Former Catholics, Please Post Your Story Here

[briand]

ktm:

I cut a portion of your story for length.

I’m sorry to hear that you were not catechized sufficiently (i.e., taught the faith properly). I think the smartest thing you did was to talk to a priest. It’s unfortunate that some non-Catholic Christians said it was a bad idea to talk to a priest. They did you a terrible disservice.

One thing you have to remember is that we are all sinners, we all have character flaws as you said. However, the worst thing you can do is just to give in! Nay, we must persevere and try our best. God is not asking us to be perfect, because that is impossible. Rather, He asks us to try our hardest to follow His will.

I would recommend you give the Catholic Church another try. Go talk to a priest, see what he can do for you. If he isn’t helpful, go talk to another, and another, and another, until you have your questions asked. Keep seeking and you will find what you want. Above all, remember that God loves you. He loved you before you were born and he loves you now. The fact that you even posted on this website leads me to believe that God is working in you and leading you to something wonderful! Don’t lose heart and keep trying!

Thank you for your kindness

 

[deb1024]

TomNossor,

Can you please explain why there are no archeological finds that support the Book of Mormon.

Thanks,

Deb

 

[Count_Chocula]

SPOKENWORD:

I LEFT THE RCC BECAUSE OF THE ANGER AND BITERNESS OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE HIARCHY OF THE RCC. I FELT BETRAYED BY THE ACTIONS OF BISHOPS AND CARDINALS, WHO REPRESENTED THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. I LOST TRUST AND NOW HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP MY EYES ON THE LORD. I KNOW HE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT ME. I WILL SERVE HIM ALONE FOREVER.

You do realize that this is a very shallow reason for leaving any given church.

That’s like saying Basketball is a horrible game because Kobe Bryant is facing criminal charges.

Hate the players not the game.

Anyways, I too must confess that I did leave the church and Christ for a while but it was for agnosticism rather than Protestantism. Later on in life, I realized that since every time some one insulted and attacked the chruch it set me off somethin fierce that I should just go back and do what I was supposed to do from the get go, to go and serve the Lord and one another and follow and defend the teachings of the church.

 

[SPOKENWORD]

Count Chocula:

You do realize that this is a very shallow reason for leaving any given church.

That’s like saying Basketball is a horrible game because Kobe Bryant is facing criminal charges.

Hate the players not the game.

Anyways, I too must confess that I did leave the church and Christ for a while but it was for agnosticism rather than Protestantism. Later on in life, I realized that since every time some one insulted and attacked the chruch it set me off somethin fierce that I should just go back and do what I was supposed to do from the get go, to go and serve the Lord and one another and follow and defend the teachings of the church.

CC. I know when Im on the wrong team.

 

[jjanderson]

SPOKENWORD:

CC. I know when Im on the wrong team.

So you jump ship? The Church is like your family, you don’t get to choose the members. They will disappoint you, and yes commit sins, so do you bail or do you stick in there for better or for worse? You can’t judge a Church by its sinners. The Church is for sinners. Jesus’s Church during his life was full of sinners. His chosen leader, Peter, the first pope, denied Jesus outright. He probably wins the prize out of all the popes for sins. Yet Jesus forgave him and made him the leader of His Church. When you find the perfect church with perfect people, let me know. Becoming a church unto yourself won’t work, either, unless you’ve been immaculately conceived. God Bless. Hope you come back. We need people close to Jesus in the Church.

 

[SPOKENWORD]

jjanderson:

So you jump ship? The Church is like your family, you don’t get to choose the members. They will disappoint you, and yes commit sins, so do you bail or do you stick in there for better or for worse? You can’t judge a Church by its sinners. The Church is for sinners. Jesus’s Church during his life was full of sinners. His chosen leader, Peter, the first pope, denied Jesus outright. He probably wins the prize out of all the popes for sins. Yet Jesus forgave him and made him the leader of His Church. When you find the perfect church with perfect people, let me know. Becoming a church unto yourself won’t work, either, unless you’ve been immaculately conceived. God Bless. Hope you come back. We need people close to Jesus in the Church.

Yes I did jump ship. This ship Im on is piloted by Jesus Christ,not man. You are right there is no perfect church. That is why I do not put my trust in man institutions.Its all about relationship with Jesus Christ,not a religious institution. Religon is man trying to reach God. Relationship is about becoming intimate with Jesus Christ.

 

[jjanderson]

SPOKENWORD:

Yes I did jump ship. This ship Im on is piloted by Jesus Christ,not man. You are right there is no perfect church. That is why I do not put my trust in man institutions.Its all about relationship with Jesus Christ,not a religious institution. Religon is man trying to reach God. Relationship is about becoming intimate with Jesus Christ.

I can’t think of a more intimate relationship with our Blessed Lord Jesus than receiving his very own body and blood, soul and divinity into our own bodies and souls. He instituted His sacraments to be administered by His church (which, yes, are inhabited on earth by men). Jesus set it up that way, not us. He has chosen to use men and women to proclaim his gospel to the ends of the earth. HE chose to do that. Who are we to criticize His plan? He created us in His image. He made us heirs of His kingdom. He gives us a share in His priesthood. It was HIS decision to make men members of his mystical body, a living organ, whose members (men) are connected to Him, the head. Read early Church history. Right after Pentecost Peter got up and gave a sermon under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They were organized, they held councils to settle disputes, they had doctrine, dogma, sacraments and hierarchy. Are you saying the Apostles got it all wrong from the very beginning? Peace in Christ!

 

[Peace-bwu]

TOmNossor:
. It is through God and this communion that godhood is possible. When I decided I knew enough and my open mind had sufficiently closed around the truth, I still FELT like I would be profited by learning about Catholicism and engaging Catholics. Perhaps it was the great understanding that I received as a result of my search through Catholicism.
I also want Catholics to properly understand the CoJCoLDS and I am sure this is impossible to do by reading Isaiah Bennet.
Charity, TOm

I honestly think you are simply trying to convert more Catholics to LDS and you are trying to seem nice and open minded so we will keep talking to you and get us to read your info and it will poison our minds to leave the Truth of Scripture and the Truth of the Catholic Church. The Book of Morman is entirely too contradictory to Scripture for one to believe both. " I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book; If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book…’ Revelations 22:18 **
Public revelation has ended, private revelation is simply that, private revelation. It shouldn’t be used to change the Sacred Word of God recorded in Scripture. Private revelation is NEVER valid if it contradicts Scripture and Tradition. Sacred Tradition and Scripture Never contradict each other. Beware false prophets!
I am reminded of Genesis 3, the first sin and its punishment. The serpent convinced Eve to eat fruit from the forbidden tree. The Serpent said: “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5 Eve was tempted by Satan with the lie that she would become like God… does this sound familiar? We were warned about this from the beginning of time. We are still burdened by Original sin as a result from this desire and evil that we could become like God. I had to respond to this because I can’t bear to sit back while this sacreligious, antichrist poison is spread around and made palatable, with sweet words like honey, and made to seem like we will find Mormanism in our “search through Catholocism”… nice try, I think I understand LDS well enough.
Peace Be With You

 

[karisue]

here is what the Catechism says:

[1996](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1996.htm’) Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.46

[1997](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1997.htm’) Grace is a participation in the life of God. It introduces us into the intimacy of Trinitarian life: by Baptism the Christian participates in the grace of Christ, the Head of his Body. As an “adopted son” he can henceforth call God “Father,” in union with the only Son. He receives the life of the Spirit who breathes charity into him and who forms the Church.

[1998](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1998.htm’) This vocation to eternal life is supernatural. It depends entirely on God’s gratuitous initiative, for he alone can reveal and give himself. It surpasses the power of human intellect and will, as that of every other creature.47

[1999](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1999.htm’) The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the *sanctifying *or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification:48

Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.49

 

[Count_Chocula]

SPOKENWORD:

CC. I know when Im on the wrong team.

Just remember that Christ came and established a church, he did not come down and profess individuality.

It is true that there are bad peeps in the RCC, well there’s bad Baptists, bad CoC member, bad CoJCoLDS people. The only way to totally seperate yourself from such betrayal is to essentially “create” your own private church and/or denomination.

Instead of running away, maybe you could pray for the souls of those who are committing the offense? After all, Christ came to heal the sinners not the righteous, as a doctor cures the sick, not the healthy.

How many times must you forgive your brother? 77 times was it?

 

[jc_escobar]

“I find the Christian faith compelling and totally futile at the same time.
One must be good enough and never can be at the same time.”

Ive always found this a compelling point of christianity, and also, in agreement, sometimes christians themselves can be the worst enemies. Don’t despair, if you need faith, that is great, but remember not to let it wipe you out. Faith is dangerous, because it is that, faith. It cant be proven.

I find it compelling because the people who wrote the bible were writing in a time where people were meant to be kept where they were in power.

Kings wanted to stay kings, and they wanted their peasants to stay peasants. That is why the religion makes you feel as if you can never reach the standard, control.

“I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me” Phil 4:13

That doesn’t seem to “make youfeel as if you can never reach the standard”

And by the way, the fact that 1+1=2 can’t be proved, it is the basic premise that satates that existence exist. It is ovious to the point that doesn’t need to be proved.

 

[SPOKENWORD]

jjanderson:

I can’t think of a more intimate relationship with our Blessed Lord Jesus than receiving his very own body and blood, soul and divinity into our own bodies and souls. He instituted His sacraments to be administered by His church (which, yes, are inhabited on earth by men). Jesus set it up that way, not us. He has chosen to use men and women to proclaim his gospel to the ends of the earth. HE chose to do that. Who are we to criticize His plan? He created us in His image. He made us heirs of His kingdom. He gives us a share in His priesthood. It was HIS decision to make men members of his mystical body, a living organ, whose members (men) are connected to Him, the head. Read early Church history. Right after Pentecost Peter got up and gave a sermon under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They were organized, they held councils to settle disputes, they had doctrine, dogma, sacraments and hierarchy. Are you saying the Apostles got it all wrong from the very beginning? Peace in Christ!

Your right ,I cant think of a more intimate realationship than having Jesus Christ living in me. I am a temple of the living God and Christ lives in me.You think you have to belong to a physical church to attain Christ,but the truth is I am part of the body of Christ and no one can take it away.

 

[Little_Mary]

SPOKENWORD:

Your right ,I cant think of a more intimate realationship than having Jesus Christ living in me. I am a temple of the living God and Christ lives in me.You think you have to belong to a physical church to attain Christ,but the truth is I am part of the body of Christ and no one can take it away.

You say you are, but Christ said “Take it to the Church!!”

Why shun the very path that Jesus laid out for us before he died (the Church)?

 

[jjanderson]

SPOKENWORD:

Yes I did jump ship. This ship Im on is piloted by Jesus Christ,not man. You are right there is no perfect church. That is why I do not put my trust in man institutions.Its all about relationship with Jesus Christ,not a religious institution. Religon is man trying to reach God. Relationship is about becoming intimate with Jesus Christ.

Everything you’ve said I’ve heard before from other Bible Christians. Obviously mere mortal human beings have verbally communicated these ideas to you about not trusting in men. These individualistic concepts constitute a core belief and set of doctrines that you are buying into. Why is it okay to trust the ideas of these “men” and not the deposit of faith that has come to us through Apostolic succession? What do you mean, religion is many trying to reach God? The Catholic church has 7 sacraments, in which Jesus comes down to US, and imparts his grace. We submit to that, we submit to his plan. Each and every sacrament is backed up in Holy Scripture. Jesus instituted each and every one. If we turn our back on the Sacraments, we truly are relying on ourselves to get to heaven.
I suspect you don’t know your Catholic faith well enough to know what you’re really leaving. Please be fair to yourself and investigate with an open mind the teaching of the Catholic church before you make a decision to stay out. If you’re going to listen to others bash your Church, you have an obligation to make sure they’re right! Peace in Christ +

 

[CD4]

<<<These individualistic concepts constitute a core belief and set of doctrines that you are buying into. Why is it okay to trust the ideas of these “men” and not the deposit of faith that has come to us through Apostolic succession?>>>

What a great way to put it…I’m going to remember it, so I can use it when talking with my Evangelical friend.

Thanks.

 

[Binky_Brown]

You say you are, but Christ said “Take it to the Church!!”

Just noting: What verse of scripture reads that Christ said, verbatim, “Take it to the Church !!” ?

Why shun the very path that Jesus laid out for us before he died (the Church)?

All depends upon your definition of the Church which " Jesus laid out for us before he (sic) died". Is the Church a particular denomination under a “bishop of Rome” which claims itself, and itself alone, as " the one true church", or is the Church the Mystical Body of Christ, the ecclesia (“those called out”) of all who are in Christ? Seems that even the Catholic apolgists themselves (e. g., Karl Keating vs. Jerry Matatics and other “Feeney-ites”) have varying degrees of interpretation on how this one plays out.

**The only “path” (i.e., Way, Truth, and Light) is Christ Jesus Himself. Not the Southern Baptist Church. Not the Presbyterian Church (USA). And not the Roman Catholic Church. We can disagree as to which means may be the better as to the *End *(Him), but if we ever proclaim any mean as the end in lieu of Him, we are lost.

 

[jjanderson]

Answering the question, where is the Scripture reference to “Take it to the Church.”

The Scripture reference to “take it to the church” is Matthew 18, versus 15 - 20. Jesus first tells the apostles to counsel one who sins privately (verse 15). Then if that doesn’t work, bring one or two others along to establish evidence. Then in verse 17 Jesus tells the Apostles to “tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the, church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.” With your definition of church, that would mean the Apostles and their successors were directed to gather every Christian in the whole world in one spot to counsel the sinner. By the way, read on. Versus 18 through 20 established the Sacrament of Penance. Also, on the Sacrament of the Eucharist, read John Chapter 6. In light of the above, do you take the Bible literally or not?

Peace in Christ +

 

[jjanderson]

**All depends upon your definition of the Church which " Jesus laid out for us before he (sic) died". **

---

It doesn’t depend on our “interpretation of the church,” it depends on Holy Scripture’s interpretation of the church, which is as follows: A liturgical assembly, (1 Cor 11:18; 14:19, 28, 34, 35. Two, the local community (1Cor. 1:2; 16:1.) and finally, the whole universal community of Christian believers (1Cor. 15:9, Gal 1:13; Phil 3:6.) These three descriptions of the church the Catholic Church does not separate, yet incorporates them all as outlined by Scripture. You place yourself in the third category, but reject the first two. If we are to use Scripture Alone as our guide, can we pick and choose which things we like and discard what we don’t like from Scripture?

---

Peace in Christ +

 

[Gryphon]

Auberon Quin:

When a mommy atom and a daddy atom (who are, of course, lawfully married in the eyes of man and God) love each other VERY much…

You mean… atoms get delivered by storks, too?

Who knew?!

 

[Gryphon]

Auberon Quin:

When a mommy atom and a daddy atom (who are, of course, lawfully married in the eyes of man and God) love each other VERY much…

You mean… atoms are delivered by storks, too?

Who knew?!?