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Mike_Brick
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Jeanette, I thank God for you and people like you who are “Alive with Christ” who have come home to the Church to help awaken many of us who appear to have nodded off!This is something I have found and do find very disturbing. I am a fairly new convert to the Church ( '06 ) and this malaise among many priests and bishops is something I don’t get. Do we really have priests and bishops who have never themselves been touched by the Spirit of God, that awakening that happens in the spirit and soul of a person that can’t be denied, what we would call a conversion of the heart? Or am I, having been an Evangelical my whole life, describing something that the Catholic world in general finds distasteful? Don’t get me wrong, when I study the faith and the lives of the great Catholics, I don’t feel my “Evangelical” understanding of a spirit alive in Christ is unCatholic, but when I do look around the Catholic world, especially in the West, I wonder what has happened and how will it change with the prevailing attitudes like that of these priests and bishops?
Sometimes I think that I have too much of a Protestant mindset, in that I tend to focus on the here and now, my perspective is not one of seeing anything other than what I am living out in my own life. It may be possible that the seemingly small resurgence of fired up laity in our lifetime will be the catalyst for a more widespread “revival” among the Catholics of the future, once this current generation of priests and bishops has been replaced by time. And if so, patience and perseverance and just plain living out our faith in spite of all this nonsense is what is called for in us.
Am I completely off the mark? It is very frustrating trying to sort through all of this and stay sane.
We are blessed here in Florida, especially the Orlando Diocese where our most recent Bishop Thomas Wenski took “Alive with Christ” as his motto when he came to us. Also our seminaries are producing the greatest priests we have seen in a number of generations. As you know, leadership in any organization, religious or secular is critical to our success. Bishop Wenski has told our clergy their job is to make saints, and I am thankful for him. He never told them “don’t rub anyone the wrong way”, that I am aware of. My pastor, and his brpther, who is also a priest and pastor, are great, holy and inspiring men who have committed their entire beings to making saints! I wish all dioceses in this country were so lucky.
Peace to All
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Jeanette_L
Guest
Sounds like you are very blessed! And I am also really, the parish I came into the Church in and attend is thriving and the priests themselves are very dedicated and very filled with the love for Christ and His Church. I guess my alarm is in what I have seen and heard elsewhere, and what I have witnessed in laity around me through the years before and since I became Catholic, (not here, of course
) these are what has had me thinking on these things.So, I go back and forth, between alarm and hope,:whacky: and know that hope will always prevail, because Christ Himself has said so!
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JMMazza53
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Jeanette, you are on the right track. Keep your prayer life alive and we hope to be amazed at what the Lord can do!
John
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Joysong
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Jeanette L:
Priests in the seminary, or for that matter any new convert, is blessed by God with the fervor that bubbles up and flows over. But there comes the day when for our spiritual health, He leads us into the desert, where He fashions and purifies the soul through the wilderness experience. If you read any book on spirituality, you’ll find this has been spoken about by many, many saints. The new convert tends to look at the ‘old married couple’ with misunderstanding, thinking they are rather dead inside.
It might help to consider a married couple who are still in the glow of the honeymoon years and compare it to one who has been married 25 years or more. The waning of new emotion is settled into quiet reverent love that is less talkative, more intuitive. Many years of living together has taught the couple to sense what the other is thinking, almost.
Priests in the seminary, or for that matter any new convert, is blessed by God with the fervor that bubbles up and flows over. But there comes the day when for our spiritual health, He leads us into the desert, where He fashions and purifies the soul through the wilderness experience. If you read any book on spirituality, you’ll find this has been spoken about by many, many saints. The new convert tends to look at the ‘old married couple’ with misunderstanding, thinking they are rather dead inside.
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Jeanette_L
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Thanks Joysong. I understand what you are saying, it is one of the things that drew me to the Catholic faith. But what we are talking about is not the faith of the Catholic that has developed to this stage, but faith that has never even taken hold, because it is not really even being taught or explained or encouraged, and not only that, but resisted by those in authority.It might help to consider a married couple who are still in the glow of the honeymoon years and compare it to one who has been married 25 years or more. The waning of new emotion is settled into quiet reverent love that is less talkative, more intuitive. Many years of living together has taught the couple to sense what the other is thinking, almost.
Priests in the seminary, or for that matter any new convert, is blessed by God with the fervor that bubbles up and flows over. But there comes the day when for our spiritual health, He leads us into the desert, where He fashions and purifies the soul through the wilderness experience. If you read any book on spirituality, you’ll find this has been spoken about by many, many saints. The new convert tends to look at the ‘old married couple’ with misunderstanding, thinking they are rather dead inside.
There are Catholics that are hungry to deepen their faith in Christ and in the Catholic teachings, and they see that their loved ones are leaving the Church in droves because of the same hunger, and when they reach out and ask for help, for teachers who are loyal to the Magisterium and eager to help them all in their journey, they are rebuffed, as though it would be a threat to the Church to be more loyal and obedient and in love with her and her Lord. This in essance is what we are talking about. This is what is so sad.
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chewchoo
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exactly, jeanette, there are some cradle catholics, who have never felt the “honeymoon glow” with the church. i, myself, am just recently feeling the glow of my relationship with the church. about 10-15 years ago, i was ready to just stop going to church. not that i was going to change churches, i just couldn’t comprend the value in continuing to go at all. especially observing some people in the church who apparently had the glow, but only in some aspects of their life. they would be “holy” in the church and ignore you on the street. if that’s what holy was supposed to be, then why botherThanks Joysong. I understand what you are saying, it is one of the things that drew me to the Catholic faith. But what we are talking about is not the faith of the Catholic that has developed to this stage, but faith that has never even taken hold, because it is not really even being taught or explained or encouraged, and not only that, but resisted by those in authority.
There are Catholics that are hungry to deepen their faith in Christ and in the Catholic teachings, and they see that their loved ones are leaving the Church in droves because of the same hunger, and when they reach out and ask for help, for teachers who are loyal to the Magisterium and eager to help them all in their journey, they are rebuffed, as though it would be a threat to the Church to be more loyal and obedient and in love with her and her Lord. This in essance is what we are talking about. This is what is so sad.
but thankfully i perservered, started paying more attention to the readings, doing a little bible reading myself. and finding a friend to talk about religion really helped me get to the point i am today.
i believe that a lot of people who are just going thru the motions each week at church aren’t just quietly settled in their religious life, they are just doing what’s been ingrained in them since birth.
there is such depth to the catholic church, but i didn’t know that until i found catholic radio. the question is, how do we get others to tune in??
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EddieArent
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Hogwash on Bishop Wenski!!! What kind of Good Pastor would bestow Papal Honors to a bunch of Call to Action nuns from Apopka that have had meetings with the groups’ founder in Winter Park? Would a good bishop have a transexual be an “extraordinary minster” of the Eucharist in his diocese as documented by a lay Catholic publication in the diocese? Would a good bishop allow a Mahoney maniac to lead the diocese schools? Would a good bishop allow a LUTHERAN who has a LUTHERAN “PRIESTESS” to lead a diocese synod? I think not. This diocese is full of filth; wolves in sheep clothing besides a few (not very many) halfway decent priests.
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Mike_Brick
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Eddie my misguided younger brother in the Lord. You are way off the thread, and feeling so strongly about it I’m surprised you didn’t start another thread, like you should have done and have done many times before. I am surprised that the moderator let your reply be posted.
Peace
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Mimi
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Have you considered gettting a bumper sticker?
You could probably have some made at a place like Staples.
You could even get it put on magnetic material so you don’t ruin the finish on your car.
Mimi
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Romans12
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Personally I don’t think you can do anything… Only the Holy Spirit can do work here…
I believe our job ( yours and mine) is to plant the seed in circimstances like this, God will do the rest… move on we have so many souls to save.
~ Of course continue to pray for this person, offer mass… etc…~
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Romans12
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thomasf
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What a great thread! I too am the crazy, wacky catholic in our family all of a sudden. I was out of the church for years, and then reverted this past year. I found catholic radio, ewtn, this website, and have been ravenous about the faith. My oldest sister, who for years was the one trying to get ME back into the faith, thinks I’m now crazy and overboard. When I mention catholic radio or ewtn, or talk about the deeper parts of the faith, I get flack for it. It is a shame, imo, that so many catholics just want to take a shallow layer of the faith instead of delving into the truth and fullness of what they have. I feel so excited about the faith, but anytime I express enthusiasm I feel like I’m turning people off instead of attracting them to the faith.
It is very ironic, yet a blessing, that the protestant converts to the church are the most enthusiastic and fired up about the faith. I feel that those conversions are what will feed and keep the church alive, while so many catholics have been handed this great gift and just want to throw it away. So frustrating.
It is very ironic, yet a blessing, that the protestant converts to the church are the most enthusiastic and fired up about the faith. I feel that those conversions are what will feed and keep the church alive, while so many catholics have been handed this great gift and just want to throw it away. So frustrating.
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Jeanette_L
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I agree with this. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to enlighten the soul, our role is to be there, to speak when and if He tells us to.
Relax. You know the old saying, “Let go and let God” , it may sound like a copout, but it’s not. He alone is the giver of Life, and that’s on every level. You’ve done what He’s asked of you. Continue to pray for her, but put your mallot away!
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Romans12
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Don’t worry… my Aunty used the term Zealot!!wow, you’re like in my head. i keep having these same thoughts too! even my sister and her husband, who are faithful catholics, think i am overboard, and everybody else just thinks i’m wacky. if people perceive you as wacky, what chance do you have of helping them see the light?
right now i am trying to compose a letter to my aunt, who altho she just had her son confirmed in may, is going to be entering an invalid marriage this weekend. she called me “too catholic” 3 years ago at a family event and at that time i was a nominal catholic myself! where does all of this hostility come from? i mean catholic hostility, not protestant hostility. i want to support her, but i also want to let her know that she is doing certain things in error according to the church. and how to use the most charitable language that will keep her reading the entire letter, instead of just throwing it away.
if anyone discovers the secret of sharing the Light, please pass it along.
I just love it… brings a smile to my face… St Paul is my hero!!
At least you know your getting their attention
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Jeanette_L
Guest
I can’t remember where I heard or read this, but it was said that about every three generations the faith of any community starts to die out and it takes a special infusion, usually from outside to revive it. And I’ve seen this in many Christian denominations also. You have one generation that is very faithful and on fire. They raise their children in that faith, and although that second generation continue in it and are believers, they don’t usually, across the board, have the same fervor as their parents. By the time the third generation has matured, the faith is barely living, it has become more ritual and many times completely abandoned. It is at this time that an infusion is needed, and it usually comes from outside of this group, to re-energize what has been almost lost.
I think we’re seeing this happen. This almost lost generation is being energized, usually by a few who have abandoned it and then an awakening happens and they return with fire; or people, like myself, are drawn from completely outside and come into it with fire.
It’s all good.
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chewchoo
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lynroo
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Evangelizing to Catholics has been my mission at my parish and in my diocese for several years. I teach teen and adult Apologetics, etc. This year, I have finally convinced Father to purchase the Lighthouse Catholic Media program! This is an incredible way to evagelize WHERE PEOPLE ARE! The display is in the back of church with 9 different titles of CD’s with speakers like Fr Corapi, Scott Hahn, etc. We ask for a $3 donation per CD - cheap! So, not only are you reaching those in the pews, you are giving people the means to evangelize their family and friends by just passing on the CDs. We bring in new titles quarterly and the program pays for itself w/in a year! Look into this great program for your parish at www.lighthousecatholicmedia.com:thumbsup:
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Mimi
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Yes, I have signed up for their monthly shipment of 5 CD’s. I plan on giving them to people who lead various groups, such as marriage prep. They are wonderful!
I hope to continue to supplement our small library as well as give away a few. We need them in Spanish also! Do you know of any? Literature, too.
Mimi
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Theodore
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People don’t like to hear “TRUTH” because it gets them out of their comfort zone… Anyway, you can never be too fanatical about eternal life…I really love this topic. I feel my greatest responsibility is to help awaken this type of Catholic to the truth. I don’t worry about those of other faiths or denominations because there are so many in our own Church who need evangelization!
I have experienced the same thing you described. Most folks in my neck of the woods don’t even know about EWTN so many haven’t formed an opinion yet. I know that for me, it was the bumper sticker on the back of someone’s car that compelled me to check out the local Catholic radio station. I made sure I got one for my car too!
I’ve taken a few people with me to see Fr. Corapi when he has come to our city. That has opened the door to Catholic radio and EWTN. People inevitably have a positive response to him and once they know they can hear him on the radio, the do express interest.
However, there are many who dismiss Catholic radio as fanatical. I “won” the gift of having a famous Catholic Answers speaker come to speak at the Parish of my choosing. I decided to give this gift to what I considered to be the most liberal Parish in the diocese. When I contacted the Pastor to arrange for the event, he declined, saying that he didn’t feel the Catholic faith was properly represented on EWTN.I should not have been surprised really, but I found it very disheartening.
I figure if I keep yapping about Catholic radio, EWTN and CAF, eventually someone will check it out. I can only carry the message and pray someone will hear!
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