That's what I want

I want Truth...

I want a church that does not bend truth to be morally relative. There can be only one Truth—not many different versions of “truth” that contradict each other.
 
I want a church that tells me I’m wrong when I think I’m right.
 
I want a church that does not change its teachings to fit the times or whims of some. (Romans 12:2)
 
I want a church that does not tell me my sins are okay just because “everyone else is doing it” or humans have “evolved” and “progressed” in their thinking. Just because the world says it is right, doesn’t make it right, and we can’t live a life of faith in that way. (James 4:4)
 
I want a church that will call me out on my sins, and not turn a blind eye.
 
I want a church that challenges me to lift myself to higher standards, not a church that lowers its standards to meet my selfishness.
 
I want a church that demands my time and effort, and challenges my will power and openness to grace.
 
I want a church that doesn’t let me off scott-free in my laziness and selfishness.
 
I want a church that will tell me it is gravely sinful and offensive to God to use contraception.
…to have pre-marital sex.
…to live with someone before you’re married to them.
…to get divorced.
…to have an abortion.
…to live for money and careers.
…to skip Mass on Sunday.
…to disobey your parents, laws, or anyone in authority.
…to lie.
…to covet or be jealous of the blessings of others while overlooking my own blessings.

I want One church...

I want a church that teaches one Truth and professes one faith, and admits that it will never have the authority to change them because the Truth came from Jesus Himself and not from any man.
 
I want a church that is fully united (Philippians 1:27), with a visible head and other church authorities, just like Jesus established.
 
I want a church that is visibly run by sinners, one that has a very imperfect past, and is not afraid to admit it. Wars, scandals, prying on the innocent—these are not events to shake my faith in a church, but rather strengthen my faith in it. What other institution in history could basically decimate itself from within and yet reign strong? And better yet, while fully holding on to the Truth? Not changing Truth to excuse even the sins of those who are in positions of authority? Not even the darkest of times could change the truth because the Truth is always True, even if people deny it. A broken church full of sinners that is able to remain unchanged in doctrine, Truth, and practice is truly a church ever graced by God, and surely the “gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

I want a church that is a family. My brother is Christ and my father is God the Almighty Father. The family doesn’t end there—but I want a church that gives thanks and honors the fact that our Brother gave us His Mother. Yes, I want a church that gives me a Mother to point me in the right direction, to comfort me, to guide me. And yes, I want a church that is both a family here on earth of brothers and sisters in the Lord, and a family in Heaven, all fully alive, praying for us and all connected in the Spirit.
 
I want a church that is truly a family. Where the head of this church can be called Papa. Of my place of worship, I want the one who teaches the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, passed onto him, to be “Father.” I want Brothers (monks/friars) and Sisters (nuns). My church should be one big family.
 
I want a church that doesn’t make me the center of my faith—I’m not the rock that my faith is built on, I’m not my own authority. It’s not just “me and Jesus” but the whole Body of Christ, and my concern is not just with myself and my own salvation, but for other sinners and their salvation (Galatians 6:2).
 
I want a church that I can be confident has supplied me and all of its followers with the necessary inspired Word of God: the full Bible. I want to know that what I consider to be Sacred Scripture includes every book necessary and is not missing anything.
 

I want a Holy church...

I want a church that teaches me how to truly worship, and not just “hang out” and “relax” on Sundays. Where Sundays are truly the Lord’s days and not my own. Where I fully humble myself, showing my humility and unworthiness with my body language and actions.
 
I want a church where almost everything we say and do at Mass is purely from Scripture and not made up based on what is current or fun. 
 

Church in Austria

I want a church that does not throw out ancient traditions because they are no longer “cool” or “what the people want.”
 
I want a church that tells me I need to pray, and often, even (especially) when I’m busy.
 
I want a church that teaches me to fast and sacrifice—to deny myself of bodily and earthly comforts on purpose for the sake of exercising my own spiritual muscles and for the sake of sinners.
 
I want a church that instills a true fear of God in me, and not one where Jesus is just my “homeboy” and “best friend.” He is also my Judge, Who counts my sins and Who will determine my salvation.
 

Cathedral in Moscow, Russia

I want a church that produces saints. Ordinary saints and proper Saints that lived radically in love with Christ and neighbor. Ones that I can imitate to grow closer to God. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

I want a church that understands that I am human. I see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. I can better understand the glory of God through all of my senses, not just with my mind. (Romans 1:20)
 
I want a church that plays on my sight. One that adorns everything in beauty, creativity, and majesty, which all evoke my sense of something special, something holy, something greater than myself. One that is filled with pictures and statues to help me to understand and remember.
 
I want a church that plays on my hearing. Speak to me the written and spoken Word of God. Assemble choirs in such perfect harmony that I believe in angels. Play music that is so beautiful and reverent that it brings tears to my eyes. Let me hear, “I absolve you from your sins and you are forgiven,” so I may know with confidence that Jesus gave this power and it is through Jesus that I can be forgiven each time. (John 20:21-23)
 
I want a church that plays on my sense of smell. Bring out incense to let me know that I am in a holy place and that I am in the presence of Something Divine. (Revelation 8:3-4)
 
I want a church that plays on my sense of taste. We have been commanded to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:9). We have been commanded to eat the bread from Heaven, which Jesus said is His own flesh and blood (John 6). We have been commanded to eat this bread-flesh and drink wine-blood this in remembrance of Him (Luke 22:14-20). So, feed me (John 21:15,17).
 
I want a church that plays on my sense of touch. Christ became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He made Himself touchable and tangible, so too should His church be. Give me things to hold. Give me things to help me pray. Give me things to understand.
 



I want a Universal church...

Mass in Africa

I want a church where the teachings,
prayers, and worship are the same all
around the world, because we are all part of
the Body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

I want a church that I can visit anywhere in
North America, Europe, South America, Asia,
Africa, or Australia, and the only difference will
be the language. Everything else will be familiar
to me, from the gestures to the structure of the 

Palm Sunday in India

Mass, to the symbols and prayers, and
everything in-between. Even in an exotic
culture, I want to feel completely at home
surrounded by family.
 
I want a church that levels the entire world
with the same church calendar, Holy Days,
beliefs, and practices, no matter the language
or cultural differences.

I want a church that will teach me how to

Women praying the Rosary in China

interpret Scripture the right way—with the
full inspiration of the Holy Spirit, combined with
unwritten traditions of the Apostles and earliest
Church fathers, and thousands of years of
learning and upholding the right interpretation.

I want a church that doesn’t leave Biblical
interpretation up to me (really, what do I
know? Even if I live to be 100, I can’t learn more than
Christ’s church), but to those in proper authority, to teach everyone the one and true meaning of each book, chapter, and verse.
 

I want an Apostolic church...

Priest Ordination

I want a church that has a fully unbroken line of apostolic succession. One where Jesus Himself breathed the power of the Holy Spirit onto the Apostles (John 21:22), our Church fathers, who through a continuous laying of hands, conferred this Holy Spirit to all Church leaders throughout history to the present day, to give them ecclesial authority. (2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 5:22; Hebrews 6:1-2)
 
I want a church that was founded by Jesus Christ and built upon the rock that He established as the cornerstone. (Matthew 16:18)
 
I want a church that was not founded within the last 500 years by any regular Joe with his own personal interpretation of the Bible and his own set of rules and truths.
 

College of Cardinals

I want a church that is not a democracy, where leaders are not chosen by individuals to fit their whims and twisted understanding of Truth, but by qualified individuals who have received the Holy Spirit.
 
I want a church that doesn’t mirror part of its Sacred Scripture off of another religion that denies that Jesus is the Christ—I want the whole Old Testament. The one used by the Apostles and earliest Christians.
 
I want a church that I can be confident is teaching me the Truth, because that Truth remains unchanged from the very foundation.

 

The Nicene Creed, written in the 4th century, still recited at every Mass:

 

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, 

maker of heaven and earth,
 of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God, 

born of the Father before all ages. 

God from God, Light from Light, 

true God from true God, 

begotten, not made, consubstantial 

with the Father; 

Through him all things were made. 

For us men and for our salvation 

he came down from heaven, 

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate 

of the Virgin Mary, 

and became man.

For our sake he was crucified 

under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried, 

and rose again on the third day 

in accordance with the Scriptures. 

He ascended into heaven 

and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 

He will come again in glory 

to judge the living and the dead 

and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the Lord, the giver of life, 

who proceeds from the Father and the Son, 

who with the Father and the Son 

is adored and glorified, 

who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. 

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins 

and I look forward to the resurrection 

of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

.