Horrendous Stories

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attaininggrace

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A close relative told me many horrendous stories about the Church today and is wanting me to go back to the Anglican Church, I think, or not go to church at all. She thinks that my giving money at church is supporting them (the priests) and their ‘evil deeds’. She was actually Catholic and used to take me to Midnight Mass with the children. I preferred it to the Anglican and decided to convert. She has gone off it all completely because of the abuse of her relative and a friend of her mother’s who was a nun. She said that she did not think that I will meet any Catholics in heaven!
 
If she thinks you will not meet any Catholics in heaven, then clearly she has not met very many Catholics.
 
Oh great! Another thread about jumping ship. Don’t you realize the Church is cleaning house and things are already getting better? There has never been a better time to be Catholic.
 
Your relative is irrational and her judgement is clouded by what happened to those she knows personally. She doesn’t even make sense. She says you won’t meet Catholics in heaven but you too are Catholic so this must mean, according to her logic that you won’t get to heaven either, so how could you meet or not meet Catholics or anyone else.
 
Priests are human beings they may make mistakes, by pointing out these mistakes to everyone what are we actually achieving? We need to pray for all lay people especially in these difficult times and put our trust in God. We are not going to mass to see the priest they are just instruments of God. The Catholic church is the one true church formed by the blood of Christ he has carried this church for 2000 years and will continue to do so. Over the years the church has had to endure much suffering many people have laid down their lives for this church, we have taken much for granted.

“Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid."
John 14:27
 
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So one should seek Jesus advise on the matter.
If one reads what Jesus taught about the priestly class in his time on earth according to your relative HE should have recommended to abandon the Temple, Not to give alms and join another religion, right?

Wrong! This Church was founded by Jesus himself and the Devil will not prevail against her. He will try to undermine it, some members will join Judas but they will not prevail against HIM.

Bad people are everywhere and if that was our drive we would all go live under a rock and never attempt to interact with other humans. But that is not what Jesus wants does HE. He said forgive your enemies, HARD to do. Only with HIS help we can achieve that. Lets pray that HE converts all of us into perfect “Christians”.
 
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attaininggrace said:
I preferred it to the Anglican and decided to convert. She has gone off it all completely because of the abuse of her relative and a friend of her mother’s who was a nun. She said that she did not think that I will meet any Catholics in heaven!
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There are more Saints than sinners in the Catholic Church ,please don’t feel discouraged because of few weak and unfaithful people in the Church ,we should not make mistakes by looking at bad examples instead look at Jesus the Pioneer and perfecter our Faith .the the Catholic Church he founded which the Gates of hell will not prevail JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF HAS ESTABLISHED HIS TRUE CHURCH ON EARTH AND THE SUCCESSOR OF ST PETER, THE POPES Matthew 16:16-18 7 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.18 And I say to thee **: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.**Psalm 12:6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,silver refined in a furnace on the ground,purified seven times.

**Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.**Jeremiah 3:15 “‘And I will give you shepherds (Popes)after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children—

Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Jude 20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; 21 keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some who are wavering;

Be faithful to Jesus and to the Catholic Church Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
 
attaininggrace said:
A close relative told me many horrendous stories about the Church today
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And when they are true we have got to admit to it .

There is no point in staying in denial .

Evil is evil , and we must never clothe it in some other guise .

The Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, is right when he says that the Catholic Church’s moral authority has been “massively damaged” by decades of child abuse scandals.

As he says , " The Church’s credibility is shot to pieces."

We are in a mess , and all the signs are that we will be in it for a long , long time , so be prepared for continued horrendous stories .
 
If she defines everyone by their faults, then why not apply that to all of society?

By her reasoning, would should recommend avoiding public schools, sports teams, subway stations, doctor’s offices…etc? I know of people who have either been sexually assaulted or abused in all these circumstances.
 
I think it is better to go to a church that preaches against sinful behavior, even if some its preachers don’t always practice what they preach, than not go to church at all or to go to a church that preaches acceptance of sinful behavior.

That seems to be what Jesus meant when he said, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.” (Matthew 23:2-3)
 
Zach said:
Your relative is irrational and her judgement is clouded by what happened to those she knows personally.
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I disagree that she is irrational. She might be wrong, but not irrational. Anyone who has friends and relatives that are abused within the Church by churchpeople are reasonably scandalized.

And really, you have to wonder who will be in God’s presence in eternity: she who left the Church after being scandalized, or those who were Catholic and abused.
 
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One can be scandalized without being irrational. When I read the OP it came across to me like the relative is being irrational.
 
What you say is true, but I prefer to judge the Church by those who follow Her teachings rather than by those who go against.
 
There’s been a boatload of Anglican Church sexual abuse cases too, and the Telegraph ran a story about a possible bishops’ cover-up. Just do a Google and you’ll find pages of info.

Your relative is kidding herself if she thinks this is just a Catholic problem.

If she knows some people who have been abused, then she’s probably so upset she’s not really in her rational right mind.

I suggest you just pray for her and for the abuse victims. I will pray today myself.
 
Thank you everyone for all of your help. I am not sure that my relative is being irrational because she actually knew a nun who was abused by a priest and a member of her own family suffered abuse. The poor nun’s tale was horrific.
I did say that there were many cases in the Anglican Church as well. I suppose what really upset me was that she thinks that I shouldn’t give money to the Collection and support the Church. Also, I see that Archbishop Coleridge is being investigated for his own handling of child abuse cases.
 
She was actually very Catholic and went to Mass every day as a teenager! Now, she has lost her faith and is vehemently against Catholicism.
 
I don’t want to judge anyone so I will just say that these words of not going to see Catholics in heaven seems a bit harsh to say the least. Maybe the best thing here is simply to pray for her. We can never go wrong doing that. God bless you… Gary
 
Now those are words to be lived. If everyone were to do this it would change everything towards the good. Well said! God bless… Gary
 
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