position EMPHATICALLY.


This article was written in 2003 and already over 800 evangelical pastors had become Catholic through the Coming Home Network founded by a former Presbyterian Minister.

http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=397

Todate: The Coming Home Network has brought in almost 3,000 total clergy from other denominations. In the last 5 years, the numbers have increased by two and three times.

The end times may be coming brother, and all the most conservative baptist, Presbyterian, Methodists, evangelical pastor types are becoming Catholic.

Sorry to pop your baloon.less

Today's moral and theological issues are doing a great job of highlighting the weakness that Protestantism is; Gay clergy approved, chastity no longer required, women in headship roles over men, women ordained, abortion & embryonic stem cell research promoted, contraception approved(chemical abortions), In vitro Fertilization approved(which kills off other embryos), Euthanasia ok'd, and the lis...more

Today's moral and theological issues are doing a great job of highlighting the weakness that Protestantism is;

Gay clergy approved, chastity no longer required, women in headship roles over men, women ordained, abortion & embryonic stem cell research promoted, contraception approved(chemical abortions), In vitro Fertilization approved(which kills off other embryos), Euthanasia ok'd, and the list goes on.

The Catholic Church remains Stead Fast and Stands Firm in Scripture and Tradition and the Teaching Authority of the Magisterium that rejects all of these. Millions of Evangelicals are seeing the strength of the Catholic Church and are becoming Catholic because of moral stance that comes from GOD. Thousands of Pastors are becoming Catholic because of both moral and theological reasons. Especially when they read the about the earliest Christians of the first through 8th centuries and realize they were CATHOLIC.

It is time for all of you to come home to the Only Church with the Promises of Christ, which is the Catholic Church whose members of the body of Christ are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome who is Christ Prime Minister on Earth.

It is Christ that strengthens the Catholic Church, as He is the Head of the Church. Without Christ Authority in your hierarchy, you will continue to get lost, divide and disintegrate. When times get tough, the Catholic Church will stand against evil with unquestionable authority. This authority comes directly from GOD.less

Online, your last post typifies protestantism. Since Protestantism is a response to the Original Church, and you left us, we are the Original Church. All the original founders of the Reformation were CATHOLIC! Your churches were founded by Philosophies of Men, and our church was founded personally by GOD-JESUS CHRIST. The Apostles are our Fathers in Faith who had Christ authority, yours' are...more

Online, your last post typifies protestantism.

Since Protestantism is a response to the Original Church, and you left us, we are the Original Church. All the original founders of the Reformation were CATHOLIC!

Your churches were founded by Philosophies of Men, and our church was founded personally by GOD-JESUS CHRIST. The Apostles are our Fathers in Faith who had Christ authority, yours' are not nor do they have authority.

Believer, Yes only Jesus is the Mediator and only through Jesus authority can be we forgiven of our sins. Since Jesus gave this authority to the Apostles to forgive sins"Whoever sins you forgive they are forgiven, whoever sins you retain they are retain" and them to the Bishops, you can be forgiven of your sins through Priests because of CHRIST authority in them.

Prophet, Catholics no more worship idols than Protestants worship their ministers or Praise and worship leaders.

Every doctrine that I mentioned was finalized by the POPE in Rome! Without the Pope, these doctrines would have never been definined, since it is mandatory that the Pope affirm counsels. WHO IS THE ONLY CHURCH THAT HAS A POPE, with that kind of Primacy????? THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, of which Roman Catholics are the largest rite.less

5. The Assumption of Mary was always believed by all Christians before the Reformation. There is no grave for Mary, and John the Apostle took care of her. All of the Apostles and great Saints all had Christians who would bury them and then build churches over them. This did not happen for Mary because she was assumed into Heaven, like Elijah, Enoch, Moses. In Revelation, Mary is seen as having her...more

5. The Assumption of Mary was always believed by all Christians before the Reformation. There is no grave for Mary, and John the Apostle took care of her. All of the Apostles and great Saints all had Christians who would bury them and then build churches over them. This did not happen for Mary because she was assumed into Heaven, like Elijah, Enoch, Moses. In Revelation, Mary is seen as having her body in Heaven.

6. Mary has always been venerated. You obviously don't understand what the word co-Redemptrix means. Co-Redemptrix does not mean she is another Redeemer SILLY BILLY, it means she CO-Operated with the Redeemer by saying YES to the Holy Spirit.

7. We petition saint in Heaven and on Earth. Pray means Petition or worship. When you pray to God it is worship, when you pray to your friends to petition them to pray for you it is simply a petition. Look up the definition of words so you don't look silly.

8. Yes, and the Pagans prayed to False Gods. Catholics pray to the one true God in the Holy Trinity.

9. The Roman Catholic Church has always existed. Its start date cannot be defined historically since it has always existed since Paul and Peter founded the Church of Rome(You've read the book of Romans), that's my church. The other Churches found were also Catholic, just not Roman Catholic. We all had the same faith.

This proves my earlier point. The Best and brightest Protestant and Evangelical Scholars and Pastors are becoming Catholics like a Tidal Wave, and the most undereducated Catholics are leaving to Protestant Churches.

Who do you think is benefitting? DUH! The Catholic Church!

8.less

Jar, A couple of housekeeping things. Do a spell check before you post and check your grammar or otherwise people may not take you seriously. Also, you were obviously not a very well educated Catholic. The Catholic Church was founded on Pentecost with Peter as Prime Minister(Matt 16:18)Only Peter holds the Keys. 1. The Word Catholic meant in the 1st century Universal meaning it was eve...more

Jar,

A couple of housekeeping things. Do a spell check before you post and check your grammar or otherwise people may not take you seriously.

Also, you were obviously not a very well educated Catholic.

The Catholic Church was founded on Pentecost with Peter as Prime Minister(Matt 16:18)Only Peter holds the Keys.

1. The Word Catholic meant in the 1st century Universal meaning it was every place that was known Rome, Ephesus, Antioch, etc, etc. It ALSO meant "According to the Whole of the Apostles teaching, lacking nothing". So, the Word Catholic was also used to distinguish it from other sects that were not founded by the Apostles.

2. You were unfortunately poorly educated, because of the following errors you post.

3. Top Protestant and evangelical scholars agree Peter was in Rome, His bones were there and a grave with his name as well. Peter wrote from "Babylon" in the scriptures which was another name for Rome.

4. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that only the Pope with the Bishops in communion with him can interpret the scriptures infallibly. The Gift of Truth was only given to Jesus Apostles, the power to bind and loose was given only to the Apostles AND no prophesy of scripture is open to private interpretation.

5.less

Believer and Chiesa, I too had some family cut our family out. Half of our family is Catholic and the other half are Baptist. Some of my cousins joined a new Christian sect called "Jesus Church of God" and they worship on Saturday like the Adventists. They say that they must cut off all relations with anyone who subrogates the Sabbath. They accuse the Catholics of changing the day of Worshi...more

Believer and Chiesa,

I too had some family cut our family out. Half of our family is Catholic and the other half are Baptist.

Some of my cousins joined a new Christian sect called "Jesus Church of God" and they worship on Saturday like the Adventists. They say that they must cut off all relations with anyone who subrogates the Sabbath. They accuse the Catholics of changing the day of Worship, which is true We did. They say Baptist, even though they are a bible alone group seems to follow and accept the Catholic Church's authority since changing the day of worship is not found in the bible and nor changing one of the 10 commandments is allowed or can be supported biblically. They say baptists and protestants accept the Catholic Church's authority by worshipping on Sunday.

We were cut off 20 years ago from them, and now they are starting to call us now. Most of their family has left this sect and most all of them have become non-believers because they had such a bad experience in this church.

I pray that they become believers again.less

weekenderman, Any Protestant with at least a graduate degree, would have to studied Church history, and know that the Catholic Church predates every denomination. When Full Gospel wrote the dates of when your sects were founded, they didn't exist before that. Before the Reformation from 1050-1517, most of the heretical sects you would not consider Christian because of their denial of the ...more

weekenderman,

Any Protestant with at least a graduate degree, would have to studied Church history, and know that the Catholic Church predates every denomination.

When Full Gospel wrote the dates of when your sects were founded, they didn't exist before that.

Before the Reformation from 1050-1517, most of the heretical sects you would not consider Christian because of their denial of the Trinity, Divinity of Christ, etc. The reformation Protestants are fully Christian, just not Catholic Christians.

The Orthodox are fully Christian and they are Apostolic too, but not Catholic. They share so much with us Catholics that there is very little that sepparates us.

Before 1050, the only orthodox Christian Church was Catholic. There are other very small sects that left us in the 4th and 7th century, but many of their beliefs deny the two natures of Christ which Catholics And Protestants and Orthodox affirm.

So, read your history. Nothing predates the Catholic Church. WE ARE THE ONE CHURCH FOUNDED BY CHRIST ON THE APOSTLES and we can show this historically and biblically.

Next time you read Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, Thes, or any of the other letters of Paul they were originally called the "Catholic Epistles" since they were all members of the Catholic Church. When you read about these church plant, this is the Catholic Church not yours'.less

Weekenderman, Maybe you should re-read what FullGospel wrote and you will realize and feel a bit silly that you interpreted what he said claiming that Catholics were 100% of the population prior to the 1900's in US History, which he did not. He did not even mention US history. He was simply talking about Christian history in general, not US History. Before the Protestant Reformation and the ...more

Weekenderman,

Maybe you should re-read what FullGospel wrote and you will realize and feel a bit silly that you interpreted what he said claiming that Catholics were 100% of the population prior to the 1900's in US History, which he did not.

He did not even mention US history. He was simply talking about Christian history in general, not US History. Before the Protestant Reformation and the Orthodox Split, basically the Catholic Church is the only Christian Church before that date of the schism with the East.

Now, I totally understand why you get so many scripture verses wrong when you have such a hard time understanding what even Full Gospel says.

Just another proof why bible alone never works! Thank God I'm Catholic!less

Fullgospel is right. Also, American Christian history is highly puritan and while they left the persecution of the british Church of England because they felt they should not be persecuted, they in turn persecuted Catholics in the New colonies. Catholics were forbidden in many parts of America to practice our Christian faith. In fact, thousands of Catholics with their Priests were murdered a...more

Fullgospel is right.

Also, American Christian history is highly puritan and while they left the persecution of the british Church of England because they felt they should not be persecuted, they in turn persecuted Catholics in the New colonies.

Catholics were forbidden in many parts of America to practice our Christian faith. In fact, thousands of Catholics with their Priests were murdered all over America in the 1700-1830's for their faith.

Ironic that the Puritans who left England because of persecution, sought to persecute Catholics in the new world.less