Just about every Catholic I've known who has gotten disenchanted with the Church has left it to join another one. The only ones who tend to want to splinter off into their own group and still call themselves "Catholic" are the ultraconservatives, like that French bishop who counts among his adherents Mel Gibson's dad.

that was recently forbidden

Schism! Schism!

There was a sort of splinter Roman Catholic Church in eastern Europe during the Soviet era. Since they had to be underground they weren't so much in touch with the Vatican. In Crazy Polish Roommate's childhood they were the crazy rebel radicals and she still (at least as of a decade ago when I knew her) snorts derisively at the notion that the Catholic Church could be stodgy and mired in tradition or whatever.

Once the iron curtain fell they (and their female priests) were smacked down fo sho. I vaguely recall them letting married priests continue like they do with Anglican clergy who convert.

No idea what they're like now. I know that in parts of South America there are bishops who look the other way at family planning in church clinics and the like.

Antipopes!!

Sorry, that's the first thing I think of after I hear "schism."

Antipopes? Do they cause the destruction of Christianity if they come into contact with Popes?

I totally get that JZ and it is awesome that you feel so connected to the people in your church.

Actually, the one reason I really hope they're right about the whole Jesus son of God thing is to see the epic smackdown he lays on their asses in the afterlife. Except shit - he's all about that forgiveness crap.

I think the Bible is pretty clear about what happens to people who do not minister to orphans and the poor:

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Antipopes? Do they cause the destruction of Christianity if they come into contact with Popes?

Yes, and then they go to Avignon! (Okay, only one of them did, but still. [link]

Aw, JZ, I love hearing you talk about your church.

A friend of mine just told me she's becoming Catholic, which I think is really odd from her, but... whatever, I guess I'm all for people being religious, I just think it's a weird choice for her. Maybe she's thinking she's going to marry her current boyfriend, if he's Catholic, but I don't know.

You know if the Archdiocese decides to pull out of providing social services, maybe someone else can be found to provide the same services for the same amount of public funds the Archdiocese accepted?

I am sure someone can be found for that! (And maybe they want to hire me...)

..I love my little band of misfits

I love them, too, just from the description!