Extremely upset about watching the Holy Roman Catholic sacraments! :(

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SonCatcher said:
I see that you are entering RCIA. I’m sure you know, but the OP isn’t yet aware, that the whole purpose of RCIA is to teach you that which you don’t yet know and help you understand that which now confuses you.

VikingGirl, perhaps you should check for RCIA at a Catholic parish near you. While most describe it as a “process of becoming Catholic,” in reality it is a class to teach people about our faith. They are not obligated to become Catholic at all.
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Hi SonCatcher!

How are you? Thanks so much for the wonderful advise! I will most definently check for RCIA at a Catholic parish near me (There is a big huge Catholic church/parish near me and it even has a Catholic school/Day Care attached to it. It really looks really promising!). I always thought that RCIA was for people who wanted to convert or revert to Catholicism and were studying Catholicism so that they could be able to participate in the sacraments but, I never I was never told that RCIA was for anyone wanting to learn more about Catholicism. Thanks so much for everything! God bless you always! Amen! Peace! 🙂

Love,
VikingGirlTBird! 🙂
 
Viking Girl
I enjoy asking this question to my non-catholic brethren, and it is why do all these miracles only happen in the Catholic Church? Is someone trying to tell me something?
The suggestion about attending RCIA is a great suggestion, I pray you take it for what it’s worth,…then one may have a better insight into this question!
 
A few thoughts on RCIA: there is no expectation that someone attending RCIA converts and indeed some people don’t. When I through RCIA 8 years ago, there was an older couple in there where the husband was going through it for the third time! He just couldn’t work through this struggles and he did not convert (again). There are people in all different stages in an RCIA class: some diehard true believer converts, many who are mostly going through the motions (converting for the sake of any upcoming marriage), some truly struggling (like the guy I mentioned), and some who are just interested and learning and that’s it.

In my case, I went into it going through the motions for my upcoming marriage, but the Holy Spirit took ahold of me during the process and I had a true and profound conversion to Catholicism. No one was more surprised than me! Well, maybe my wife was 😛

[BTW, with this post - my 500th - I finally become a “Regular Member” after EIGHT years on this site! Yay :D]
 
The parish I attend is over half converts. There is a lot of virulent anti-Catholic preachers in this area, and sometimes it makes people curious…and they want to give Catholicism a fair hearing…and next thing you know…they decide we’re right…and join us! :eek:

I am blacklisted from Bible studies at non-Catholic churches–yes, I am NOT ALLOWED to attend them at all! Literally! Because I had a lot of people inviting me (with an ulterior motive, wanting to save me from my Catholicism), and when they start getting around to those pointed attacks, I calmly and charitably explained the Catholic faith and the Catholic understanding of Scripture…and a lot of those people are now Catholic. I’m a sheep stealer! :eek:

I didn’t try, honestly. The Holy Spirit just knows what to say through me, sometimes, I guess.

My priest loves it…he grew up Old Regular Baptist.

I don’t mean to treat it lightly. A lot of those folks made sacrifices. A lady I talked to Sunday said that her (elderly) mother has disowned her and won’t speak to her and won’t include her in family activities or news–the whole family has cut her off. And yet, this lady is her primary caretaker. None of the rest of the family who has rejected her will look after their elderly mother–it’s a large family, too, and they all live in the area.

So the one rejected daughter keeps looking after her mother who has rejected her and won’t speak to her.

For years now.

She has decided to follow the Little Way of St. Therese and just love her anyway.

It brings tears to my eyes thinking about how she and others have been rejected by friends and family for becoming Catholic. I don’t get it. Growing up Catholic, I didn’t know what a denomination was. I thought all Christians were the same. Our best friends were Jewish girls and so we knew there was a difference there, but we saw so much similarity, too. We’d go to synagogue and they’d come to Mass! They’d even go Christmas caroling with us! The first funeral and the first wedding I ever attended were Jewish!

Only in my later adult life did I learn that there were denominations and differences among Christians…once I moved to an area where people believe Catholics aren’t Christian and are taught a hatred and a loathing.

Just like my friend looking after her hostile mother, I am out to out-love all other Christians, like I got something to prove. 👍

Welcome to CAF and I second the motion…attend the Inquiry/RCIA classes. Faith is in community, in the flesh, and there is no substitute for doing that in person. God bless you on your journey as you explore the reasons for this curious desire and undeniable hunger.
 
Wampa said:
A few thoughts on RCIA: there is no expectation that someone attending RCIA converts and indeed some people don’t. When I through RCIA 8 years ago, there was an older couple in there where the husband was going through it for the third time! He just couldn’t work through this struggles and he did not convert (again). There are people in all different stages in an RCIA class: some diehard true believer converts, many who are mostly going through the motions (converting for the sake of any upcoming marriage), some truly struggling (like the guy I mentioned), and some who are just interested and learning and that’s it.

In my case, I went into it going through the motions for my upcoming marriage, but the Holy Spirit took ahold of me during the process and I had a true and profound conversion to Catholicism. No one was more surprised than me! Well, maybe my wife was 😛

[BTW, with this post - my 500th - I finally become a “Regular Member” after EIGHT years on this site! Yay :D]
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Congratulations on becoming a regular member! I’m amazed that it took you 8 years to get to 500 posts! 😉
 
VikingGirlTBird said:
Hi SonCatcher!

How are you? Thanks so much for the wonderful advise! I will most definently check for RCIA at a Catholic parish near me (There is a big huge Catholic church/parish near me and it even has a Catholic school/Day Care attached to it. It really looks really promising!). I always thought that RCIA was for people who wanted to convert or revert to Catholicism and were studying Catholicism so that they could be able to participate in the sacraments but, I never I was never told that RCIA was for anyone wanting to learn more about Catholicism. Thanks so much for everything! God bless you always! Amen! Peace! 🙂

Love,
VikingGirlTBird! 🙂
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Yeah, the name itself (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) actually lends to some of the confusion. However, even as an engaged person can get cold feet and call off a wedding, someone in RCIA can always say, “You know, I’m glad I learned all this, but I don’t buy into it right now.”

I’m glad there is such a vibrant parish available to you.
 
VikingGirlTBird said:
Greetings my Christian Brothers and Sisters!

My user name is VikingGirlTBird and it is extremely nice to meet all of you! How are all of you? I am a non-denominational Christian who has many Roman Catholic extended family members and relatives. My family, some of my non-Catholic extended family members and relatives, and myself have been invited to and have gone to most of my cousins’ christenings, first communions, and confirmations. Most of the times when my family, my extended family members and relatives, and myself would go to these sacraments, I would get and I felt extremely sad, offended, angry, unloved, rejected, jealous, and would cry (I am extremely emotionally sensitive person.) because of the Catholic Church’s rules, regulations, beliefs, and practices about who could participate in, what spiritually happens to the participants, and the special relationship between the participants and God, Jesus, and etc that does not extend to non-catholics/non-participants. Now that I am alot older, more mature, can handle my emotions better, and have learned a little bit more about and understand the Catholic Church and etc a little bit better, I am alot more emotionally/mentally prepared. But, I can still get extremely emotionally upset at times if I am not extremely carefull. Has this happened to anybody before? Is this all “Some what.” normal? How can I better handle my emotions and mentally/emotionally prepare myself in the future? Thanks so much! Peace! 🙂

Love,

VikingGirlTBird! 🙂
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I grew up christian / non catholic and would go to my cousins Catholic church and I was not able to receive communion , i was sad and hurt

at age 11 I demanded to be baptized under that catholic church and took classes for communion and confirmation - and I am truly glad I did

we as Christians have very similar beliefs - we believe in the same God, the Trinity but the Catholic church has the Sacraments, and if you want the Sacraments you must know why your taking them and learn - then when your ready you can take them -

it truly is a privilege and all are welcome

God bless
 
VikingGirlTBird said:
Greetings my Christian Brothers and Sisters!

My user name is VikingGirlTBird and it is extremely nice to meet all of you! How are all of you? I am a non-denominational Christian who has many Roman Catholic extended family members and relatives. My family, some of my non-Catholic extended family members and relatives, and myself have been invited to and have gone to most of my cousins’ christenings, first communions, and confirmations. Most of the times when my family, my extended family members and relatives, and myself would go to these sacraments, I would get and I felt extremely sad, offended, angry, unloved, rejected, jealous, and would cry (I am extremely emotionally sensitive person.) because of the Catholic Church’s rules, regulations, beliefs, and practices about who could participate in, what spiritually happens to the participants, and the special relationship between the participants and God, Jesus, and etc that does not extend to non-catholics/non-participants. Now that I am alot older, more mature, can handle my emotions better, and have learned a little bit more about and understand the Catholic Church and etc a little bit better, I am alot more emotionally/mentally prepared. But, I can still get extremely emotionally upset at times if I am not extremely carefull. Has this happened to anybody before? Is this all “Some what.” normal? How can I better handle my emotions and mentally/emotionally prepare myself in the future? Thanks so much! Peace! 🙂

Love,

VikingGirlTBird! 🙂
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If you know how special the Sacraments are miss why not come home to Christ’s Church and validly receive them? I think that yearning to participate might very well be the Holy Spirit calling you home!
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Congratulations on becoming a regular member! I’m amazed that it took you 8 years to get to 500 posts! 😉
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Thanks! I’m much more of a reader than a poster. I tend to only post if I think I have something really significant to say. And being a newer Catholic (as opposed to cradle), I often feel like my knowledge/articulation level is so low on theological matters that someone else always seems to state my points better than I ever could! 😛
 
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