I feel like screaming

[nurseryworker]

Hi Still_Trying,

I’ve skimmed through the replies so I may be repeating an idea here.

Maybe you could try to reflect on Jesus’ loneliness and isolation as He hung on the cross. Reflect on Jesus locked in the tabernacle 24/7, ignored by many, received irreverently or worse. Unite your suffering to that of Jesus. Offer your loneliness as a consolation to Him.

Mother Teresa wrote that suffering is Jesus embracing us from the cross. You’ve come home to Him and He is holding you close to Him right now.

nurseryworker

 

[byers]

Still_Trying - I have heard this same complaint from many, many converts over the years, especially from those coming from other protestant denominations. The problem is that Catholics and protestants view “church” in a different manner.

To catholics the purpose of going to Church is to give worship to God. Whereas to protestants ‘church’ is more “fellowship”. Catholics are going for the eucharist and the sacrifice of the Mass. Protestants may have a sermon and some worship music, but this is not like the Mass and the Real Presence. It is a solemn not a social occasion.

It is not at Mass that one should be looking for friendship with others. To protestants their whole life often revolves around their Church ‘family’ and it is much more clannish and they often don’t socialize much with those outside their circle. Catholics often have many friends, co-workers, neighbors who are not catholic and their whole life doesn’t revolve around “church” activities even if they are very involved and are very good catholics.

Many here have already given you good advice. If your object is to make catholic friends, just become involved in catholic activities, but don’t forget about salt and light to the rest of the world.

 

[GraceDK]

byers…
I dont quite agree with you.
I believe that I am fully Catholic and I was never in a protestant/evangelical fellowship before I converted… but I still see that some congregations are like families and others are not… this has nothing to do with what part of the body of Christ we are talking about, but about the priests, pastors and the lay people in the specific congregations. I have meet many cradle Catholics who felt something was missing and some were very aware that they needed fellowship and the congregation was lacking something which is essential. Where did we all get our ideas from… one: the human heart that tells us which things should be present in the true Church of Christ… two: the Acts of the Apostles and the epistles that testify to a body of belivers, the early Church where they loved each other, shared everything all called each other brethren. This should be a model for us all today and until the return of our Beloved Lord.

 

[snowfly]

Would appreciate any advice on how to live like this…and not spend every weekending in misery.

One way of meeting people is to start a prayer group in your home, you will have to limit the numbers off-course unless you live in a mansion.

And everyone can rotate the days among each-other, where you go to each-others homes.

There are lots of prayer groups in Ireland.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

OK, I had to figure out that this was revived…dejavu all over again for me…