I am cradle Catholic. I went through a number of years of Sunday school and CCD until Gr.9. Baptized at 8 (or 9?) and confirmed at 14. I knew a few basic things about the Faith but certainly was totally unprepared when I was challenged about four years ago by evangelicals. I remember being asked why Jesus came and die for us and I said something like, "He came to die so that He could open back up the gates of heaven for us; otherwise we could never get to heaven." I was repeating what I remembered my Gr. 9 CCD taught me. All through the years, we had textbooks teaching basic Christian stuff. But certainly nothing intellectual like proving this and that doctrine and stuff like apologetics. My parents were somewhat nominal... we went to church every Sunday but it seems like one hour a week of Catholic Faith. At the same time, I was sort of a daydreamer. But the priest thought I knew enough to be raised up to upper levels of CCD. So I guess I knew *something* about the Faith even if not good enough to respond to evangelical challenges.

Talk about those challenges, I remember getting a bad headache. I don't know if it was the pushy attitude of my evangelical landlady (I went to school elsewhere away from home) or what was it, but I could barely stand her. At last I sought to search and search. I read and I inquired and I researched. Managed to learn a few things these few years. Tried to correct the misinterpretations of my landlady (and my evangelical schoolmates), but it is my opinion derived from observation that she seems too proud to listen.

Anyways, my catechism experiences were okay, I guess. I knew I learned something. And I had some fear of God even though I didn't know how to deal with Him properly. I am no catechism teacher or anything but I think the catechism curriculum should be changed a bit so that subjects should be taught with more focus on explaining reasons intellectually and not just simply statements which are said assuming that people will just accept it without question. The world is getting more literate and people get more inquiring about things. The individualism of modern society, I believe, also tended to contribute much to people questioning about being governed by some kind of authority. They don't mind the Bible because it is a book and people can read it and think they can interpret it correctly. But not so accepting of the Catholic Church (or "organized religion") especially after reading some church history that was presented in a misleading way.

If only people would accept and live out the Faith without questioning so many things. But some people couldn't do that and so comes along heresies. So councils were launched to bring them down. But then certain shepherds of the flock messed up everything causing the Church to be so weak that Protestantism managed to last. Anti-catholic publications and stuff were spread all around sewing confusion in people's minds. They leave the Church and past the attacks on their former Church sewing more confusion.

On the other hand, though, I sometimes think Protestantism had a good side to it. It led people to a greater understanding of the Christian Faith. And it seems to convert people to a Christian faith easier than Catholicism can in this modern age. Maybe it's because evangelical ideas were more easier to grasp to the typical modern western mind than Catholicism. Evangelicalism has people believing in the back of their minds that the Christian religion is centered on personal experience and judgement. It encourages lots of freedom: just go by the book and you're ok - you don't need anything else. Certainly, evangelicalism is more simple. In its simplicity and hence flexibility, people feel more free about it and hence act more energetic for it. As a result, new comers feel more personal and welcomed and sense more religious zeal. Notice that the mainstream churches don't attract as many folks as contemporary evangelical services?

My personal opinion is that liturgy is the reason why so many Catholics don't have that kind of zeal evangelicals have. There's nothing wrong with liturgy IF it's properly understood. I mean, I love it. But if people don't know the Faith enough to actually *explain* it in some depth, they will start doubting if challenged enough (or they start challenging it) and without adequate and proper research. It is no longer as simple as to accept it like a child without question, although that would be best. The certain kind of freedom that evangelicals personally feel they have may have allowed them to be more enthusiastic about their Christian religion, but it has also led them beyond the gates. Sure they found lots of green grass and open space in which to frolick and play, but no true direction available only within the fences which they mistakenly see as something threatening to their personal security.

Therefore, Catholics should be better catechized on the Faith so that they can appreciate all those Sacraments, doctrines, and other fixed things. Then prayer and good deeds click in and will change the person for the better. Unfortunately though, it takes time for people to see through a good Catholic example; it is too quiet and peaceful. The modern westerner (or person falling for western culture) wants to see something immediately evident and so they think they find it by watching people getting hyped up or emotional in "worship services". The newcomers immediately feel personal and therefore welcomed. So they think in their minds, "Hey, this Christianity stuff is quite good! I like it!" However, what they see is actually the external open grass area which the Shepherd knows all too well what dangers lurk there.

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