Does the Catholic religion have to perform these rituals?

Question

I see alot of things in the Catholic churches like, carrying smoking lamps, eating a certain chip and then praying. Wearing fancy looking clothes and banging on church doors 9 times? Is it really nescessary for God?

Answer 1

Is it "necessary" to fire off 21 guns into the air at a soldier's funeral?

Is it "necessary" to blow out flaming sticks upon a baked confectionery, on the date of one's birth?

Is it "necessary" to gather with family to eat a turkey on the 4th Thursday of November?



No, but rituals are a very human thing, and they can enhance an occasion. It's the way humans express ideas that are too great for words.



To say that your services are superior for having less props, is as ridiculous as saying that your birthday meant more than mine because you didn't have a cake.

Answer 2

I don't think the Catholic leadership said that all those rituals are necessary. The Sacraments are, but incense and wearing of priestly garments, etc. (first time I have heard about the banging on church doors) are not. But I do not see anything wrong in them. And like Andres de Saya said, these practices are very old. The authors of the New Testaments most probably participated in these rituals. You can do research on the origin of these rituals if you really want to know about them.



In Protestant services, I see a guy playing the organ when the congregation sings. Is it really necessary for God that someone plays the organ during the service? Did you notice that the choir members sometimes wore robes? Or sometimes the preacher wore a suit and a tie? Necessary for God? No, but they somehow show reverence to God.

Answer 3

God told us not to do anything which he did not command us to do. Now when they can read in Scripture where God commanded any of this stuff, I will agree. But until then, it is heresy and false teachings.



going to a church and watching a bunch of men, in long robes pretending to be doing things, mumbling in strange language, pretending it is heavenly, (not speaking about spiritual tongues here), but none of this is worship. How is sitting there watching men marching around and mumbling things, and the people just sitting and watching it, how is that worship.



And don't try to say the Catholics don't do this. I have been I their churches and seen it, more than once. Their most famous church, in Rome, is a disgrace to God and man.

There are nude men statues, in very ugly poses, standing right behind the pulpit, so you cannot be there without seeing this luridness. There are small children standing right under them. It is such ungodliness and evil.

those ugly ungodly statues are all over the church, top, walls, floors. Not one inch is not covered with all of this idol mess.

God has never been is such ungodly mess, I can assure you.

So nothing else they do is of God either.

And don't try to say this is not true, I have been there and seen it. It is embarrassing to go inside those buildings that they call churches.

Answer 4

Except for Holy Communion, the rituals you describe are not necessary but, as human beings, they are needed.



Rituals are all around us. Humans are ritualistic beings. We make rituals out of everything.



In our everyday lives, kissing your spouse hello and goodbye, shaking hands with friends and strangers, prayers before meals and bed, celebrating holidays the "family" way, even doing your morning toilette.



Rituals also give reassurance to children, adding a sense of confidence through repetition. Family members are brought together and bonds are strengthened.



Society has rituals: graduations, inaugurations, the Independence Day, New Years, Halloween, parades, the Olympics opening ceremonies.



Religion also has rituals, like baptism, marriage, and funerals.



This is the way humans live, celebrate and rejoice. This is also how we pass our values and traditions onto future generations.



The main rituals of the Catholic Church are seven sacraments:



The Sacraments of Christian Initiation

+ Baptism: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2.shtml#art1

+ Confirmation: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art2.shtml

+ Eucharist: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.shtml



The Sacraments of Healing

+ Reconciliation: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2.shtml#art4

+ Anointing of the Sick: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt2art5.shtml



The Sacraments at the Service of Communion

+ Holy Orders: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt3.shtml#art6

+ Matrimony: http://www.nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt3art7.shtml



For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1121-1666: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/parttwotoc.shtml



With love in Christ.

Answer 5

The fancy clothes are not necessary- hey people just like to clean up a bit if they want to!



But yes, Catholicism is about all kinds of rituals.. they must go to tell their sins to the priest- and get forgiveness from the priest- they must do their baptism, they must do their conformation, they have other rites...



The main one is the daily ritual of their Mass- at which the priests says the magic words and they believe their wafers are actually turned into the body of Jesus and the wine to his blood.



Then they have to eat it.



But we are to receive Christ, spiritually- that is what being born again IS.. being born of the Spirit of God! Not eating him.

Answer 6

I have been doing some research on Catholic and Orthodox practices and beliefs. These "rituals" (except for the banging on church doors 9 times which I only heard now and am not sure if they really do that) have been practiced by the early Christians since before the Bible was compiled.

Answer 7

The Church is supposed to be (a) a glimpse of heaven and (b) a source for Sacraments and (c) the very best that we can offer to God.



Incense ("smoke lamps") was used throughout the Bible to represent prayers rising up to God -- prayer is necessary, though incense isn't.



The Eucharist ("chip"?!?!?) is Jesus making Himself present so that we can communion with Him -- yeah, that's VERY necessary.



Prayer -- how else would you communicate with the Lord? VERY necessary.



Fancy clothes -- We should always dress as though we are going to meet the King, because we are.



Banging on the church door 9 times -- Assuming you are referring to Archbishop Timothy Dolan's installation. Did you miss the whole, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock..." in Scripture? The Archbishop was arriving to shepherd the flock toward the Lord. Knocking isn't necessary but it works.

Answer 8

never heard of the smoking lamps... the chip is a representation of the body of christ then we go pray about that. I don't know why we are eating the body of christ, I guess so he can become a part of us.. and the wine is representing the blood of christ. This is called Holy Communion and happens during every church service.

People normally dress up a bit for church so that is the fancy clothes I guess...

and I have never heard of the banging on church door 9 times thing.

Answer 9

WHAT are you referring to ????

Answer 10

If the Bible is the sole Christian manual these rituals are not mentioned there. It might be interesting to establish teir source.

Answer 11

Maybe you should do some research into the tradition of these actions and practices so that you understand why. Is it really necessary for God, no, but it looks nice.

Answer 12

Not not at all. Its just all added traditions.

All u need is the Holy Spirit and the Bible to guide u to Jesus Christ.

To many false beliefs taught in the Catholic Church, this is what God says about the church ----- Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. :8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Answer 13

I was raised Catholic.. I used to think it was necessary.. But now I'm realizing that it isn't at all.. I should just read my Bible of God's word and try my best to live the life that he wants for me to live.. And pray..

Answer 14

i have never seen any of the priest in my parish knock on the door like 9 times. i personally believe that you don't have to do rituals to be closer to god, just have him in your heart and you will be alright, if you believe in god, if not.....Darwin then:)

Answer 15

Perhaps it isn't necessary for God. Perhaps it's simply beneficial for humans. We all have rituals, and some rituals make us feel more connected to one another. I don't see what's wrong with that. If it fills a need, if it serves some personal or community purpose, and if it harms no one, leave well enough alone.

Answer 16

The catholic church is NOT Biblical. It is false doctrine!



Here is the truth about the catholic church...



When I was seminary I searched for the reasons why catholicism didn't work--why all the years as an altar-boy, all the rosaries, all the Novenas, Masses, Stations of the Cross, etc. never made a difference.



The answer was in their Gospel message. Every religion in the world can be defined by the Gospel message--what must a person do to get to heaven?



The Bible was clear, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." [Ephesians 2:8-9] I came to Christ by faith and faith alone in Christ, with absolutely no works--it was all by what Jesus did. I simply repented of my sin, believed in who Jesus claimed to be, and then submitted my life to His control.



Now what I discovered about the catholic church was that they have a different gospel than the one of the Bible. I went to eight years of catholic grade school and knew what it was, but the study at seminary explained the source for their belief.



The catholic gospel says that "one gets to heaven by the Grace of God through the death of Jesus on the cross" (so far so good--it sounds right). But the way to receive this grace is NOT by faith and faith alone (a free gift as Ephesians 2:8-9 said), no, the way a person receives the grace to be saved (according to the catholics) is by "doing certain things" (works), like:



1. Going to mass = grace

2. Saying Catholic prayers (Our Fathers, Hail Marys, rosaries, etc.) = grace

3. Receiving communion = grace

4. Being baptized (infant) = grace

5. Going to confession = grace

6. Helping others = grace

7. Making a novena = grace

8. Making the Stations of the Cross = grace

and on, and on it goes.....each thing you do brings a bit of grace................





Then according to the catholic church, "If you die in a state of Grace, then you will go to heaven ---eventually! You have to stop in Purgatory for an indefinite period of time (millions of years?). Purgatory is a place just like Hell (torment and agony), but the difference is you will get out some day--once "you have paid for your sins." (yet Christ said on the Cross, just before He died, "It is Finished!" He meant that the price for sin has been paid!)



Yet, there is a problem, in that a catholic can lose all of their accumulated grace by committing a MORTAL sin! A Mortal sin is a premeditated sin, basically one of the Ten Commandments, like killing someone, committing adultery, stealing, using the Lord's name in vain, missing Mass on Sunday, etc. Any of these sins done with a willful heart caused all the accumulated grace to disappear. Thus if you then died without any grace, then you went non-stop to Hell.



However, if you could then rush to a catholic priest and get your sins forgiven, then you collected a little more grace again, and were back on the road to heaven--at least until the next Mortal Sin dumped all your grace again.



Basically the catholic Gospel is a "works" gospel, that is, "it is what Jesus did on the Cross PLUS my works gets me to heaven." But the true Gospel of the Bible, is salvation by faith and faith alone in Jesus--no works allowed nor accepted--it is all based only on what Jesus did.



In seminary I learned that the basic catholic doctrine was set at the Council of Trent (1545-1563), 19th ecumenical council of the Roman catholic church, which met in response to the Protestant Reformation to initiate general church reform and define its essential dogmas). At that Council, they came up with a bunch of "canons" (ecclesiastical laws) of which one said this, "If anyone believes that salvation is by faith and faith alone, then let them be anathema (cast into

hell)". The catholic church at their core doctrine deny salvation by faith and faith alone in Christ. Yet the Bible said, that, "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." [Ephesians 2:8-9]



All that I have just told you about the catholic church is available in any of their catholic Catechisms, which outline their teachings.



The Roman Catholic Church is a false religion, and anyone who dies believing and trusting in their false gospel will be eternally condemned to Hell.



Take a look at the ten commandments. Realize that you are a sinner and you need God to save you from eternity in Hell. Repent (turn away) from your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Get a Bible and read it every day!

Answer 17

no banging on church door...rituals are done on different religions not just catholic so respect them ...as they will respect you too on whatever it is you do

Answer 18

Some traditions and rituals are quite nice. I don't know that it's "necessary" but why is it a problem?



By the way, some of the things you mention don't sound particularly Catholic to me.

Answer 19

well the smoking lamps are lit in the navy - never saw any in church.

there is no eating of chips or snack food during the mass, we are actually to fast for a minimum of one hour prior.

as for fancy clothing - yes we are to present ourself in our finest garb. most of the priests, however wear handme downs or items that church members have made so while they may be a little over the top - they are recycled or made with love so....

no clue on the 9 times... i've never had to know, the door has always been wide open and welcoming.

Answer 20

''banging on church doors 9 times''



Are you serious? O.o

Answer 21

Much of it is symbolism. If you read the Bible, you'll find that it too is full of symbolism.

Answer 22

I personally do not bang on church doors, but when I do go to church, I dress nicely to show respect for the place that I am entering. And I believe you are referring to incense and the Holy Eucharist.

Answer 23

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God desires ritual - when done for His Glorification.





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What good is "seeing" when you don't understand what it is you're looking at? I say this because your inability to use the proper terminology exposes your ignorance.





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THURIBLE - The censer or vessel in which incense is burned at liturgical services. It consists of a cup-shaped metal body for holding charcoal and incense, with a separate lid for controlling the smoke and fire, and a chain, or chains, allowing the censer to swing safely without spilling its contents.





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EUCHARISTIC ELEMENTS - The sensible matter of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, over which the words of Consecration are pronounced. They are bread, freshly made of wheaten flour, and wine as the natural uncorrupted juice of the grape. In the Latin Rite the bread is unleavened (without yeast); in the Eastern rites it is leavened.





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You're kidding, right? Prayer? You're taking issue with Catholics praying?



PRAYER - The voluntary response to the awareness of God's presence. This response may be an acknowledgment of God's greatness and of a person's total dependence on him (adoration), or gratitude for his benefits to oneself and others (thanksgiving), or sorrow for sins committed and begging for mercy (expiation), or asking for graces needed (petition), or affection for God, who is all good (love).





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VESTMENTS - Special garments worn by the clergy, in conformity with Church regulations, at the celebration of the mass, administration of the sacrament, in procession, when giving blessings, and in general whenever exercising their official priestly duties. The use of vestments goes back to the ritual garb of the priesthood of Aaron. In the Catholic Church, even in catacombe days, priests and bishops were sepcially, if not always distinctively, garbed when celebrating the liturgy. With the Church's liberation and her emergence into public life, liturgical garmetns were commonly used to distinguish them from secular dress.





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This one is news to me. I haven't been to any installments of new Arch bishops.





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Fasting IS Biblical:



Matt. 9:15; Mark 2:20; Luke 5:35 - many non-Catholics frown upon the Church's pious practice of fasting, and say that fasting went away after the resurrection of Christ. But Jesus Himself says that His followers will fast once He is gone and does not object.



Matt. 6:16-18 - in fact, Jesus even gives instructions on how to fast. Jesus says, "Do not look dismal like the hypocrites, but look clean and refreshed."



Matt. 17-21; Mark 9:29 - Jesus teaches that only prayer and fasting had special power to cure a man possessed by a demon. Jesus teaches about the efficacy of fasting and how fasting, coupled with prayer, is acceptable and pleasing to God.



Luke 2:37 - Anna the widow worshiped God with fasting and prayer night and day. The Church has always taught that, by virtue of our priesthood conferred in baptism, our fasting participates in the priesthood of Christ by atoning for the temporal punishments due to our and other people’s sins.



Acts 13:2-3; 14:23 - the apostles engaged in prayer and fasting in connection with ordaining leaders of the Church. Prayer and fasting have always been the practice of the Church.



1 Tim. 4:3 - when Paul refers to doctrines that require abstinence from foods, some Protestants refer to this verse to condemn the Catholic Church's practice of fasting. But Paul is referring to abstinence and any other practice that is performed apart from Christ's teachings. Fasting, on the other hand, is done in obedience to Christ's teachings of taking up our cross and following Him, by participating in His sufferings so we can share in His glory. When citing this verse, these Protestants do not explain why Jesus prophesied that his followers would fast and why Jesus gave instructions on how to fast.



Ez. 8:21-23 - Ezra proclaims a fast as a prayer for humility and self-mortification and God responds. Our fasting is performed to remind us of our absolute reliance upon God.



Neh. 1:4; 9:1 - these texts also show the historical practice of fasting. Fasting atones for temporal punishment due to sin and repairs our relationship with God.



Tobit 12:8 - prayer is good when accompanied by fasting. Throughout salvation history, God has encouraged fasting to be coupled with prayer.



Judith 4:9-13 - the people of Israel humbled themselves with fasting and the Lord Almighty responds.



Esther 4:3,16 - people fasted for days to atone for sin. Although Jesus remits the e

Answer 24

Knock 3 times on the ceiling if you want Me? No, they made all these rituals up and they are not necessary.

Answer 25

For Catholicism there is no such thing as a private relationship between the individual and God. Rather, even when the individual is in solitude the risen Christ comes by way of the community, and each individual relates to Christ as a member of that community. Many Christian sects teach that the individual has a private, personal relationship with God or with Jesus Christ that begins with and is nourished by reading and praying with the Bible. Hence the sectarian admonition, "Accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior."

For Catholicism, on the contrary, the Bible came from the community of faith, the church, and we can understand the Bible only in the context of the community from which it came. Thus, it is a distortion of the very nature of Scripture if a person attempts to interpret the Bible in isolation from the community of faith and the Sacred Tradition that gave birth to the Bible in the first place.

This does not mean that a person may not read Scripture in solitude, or pray in solitude.

It simply means that even when we are alone we are never alone. Even in solitude we are with the community of faith, the church, and Christ comes to us through that community. Even someone called to a life of prayer and solitude as a hermit is always in communion with the worldwide community of faith.

But Catholicism's-vision of the community is not confined even by time and space. Being Catholic means membership in a community that goes beyond this world. The traditional term for this is "the communion of saints." We belong to a community that exists in both time and eternity. This is why, for example, we pray for one another in this world, but we also ask those who have passed through death into eternal life to pray for us, as well. We ask the saints to pray for us, of course. But we may also ask departed loved ones to pray for us because we all continue to participate in the life of the one community of faith that is both in and beyond time and space.

Being Catholic means to accept the ancient Christian mystery that the church, the community of faith, is the first and most basic "sacrament" of Christ's presence in our midst. The faith community of the church is, in the words of Saint Paul, the body of Christ. Thus: "Now you [plural "you"] are the body of Christ and individually members of it" (1 Corinthians 12:27).



5. Catholicism celebrates the human intellect.

Being Catholic includes a high degree of discomfort with the idea of "blind faith." Being Catholic never means shutting off the human intellect or reason. Rather, Catholicism finds faith and reason to be perfectly compatible. The human intellect will never be able to fully grasp the mystery of Christ, the church, and faith, but neither will the human intellect ever be able to fully grasp the mystery of one person's love for another.



For Catholicism, everything God created is touched by God's self-gift or grace, and that includes the human intellect. Yes, everything, including human reason, is "fallen," but everything is also "redeemed" by Christ, including the human intellect. Thus, being Catholic means more than reading the Bible and paying respectful attention to official church documents. It means reading the Bible and official church documents with one's brain and critical faculties engaged.



Being Catholic means it is not acceptable to shut off one's intellect, then read the Bible and the official teachings of the church and "do what we're told to do." God gives us intellect and conscience, and we're expected to use them honestly, prayerfully, and to the best of our ability.

Being Catholic means doing a spiritual balancing act. We don't believe that reason alone can comprehend the mysteries of faith. But at the same time, we don't believe that "blind faith," divorced from the intellect, is an acceptable way to be a follower of Christ. Catholicism is not an either/or religion, it's a both/and religion. Faith and reason, that's the fully human way to live one's faith.

Catholicism finds God reflected everywhere.

Being Catholic means using one's intellect to better understand one's faith. But it also means using one's intellect to see life and all of God’s creation as a reminder of God's unconditional love. Being Catholic means seeing the similarities that exist between God and the creation. God is like a sunset, God's love is like the love one finds in a good marriage, God is like a teenage girl or boy, God is like an ocean, God is like a playful puppy, God is like a hurricane. . . For Catholicism, analogies for God are endless because Catholicism emphasizes the similarities between the divine and the human, between God and the created order, between God and our own human experience.



Above all, of course, being Catholic means knowing God through the humanity of Jesus the Christ. Jesus is, you might say, the ultimate "analogy" or "metaphor" for God, to the point that he is both fully human and fully divine. Jesus

Answer 26

Being Catholic is not just identifying with an organization, it strikes at the root of ones existence. It means being rooted in a living Christian tradition, one that began some 2000 years ago and continues down to the present day. Being Catholic means dedicating oneself to a particular way of life based on the Good News of Jesus the Christ, the active presence of the risen Christ in the world, and the living traditions of Catholicism. Being Catholic means participation in a community of faith.



. Being Catholic does not include the desire to impose our religion on others, but it does mean that when something surfaces in the wider society that clashes with our deepest convictions about the dignity of human beings or the meaning and purpose of life, we will not remain silent.



At the same time, it is perfectly possible for Catholics to end up on various sides of political issues. Catholics may sympathize more with one political party than with another. Catholics may be political liberals or conservatives. But their ultimate ideals come from their faith, not from a specific political philosophy.



Being a Catholic is a specific way to be a Christian. Historically, Catholicism is the oldest form of Christian tradition, one that traces its existence in a direct line back to the apostles of Jesus with no breaks or interruptions. This is not to say that the Catholic Church at various times has not been unfaithful to the gospel, but eventually it always returns to the truth entrusted to it by Christ.



Catholicism has seven characteristics that distinguish it, in particular, from mainline Protestant and sectarian Christian churches:



1. Catholicism is sacramental.

Being Catholic means "seeing" the Divine Mystery present in created realities, things one can see, taste, smell, touch, and feel. Being Catholic means perceiving the infinite in the finite, the divine in the human, spiritual things in material things. Being Catholic means blinking one's eyes in joyful amazement at finding the spiritual in the material, the Most High God in the ordinary. Being Catholic means finding eternal realities in everyday things. Being Catholic includes the delightful perception that everything God created is sacred.

Because Catholicism finds created realities to be sacred realities, it is no great leap to encounter the risen Christ in the seven official sacraments of the church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. When others claim to have no difficulty finding God everywhere, it puzzles Catholics when they also object to finding the Divine Mystery in specific places — bread and wine, for example, in the words of forgiveness spoken by a priest, or in the committed love of a married couple.



2. Catholicism actually causes the Divine Mystery to be present.

Closely related to the sacramentality of Catholicism is the fact that Catholicism, primarily through the seven sacraments, actually causes the Divine Mystery to have an impact on those who receive the sacraments. Catholicism carries and gives the real presence of the Divine Mystery—the Risen Christ — to its members. This happens not just inwardly, on a subjective level, but objectively, in various observable events such as the Eucharist and the other sacraments.

In other -words, God is not just present for Catholics as the invisible, totally transcendent , object of belief or faith. Rather, God is also imminent, here, present and accounted for. Therefore being Catholic means encountering the risen Christ in and through the church and its sacraments. This encounter does not happen merely in the subjective interiority of the person, it happens objectively, "out there," in the world, in time and space, in an observable fashion.

Sacraments are not magic, mind you. We do not control God by pronouncing the "right" words and performing the "right" actions. Rather, the risen Christ makes a gift of himself in and through the church — which is all of at all times, and in seven special situations

we are able, through the freely given grace of God, to be present to this gift.

The role of the ordained priest takes on added importance for Catholics because the priest is the one specifically designated at special times to focus the presence of the risen Christ for a distinct purpose in a distinct situation. Being Catholic does not mean needing a priest in order to find God present in the world or in oneself. By no means. But being Catholic does mean that thee are special moments – the celebration of the sacraments – when a priest is required to “stand in” as it were, for the One Mediator between God and human beings, the risen Christ.



3. Catholicism is communal.

For Catholicism there is no such thing as a private relationship between the individual and God. Rather, even when the individual is in solitude the risen Christ comes by way of the community, and each individual relates to Christ as a member of that c

Answer 27

No it is not. These are all manmade traditions not required by God. God Himself says that men make the word of God because of their traditions and that all they do is burden people. They worship a god they do not know.

Answer 28

Religion = Fail

Answer 29

False religion's do and preach what they want. Even when it go's against the teachings of the bible.

Answer 30

None of these rituals are necessary. Its forbidden to bow down to idols or pray to dead people, its called necromancy, and its an abomination. These rituals are man made, not God made.

Answer 31

Yes, all that is necessary cause if we didn't do that the Holy Spirit won't be able to work properly.

Answer 32

yes, incense, yes the eucharist, the other 2 are new to me.

Answer 33

The concept of religion deserves no respect.