Fallen-away Catholic searching for Truth, asking for help

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millerklj said:
(I apologize for the length of this post; I tried to keep it as short as possible while still illustrating how I got to where I am spiritually.)
Join the crowd
I was once Catholic.

I was raised in the Catholic faith. I was Baptized and Confirmed, attended Catholic school from kindergarten through 11th grade, attended Mass and received the Eucharist regularly, and went to Confession, albeit not as regularly. Although I was far from being an expert, I was very familiar with the Faith.
Hey, I attended the seminary and left the Church 9 years later.
Moreover, I believed. I was Catholic.
…

So I’m open to suggestions. No, I’m begging for suggestions, for anything, historical or philosophical, that anyone can point me to that might convince me that the Bible is truly God’s Word. I want, I need to have a closer relationship with He Who has given me so much in this life. So please, persuade me, help me to see what I may be missing, what will show me that what feels so true really is true.
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Let me walk you through some things to help you understand Catholicism with the context of Christianity. I want to recommend a book and CD that can be obtained even on line. Look for Scott Hahn’s book “The Lambs Supper”. Hopefully you already know about him. I’d like to also suggest you go to EWTN or tune in to it if your cable or satellite television broadcasts it. Tune in specifically to “The Journey Home”. People from all walks of life, including Hindu, Buddhist, Mormon, Islam, Orthodox, JW, Judaism, Atheist, Agnostic, and various other Christian beliefs, including folks like us REVERTS. This book really digs deep into something that I always suspected about the mass, but never had a biblical expert put it together for me. Dr. Hahn has a series of books that he wrote on Catholic beliefs.

But what I would like you to do for a moment is to just image an all perfect loving God that wants the best for you. Begin with small steps. I’d also like to recommend a solid RCIA program. Lucas Pollice has a book out that is the same program he used to teach us RCIA. He now works directly under the bishop. It is important that you learn authentic Catholic teaching to come to somewhat of an understanding about it. Assuming you attend an RCIA program ask the most difficult questions you can find and demand, gently of course, answers.

These resources were so inspiring that I continue to review them over and over to keep an edge for when my Protestant family decides they want to intervene to save us.
 
May the Holy Spirit show himself in your life. Please pray to be drawn closer to him. Watch for the signs of Christ in others faces, actions and suffering.

One word says it all … omnipresent. Always there for us, watching over us, guiding us, waiting for us to return to him ever loving presence.

Watch for the door to open, then another, you will find peace, understanding, love and eventually unshakable faith.

Remember he knows your life story already, we are merely acting it out in either his glory or his sadness if we haven’t yet returned to him fully.
 
I also suggest getting hold of a Liturgy of the Hours book and say the morning and evening prayers. It is a rich resource and would serve to increase your trust and faith in God. I especially recommend the 4 volume books, which is also offered online for a very nominal fee for my iPhone. The books cost about $40 each. It would help you learn what some of the church fathers say if you also read the Divine Office along with it. It’s helped my faith grow tremendously from non-Catholic filled with much doubt to a stronger Catholic filled with much more trust and understanding.
 
There have been many long posts here in response to your post. I will try to keep this as short and simple as possible.

The best advice I can give you is to also direct you to Jeff Cavins’ Great Adventure Bible Study. greatadventureonline.com/

This would be the best resource for learning and understanding the importance of Jesus in our Salvation.

Also I would VERY STRONGLY suggest talking with a priest about your occult past. If you have, and the priest simply said not to worry about it, find another one to talk about it with. There could be some lingering issues from that causing your reluctance to except Christ. Spirits are real and to get some understanding of the influence they have I suggest reading C.S. Lewis’ “Screwtape Letters”.
 
  • Dear St. Monica,
Troubled wife and mother,
many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet, you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
you prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine;
your prayers were answered.
Grant to us that same fortitude, patience,
and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for us, dear St. Monica,
that God may favorably hear our pleas
for all non practicing Catholics and those
discerning conversion to Catholicism. Amen

Praying also for the intercession of Servant of God Fr Nelson Baker
*
 
I have a book to recommend that I think it may make a big difference to you. I found it extremely valuable as my relationship with God deepened.

The apologetics book, “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel is available here on amazon for only about $10. It provides strong evidence from many sources demonstrating the truth of the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. I believe it may strengthen your growing faith.

Here is an excellent resource of articles discussing important points of difference between Catholicism and Protestantism. I don’t know how much of it you may have already read, but it’s very good material and helped to influence me when I was considering converting from Protestantism to Catholicism.

Prayer is the most important key, though. Keep praying and God will lead you the rest of the way to where He wants you to be :). Prayers to Him through the Blessed Mother (especially the Hail Mary and the Rosary) are especially fruitful.
 
I would like to add to more reading suggestions, which both draw from the works of C.S. Lewis.

One is The Reason for God by Timothy Keller, and the other is Between Heaven and Hell by Peter Kreeft. They often go over the same stuff, but Keller’s book provides more information, and Kreeft’s book is concise and easy (as well as quick) to read.

Also, Peter Kreeft, has a lot of resources on his website, in particular, check out the More Featured Writing section. The stuff under the Christianity section looks like what you should read.

And remember, as C.S. Lewis wrote, Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord for claiming to be God.
 
millerklj,

Have you ever prayed a Rosary in your life? This is my recommendation to you in conjunction to your scripture readings. In the event you haven’t, please download the attached guide, purchase a rosary (in expensive at rosarymart.com/, or your nearest Catholic Store), and pray.

It will seem like a lot at first, I know it did to me. I seriously wondered how could God expect anyone to pray that much, but it only takes one maybe two experiences to move past that and long to pray it.

Just an FYI, there’s a slight “errata” with this document. It’s short a closing prayer. You can just add to the end of praying with this document the following:
O God, by the life, death and resurrection of Your only begotten Son, You purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech You that while meditation on these mysteries of the Holy rosary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Here is another great book for you; SURPRISED BY TRUTH. The author is Patrick Madrid and it is eleven converts giving their Biblical and Historical reasons for becoming Catholic.

I think you will find it very inspiring!

God Bless,
Deacon Dan
 
As one who has struggled lately this has been my prayer

Lord I believe, please help my unbelief.

Sometimes you just have to believe it before you understand it. God works in mysterious ways.:gopray2:
 
rainalaska said:
As one who has struggled lately this has been my prayer

Lord I believe, please help my unbelief.

Sometimes you just have to believe it before you understand it. God works in mysterious ways.:gopray2:
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Ecellent advice…good post
 
  • Dear St. Monica,
Troubled wife and mother,
many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet, you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
you prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine;
your prayers were answered.
Grant to us that same fortitude, patience,
and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for us, dear St. Monica,
that God may favorably hear our pleas
for all non practicing Catholics and those
discerning conversion to Catholicism. Amen

Praying also for the intercession of Servant of God Fr Nelson Baker
*
 
Our Father, Who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen
 
*** Dear St. Monica,

Troubled wife and mother,
many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet, you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
you prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine;
your prayers were answered.
Grant to us that same fortitude, patience,
and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for us, dear St. Monica,
that God may favorably hear our pleas
for all non practicing Catholics and those
discerning conversion to Catholicism. Amen

Praying also for the intercession of Servant of God Fr Nelson Baker
***
 
How do you approach Truth?
Faith? Rationality? Or Both?

We should use our God-given brains to come to a rational decision when possible but at the end of the day you are going to have to have “faith” that what somebody is telling you is the truth. A rational person will see certain evidence (like the scientific method) or signs that give creedance that what someone is telling you is more than likely true, but sometimes it is too difficult to interpret. So we need to trust

“Honour thy father and thy mother”
Everyone from Richard Dawkins to Pope Benedict will concede that you, as well as every other living being, is a remarkable miracle. Statistically you shouldnt exist at all. Physically it would seem that we owe everything (our existance) to our fathers and mother, and they to their fathers etc until we get to the first father or mother. Richard Dawkins and atheists like him point to a archaic microscopic creature in a primordial soup. A religious person would point to a more spiritual father - the one God!
Trust your innate logic and your rationality, but more than anyone trust those who begat and nurtured you. They may have forgotten the original reasons why their forefathers converted to Catholicism, but your very existance is a result of their thought, beliefs and sufferings.

Maybe this is all a dream but I dont beleive it so. I trust what I was told by those that loved and nurtured me and they told me to trust the one God and his church.
 
*** Dear St. Monica,

Troubled wife and mother,
many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet, you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
you prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine;
your prayers were answered.
Grant to us that same fortitude, patience,
and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for us, dear St. Monica,
that God may favorably hear our pleas
for all non practicing Catholics and those
discerning conversion to Catholicism. Amen

Praying also for the intercession of Servant of God Fr Nelson Baker
 
  • Praying hard for you, whether able to post or not…

    Dear St. Monica,
Troubled wife and mother,
many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime.
Yet, you never despaired or lost faith.
With confidence, persistence, and profound faith,
you prayed daily for the conversion
of your beloved husband, Patricius,
and your beloved son, Augustine;
your prayers were answered.
Grant to us that same fortitude, patience,
and trust in the Lord.
Intercede for us, dear St. Monica,
that God may favorably hear our pleas
for all non practicing Catholics and those
discerning conversion to Catholicism. Amen

Praying also for the intercession of Servant of God Fr Nelson Baker.
*
 
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