Do you go to religious services??(church/temple etc)

our kids go to religion and are baptised
we are catholic
we do not attend church

Message edited 10/18/2007 9:21:14 AM.

Re: Do you go to church??

i used to.. in high school and the beginning of college i was involved in youth group and went to the camps and activities with them.. it was a good experience
BUT, when i met DH in college, we lived 2 hours away from each other and could only see each other on the weekends, so we never went to church, becasue we never knew if i was going to be at his house, or he was gonna be at mine....
i actually feel better not going.. i kind of feel like so much of it is just a "show" for one day a week... to me, its more important how you live your life day to day....

ETA: i worship in my own way... i listen to the christian music station Star 99.1 a lot, and it really helps to get me on track

Message edited 10/9/2007 9:30:56 PM.

Re: Do you go to church??

DH does every weekend. Once we were married I went with him, and even when we has DS. But now, I don't make it every weekend. And he still brings DS.

Re: Do you go to church??

I recently found a very nice church to attend and have been going weekly

Re: Do you go to church??

yes every Sunday.

Re: Do you go to church??

Re: Do you go to church??

Sometimes.

Re: Do you go to church??

every weekend. I used to go myself until i had an ovary scare and then DH started to come with me.

Now we go with my 5 month old and he Loves it!!! It makes church so much fun

Re: Do you go to church??

i definately agree that it is much more important to live your life as a good person, i know many people of many religions who are very much a show about their religion,
but to answer the question no i don't go but on the rare occasions that i do i always feel better about myself, i think it calms and centers me

Re: Do you go to church??

Re: Do you go to church??

WE go every week!!

Re: Do you go to church??

When I was growing up I was very involved in my church youth group- choir-went to church every sunday- went to youth group meetings once or twice a week- taught a religious ed class - was a Eucharistic Minister- went to college and drifted a bit- but still was involved a little- but slowly it stopped- now DH and I go on holidays and every so often on sundays-

I hope to go much more when we have children- I want my children to be as involved as I was-

Message edited 10/9/2007 9:50:38 PM.

Re: Do you go to church??

We go on Holidays and I want to try and start making it every week.
Try is the key word, but, we really should!

Re: Do you go to church??

we go every saturday... I sing that mass as the song leader so it is nice that my whole family goes

Re: Do you go to church??

DH and I are Roman Catholic. We have made all of Sacraments and DH and I go to Mass weekly. sometimes i go more than once a week depending on holy days of obligation or if i am scheduled to cantor (I sing at church).

We are both Eucharistic Ministers (we help distribute Communion at Mass and/or to the sick at the hospital.

We both grew up going to Catholic school (him all the way through, I went to public jr. high and high school).

DH is a Third Order Franciscan and is discerning ordination to the diaconate.

I did a year of volunteer work after college with the Passionist priests.... and am still involved in social justice issues and service work. That experience changed my life and my views on poverty and injustice in the world, but I won't go into that here! That's a whole other topic ...

Our Roman Catholic faith is very important to us and is a large part of our lives... we're not preachy or "Bible bangers" but the values of the Church is what we believe and has shaped us as people and guides many of the decisions that we make as a couple and more broadly as citizens.

Re: Do you go to church??

my parents kind of "made" me up through about 9th grade... then i stopped. i started going again for a couple of years, on my own, when i was in my younger 20's. i got out of it again... but sometimes i miss going; i like the way i felt at the end of a service.

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I go with my baby every week. DH isn't Catholic, so he doesn't attend.

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Used to every sunday....fell away from the Catholic church because I would like to explore spirituality and community involvement vs. rules...so I am still looking for the right place. But I still pray every day!

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Re: Do you go to church??

Never. I am Jewish.

BUT the question can be tailored to fit to my religion as well.

DH and I go on certain holidays. In our faith, it is a huge financial obligation to be a member of a congregation and we simply cannot afford it right now. We could go to any temple on the Sabbath and theoretically be welcome, but I would not feel right about it since there is so much more than going to services that warrant huge dues.

Since we are not home owners, we will not join a congregation until we are and hopefully that will be BEFORE our children are old enough to start Hebrew school at the age of 8 (Conservative Judaism). Many Hebrew school curriculums require children to take part in Saturday morning services or Junior Congregation led by other children, but DH and I will not send them to services unless we are prepared to go with them. I feel it is hippocritical to force kids to do something I wouldn't do myself even if I already did it.

I also think that religion should be family oriented and fun or else it becomes a huge turn off. Maybe thats why I am not going now.

Message edited 10/9/2007 10:56:55 PM.

Re: Do you go to church??

since DS was born we go everyweek. Although I made all of my sacraments in the RC church, I never attended Sunday mass prior to this.

I agree that it is most important to live your life based on your spirituality. For me I actually find that I enjoy going. Even if just for that hour a week it does somehow offer a lot of "peace" in my otherwise stressful existance. Also, I want DS to be exposed to the church. He is too young now to know the difference (12 weeks) but DH and I enjoy taking him there. I love singing to him. Saying prayers to him.

One more thing, it allows us to meet other young families in or community who share the same values that we do. By that I DO NOT mean people of the same religion, it is more that I enjoy associating with people who are spiritual in general. But obviously at my church that automatically means that they are catholic too.

It does different things for different people. And I agree that your everyday actions speak volumes.

Re: Do you go to church??

we go every so often.

it is hard b/c DH's schedule means that weekends- especially sundays- are days that he has to work when most people are off.

then, when we do have time off- we are so wrapped up in trying to play "catch up" w/ seeing family, errands, cleaning and just general life that it becomes hard.

but- with effort- we go every so often.

i don't think it makes you a good Catholic or a good person-- i know a lot of people that attend church every sunday but are HORRIBLE people who would not even stop and help out someone in need.... i mean, BAD. it's really unfortunate.

so, i go every so often but i practice being a good Catholic/person daily.

Re: Do you go to church??

We go more frequently now that we have kids, maybe 2 or 3 times a month. We were raised in church and feel it's important to give them the same foundation. When they get older they can decide if they want to continue.

Re: Do you go to church??

Unfortunately I only go on holidays. I feel so guilty that I don't go every week. I was raised in a home where we went every Sunday and every day of religious obligation. This is going to be my New Years Resolution this year.

Re: Do you go to church??

Ever since I moved and stopped working at a Catholic school where I attended church once a week...no.