Feeling betrayed by the clergy

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simonjosiah1

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Dear all,

I feel really betrayed not only by the pope and cardinals, but by priests.
Growing up my parish priest never mentioned, hell, sin, the rosary, it was all wishywashy stuff. How is that meant to inspire us to live faithfully?

I remember going to World youth day with another priest and he was talking about how he fancied emma watson.

Priests are very quick to talk about the mercy of God, but not God’s justice.

I felt like I was not brought up to fear God, I mean I do now. But it was a different image of God, that he was only loving and merciful, I know he is, but they never spoke about how sinning against him can send you to hell for eternity.

Also they need to push confesssion, and make it clear you need to be in a state of grace before receiving communion.

I feel like many priests do not care about their flock, they care more about ‘offending’ people.

I think my life/faith would have been very different, if we have a priest who spoke truly about sin and its consequences.
 
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Pray for them, then. That is all we can do. Condemnation and judgment are useless and wastes of our time. Offer up your indignation and distress that more men may answer the call to the priesthood.
 
God’s justice is restorative justice, not retributive justice.

Fear of God means knowledge and reverence of God, not being scared into following His commandments because he’s keeping a list of your transgressions.

God is love and he offers us his mercy.

You’ll never learn these two through intellectual rationalizing, but only through experience in Jesus Christ.

Jim
 
simonjosiah1 said:
I think my life/faith would have been very different, if we have a priest who spoke truly about sin and its consequences.
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I had a similar experience growing up, and felt hoodwinked that I was not taught the Gospel. I never learned to pray (conversationally) or to read the Scriptures. I learned these things from my Baptist Brethren. Over time I realized that I was blaming the whole Church for some deficient catechesis, and that I had never taken it upon myself to learn my faith or be formed in it. I never studied any church documents, or sought out other teachers than the parish priest. I did try to read the bible, but didn’t do well, not having instruction. I finally realized, instead of blaming others for my lack of spiritual progress, that I took it upon my self at my Confirmation to grow in my faith and I needed to redirect my angst into studying to show myself approved.

Think of your sense of betrayal and disappointment as a call to service. Take it upon yourself to make sure that others do not suffer this same difficulty.
 
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It is a cross to bear to live in these times. Offer up your suffering to God and beg for Him to be merciful toward the clergy who may not follow the rules of the faith quite so well. Pray for those who follow incorrect advice from the clergy who may not follow the rules of the faith quite so well.

Pray for Truth.
 
Please do not undermine someone’s struggle to come to grips with the present reality we find ourselves with in the Church. It is important to lend a listening ear. It does not help to make someone’s real and valid concerns seem silly.
 
guanophore said:
I had a similar experience growing up, and felt hoodwinked that I was not taught the Gospel. I never learned to pray (conversationally) or to read the Scriptures. I learned these things from my Baptist Brethren. Over time I realized that I was blaming the whole Church for some deficient catechesis, and that I had never taken it upon myself to learn my faith or be formed in it. I never studied any church documents, or sought out other teachers than the parish priest. I did try to read the bible, but didn’t do well, not having instruction.

Think of your sense of betrayal and disappointment as a call to service. Take it upon yourself to make sure that others do not suffer this same difficulty.
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I think I can help you guys, b/c “fathers” are just that, some are good parent-like or bad,
BUT you can choose who to listen to. Today w/ the surge in Info-Tech, we can access
ANY type of godly/ungodly teaching, follow your conscience and decide whom to follow!!
“My sheep hear My voice, I know them and they follow me, I give them eternal life…”
Jn. 10:27-28
 
Please, go do that, and take your unnecessary negativity and sarcasm off of CAF.
 
OP has put forth a legitimate issue. but no one here on CAF is going to be able to help him/her with it

i’ve heard father pacwa address this specifically. his suggestion? TALK TO THE PRIEST about it…

if OP just wants posters to agree with the point, FWIW “i agree”
 
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Look at the words that were recorded in the Gospels.

Of all of those things, there is ONE thing that Jesus said that is recorded in all 4 Gospels, and He said it on 4 separate occasions. Guess what, it is not about hell.

Look them up:

Gospel of Matthew 10:39

Gospels of Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24

Gospel of Luke 17:33

Gospel of John 12:25
 
GLam1761 said:
I think I can help you guys, b/c “fathers” are just that, some are good parent-like or bad,

BUT you can choose who to listen to. Today w/ the surge in Info-Tech, we can access

ANY type of godly/ungodly teaching, follow your conscience and decide whom to follow!!
Click to expand...
I still suffer from some terrible homilists (I travel and am in a different parish often every week). But now I can download stuff from EWTN or Relevant Radio. I have more than enough great stuff! I also have the bible on mp3 now, and can steep myself in it, which I never did before I left Catholicism.
 
TheLittleLady said:
Look at the words that were recorded in the Gospels.

Of all of those things, there is ONE thing that Jesus said that is recorded in all 4 Gospels, and He said it on 4 separate occasions. Guess what, it is not about hell.

Look them up:

Gospel of Matthew 10:39

Gospels of Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24

Gospel of Luke 17:33

Gospel of John 12:25
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Looks like dying to self and living for God… “losing one’s life”
 
Exactly. That is what Jesus talked about the most.

He did not give daily homilies on sin and fear of God.

He spoke of dying to self, of love, of joy, of forgiveness. The Gospel is the Good News!
 
Do you feel like you have a strong moral compass? Do you feel like you know right from wrong? Are you a person who does your best? If so, I am not sure you need to focus so much on fearing God and justice. To what end? You shouldn’t live in a certain fashion because you are afraid of God or what he may do to you are what the consequences may be if you don’t live according to the tenants of your faith. I believe most people who are strong and comfortable in their faith do focus on the mercy of the God they believe in. I would suggest you try not to be so angry about this. I don’t think God would want you to be angry, or that he wants you to live in fear of him or of anything else. I am agnostic, but was raised Catholic. My beliefs don’t probably align with yours on a lot of things, but one thing I feel sure about is that if there is a God, he wouldn’t want us living that way.
 
simonjosiah1 said:
Dear all,

I feel really betrayed not only by the pope and cardinals, but by priests.
Growing up my parish priest never mentioned, hell, sin, the rosary, it was all wishywashy stuff. How is that meant to inspire us to live faithfully?

I remember going to World youth day with another priest and he was talking about how he fancied emma watson.

Priests are very quick to talk about the mercy of God, but not God’s justice.

I felt like I was not brought up to fear God, I mean I do now. But it was a different image of God, that he was only loving and merciful, I know he is, but they never spoke about how sinning against him can send you to hell for eternity.

Also they need to push confesssion, and make it clear you need to be in a state of grace before receiving communion.

I feel like many priests do not care about their flock, they care more about ‘offending’ people.

I think my life/faith would have been very different, if we have a priest who spoke truly about sin and its consequences.
Click to expand...
To some extend I would agree with you. Just for the benefit of the priest that you mentioned, it seems many priests take a different approach nowadays, especially with young people. Things that they can identify with.

Nevertheless, they should be balanced about the love but also the justice of God, as you rightly said.

I just missed my catechism days - everything was taught to us in the proper order. The priest though quite harsh sometimes, made everything quite clear. It was as Catholic as it could get.

God bless.
 
simonjosiah1 said:
I remember going to World youth day with another priest and he was talking about how he fancied emma watson.

Priests are very quick to talk about the mercy of God, but not God’s justice.

I felt like I was not brought up to fear God, I mean I do now. But it was a different image of God, that he was only loving and merciful, I know he is, but they never spoke about how sinning against him can send you to hell for eternity.

Also they need to push confesssion, and make it clear you need to be in a state of grace before receiving communion.

I feel like many priests do not care about their flock, they care more about ‘offending’ people.

I think my life/faith would have been very different, if we have a priest who spoke truly about sin and its consequences.
Click to expand...
Become a Priest; the WORLD need you

Patrick
 
I think the people prior to Vatican II could make the reverse case. In other words–all they heard about was the justice of God and Hell. One of my former bosses had a saying “The only difference between clergy and ministers was in how loud they yelled.” The point he was making was that clergy of all sects emphasized fearing God and Hell.

The generation raised under this–is now elderly. These are the people who are in Confession every week and tend to be extremely scrupulous. They think non sins are sins and they think every sin is a Mortal Sin.

So one could argue that just as much damage was done when the Church emphasized justice over mercy and sin over Grace.

I think what we are living in now is a time of reaction. In reaction to preaching a Gospel of fear and Hell the Church has gone totally in the opposite direction where nothing is a sin and Confession isn’t necessary. Look at Pope Francis–according to him, failing to recycle is a mortal sin. Such would appeal to a younger generation that think the greatest sins are those against the environment. I don’t mean to suggest that we have no duty to care for the environment or recycle–I am suggesting that I find it hard to believe failing to recycle is a mortal sin. The point is that the Church is reactionary. Prior to Vatican II, the Church was at one extreme, now the Church has gone to the other. We need to find a balance between preaching God’s justice and God’s mercy. That is not always easy.

I will say though that I, like you and frustrated with the poor catechesis and lack of substantive teaching and preaching the past 40 years.

I have always believed that what the Church needs the most are priests who are lions on the pulpit but lambs in the confessional. We need priests who unapologetically teach and defend the Faith–while at the same time are approachable and pastoral with their flocks.
 
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PJM said:
Become a Priest; the WORLD need you

Patrick
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Talking about becoming priest, my young colleague (staff) just told me on Monday after a long period of discernment has decided to join the seminary. He will need to process his resignation from his presnt job. He is one of the active young people I know and I was not surprised that he finally decided to become a priest. He will make a good priest. At least from the superficial disposition, like he has a cut for the vocation.

God bless.
 
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