A "priest?" my husband found

[Ruthie]

Hi, Monica,

I’m so glad you finally got to talk to the priest! Do go to Mass on Friday, and be sure and introduce yourself to him afterwards.

About your husband and the “brother and sister” thing… I just did some praying about it, and this is the answer I got.

If you choose to postpone receiving the Sacraments until your teenage mistake is declared null, in order to keep your marriage together, that is a good and holy thing. It is a sacrifice you are offering up for your marriage, and God knows that. You’ll be “covered” (so to speak) by the Baptism of Desire, until you can receive the Sacraments.

I have some sympathy for your husband, too. The poor man is having his worldview all shook up. Try telling him that, after all the excitement has died down, he will really enjoy having a good, holy wife! For one thing, it’s a guarantee of faithfulness; for another, you will learn more ways of being a “helpmeet” to him. Maybe that will help.

There is an old saying, which can be really annoying. Unfortunately, it’s also true: God won’t ask you for more than you can handle. You’ve been given a lot to handle right now. Keep trusting Him!

Gotta go - the puppy needs to go out!

Love, Ruthie

 

[Jenny_Z]

UPDATE!!!

I just got off the phone with the PRIEST

I was SOOOO nervous. The answering machine picked it up, and I could hear him saying, Hello this is Father X from St.X parish in X returning a call for Monica,

So, I nearly broke my ankle to pick up the phone!

He was so nice. I said, hi, I am Monica. I called and spoke to someone about some questions I have about getting baptised. I am hoping you can let me know who I spoke to because I think I hung up on him.
(him giggling a bit) Relax Monica, Its okay. I understand that you are interested in the Catholic Church?
Yes, but it looks like its not going to be a simple thing.
(him giggling more) Well, maybe that’s good. I don’t think its simple for anyone really. Would you have some time on Wed around 10:00 or 10:30 to talk with me about this?
I said yes, but I have to take my child with.
He said if I could, to try to get a babysitter, but if not he may be able to find someone to watch her in the office while we talk.
He told me to think about it, and if that time was not good to let him know.
I told him I will try to get a babysitter, and I will let him know. (he gave me his voice mail extention from the main line) and told me we will work it out somehow.
Then he asked if I would be interested in coming to the church on Friday because its a special Mass that day. He gave me the times and asked me to think about it.
Whats the special day?
So, getting closer to finding out what he has to say!

YAY!!! :extrahappy: :dancing: :clapping: Sounds like you got yourself a nice, helpful priest to guide you along. Good stuff

Keep going! We’re praying for you

 

[notsmart]

I will pray to God thanks for all the kindness, and help, I just dont know what to say. Mom is coming to watch my daughter.

My husband is coming home with cheesecake too! Yum. I saw it at a place we went to that had homemade ice cream. He saw me looking at it, but I didnt want to get it. Summer and all that.
He called and said he is bringing some for us, and even though we already ate (he is late today) he wants to go straight to the park with our child, and just enjoy this beautiful day.

Ruthie, I get asked everyday if we can get a puppy! I hope yours is a joy.

Jenny, kage-ar, ibkc, rpp, 1ke, Jmcrae- I cant view posts on this beyond that but know I will pray God knows I am thankful for each person (even not on this thread) that has helped me keep my head from exploding.
Love,
Monica

 

[PhilotheaZ]

It’s great to hear that you have an appointment with a sympathetic priest. Good for you! You’re on the right track. We’re all praying for you.

Now relax, and trust God!

 

[Ghoti]

There would be no point, anyway; you would still have to go through the regular process in order to be received for Confirmation and First Holy Communion, except that now, you would have to explain why you went to a rogue priest to be baptized. (I am trying to visualize explaining something like that to an RCIA coordinator without sounding like a total idiot - it’s not working. )

From what I understand, unless he is receiving you into his non-Catholic church, he can’t even baptize you or hear your Confession, unless you are in danger of death.

Anyone – from an apostle to an apostate, theist to atheist, pope to pagan – can baptize, if the form and intent are valid. Which means:

1. water
2. “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit”
3. honest intent to do a valid baptism

From the above, I assume that even the Antichrist could conceivably do a valid baptism (the major stumbling block would be item 3…)

 

[Ghoti]

To notsmart:

I can’t give you any advice here. What I can do is pray for you and your husband.

God loves you both, you know. Actually, more than you know.

 

[jmcrae]

Anyone – from an apostle to an apostate, theist to atheist, pope to pagan – can baptize, if the form and intent are valid. Which means:

1. water
2. “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit”
3. honest intent to do a valid baptism

From the above, I assume that even the Antichrist could conceivably do a valid baptism (the major stumbling block would be item 3…)

In danger of death, anyone can baptize.

When no Catholic priest is available, or if the person is not aware that the Catholic priest is the ordinary minister of baptism (that is to say, if they are not Catholic and not intending to become Catholic), anyone can baptize.

But if someone is intending to become a Catholic, and is not in any danger of death, then the proper procedures as laid out in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (commonly referred to as “RCIA”) need to be followed.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

UPDATE!!!

I just got off the phone with the PRIEST

… Would you have some time on Wed around 10:00 or 10:30 to talk with me about this?
I said yes …

So, getting closer to finding out what he has to say!

Did you meet with the priest? How did it go? We’ve been praying for you …

 

[notsmart]

Did you meet with the priest? How did it go? We’ve been praying for you …

Thank you! I know so many here have been very supportive.
Yes, I did. It went much better than I had imagined. I was not going to mention how it went until I got a chance to tell my husband about it, but I took Bee Sweet’s advice not to engage in much ‘converstation’ that really = argument. He really is not an argumentative type, she’s right in saying he is in fear (I would use the word scared- I dont know why but to me there is a slight difference) and I summed it up without going into much detail that was irrelevant to his question. He was really quiet, and listened to me and then, he said he had to get up early and would go to bed and he asked me to write a list of all the things I think are positive and negative about how I feel right now.
I wanted to wait to tell everyone after I told him how it went. I came online because I was so excited to get that over with, and just hang out and see what I missed.(LOL) since I am on this mission where I simply cant stop and must absorb everything as soon as I can to catch up. Sorry, I know it must be hard for you guys to see another post from notsmart! :hypno:

But, I cant help it at this stage in the game. I also know I am vulnerable to let it go. I dont have enough grace to keep me in this game if I let it go like I did all these years. I may chose me, not God. If I come to know him as my Father, and I am his child, that will surely wane.

I will post about it in spirituality? or whatever forum I need to to keep you all updated on the meeting I had with a very kind, and funny priest. Likeable. Human. Nothing like I had imagined. I can see myself going to confession (if I get that far) with a priest now.
I am sure they are all different, but this man really was a good fit for me. And, he still was a firm person, who was giving it to me straight in doing so. I wish everyone had someone that nice(and very intelligent) to talk to about faith matters!

 

[Jenny_Z]

Yay for finding a good priest! I’m glad he’s a good fit for you I hope he gave you lots of good advice.

Did he mention starting RCIA?

Still praying for you

 

[notsmart]

Yay for finding a good priest! I’m glad he’s a good fit for you I hope he gave you lots of good advice.

Did he mention starting RCIA?

Still praying for you

I guess I will put it here, no sense in starting yet another thread.

Okay, I was a little early and he met with me right away.
He told me about himself, (interesting story too) and what his basic “job” is in that parish, and what a priest does (and does not do lol) Then he asked me to tell him about me. So after all that was over he was rather silent, and had his eyes closed (praying?) then he told me he wished my husband was also able to come and talk to him, but since he’s not ready to now he wanted me to think about some things since I know him and he does not. We are going to meet again next week to discuss what to do next. He brought up some good ideas on how to handle this time with my husband until I can make some more tough descisions. He brought up that its really rough on a child and would be on me if my husband was not supportive of this. He gave me some tips on how to engage him so that hopefully, he may consent to at least talking with him. If, that does not work, and I weigh it out that I still want to start RCIA now (and get rolling on that other thing) that of course, he wont have any objection to it, but warned me that many people, right after they go through it and then are formally recieved into the Church there is a sudden emptiness especially when its someone in a situation like mine where there is no support system in the family. So, he was hoping at least that if I can try to get my husband to understand what it is I am doing, and what it will entail, and NOT entail, then it will be better for my daughter and myself. He even offered to talk to my mother about all this! He wants for me to have as much support from the family as is possible. Then he told me a few jokes, most were pretty funny! And, I had to go. So we set it up for next week, and during this time he gave me a kind of list to follow for myself, and to help out with talking to my husband too. He’s a real cheery guy, not a somber and scary guy. But, as I was leaving he asked me a “pop” question and said if I dont know the answer- to come back with it the next time we meet. But, I knew the answer.
He asked, why did Jesus come to us as a man?
I said, Jesus came to us as a man to share with us his humaity, in order that we could share in his divinity.
He smiled a huge smile. Gave me a thumbs up, and
he said, add an extra prayer to your list for your work each day!
Some reward for getting the right answer. LOL

 

[lizaanne]

WOW - Gotta run to a meeting, but wanted you to know this leaves me with tears in my eyes!!

God bless you on this journey!!!

~Liza

 

[ChristinaM]

Wow, beautiful story! I am so glad you found such a wise and wonderful priest. God must surely have sent you to him.

I admire your courage in your journey of faith. I am reminded of the parable of the “pearl of great price” that we read at Mass a few Sundays ago. You are really stepping out in faith and that makes me say WOW!

BIG prayers for you, hubby, and your little one!

 

[jmcrae]

That’s great news!! :extrahappy:

 

[PhilotheaZ]

What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing it with us. Praise God and thank Him for the vocation of this wonderful priest.

It’s quite a journey you have ahead of you, but well worth it. The rewards are eternal!

 

[kage_ar]

Happy for you!!!

 

[rpp]

This sounds like a really nice priest. I am glad you connected with him.

I will add that sound a little more cheery today than earlier this week.

May God continue to bless you.

 

[Ruthie]

Sounds like your priest is a winner!

And don’t forget, you have many supporters here! We won’t “fall away” after you receive your first Sacraments!

Love,

Ruthie

 

[notsmart]

:grouphug:

my daughter just finished drawing a picture of a rainbow (with all the correct colors in it! Usually she finds a way to add pink to it )

Then it hit me! 7 colors in the rainbow- 7 sacraments.

I am excited to see if his advice will help. I am following it percisely.

Now off to see if we can ditch the training wheels once and for all.

 

[jmcrae]

:grouphug:

my daughter just finished drawing a picture of a rainbow (with all the correct colors in it! Usually she finds a way to add pink to it )

Then it hit me! 7 colors in the rainbow- 7 sacraments.

And Church = Ark of Salvation.

I am excited to see if his advice will help. I am following it percisely.

Excellent!

Now off to see if we can ditch the training wheels once and for all.

Good luck! (Don’t forget the Ozonol!)