Do Catholics believe in a personal relationship with Christ?

Question

Does the pope teach Catholics to have a personal relationship with Christ?

Read this (it's pretty short) and tell me what you think!

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=13697

Answer 1

Yes we Catholics have a very personal relationship with Jesus Christ.When one partakes of the Eucharist, it is a very personal and intimate relationship

Answer 2

yes Catholics believe in a personal relationship with Christ. Why wouldn't we?

Answer 3

No.  If you had a personal relationship with Christ, the Catholic Church would not own you.

Sweetie, then quit the Catholic Church if it doesn't own you.  Go out and believe in Jesus on your own, like the Bible says.  Or perhaps you haven't read the Bible as the Catholic Church would like to keep you in the dark about what it really says.

You have a corporate relationship with Christ, not a personal one.  If you wanted a personal relationship you would not let the Church get in the way.  After all, the body of believers is the Church, not Roman Catholicism.

ALSO NOTE THAT I HAVE NOT THUMBS DOWNED YOUR ANSWERS, AS YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR BELIEFS!

When I say that the Catholic Church owns you, it does.  You are told what to do, wear, how to act and think by the Pope.  Local Priests are your wardens.  If you rebel, then you are ex-communicated.  Then they don't own you anymore and you are lost without someone telling you what to do.  It is a big business religion and strives to survive through control  Though there is no more forced slavery, witness the building of the Cathedral of Chartres, they have you.  Mind, body and soul.  They own you.  When your thoughts are no longer your own, Christ cannot speak to you directly, or let me be more reasonable as Christ can do what he wants to do, you will not hear him.  There is no personal relationship with Christ through Catholicism.  However, the Catholic Church is a great framework for religion.  Its structure and dogma are its strengths.  I say the Rosary, try to every day.  I believe in Holy Mary Mother of God.  As I believe in Christ.  But my relationship is outside of Catholicism.  Though I love the pomp and trappings of the Catholic Religion.  And freely and Honestly say that I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church.

When I say the creed I say, I Believe in the Holy Roman Catholic Church.  Confusing enough for you?  Good luck understanding what I am saying.

It is the world's most beautiful religion.  In my opinion.

COME ON, KEEP THUMBS DOWNING ME.  I AM GOING FOR THE RECORD.

When you say that I am not being factual, could that be tainted by the fact that you are committed to Catholicism?  It is your perception that I am not being factual, however, most of what I have written is based in historical fact.  The problem is that no one is interested in the foundations of religion, just in what it can do for them currently.

Also, if Catholicism has done these wonderful things for you - brought you closer to Christ - then what is the argument?  After all, we are all just seeking the truth about God.  Yes.  Please believe me that I wish you well and wish the Pope and the Catholic Church well.

Historical edit:  The modern Catholic Religion was basically reborn during the reign of Pope Paul vi.  Pope Paul continued his predecessors Vatican ii convocation and reshaped the Catholic Religion to what it is today.  Paul was a visionary and worthy leader of the world's largest Christian religion.  He sought to open dialogue with Protestants, Atheists and peoples of other religions.  Though some of his stands, such as that on birth control, were controversial - overall his reign was extremely successful.  I would classify him as the executor of the modern Catholic Church.  John xiii being its founder.

Answer 4

The Church has always taught that the laity and clergy should have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, as well as with Mary and the entire Trinity.

I think the Pope in this statement is definitely affirming this.

We do not believe in the "My Personal Jesus" theme though. Jesus is not my personal anything, he isn't my personal Savior because He didn't die only for me. I have a personal relationship with the Trinity and with Mary and the Church has encouraged my relationship always.

Answer 5

No one else but those who receive Jesus can know what a personal relationship is.He comes to us in the blessed sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, every day.

Answer 6

Now what have I been missing around here?

the answer is easily YES madame speaker, and there's more...Catholics are instructed to accept Christ's call for a family relationship, something many non-Catholic Christians are missing out on with the spin-doctoring of their marketing team.

Christ wants us to have a relationship with all his saints and that includes his mother Mary who reflects Christ's glory.

Answer 7

I find it odd that some people think we don't..

As stated by another answer, we have an intimate relationship with Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Answer 8

Yes, the Catholic Church and the Pope teach us to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But it goes far more deeper then just that.

I can have a "personal relationship" with my mechanic if I wanted to. God Himself wants us to be completely united with Him in Spirit and will. Even the Holy Eucharist speaks of uniting ourselves with Jesus Christ in a way that Protestant cannot. That's to receive the actual Body and Blood of Jesus in way that goes far beyond just a personal relationship.  

Answer 9

Yes I have a personnel relationship with Christ.

God Bless

Edit;

Dr B The Catholic Church does NOT OWN ANYBODY Especially me, I am my own person and follow my own path and I ''Choose'' the Lords path with the Lords Church. Weather you or anybody else like it or not!.

Edit;

TJ You are a Classic example of somebody who did not understand the theology of the Church!. I and anyone else Catholic or not can speak to God through prayer, not only preists can speak to God. Where on earth did you get that concept that Catholics believe that?.  As for the intercessional Prayers through Mary and the saints,   we ask Mary and Saints to pray for us just like you would ask a family or friend to pray for you. We pray DIRECTLY to God and Worship God alone not Saints or Mary!.

And it is Bibilical here you have some referance,Thus, in Psalm 103 we pray, "Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will!" (Ps. 103:20–21). And in the opening verses of Psalms 148 we pray, "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!"

Not only do those in heaven pray with us, they also pray for us. In the book of Revelation, John sees that "the twenty-four elders [the leaders of the people of God in heaven] fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev. 5:8). Thus the saints in heaven offer to God the prayers of the saints on earth.

Angels do the same thing: "[An] angel came and stood at the altar [in heaven] with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God" (Rev. 8:3–4).

Edit;I have to Concurr with my Catholic brother Sentinel, he is right Catholics are not in the habit with respect to the questioner to shout about our relationship with Christ through the rooftops. PFs are more inclined to do this.

Answer 10

Yes, we do and are encouraged to do so.

Answer 11

I am a former Catholic and the answer to your question is 'no'. Catholics believe that only priests can speak directly with God. Catholics also believe that they can pray to Mary and ask her to speak to her son, Jesus.

Catholics are missing the entire reason Jesus came - to provide an opportunity for each and every person to have direct access to God.  

Answer 12

Absolutely.

Answer 13

Yes Catholics do have a deep relationship with Christ but it is not the Catholic way to shout it from the rooftop,Catholics as a rule live out their lives in quiet love of Christ and with full dependence upon Him.

Catholics do not blow trumpets in the street declaring their faith to one and all,they carry the burden of the cross in union with Christ be it sickness or dissappointments, in short Catholics rely not on their own ability but rather keep Jesus at the very centre of their life for He is their Rock and salvation.

God bless.

Answer 14

The last four Popes have emphasized a personal relationship with Christ as Lord, Incarnate God,the One Mediator, the Only Redeemer and Saviour, friend,Director, Example,Confidant,etc.

This is nothing new in Catholicism ,especially in the mystical tradition of the saints and Eucharistic devotion.

Catholic Christianity also emphasizes a corporate relationship with Christ as the head of the Body and as Lord of the Church.

Answer 15

The Pope, the Bishops, the priests, the directors of religious education, the Sunday school teachers, and parents all teach we should each have a personal relationship with Christ. This personal relationship does not dismiss the needs of the faithful to practice their faith. We have been given many gifts in the sacraments that we should not shun. We should also let the fruits of our faith be shared through volunteerism and mercy.  

Answer 16

We do, and we don't.

I understand where Dr. B is coming from on at least one point; our relationship with Christ is indeed profoundly corporate (from the word "corpus", of course) -- union with His Body through the Eucharist, and with each other in communion as the Body of Christ.

It is the Eucharist that makes our relationship with Christ also profoundly personal.  If the Bible can be thought of as His love letters, we have a hard time understanding why anyone who professes a relationship with Him would accept these but reject His touch (in the sacraments) and real union with him in the Eucharist. You can't get much more personal than that -- receiving Christ in body, blood, soul and divinity into yourself.  (The church is not called the bride of Christ on a whim.)

Like many other terms, though (such as "born again" and the view that makes "prayer" synonymous with worship -- most likely stemming from an impoverishment of sacrament), we don't view "relationship with Christ" as a "Jesus 'n' me" exclusivity quite apart from the body of believers.

That doesn't mean we don't encounter him individually; as Pope Benedict stated in the article, we certainly do.  In that sense another common Protestant term, our "walk with Christ", is appropriate for us as well.  What else is our salvation but a journey with Him?

Answer 17

Sentinel said almost everything for me.

I wish that everyone who believes Catholics don't have a personal relationship with Christ could go to just one Mass at my parish, feel what it is like to receive the Eucharist, and spend a quiet hour in meditation on Our Lord's Agony in the Garden.