The Kitchen Church

National Catholic Register: The Kitchen Church: "The father smiles and says to one of his sons, “Go tell them I want all my children together, in the kitchen, with me.” The son does what he is told — but the dining-room group is aghast at his message. “Well, look at Mr. Special,” says one of them. “He thinks it’s his way or the highway!” “All of this talk about ‘You must gather in the kitchen’ is silly,” says another. “What’s most important is that we love our father and we are talking to him. It’s all his house. He can hear us just as well from the dining room as from the kitchen.”" Outstanding commentary in NC Register. To my protestant brothers and sisters: I must say that I don't understand the flub from some of you prots out there about the Chruch's paper on the position of the Church in relation to other Christian communities. I mean, you left the one true Church thinking we had things all wrong anyways. Frankly, I expected you all to just shrug. What do you care whether we think you are only Christian communities versus full fledged Churches. You left us and went your own way, remember? With all the shouting, someone might think you actually cared. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" - Shakespeare (Hamlet). Some of your responses strike me as the sour grapes of spoiled children who want to do things their own way AND have other say "why that is just wonderful, Billy! Your just like the Roman Catholics!" Sorry, it just ain't true. We pray you come back with us. Our statement of the facts are not meant to hurt - they are meant to ensure that those involved in dialogue remember that truth. Sometimes well meaning people can put the goal of unity above faithfulness to the truth - the article was meant for those Catholics engaging in the ecumenical dialogue more than anything else (imho). So why do we have ecumenical dialogue if this is the Catholic position? Because we want to restore unity among all Christians. We want to be one with you. We DO care about you. We want share our faith so you can see that the truth you believe is here, and so much more that you are missing. The fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. That does not mean truth is not found in your communities - it is, but not all of it. Like what? Well. for starters you are missing the sacraments. Protestant faiths have valid baptism (thank God). That is good, you are part of the family - but you miss so much more, especially the Eucharist. Compared to the Eucharist, those with out it are like the hungry left out of the banquet. You need a valid Eucharist to receive the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ (that is one of the reasons apostolic succession is so important). And there are 5 other sacraments you are missing - moments of Grace that you refuse to accept. Not to mention we are supposed to be one, but you left. There is no way around it. Protestants broke the unity. It was there once, and we know it will return in the end. So we must reach out to our wayward brethren and beckon back. It is what Christ wants us to do. Please. Stop the protests. Open your hearts. Come back.