I am Catholic but confused

[SilverLight]

You need to verify that those sites are actually orthodox, and not heterodox.

I highly recommend the following website review page from Catholic Culture. They review Catholic websites and grade them based on their Catholic identity.

catholicculture.org/culture/reviews/

There are many sites with comment sections (like Crux) that are filled with Catholics who do not know the Catechism, etc.

One thing about Catholic Answers is that lots of people here study The Bible, the Catechism, Church documents, etc. There are many certified catechists here, etc.

We also have a lot of converts and reverts here too. Converts are very special because they typically study the Catholic faith very thoroughly before converting (especially if they have things that they misunderstood about the Faith). Same with reverts… a revert often studies the Faith deeply in order to come back to the Faith or to justify why not to officially leave.

A lot of other sites (not all) are typically filled with cradle Catholics who received a very basic CCD education. Many of them are cultural Catholic vs. orthodox Catholics.

God Bless

Now I am not advertising this next site I am saying the name in order to give an example I just want to clear this up before I say anything.

I spend a lot of time on ecatholic2000.com/chat/chat.html? Mostly because its a chat room and answers and convos can go quickly. There are probably all the kinds of Catholics you can think of in there and Christians in general. That’s why I like it though there’s a variety.

Thanks for the site link by the way!

 

[SilverLight]

I think the Internet brings out the worst in people, unfortunately.

I agree with that and its just not on religious sites believe me. The things you see on Tumblr can leave you stunned and shocked.

 

[SilverLight]

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Jesus founded the Catholic Church.
That Church is the pillar and foundation of Truth.

Start there and you will be less confused.

I do know that stuff thank you for putting it there though.

 

[phil19034]

Now I am not advertising this next site I am saying the name in order to give an example I just want to clear this up before I say anything.

I spend a lot of time on ecatholic2000.com/chat/chat.html? Mostly because its a chat room and answers and convos can go quickly. There are probably all the kinds of Catholics you can think of in there and Christians in general. That’s why I like it though there’s a variety.

Thanks for the site link by the way!

The only issue with that kind of chat room is that people are answering on the fly. That kind of chat room is really good for socializing, but not really for apologetics.

Believe me, there are lots of people who research their answer here before posting.

 

[johnnyc176]

Now I am not advertising this next site I am saying the name in order to give an example I just want to clear this up before I say anything.

I spend a lot of time on ecatholic2000.com/chat/chat.html? Mostly because its a chat room and answers and convos can go quickly. There are probably all the kinds of Catholics you can think of in there and Christians in general. That’s why I like it though there’s a variety.

Thanks for the site link by the way!

Of course you really don’t know who is Catholic, protestant, etc. in that chat room. Just like here…you really don’t know. I mean look at some of the descriptions of faiths here. Non practicing catholic hoping to become Jewish but also considering atheism. They need an acronym. Which is why you should take the internet with a grain of salt. I suggest you use this forum for entertainment but study the Catechism and the Saints to know the One True Faith.

 

[SilverLight]

Of course you really don’t know who is Catholic, protestant, etc. in that chat room. Just like here…you really don’t know. I mean look at some of the descriptions of faiths here. Non practicing catholic hoping to become Jewish but also considering atheism. They need an acronym. Which is why you should take the internet with a grain of salt. I suggest you use this forum for entertainment but study the Catechism and the Saints to know the One True Faith.

I actually tend to take more then the internet with a grain of salt. I am cautious with jumping into anything I do not know.

 

[SilverLight]

The only issue with that kind of chat room is that people are answering on the fly. That kind of chat room is really good for socializing, but not really for apologetics.

Believe me, there are lots of people who research their answer here before posting.

I know the topics vary there and that’s what draws me to it. I am not into apologtics as much as some may be but I have my moments.

 

[Beryllos]

… You go to one person and they say this and then another says that. Knowing who is right can be hard and even those who think they are spot on can be incorrect.

… I can ask 4 people the what the truth is and get 4 different answers all from Catholics.

Catholic Answers Forums has no entrance exam, no background checking, no certification process, and no formal quality control. As far as I can tell, the moderators do not remove inaccurate posts, nor do they ban members who post inaccurate information. (I believe members are banned only for violating the rules of conduct.)

With that in mind, it is unrealistic to expect every post to be spot on, or for every member to agree. In other words, your expectations are too high. I’m not saying it’s impossible to get Catholic theology by crowdsourcing, but you certainly have to separate the wheat from the chaff.

That’s not to disparage Catholic Answers Forums — not at all. Certain kinds of questions are better answered by a diverse crowd. Many threads do quite well.

 

[johnnyc176]

I do know that stuff thank you for putting it there though.

But do you believe that ‘stuff’?

 

[Beryllos]

… The church has done some things that really irk me and a few family members.
One of them being that there was a priest at my church who ended up going to trial. The last time I went to mass there was a thing in the little paper you get about it and this priest was caught a few years ago. I feel like its always there to remind me what happened. It really tarnished what I had with the church but not God. I love God and always will but the church has really disappointed me…

You should try to get over that.

 

[SilverLight]

Catholic Answers Forums has no entrance exam, no background checking, no certification process, and no formal quality control. As far as I can tell, the moderators do not remove inaccurate posts, nor do they ban members who post inaccurate information. (I believe members are banned only for violating the rules of conduct.)

With that in mind, it is unrealistic to expect every post to be spot on, or for every member to agree. In other words, your expectations are too high. I’m not saying it’s impossible to get Catholic theology by crowdsourcing, but you certainly have to separate the wheat from the chaff.

That’s not to disparage Catholic Answers Forums — not at all. Certain kinds of questions are better answered by a diverse crowd. Many threads do quite well.

I never expect everything to be spot on that’s just not possible. I don’t expect everyone to agree either.

 

[SilverLight]

But do you believe that ‘stuff’?

I do yes.

 

[Petaro]

The beach was hypothetical I never actually want a beach wedding so many never seem to account for the tide.

The church has done some things that really irk me and a few family members.
One of them being that there was a priest at my church who ended up going to trial. The last time I went to mass there was a thing in the little paper you get about it and this priest was caught a few years ago. I feel like its always there to remind me what happened. It really tarnished what I had with the church but not God. I love God and always will but the church has really disappointed me.

This has effected me in a few ways and its always at the back of my mind now. I am reminded that its the human element of the church though and not God.

And why should you not be irked by the actions of a few in a Church of sinners. The Church actions in some areas disappoint me when I don’t see truth defended properly or those gifted by God to the priesthood letting the side down. But as I am the last to be able to throw even the final stone, I leave it to God to look after His church as He promised.
Don’t be upset by people on a forum. They speak through their own experiences and education. Most who bother to write on a Catholic Forum do so with the best of intentions. If some appear rude or quick to judge remember the Forum is only a reflection of people in the community. You are never immune to rudeness or judgement even in the family. Take them in good faith and not too seriously. The authority of the Church is found in the Bible and Tradition and the Magisterium. It is not necessarily found in every post.

 

[SilverLight]

You should try to get over that.

Its not as easy as you think. A family member was supposedly a victim of another and so it hits a little close to home. I know it may be hard to understand why it would affect me but sometimes it does. I have gotten over it a lot but there are some things you just never forget.

 

[Isca]

There are millions of Catholics who wouldn’t have the slightest interest in ever posting on a Catholic forum. A proportion of the posters here have been brought up as observant cradle Catholics with a clear view of what the faith is all about, and how they should live their lives.

Some of us had a completely different life before we ever became Catholic and have things we have to deal with because of that, and others aren’t Catholic, but have an interest in discussing matters relating to faith.

Those with the strongest opinions will speak the loudest. That’s the same in any discussion, about any subject. It doesn’t always mean it’s the majority opinion.

 

[1ke]

The beach was hypothetical I never actually want a beach wedding so many never seem to account for the tide.

It doesn’t matter if it was hypothetical or not. That isn’t the point. The point is your approach was “if I want my wedding on the moon, I shall have it there.” And when someone pointed out that Catholics marry in Catholic churches unless they have permission from their bishop to do so elsewhere, your response was, basically, “I don’t care, I’ll do as I please and I probably won’t be Catholic by then anyway.”

That is not someone seeking to learn more about the Catholic understanding of marriage and why the Church teaches as she does. That is someone saying “I should be able to do whatever I want”.

The church has done some things that really irk me and a few family members.

I think you mean some people in the church have done some things that really irk you. that shouldn’t be a surprise, people are sinners and sinners disappoint us with their behavior sometimes.

One of them being that there was a priest at my church who ended up going to trial.

That is quite terrible. I am sure that someone you looked up to as an example who committed such a terrible crime does shake your confidence in the church. I am sure it’s difficult to look past that one bad priest to the thousands of good priests, but that is what we are called to do.

The last time I went to mass there was a thing in the little paper you get about it and this priest was caught a few years ago.

Since you don’t attend there regularly, you really don’t have any context for why that was in the bulletin. Maybe parishioners there asked for that information.

I feel like its always there to remind me what happened. It really tarnished what I had with the church but not God. I love God and always will but the church has really disappointed me.

Again, not the church, a person in the church.

This has effected me in a few ways and its always at the back of my mind now. I am reminded that its the human element of the church though and not God.

And yet, God still chose that imperfect human element to have authority over us in his Church. Peter was not perfect, but Peter was Pope. We are not perfect, but we are called to obedience and to faith.

 

[phil19034]

Its not as easy as you think. A family member was supposedly a victim of another and so it hits a little close to home. I know it may be hard to understand why it would affect me but sometimes it does. I have gotten over it a lot but there are some things you just never forget.

I think this is partly a result of clericalism. Catholics have a tendency to place priests and bishops on a pedestal. When we do this, and when they let us down, it really rocks our sense of reality.

All priests are sinners. Like other humans, unfortunately some sin more than others. Most priests are men who are trying to live holy moments, which eventually add up to holy lives. But no Saint (except the Blessed Mother) was sinless. They all had unholy moments in addition to holy moments in their lives.

The devil has always attacked priests and always will. Most priests can fight him, but some can’t or don’t. This has always been the case, since Judas. But the Church is still here, and that’s a mirical in itself.

God Bless

 

[SilverLight]

It doesn’t matter if it was hypothetical or not. That isn’t the point. The point is your approach was “if I want my wedding on the moon, I shall have it there.” And when someone pointed out that Catholics marry in Catholic churches unless they have permission from their bishop to do so elsewhere, your response was, basically, “I don’t care, I’ll do as I please and I probably won’t be Catholic by then anyway.”

That is not someone seeking to learn more about the Catholic understanding of marriage and why the Church teaches as she does. That is someone saying “I should be able to do whatever I want”.

I think you mean some people in the church have done some things that really irk you. that shouldn’t be a surprise, people are sinners and sinners disappoint us with their behavior sometimes.

That is quite terrible. I am sure that someone you looked up to as an example who committed such a terrible crime does shake your confidence in the church. I am sure it’s difficult to look past that one bad priest to the thousands of good priests, but that is what we are called to do.

Since you don’t attend there regularly, you really don’t have any context for why that was in the bulletin. Maybe parishioners there asked for that information.

Again, not the church, a person in the church.

And yet, God still chose that imperfect human element to have authority over us in his Church. Peter was not perfect, but Peter was Pope. We are not perfect, but we are called to obedience and to faith.

How do you know how much I attend church?

Multuple priests got exposed (thankfully) it was not just one though we had only one in my church.

It is true that I probably will not always be Catholic. I don’t feel at home in this church as much as I once did.

Yeah I have a different view on things this is not because I hate the Church or God it’s because I have seen how some people get treated and it reminds me of something from the past that makes me rather upset.

When something is negative we remove it from our life and or try and block that part out. I know some may think that’s weak or stupid but it’s not.

 

[1ke]

How do you know how much I attend church?

I don’t.

You stated this was the church of your childhood and used the phrase, “the last time I went to mass there”. I took that to mean it isn’t where you regularly go to church. But perhaps that was just confusion on my part. Sometimes what we write and read isn’t exactly what we mean.

It is true that I probably will not always be Catholic. I don’t feel at home in this church as much as I once did.

I’m very sorry to hear that.

Yeah I have a different view on things this is not because I hate the Church or God it’s because I have seen how some people get treated and it reminds me of something from the past that makes me rather upset.

Having been a non-Catholic, converting to the CC as an adult, I think you will find that people get treated badly in all institutions-- be they Catholic churches, Baptist churches, the Girl Scouts, or whatever. It’s because the institutions are made up of people. And people behave badly, even when they are in leadership roles. Even when they should know better. We are all sinners, and one of the hardest things to do is to admit that and forgive others when they disappoint us.

When something is negative we remove it from our life and or try and block that part out. I know some may think that’s weak or stupid but it’s not.

I don’t think it’s “stupid” but I do think it’s naïve. Because negative things are going to happen all your life, and you can’t run from everything. You can change churches or jobs or communities like underwear because you get disappointed in someone or find out that there is a rule or teaching you don’t like.

 

[Beryllos]

Beryllos;13736212:

You should try to get over that.

Its not as easy as you think. A family member was supposedly a victim of another and so it hits a little close to home. I know it may be hard to understand why it would affect me but sometimes it does. I have gotten over it a lot but there are some things you just never forget.

I know it’s not easy.

I have a close family member who was taken advantage of by a priest. Adding insult to injury, the diocese handled it poorly. That family member left the church. Relationships within my family were harmed.

I’m over it.

It happened some time ago, and since then the church has responded decisively to prevent abuses. Priests and staff are trained specifically to recognize risky behavior and avoid risky situations. Specific procedures and rules have been put in place to protect parish members. If there is even a hint of trouble, they jump on it.

At least that’s the way it is in my parish. I teach religious education, but first I was required to take a child safety training course. If any parishioner volunteers in any capacity, even so little as to serve coffee and donuts after Mass, they have to complete the child safety training course.

In my parish, the religious education curriculum includes a couple of sessions each year to teach children how to keep safe and how to recognize and respond if anything were to go wrong. (This benefits children in any setting where adults may prey on vulnerable children, like school, summer camp, neighborhood, and public places.)

I say let’s make it better and move on.