As an ex-Catholic, I have a question for current Catholics?

Nope, I didn't find it dark or scary - not even in college when I went to the church that was literally below ground in a crypt (there was a monastery on my campus). I was bored at church, though, because I didn't understand most of what was going on. Now that I do, I love it.

I don't doubt that some people found it dark or scary. Some people find clowns scary, or the color pink, or dogs, etc, etc. People can be scared by some interesting things. But I wouldn't say that's a reason to try and change things, because then some people are just going to be scared of the new way/style.

You can't please everyone all the time, you know? :)

<<As an ex-Catholic, I have a question for current Catholics?

When I was attending church as a child I found the Catholic churches I went to dark and almost scary.>>

The interior of some houses of worship are darker than others - but I've NEVER seen a Catholic house of worship so dark as to legitimately be called "scary".

<<Do you think there are some things that need to change in the churches themselves to make the environment a little less frightening for children?>>

No. I've never encountered a child who was afraid to enter a Catholic house of worship.

<<I found this mainly in NY where I grew up. Some of the other churches I attended weren't this way, so I think it may be older churches? Any thoughts?>>

If they're older and/or larger houses of worship, the interior tends not to be as "bright" as more contemporary houses of worship. Again, I've still never been in a house of worship that was so dark that even single child was afraid to enter.

<<Is your church like this or do you have memories from childhood in a dark and creepy church?>>

Catholic houses of worship, are not dark creepy places.

IJR has found that most Catholic churches full and bright and wide open. On the Other hand, an Orthodox Church is kinda creepy, what with the Iconostasis and the Holy Doors, and the paintings and such.

The ones i've been to aren't dark or creepy. I go to a catholic school so there's a chapel there and it's actually very pretty (: haha I think it just depends on how old a church is and maybe they don't have money to fix it up?

Yep, they are pretty dark and like a cellar in a way. Eek. Anyways, yeah i kinda can see what you're talking about. Did you go to Catholic school too? Yeah...trust me it's easy to just point them out.

The creepiest thing i've gone to was a Kingdom Hall. Cold, all white like a funny farm and that was when I was waaaay younger. Those will make you think a Cathedral is a playground.

My churches are like that too, and I'm Catholic. Sometimes I have a bit of trouble staying focused and awake during Masses because of it. I think they could definitely be a bit brighter and maybe less dreary. If we're celebrating God, it's strange for it to be so dark and gloomy.

if you had concentrated a bit harder you would have found that jesus,( he being the light of the world ) would have made your day a lot brighter