Coming back to Faith

[aghaster]

Hi,

I’ve been raised catholic, but my family gradually stopped going to church when I was about 11. I used to serve mass with my sister. When I entered High School, I realized for the first time that there were children who didn’t believe at all in God. I gradually stopped believing for the following years, and even wanted to quit the church at some time in my life. For the time I didn’t believe, I filled my spiritual hole with random stuff like Vegetarianism and Esperanto. I was finally enlightened: as a non-believer, I was bound to get involved in random causes and believe strongly in them. This time is now finished, because I realized that religion is something important I should not try to avoid. I began to come back to faith, and started reading the Bible on my own. I accept the fact that I need to believe. However, at the exception of my mother, nobody is really opened to the idea of going to church on sundays again my family. I don’t really have the time to do it. I need some way to pratice my religion at home. Would anybody have advice on how to be a good christian at home, even if I can’t manage to go to mass often? I will probably try to go to church more often in the future, but I’d like some advice for now.

 

[brigid12]

First off :dancing: - WELCOME HOME!

Secondly, there’s no way to not go to Mass on Sunday (or the Saturday evening Vigil), it’s your obligation, unless you can get a dispensation for some very good reason (lack of transportation, illness, etc) from your pastor. Besides, Christianity/Catholicism is a community endeavor for the support through all life throws at us humans. It’s not easy!

Thirdly, you couldn’t receive Our Lord in the Eucharist from home (unless the pastor of your church authorizes it be brought to you, if necessary)!!! According to the Church, the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.

Talk with the pastor and find out what can be done. If you don’t get a workable answer (priests are sooooo busy these days that helpfulness and creativity sometimes get lost), talk to another priest. And pray for His assistance in this.

 

[aghaster]

First off :dancing: - WELCOME HOME!

Secondly, there’s no way to not go to Mass on Sunday (or the Saturday evening Vigil), it’s your obligation, unless you can get a dispensation for some very good reason (lack of transportation, illness, etc) from your pastor. Besides, Christianity/Catholicism is a community endeavor for the support through all life throws at us humans. It’s not easy!

Thirdly, you couldn’t receive Our Lord in the Eucharist from home (unless the pastor of your church authorizes it be brought to you, if necessary)!!! According to the Church, the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.

Talk with the pastor and find out what can be done. If you don’t get a workable answer (priests are sooooo busy these days that helpfulness and creativity sometimes get lost), talk to another priest. And pray for His assistance in this.

You’re right, I miss church. I’ll try to see how I can make that fit with school and work. Let me put this in context: I live in Quebec. We have a very strong catholic past, but quebecers from the 60s rejected religion for various reasons. Now, most people are baptised but do not go to church, don’t believe or are agnostics. Most of the people we see in churches here are old people. Many churches are also empty. Not only that, but people are not usually comfortable with the idea of speaking of their faith. I’m a bit afraid to look ridiculous for many people around me. Most people I know where baptized and used to go to church, but not anymore. In my family, we stopped going to church for Christmas two years ago. This year, I made my “believer come out” and insisted on going to mass. My mother agreed, but my sister and brother didn’t want to go, but they still came. I look like a freak for many of my friends just for reading a part of the Bible.

I’ll go to church when I’ll surpass this fear of looking stupid in front of others. I am not ashamed of anything, this is just general uncomfortness about the idea of publicly exposing my faith. This should come soon.

 

[brigid12]

We’ll be waiting to hear how it is for you the first few times. As far as the “uncomfortableness” you spoke of - think of the uncomfortableness Our Lord went thru’ for you! Try to stay focussed on the Eucharist at the Mass (at first it may be hard, but I know you can do it). I’m sure there have been others who’ve wanted to come back to Mass too, but been afraid to and you are showing them it’s O.K. Also, pray about that before you go - He can/will help give you the strength and courage you need.
My prayers are certainly with you!