Traditions???

I think this will be problems in many churches, where traditions are not relevant for the times that we live in. One good thing about the Catholic Church is that it started well, and then committed some of the worse crimes every seen in history, but now seems to have its act together. One thing I do like about the Catholic Church is that compared to other Churches, it is a modern Church. None the less, there are traditions that I question or totally disagree with. If I went through all the Catholic Traditions and beliefs, then this would be a book. So I will take the major ones.

Traditions are good. Or are they? Some traditions that annoy me could be a vital part of another persons religion. Yet I might see them as crap and a waste of time. It is important to question the traditions. I believe we should not accept them that we do not agree with, after studying the purpose of them.

One tradition that I really question is the Mass. I think its a great idea that we all meet in prayer. At the same time, I always think does God ever get tired of hearing the same thing every single week. Actually there is a mass every day. But the words in the mass, the prayers and the structure is the same. At times I think do we even think about what is being said. I mean that we say the same thing every week, so after a while we sound like a flock geese that are mumbling prayers. Prayers and texts that we say every week and are just words that recite. And as I said, God must be very tired of hearing the same thing every week. The tradition of preying together, or service or mass is good. But maybe we should change it so it is our service/mass. Not something that was created 1,000 years ago.

Prayer is a good thing. No doubt about that. But I never did get the idea of Rosaries and Novenas and those things we have in the Catholic Church. I know they are important for my mother. She is always sending novenas to me. To those that don't know it, a novena is a prayer you say over nine days. I tried the Rosary, but I get caught up so much in counting the hail Marys, that I do not have time to meditate. This is the whole idea of the Rosary, to meditate. This is a deep catholic tradition. Reciting prayers and other things. Personally the only prayer that means anything to me is Our Father. The tradition of reciting prayers means nothing if you do not think of what you are saying and why you are saying it

One controversial thing about the Catholic Church is the saints. A lot of people pray to saints. Again I do not understand this. Why do we not pray to God himself? Why do we need all the middle people. As of yet. no one could give me an answer about this. OK, I admit once in a while I talk with my grandmother, whom is dead. Its a question about comfort as I have always been close to her. But the concept of praying to saints and Mary is something that goes against the commandments, Tho should not have more than one God. When we pray, we should primary pray to God. Not mainly to the saints.

One last thing, I would bring attention to is the hierarchy. We have the pope, that is a sort of dictator. He could proclaim something as if its the word of God. This only happens every 100 years. The problem when he does this, is that it cannot be changed. We have arch bishops and then priests. At the bottom is us. One could also provoke by saying at the bottom are women. This hierarchy always annoyed me, as it leaves the people far away. I always thought about democracy in the Church. Like some protestant Churches, why can we not choose what priest we want? What priest we need? Why can we not vote for the Pope? We live in a modern age where that is possible. I am sure that if we did this, many people would take an interest in their local church as well as the Vatican.

Not to appear as a whiner, I also have written my favourite traditions:
- Prayer: This is of course the same with every Church. But thanks to my parents, I have learnt the importance of prayer and I can testify that it does effect my life.
- Mary: I know that many non-Catholics think we think too much of Mary, and indeed saints. I do not pray to them, but It is great that we have some people that who's example we can follow. My favourite is St. Bernadette
- Fasting: I do not fast on official times or when the Church tells me. I do it when I think I need to. I do not tell anyone. Fasting is a sign to myself that I am giving myself to God and using this time to be closer to him
- Family: This is the most important part of being religious or a Catholic. I can say that it is my families identity. It is what holds us together. Family strengthens our bonds and our relationship with God. My parents were visiting here a month ago. They were chanting the rosary at night when they thought I didn't hear. Another mistake I made when I was married. We forgot to be together with God. But my parents remembered it, and as much as I hate the rosary, I found myself reciting it.