Catholicism appears strange to me

by Letters Editor · June 20, 2013

By Hendrietta Coetzee, Stellenbosch

Forgive me for feeling the urge to clarify some features of your Catholic faith.�I am not a member of your Church, however, I am a believer in the Christian faith and attached to my Bible.�I have attended your Mass, some funerals, marriages and baptisms.

“You also believe the Eucharist is truly Jesus, the son of God, truly present on your altar. I see no evidence of this in your congregations.”

I find it so strange that your clergy have to read the prayers from prescribed books; I mean read and not pray.

At Mass I am so confused; the priest reads from a book, the people make some responses, they all kneel or stand or sit�but not all the prayers said by the priest alone are heard or understood.

You also believe the Eucharist is truly Jesus, the son of God, truly present on your altar.

I see no evidence of this in your congregations.

I mean their very approach to this extraordinary fact, if true, is perplexing: the way they dress, the way they bend their knee before him, the carefree manner receiving him, the lack of reverence I would expect before the Lord himself.

I am confused about so-called faith and their way of expressing it. My Catholic friends are unable to give me sound biblical texts to support their faith and the practice thereof.

You have beautiful churches, do a lot of charity work and have excellent schools, but what about living what we truly believe?