lamenting the lack of church

Chas · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 9:36 am Post subject: lamenting the lack of church

This is a topic I raised a while back and I thought to raise it again as there are new members here and new folks in Hua Hin and who knows, perhaps kindred souls.

Here it is Sunday morning and I am listening to Gregorian chant downloaded from the internet and lamenting the lack of a church to go to in Hua Hin. Part of this is due to the fact that the Catholic Church which I grew up in and which I was a part of no longer really exists except in name. As far as liturgy and the Mass, everything has gone to hell churchwide so it is no surprise to find nothing here. The priests here at St Theresa are nice enough fellows, but I come out of Mass there really, really depressed.

Many of you are C of E ( so I assume by the British overtones and the love of football) and I generally love C of E services. But to my knowledge there is no C of E presence in Hua Hin nor is one planned. I took the step of going to the C of E church in Bangkok a few weeks ago. Delighted with the music and the chance to hear the only pipe organ in Thailand played very well. But I still have not gotten over the shock of watching the priest do the communion service in his street clothes!

Anyway, I welcome any news or notes or discussion. Maybe a traditional priest will happen by and a service arranged? Maybe an old-fashioned hymn sing?

Maybe I should just convert to Buddhism. I seem to attend temple ceremonies more than Mass these days anyway.

redzonerocker · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 9:58 am Post subject: church

maybe you should convert to buddhism, its a lot less of a hypocritical & corrupt religion than others seem to be.
yes i'm british, catholic mother, protestant father who jointly dabbled along the way with the mormon religion & jw's too.
was i confused as a kid? not at all. doesn't matter what church you go to or what religion you are,it does matter what you personally believe thats all important.
whats better, abuse life & go to church once a week to dissolve your sins? or cherish life & never go to church?
_________________
when all are one & one is all, to be a rock & not to roll.

darwinian · Member Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 91 Location: thailand

Read The God Delusion by Dawkins.

DawnHRD · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 1:11 pm Post subject:

I believe there is a church service every Sunday at the Hilton, Chas & that the church at Salesian also has some English speaking services. Can't tell you much more than that, as I'm agnostic, I'm afraid - but they might be worth checking out.

Edit - jut reread your post. Is the church at Salesian St Theresa's? In that case you already know about those. Sorry. Embarassed

_________________
"The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?" - Jeremy Bentham, philosopher, 1748-1832

Make a dog's life better, today! Find out how - go to www.headrockdogs.org

Chas · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject: Thanks Dawn & others

Did not so much want to start a thread on religion in general, or what one believes or doesn't believe etc. though that it is the heart of the matter. I was mostly just waxing nostalgic for the good old days. "Smells and bells" and all that.

As a lifelong organist, choir director, choir member, soloist etc in churches ranging from Baptist to Catholic, I just miss having a place to go once in a while that feels like home.

Yes Dawn, the Salesian is St Theresa's That they just built an immense new school and still use an old barn for a church should tell you something about their priorities. The music is in the hands of the Filipinos who have gigs at the various hotels around town. . .and thats what you get for music. Pop rock. The problem is that they are no different than my sister's home church ( Catholic) back in New Jersey or Catholic churches anywhere I would guess. The liturgy sucks. The music sucks. The whole experience sucks. ( I hesitate to come out and say what I really think!!)

I agree that Buddhism has a lot to offer but even after seven years here, it doesn't quite feel like home. And my personal belief system is obviously a lot stronger and more accepting than any single church. ( I think Native Americans had a lot of things exactly right)

The Hilton crowd, I must admit to not having tried. They are evangelizing fundamentalists and I have a hard time getting past that crucial fact. [/u]

prcscct · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 7:08 pm Post subject:

I think the Pope just introduced something that goes against Vatican II and states that any church can once again hold Mass in Latin if they want to. This may indeed attract more people back who have been gone for many years, at least those of us in our 50's and higher.

To answer expected questions, in these times people are searching for something that makes them feel secure, and many times those are things they became comfortable with as a child, concerning religion. Human nature I guess when the world around you seems out of control. Pete Cheers

_________________
"What America needs is a huge hypodermic needle of morality." Alice Cooper 21 Sept. 2007

mil_dos · Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 11:43 pm Post subject:

Halfway through The God Delusion at the mo'. Rarely, has so much common sense been squeezed into a single book.

darwinian · Member Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 91 Location: thailand

Here,here

caller · Ace Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 1609 Location: Londonistan

Jaime · Ace Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1884 Location: Sh*t Creek

Chas · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:18 am Post subject: The pope?

I keep close tabs on what the pope is up to but must admit that we have absolutely nothing in common. (For those not following Catholic Church issues, think George Bush in a pointy hat.) Possibly the only thing we agree on is the Mass in Latin which, if you have not grown up with it, might seem as strange as Pali, but if you have and have a missal to follow etc, it seems very natural. Yes, he has "encouraged" the Latin Mass, but by now the priests have lost the way to do it and just dont know Latin. . so it IS a foreign language. Return to the old ways is impossible I would say.

And it it not so much the language as the overall quality of the experience. So much wonderful music is written in English and that, along with the Latin, has been tossed out in favor of stuff that can be strummed on a guitar. ( One of my favorite composers of sacred music is Healy Willen, C of E and a Canadian who wrote in English.)

The concept of having a respectful service, conducted with dignity and prayerfulness, with good music performed well and an opportunity to reflect for a bit on life. ..has just disappeared in the Catholic Church. And to add in a good sermon ( which you NEVER get in a Catholic church I might add) well, its not what you get these days.

mil_dos · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:52 am Post subject:

Might be time for the DVD shops to start stocking Father Ted re-runs.

Funniest thing since Dad's Army.

VincentD · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:31 am Post subject: Re: The pope?

Chas · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:01 am Post subject: Sampran?

Thanks for the reply Vincent and the info.
I had actually been planning to head up to Bkk this coming weekend to give the C of E church there another try. The pipe organ was nice to hear. I know what you mean about the bells and whistles on the ubiquitous electronic versions.

Never been to the Catholic cathedral in Bkk but if the music is in the hands of the Philistines. . er Filipines, I am not likely to go. Singapore does have more of a selection of churches to attend, I am sure and of traditional services too. (Please IM me with directions to the Sampran church. I am interested. Thanks.)

acerockolla · Rookie Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 24 Location: UK Devon

Thailand does not need the catholic church, imagine the Thais all running around feeling guilty for everything - oh and how much more rampant would AIDS be as the stupid pope still refuses to wake up in the real world.
Face it the catholic church is just a meeting place for kiddy fiddlers and those that seek to protect them.
_________________
www.notiowa.com