Do you feel alienated?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Domine_Deus
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Domine Deus:
I have been a practising Catholic for over fifty years, but recently I have become a devout Catholic. I am consumed with my love for Jesus and the Church, I think of Jesus all the time, with Mary and the saints but unfortunately I am alone in my devotion. That is why I come here, to talk to people who feel the same way. My friends and relatives don’t understand the change in me, they think I’m going through a faze and I will come to my senses. I’m trying to be a good Catholic and follow the teachings of the Church by trying to show them many things that are wrong with the world, abortion, homosexual marriages, etc, but they don’t get it. I have nothing in common with these people anymore, my life has changed and Jesus and the Church are my whole life now. I will keep trying to help my family and friends understand the importance of Jesus in all our lives. I might add most of these people are Catholics which is frustrating, because they should know how I feel but just consider me a “religious nut”. I was wondering if anyone else here feels alienated in this way.

:amen:
Click to expand...
Ditto. Think of all your friends in the Mystical Body. We’re all supporting each other. God Bless you and your faith
 
Ohmygoshyes! But welcome to the CLUB. And the CLUB of Jesus’ disciples has been assured VICTORY. So don’t ever despair. God gives grace to see you through ANYTHING, including martyrdom (not that I’ve gone that route…YET).
 
I totally understand what you are going through. Just today I was thinking about how the only person I can talk to about my faith life is my dad; most of my family and friends are either not Catholic or lukewarm at best. But then I realized, God has put me in the midst of these people so that I may rekindle their fire for the Lord! I have a LONG way to go, but hey, I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength!
God bless you!
Angela
PS-I think we all need to take St Paul’s advice in Phillipians 2:
Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
 
40.png
Strider:
I have to attend my parish’s RCIA class tonight to support a young (early 20’s) man who is fighting heresy being taught in the class. This young man was a student of mine in adult Confirmation last year and probably knows more about the Church - and loves her more - that a lot of priests I know.
There’s a man teaching Sola Fide and the Faith Formation Director has told the students that there weren’t always 7 sacraments. In the early Church there was no Confession. And here I thought that was what Pentacost was all about. Silly me!QUOTE]

In a sense the Faith Formation guy has a point. We have always had seven sacraments, in fact even more than seven, but with time the Church settled on the seven and the rest got lost or were considered sacramentals. The Church has always had Penance, but it did not always involve the “confession” of sins which was brought about very early on by the Monastics in Ireland. We have had marriage since the beginning of time, but it wasn’t regularized as a Sacrament until the middle Ages sometime. As a matter of fact it was a Sacrament long before then whenever two baptized christians became man and wife. He is trying to be a “smart guy” and using facts out of context which only confuses the RCIA candidates. This sola fide thing is absolutely not now and never was a Catholic position. I sometimes think these RCIA and Faith Formation people have only half understood what they were taught in theology and/or philosophy and are now trying to pass it on in a “half-baked” fashion to their students. I certainly empathize with a lot of you. I had a very good friend with whom I could talk to about a lot of these feelings and facts, but he died last year with cancer. I don’t have that sense of aleination though I live with a lot of folks who just don’t seem to get and have no interest in getting it. They are too comfortable.
Click to expand...
 
Sometimes I do. I used to a lot more so than I do now. My husband is finally coming around to the church, though. He’s a lapsed Catholic, as I was until this past year. My parents, sister and brother-in-law are either lapsed or former catholics.

But we have a lot of Catholics in our community, and most of our friends are either Catholic or lapsed Catholics. I just try not to start any arguments. If you push the issue, it just drives people away. I pray a lot for people I know and have faith that God will soften their hearts.

I’ll tell people what I think when they ask me. I try to say it nicely, and talk in terms of what I believe I should do, not what I believe others should do. I think that’s more effective.
 
40.png
larryo:
I think it’s normal in any age for faithful Christians to feel alienated from the world. That’s what Jesus promised in the Gospels. However, I also know many–including myself–who feel alienated to some extent from the post-Vatican II Am-church, exemplified by 1) dissident bishops, priests, and theologians; 2) irreverent liturgical novelties; 3) rampant homosexual abuse and radical feminism; 4) insipid sermons and catechesis; 5) ugly church architecture–as exemplified by the $200 million monstrosity known as Our Lady of Angels Cathedral in LA; …
Click to expand...
I have to grin at those who feel the need to denigrate the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral (OLAC) in Los Angeles. It’s certainly not my favorite building either. I think the most appropriate style for a cathedral in that part of the US would have been designed in the California Mission Style. Then again the California Mission Style is very primitive and low-end. Many would suggest that look is not appropriate for a cathedral as well.

What I do know is that the OLAC design is far more appropriate for LA than some cookie-cutter Gothic structure that’s more at home on the East Coast or Europe. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, Jose Rafael Moneo (architect of OLAC) might be just a bit too forward thinking for many people. Dr. Moneo may be recognized as a genius late in his career or after his death like Wright. Time will tell.

It does seem clear that those who vilify the OLAC design have typically never visited the structure, nor do they have formal training in design or architecture. Judging this structure from a few snap-shots reflects poorly on the judge. To suggest the OLAC is a “monstrosity” says a great deal negative about the person making the claim.

Those who fall in this group should make an effort to visit the OLAC. The OLAC abounds in numerous examples of excellent and pious design and history that are worth noting. This group could also learn how much of the high price tag went for land, adjacent housing and offices, plus awesome structural considerations in design that should allow the structure to endure 500+ years of earthquakes.

I appreciate the OLAC in the same way I appreciate the underground, concrete and highly utilitarian Basilica of St Pius X. An excellent building for the required use…
 
Yeah… alienated, and plain made fun off. Harsh reality, people don’t mind calling you names if they want to. I come here for that as well, people who believe the way I do and agree with me on the topics of ABC and abortions.

Victoria, 14
 
40.png
Pro-Life_Teen:
Yeah… alienated, and plain made fun off. Harsh reality, people don’t mind calling you names if they want to. I come here for that as well, people who believe the way I do and agree with me on the topics of ABC and abortions.

Victoria, 14
Click to expand...
joke:
“Taki dluzy, taki maly!!”?!?!?!
This small, this big, you can be a saint

Oh no the Slowiks!! the slowiks!! When will this song end! I have heard it so many times my heads gonna explode.
 
laughing Sorry, I like that song! It was stuck in my head when I put my siggy in… 😃
 
Hi,

I went through this same thing when I had a strong conversion experience 23 years ago. Unfortunately because I found other Catholics seemed so dead in their faith I was lured to Evangelical Protestantism. Sadly too many of us do this because we do not know what else to do.

I came back after many years and I have decided that the way to do this is to set the standard. I see many people in my church who seem to be more devout than others. If enough of us take the time to watch what we do and make the Church and strong belief in Christ attractive to others they may want what we have.

Just be careful of the wolves out there waiting for a “born again Catholic” to draw into their churches. I can assure you they are there.

Gloria
 
40.png
Franciscum:
Those who fall in this group should make an effort to visit the OLAC. The OLAC abounds in numerous examples of excellent and pious design and history that are worth noting. This group could also learn how much of the high price tag went for land, adjacent housing and offices, plus awesome structural considerations in design that should allow the structure to endure 500+ years of earthquakes.
QUOTE]

having only seen pictures I am not qualified to comment on the aesthetics of the new Cathedral, but your comment on the price tag is a good one. I think Cardinal Mahoney made a very wise business move in committing so much of the resources of the archdiocese to this project. Money that is already spent cannot be touched in a prospective settlement of abuse claims against the archdiocese, which observers opine will dwarf those of any other lawsuit to date.
Click to expand...
 
Hi!
People tend to call me a “radical” Catholic because I believe in what the Church teaches.
Our new Priest and I (I am on the school commission) are beginning an endever to return our school to a true Catholic School. The word “Catholic” was even taken out of the name of the school because “that might be offensive to some”. The school wants to be more of a private “exclusive” school.
My entire family is now being shunned by people in the school, including my 11 year old daughter. To the point I may have to take her out and homeschool again until this is over. If I wasn’t involved with this, I would never believe it could happen in a Catholic School or Parish.
My husband and I have worried and prayed over the decision to take this on, but we have to defend the faith. It is very hard. It is unnerving when you know those sitting around you at Mass are conspirering against you and the Priest.
I believe that St. Paul will protect his school and everything will turn our alright. It is just a long row to hoe.
Pray for us!
 
You should start attending the Traditional Mass either St Pius V or St Pius X chapels, where sin is spoken about, Love is not repeated 100 times but just enough, souls are meant to be saved, and rock singers, disco dancers, clowns, old ladies who think by doing a reading from the Bible they are better off than you and will get to heaven faster and then give you the body of our Lord in your hand which is Protestant and denies the Lords true presence. At a Traditional Chapel, we worship as the church once did for 1962 years, until a Pope named John XXIII, weak at heart, speculated to be a Mason, and pushed for by his liberal wing called a Council which was hijcked by the left wing of the party.

At Traditional chapels, people worship God and not eachother, no one needs to shake hands to prove they Love eachother, and we do not have the liturgical abuses that go on in the Novus Ordo.

If you need contact numbers please let me know, as you will feel like a new person being in a church where the kids in the back are not gossiping, wearing AC/DC shirts with Devil horns, and people actually acknowledge the true substantiation taking place, kneel, take our Lord in their mouth, and genuflect every time they pass the tabernacle, which has been taken away from the Novus Ordo churces, instead the priest bows to the LAITY and NOT God…a shame

God bless
 
I was knocked down and returned after25 years of stupid living. What I came back to was a shock. I didn’t know much anyway even after Cath gradeschool and poor Catechesis. I have a few friends I’ve met that are on fire as I am and we feel really small in number but great in strength. It’s been 5 years since my return and Ican’t describe possibly the way I feel the Holy Spirit surging
through me. I too am labeled as “over the top” by friends and family. Let em think I’m crazy! Crazy enough to pray for them and try and win their savation, or help…you know what I mean. They absolutely dissent on important things, this Catholic family of mine. They really have no clue, so I act kind, let the truth be said when the opport. arises and pray,pray,pray. What to do with this powerful incessant calling from God that absolutely won’t go away? I’m full of loveand can barely contain it!

I love the truth and so love the Church

peace and love
george
 
40.png
puzzleannie:
having only seen pictures I am not qualified to comment on the aesthetics of the new Cathedral, but your comment on the price tag is a good one. I think Cardinal Mahoney made a very wise business move in committing so much of the resources of the archdiocese to this project. Money that is already spent cannot be touched in a prospective settlement of abuse claims against the archdiocese, which observers opine will dwarf those of any other lawsuit to date.
Click to expand...
You are simply ignorant of the situation…

This cathedral was not built with archdiocese savings or “resources of the archdiocese” as you put it. It was built with huge donations from some pretty wealthy (and famous) people, family and businesses including the The (Bob) Hopes, Disneys, the O’Malleys (LA Dodger fame), the Dohenys (oil), etc. etc. etc. I forgot where I say it, but the list of donors is amazing.

The fact is, now that it is an asset of the archdiocese (actually an asset of the archbishop) it could possibly be tapped for liquidation, bankrupcy filing or not…
 
40.png
Franciscum:
I have to grin at those who feel the need to denigrate the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral (OLAC) in Los Angeles. It’s certainly not my favorite building either. I think the most appropriate style for a cathedral in that part of the US would have been designed in the California Mission Style. Then again the California Mission Style is very primitive and low-end. Many would suggest that look is not appropriate for a cathedral as well.

What I do know is that the OLAC design is far more appropriate for LA than some cookie-cutter Gothic structure that’s more at home on the East Coast or Europe. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, Jose Rafael Moneo (architect of OLAC) might be just a bit too forward thinking for many people. Dr. Moneo may be recognized as a genius late in his career or after his death like Wright. Time will tell.

It does seem clear that those who vilify the OLAC design have typically never visited the structure, nor do they have formal training in design or architecture. Judging this structure from a few snap-shots reflects poorly on the judge. To suggest the OLAC is a “monstrosity” says a great deal negative about the person making the claim.

Those who fall in this group should make an effort to visit the OLAC. The OLAC abounds in numerous examples of excellent and pious design and history that are worth noting. This group could also learn how much of the high price tag went for land, adjacent housing and offices, plus awesome structural considerations in design that should allow the structure to endure 500+ years of earthquakes.

I appreciate the OLAC in the same way I appreciate the underground, concrete and highly utilitarian Basilica of St Pius X. An excellent building for the required use…
Click to expand...
I have to agree, here. When it was first built, I didn’t at all like the look of it. But Mahony said that he wanted a modern cathedral, a 21st century one, not a 15th century one, and that made sense to me so I withheld my judgement on it until I was able to visit it.

Since then I have been to the cathedral many times with my family; we try to go every month or two on some random Sunday because we enjoy the masses there and the environment. They inevitably have the best-sounding cantors and choir, and the pipe organ is just fantastic. And while the outside isn’t immediately what you’d expect, it does grow on you. The inside is magnificent, with incredible tapestries of the communion of saints on the sidewalls and a huge one of the baptism of Jesus back by the font. There are many side chapels for personal prayer time, and always an exhibit in the one side chapel in the back that is interesting. A few months ago they had a photo essay there of the holy father’s 25 years. It brought tears to my eyes.

Outside, there are several gardens and religious statues of animals with scriptural inscriptions on them, my kids love that area. In short, if you’re in L.A., I recommend you visit the cathedral. It’s VERY accessible and quite beautiful once you get to know it. 👍

God Bless,
Michael
 
HEY i MIGHT HAVE FOUND THE IN-ROAD FINALLY TO GET MY WIFE TO CONVERT, SHE LOVES ALIENS!

PEACE
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top