Abstract
This paper relates the religious and political motivations for recent outreach programs for inactive Catholics. The author discusses the fundamental features of Catholicism that make outreach to lapsed Catholics an integral part of Church activities. The paper surveys outreach programs throughout the United States.

From the Paper
"The Roman Catholic Church has the largest denomination of Christian followers in the United States with million people identifying themselves as Catholic . However, million of those people are inactive Catholics."

Tags:outreach programs, inactive Catholics, Roman Catholic Church

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that many Catholic churches in modern society offer anyone that wants to worship an opportunity to do so, regardless of their lifestyle or former habits. There are many Catholics that live their lives outside of the boundaries of what conservative Catholics would consider acceptable. However, the writer points out that at the same time there are Catholics that believe the conservative church is far too restrictive in its regulation of church practices and practitioner's lives. The writer maintains that it seems that within the Catholic Church today, a middle ground must be found, one that will accommodate the needs of everyone.

From the Paper
" Many devout Catholics suggest that the conservative approach is much better than the liberal approach quotes Amy, because it is impossible to label a Catholic church as tolerant or intolerant. It is also according to the interviewee, impossible to believe in such liberal ways as the California St. Francis Church, because it seems like the priest is making up his own rules and interpreting the bible as he sees fit, which is not an acceptable practice among most Catholics, even if they are not conservative in their beliefs. Many Catholics, according to Amy, would rather attend a devout service at a conservative church of Catholicism than at a "tolerant" or liberal Catholic Church where women are allowed to be priests and where gays and lesbians are allowed to participate in the holy sacraments."

Tags:priest, liberal, approach, faith

Abstract
When it comes to young adult Catholics in the United States, we see the entire spectrum. There are some who are Catholic in name only, take it as a given, and don't seek to know any more. They may go church but it isn't something that makes a difference or impact in their life. Then, there are those whose faith has become central in their lives. The paper shows that for many members of this generation, spirituality outranks the rules and practices of religion. For others, doctrine is set in stone and should be studied in depth. Still others are too busy to think in either of these ways as they are out in the world being the hands and feet of Christ. The paper shows that these young adults are not their parents, but they do not disregard what their parents have achieved for them as they set out to form their own history. This generation will not be afraid to take what it needs from religion and change what has become obsolete. The paper concludes that the current status of young adults Catholics in America is wide-ranging, but if anything, that should give hope to American Catholics because it means that their Church is becoming just as inclusive as the world "Catholic" implies.

From the Paper
"With a new education and their own identity as a generation, young adult Catholics in America today also have their own outlook on traditional practices. From the very public experiences of local parish involvement, to personal devotions, young Catholics are developing their own standards. America's young adult Catholics actually show a lower level of mass attendance than they did thirty years ago. This trend may be explained simply by feelings of indifference, but more likely is a result of a new concept of what it means to be Catholic. Many hold the belief that one can be a good Catholic, and have a substantial relationship with God, without being a part of customary practices within a parish."

Tags:catholicism, religion, God, Bible

Abstract
This paper explains that the majority of immigrants before and during the Civil War (1861 to 1865), mostly poor and uneducated Catholics, having suffered terribly from discrimination and bigotry in their countries of origin, faced again in the United States extreme prejudice, bigotry, and religious discrimination, which highly affected their overall social, political, and economic lives. The author states that, in the U.S., anti-Catholic bigotry rose with the increased immigration because the English-speaking Protestant majority was afraid that the Catholics would take their jobs. The paper relates that the Catholic Church responded to the crucial needs of immigrant Catholics by creating social reform and support organizations. Mother Frances Cabrini, an Italian immigrant, founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to teach Italians in the parochial schools, to care for the thousands of homeless children who lived in the streets because of the deaths of their parents, and to place nurses in hospitals.

From the Paper
"During the period in American history just before the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the United States was experiencing great change in its social, political and economic arenas, due mostly to the continuing expansion westward beyond the Mississippi River. This new territory was already inhabited by thousands of Catholics, mainly of Mexican descent, but much of the territory was completely unsettled and wild and was peopled by Native American Indian tribes. With new immigrants coming into the United States "at a rate of some two million every ten years from countries such as Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and Central Europe, the Catholic population exploded and was to serve as the basis for much social and political trouble in the future.""

Tags:sweatshops, alcoholism, irish, german, sisters

Abstract
The paper discusses how the conflict between the Irish Protestants and the Catholics during and after the reign of Queen Elisabeth I was deeply rooted in the political, social and religious situation in Ireland prior to the Reformation. The paper provides the background and development of the conflict and explains that it was a mismanaged struggle for power and control that fueled a constant fight between the two faiths.

From the Paper
"Some historians, like Richey and Kane, even commented on the issue of a national church of Ireland, making it note worthy that before the Tudor monarchy, there has never been a real national Irish church. Since the English started to fight for supremacy and control over the island, there has always been a division between the Irish and the English that was manifested inside the church, too: "the distinction between the English and the Irish, which ran through everything in Ireland, infected the monasteries also"(Richey 1887, 292). The authors emphasize the monastic character of the church prior to the Reformation, as a general characteristic inherited from the original Celtic church."

Tags:Charles, VIII, James, I, Crown, Queen, Elizabeth, Reformation, Jesuits, Tudors

Abstract
The writer of this paper examine the book "Night" by Jewish author Elie Wiesel in which he relates the poignant story of his adolescence as a Jew during World War II. The writer of the paper, attempts to put himself in Wiesel's place and how experiences similar to Wiesel's might have impacted his faith as a Catholic. The writer also examines the actions taken by Wiesel to survive in Nazi concentration camps, how this Affected his belief in God and, once again, draws conclusions regarding the actions of Christians in similar situations.

From the Paper
"In what is one of his most popular works, Night, Elie Wiesel tells the poignant story of his adolescence as a Jew during World War II. At fifteen, he is a studious boy in a Jewish village, studying that Talmud with Moshe the Beadle against the recommendations of his father. Weeks later, young Elie is thrown out of his home in Transylvania, packed onto a train, and transported to Auschwitz and eventually Buchenwald, where he would witness the hardening of his heart and the destruction of his faith. While Wiesel's Night is an important historical account of the Holocaust and the Jews' tribulations during the horrific event, it is also an account of a young man's struggle with his faith. At first a strong believer for his age, he struggles to keep his life, while relinquishing his faith, during his imprisonment. Because of this, he also takes note of the role faith plays in the lives of the other Jews undergoing similar circumstances. From the false hope that circulates among the community before they are deported, to the religious prisoners who are not shown mercy, to the deaths of his family and friends, Wiesel witnesses tragedy after tragedy without an intervention from a higher power. At the end of the book, then, he is left with a respect for faith, but an inability to rekindle his own personal faith. Although Wiesel's Jewish faith was affected by his experiences, his reaction is not limited to this faith. Instead, many religious individuals who were subject to torture and the deaths of their friends and family would most likely have a similar reaction. Through a chronological examination of the Holocaust's effects on Wiesel's faith, an understanding of the relationship between religious persecution and faith can be assessed."

Tags:christian, concentration camp, spirituality, jewish, talmud, holocaust, faith

Abstract
This paper examines the controversial issue of ordaining female priests in the modern Catholic church through analyzing a survey on this topic. The case study includes interviews with a number of Catholics in addition to refering in part to what is known as the official papal letter 'Ordinato Sacerdotalis', which deals with ordaining female priests. First, the paper explores the Church's complex attitude toward women, citing different Biblical passages. Then, the interviews are summarized in the paper, which show very contrasting opinions among Catholics. The paper concludes by quoting Pope John Paul II's declaration that women are not to be ordained as priests.

From the Paper
"First of all, the attitude of the Catholic Church toward women in general has always been extremely complex. For example, as the mother of Jesus Christ, Mary has been given great respect and honor and is looked upon as the first among mortal women. Her status thus comes from her motherhood and of course from the suggestion that Jesus was born of an immaculate conception. Traditional Catholic teaching also emphasizes Eve, the wife of Adam, often referred to as "the temptress and the key figure in the drama of original sin and the human fall from grace" in the Garden of Eden (McBrien, 87)."

Tags:sacraments, Catholic women, priestly ordination, sacrament of orders

Abstract
This paper describes the ritual of the Mass and discusses how it is viewed differently between Protestants and Catholics and even amongst Catholics themselves. In particular, the paper discusses Catholic theologian Michael McGuckian's explanation of the Catholic Mass and suggests that Catholicism's unclear understanding of what McGuckian calls an "unbloody" sacrifice in the first chapter of his work proves how essential it is that greater clarity be attained regarding the definition of Mass. The paper concludes that McGuckian's explanation of the Mass in a three-part structure is both powerful and lucid. It is also inspiring, given that it counters the tendency of some Catholic authors to stress only the painful aspects of Christ's sacrifice, rather than the eternal, positive, and visionary elements of the crucifixion.

From the Paper
"One of the difficulties presented by the Mass to modern Christians is that Christians live in the absence of a concrete memory of the sacrificial system from which the Mass is derived. Thus, sacrifice can seem like a primitive concept, something from a long ago time, even while the Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is above all a sacrifice. It is a sacramental sacrifice, but not only a sacramental sacrifice or re-enactment of reality remembered--it is reality, in the moment and time of the Mass."

Tags:transubstantiation hebraic eucharist spectacle, visionary

Abstract
This paper introduces and discusses the Catholic Church. Specifically it discusses the Catholic Church's injustice towards women and women's rights, including domestic violence, women priests, and other matters relevant to women but ignored by the Catholic Church. The paper shows that for centuries, the Catholic Church has been one of the most powerful, wealthiest, and most popular religions in the world. Millions of Catholics worship every week in a church, and donate billions of dollars for Church projects, and millions of these worshippers are women, who are essentially excluded from the Church except for certain roles. In addition, many of these worshipping women live in some of the poorest countries on Earth, facing famine, overpopulation, and lack of education, and yet the Catholic Church will not condone their use of birth control. The paper questions why the Catholic Church is so staunch in its stance against women and women's rights.

From the Paper
"Since the Church excludes women from the clergy, there is a sense of extreme maleness and masculinity throughout the Church, from alter boys on up, and it is not surprising that normal, healthy men, even if they are priests, are sexually stimulated. To ignore this is to ignore the problem, and keeping priests celibate seems to simply exacerbate an already difficult situation. When there are predominately men in an organization, where will men turn to fulfill their urges if no one else is available? Since men are not perfect, they have flaws, and if given the opportunity, they may sin. Not recognizing the strain that celibacy puts on priests is simply another doctrine of the Church that is outmoded."

Tags:doctrine, abortion, faith, socialization, Episcopal, Church

Abstract
This paper reviews the history of the Act of Union that created a new political entity known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Union was established to ensure Protestant ascendancy in Ireland, a move that was deeply distrusted and resented by the Catholics. The paper also investigates a series of campaigns for the sanctioning of the Catholic Emancipation bill for which Catholic priests, who previously had a very limited part in politics, took leading roles. The paper relates that, from being the prime movers of Ireland's largely Catholic population, these clergymen were booted out of politics and electioneering not by will, but by gradual changes in the different sectors of the country.

From the Paper
"The influence of the clergymen extended into the 1860s and 1870s. During elections, they canvassed, spoke at public forums, endorsed candidates, and brought voters to the polling places. However, their success had been limited due to their division. There were generally two camps: one was headed by Cardinal Cullen of Dublin, who supported liberals and the other was led by Archbishop MacHale of Tuam, who favored extreme candidates. This division worked greatly in favor of the conservative camp, which had more candidates elected to parliament."

Tags:parliament, parnell, landlords, dillon, conflict