I just want to cry

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3DOCTORS

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…for all those who joined the Catholic Church but then find some sticking point and leave Her again.

…for those who think it’s okay to embrace the liberal agenda that abortion, homosexual acts, birth control, cohabitation/fornication of unmarried persons is okay,

…for myself when I hear about someone having an abortion, it feels so horrible.

This post may not make sense, unless I add that all these things sort of smacked me in the face today unexpectedly. I guess this is a vent, a plea for prayer for those I care about and for my own consolation and courage. :bighanky:

I know I’ve done and said all I could to speak the truth in love, I know the rest must be in God’s hands, I know I’m called to pray. My soul is weary. My emotions are strung out. I feel angry too at RCIA programs that seem not to do their job. There is a lot I don’t understand about how to reach people.

I know Pope Francis has said we are to be a field hospital for the wounded, and I agree with that. It’s that the people sometimes don’t realize they’re in need of healing so what can be done then? And I need healing because I take in the evil and let it hurt me - the devil tries to discourage me that way, I suppose.

Help, please.
 
:hug1:

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.
Amen.
:gopray:
 
Yes, those things get to me. I’ve heard people complain about the RCIA programs too. Ditto for CCD. What would you like to see changed?
 
Your heart is in the right place. Please don’t underestimate the power of prayer. People struggle, people make bad choices, people lose their way, we all do in big and small ways throughout our life. Less talking and more praying, remember that God can do anything. Explain who God is by your actions, that is the best evangelization.
 
The main problem i have experienced with RCIA is that ours seems geared more to the non-Christian becoming a Catholic, and not those who are already Christians but yearning for a deeper knowledge…
 
I was coming here to start a thread along these lines so I’ll just post my rant here.

I should NEVER read comboxes at blogs…they’re so full of angry, snarky, ugly and downright hate filled comments. Just awful. It robs me of any optimism and fills me with a dark negativity…a lack of hope because if people REALLY think like what they post in comboxes then there is no hope for this world as we’ve known it. Such hubris…such bile spewed. Terrible.

Belief is mocked as insanity, as mad lunacy…cracker madness, merry christmyth…believers too stupid to think for themselves…you name it. There is no room in their world for believers. It will only get worse and we will be hated. Openly.

Again, I should never read comboxes. I don’t even know why they still have them. It’s utter chaos in there anyway and I’ve rarely seen anything remotely profitable come from them.

Rant over.
 
I was a Nurse for many years, so the Pope’s comment about “Field Hospitals” really speaks to me. I took care of patients who hit me, had my spine fractured, my patella (kneecap) split completely across and worked with a hip-to-ankle brace for 6 months, then had my tibia (the front bone in the lower leg) just below the just-healed knee shattered just as I was back to normal. But I remember best the Terminal patients I cared for who died with a smile on their faces because I got the Priest there before they died. Those who thanked me for my prayers for them before they died. The one I gave my Rosary to, who died with it in her hand while smiling at me. The ones who thanked me with their eyes because they could no longer speak because I got the pain medicine to them quickly instead of taking my time or eating my meal. Those who held my hand while they died, and felt they weren’t alone. Do what you can for others. Give them the love that Jesus gives to you. I tried to always give them love, especially those who broke my bones, or hit me because they were in so much pain and so angry at dying and didn’t want to. I remember the families I was able to comfort after the deaths. What I did was just normal Terminal Nursing, and what we are called to do to our brothers and sisters in Christ. I was not exceptional. I just tried to treat each person as though they were Jesus Himself. I sometimes got aggravated or angry, but when I went home, I would ask forgiveness and pray for them. I also pray for the broken hearts women will have late in life who have abortions. For those who think I’m not much of a person, and not a “leader” in our Parish, I can only ask God to give me understanding and love. Do they make me cry at times? Of course. Do they hurt my feelings? All the time. I offer these things to Jesus and ask Him to help me to love them, although sometimes I don’t like them. Stay close to the Lord, and pray for those who hurt, and mock you. That’s all I can do. That’s all you can do. It’s enough.
 
3DOCTORS said:
…for all those who joined the Catholic Church but then find some sticking point and leave Her again.

…for those who think it’s okay to embrace the liberal agenda that abortion, homosexual acts, birth control, cohabitation/fornication of unmarried persons is okay,

…for myself when I hear about someone having an abortion, it feels so horrible.

This post may not make sense, unless I add that all these things sort of smacked me in the face today unexpectedly. I guess this is a vent, a plea for prayer for those I care about and for my own consolation and courage. :bighanky:

I know I’ve done and said all I could to speak the truth in love, I know the rest must be in God’s hands, I know I’m called to pray. My soul is weary. My emotions are strung out. I feel angry too at RCIA programs that seem not to do their job. There is a lot I don’t understand about how to reach people.

I know Pope Francis has said we are to be a field hospital for the wounded, and I agree with that. It’s that the people sometimes don’t realize they’re in need of healing so what can be done then? And I need healing because I take in the evil and let it hurt me - the devil tries to discourage me that way, I suppose.

Help, please.
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I think this gets all who love the Church and Her teachings down sometimes. You are correct; it is the Enemy.

In RCIA, I’ve heard two people say something about Catholic.com! At least this website is here for those trying to go deeper in their faith. It must be making such a big difference. Thanks be to God! I think we also have to remember that there have always been problems in the Church. St. John of the Cross was literally jailed by his order for trying to stop corruption. The Church will make it. We must do our part for God to help others find the way.
 
3DOCTORS said:
…for all those who joined the Catholic Church but then find some sticking point and leave Her again.

…for those who think it’s okay to embrace the liberal agenda that abortion, homosexual acts, birth control, cohabitation/fornication of unmarried persons is okay,

…for myself when I hear about someone having an abortion, it feels so horrible.

This post may not make sense, unless I add that all these things sort of smacked me in the face today unexpectedly. I guess this is a vent, a plea for prayer for those I care about and for my own consolation and courage. :bighanky:

. . . .]

. . . .]

Help, please.
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I feel your pain. However, you need to pray about it, do what you can, and then let it all go and give it all to God. Easier said than done!

What may help is to bless yourself with holy water, and pray before you leave the house when you may deal with these issues at church or any where. A ask your Guardian Angel to protect you. Talk with Jesus and let him know that you may need an army of Angels and to please send them for your protection. Then when you are back home safe, thank your Guardian Angel and the angels who protected you. You might want to even take a shower to “get rid” of all that negativity and pray while showering.
aicirt said:
Yes, those things get to me. I’ve heard people complain about the RCIA programs too. Ditto for CCD. What would you like to see changed?
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One thing that I am finding is that there is many times a “goal” to have the person receive the Sacraments and therefore, they are what I call “sacramentalized” and not catechized. Some who have “received the Sacraments” do not believe in the “Real Presence” of Our Lord in the Eucharist - Body, Soul, and Divinity. They do not believe Confession is required for the forgiving of sins – one may confess directly to Jesus or is it God? Those are the two most frequent and obvious Sacraments that we receive. Now figure the other five! What do they think about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit? It is so very sad!

Could there be a person of faith as mentor (not sponsor) for these people who are trying to learn the Faith? Someone who lives and breathes the Faith? Is there such a thing in the United States?

Please note that for this last item, I am speaking about the United States. In many areas of South America the parents go to a class while the children go to their CCD. The Parents are told what their child is learning and helped on how to teach/reinforce the lesson at home. The parents want their child to learn the Faith because other family members will test the child on the Faith when visiting!
 
drew_neill said:
The main problem i have experienced with RCIA is that ours seems geared more to the non-Christian becoming a Catholic, and not those who are already Christians but yearning for a deeper knowledge…
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Do you mean a Christian who is not a Catholic yearning for a deeper knowledge? The reason I ask is because I have a revert friend who wanted to join RCIA for a deeper knowledge and was told she couldn’t. Instead, they made her a mentor and she attends with someone intending to convert.

I can see that an RCIA class can be a mixed bag with former atheists and others from different Protestant groups as well as non-Christians. Kind of hard to accommodate all.

As a cradle Catholic educated by nuns, I’m still learning. My favorite source is EWTN especially THE JOURNEY HOME with Marcus Grodi. I watch it daily. By learning about other faiths, I’ve learned a LOT about Catholicism. I’ve come to realize what a great gift I was given and the sacrifice my parents made to send me to a parochial school.

I teach CCD once a week for an hour and it is not enough. The whole year consists of 18 hours then subtract programs and unforseen happenings and we have very little time with the kids. It is very frustrating.
 
Luz_Maria said:
Please note that for this last item, I am speaking about the United States. In many areas of South America the parents go to a class while the children go to their CCD. The Parents are told what their child is learning and helped on how to teach/reinforce the lesson at home. The parents want their child to learn the Faith because other family members will test the child on the Faith when visiting!
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An excellent idea! Our parents wait in the auditorium while the kids are in CCD. They are free to leave too. I’ve often thought it would benefit all if someone did an adult class for the parents. Just something casual where they can ask questions they might have and get an answer while their children are in class. It would promote interest. I see this as a lost opportunity to educate.
 
Do not be disheartened: Christ is Risen. Alleluia!
I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
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John 16:33.
 
Thank you everyone,

I’d like to share some things I found last night - I’m going to look for something that hopefully at some future point will help my friend (who was a complete catechumen, never raised with religion, and influenced a lot by the hippie culture of the 60s).

My search so far turned up these right through CAF:

catholic.com/documents/how-to-become-a-catholic - I thought it very interesting the part about the way it’s recommended to receive persons of other Christian faiths who want to come into full communion. I think that’s a good idea to have their ceremonies separate, but I can see why in smaller parishes they may not have the resources to split it up and so they have most everyone enter the Church at the Easter Vigil.

Now it might not be a bad thing for them to have discussion with each other during the preparation period, because it might help the ones with no previous religion to see what ideas that are floating around come from Protestantism and which from Catholicism and which are common to both. But at some point there needs to be recognition of what baggage each individual may be dealing with. I’m not quite sure if there’s a way to find out unless a person brings up something that raises a red flag.

youtube.com/watch?v=W4cULzIFo7o - this refers to the “Sacramentalized but not Catechized” issue which is something I’m going to have to delve into more.

Now back to me and my emotional mess of yesterday, which I have prayed during the night about and will continue to pray about in times to come. I am just one of those who can hardly bear to think about abortion, and it caught me off guard; my friend and I were watching “The Doctors” - well, she had it on and I unfortunately heard about this woman having an abortion. It was one of those “hard case” scenarios; the woman had a bad form of cancer. But the way the “termination” was spoken of so matter-of-factly, I think that’s what bugged me the most.

Please do understand that I know God will be as merciful as He chooses to this woman who was undoubtedly frightened and who may have been influenced by the pro-abortion propaganda and who knows what other pressures. I do not for one second judge her, I have no right to do that. But I do wish, as I will till the day I go to my grave, that doctors and scientists would put their energies toward ways to help women with any sort of medical crisis pregnancy so that both mother and child could be saved and that this would be presented as the first choice instead of abortion as the default.

And I do pray for my friend that she’ll be able to accept the missing gaps of what she should have received during her RCIA - please, join me in praying for her and all like her, if you would - if I knew there were more prayer warriors on this I think I’d feel less like crying. :o

One other thing - I do have a revert friend who’s going through the RCIA this year and she’s going to show me their materials. It’s a different pastor now than when the other friend went through, so I can’t know what materials the other one had. Still, I’m interested in seeing what goes on. I also wonder if God is calling me to become some sort of catechist or assistant one of these days; I feel I could do some good somehow.
 
Our RCIA team is absolutely faithful to the Magesterium, but one can’t force people to submit fully to God’s Truth.
 
I empathize, and sympathize with you. I too experience a certain anguish and grief at mans in-humanity to man. Our lack of love, and understanding. Jesus showed me the real problem, and even though man is the instrument of many evils, he is not the sole cause. He is a victim of evil assault that comes not from flesh and blood, but from powers and principalities., fallen angels. They are liars, and murderers. They rule over all unconverted humanity, they work through our ignorance, pride, passions, lust, anger, greed etc. God gave them this right because they are angelic rebels and have the right to rule over human rebels. Thats what we are when we sin against God. We sin against ourselves. Jesus was sent by our Father to redeem us from these powers, and without Him we don’t have a chance. Look at history, look at our present state, look at world wars. With each generation comes the same evils. That why the world has to be “reborn” again. Come to the knowledge of our Savior. It is His Spirit that will change the world, and give us power to conquer these evil spirits. Jesus must be acknowledge , He is pre-eminent by our Fathers’ will, it is “right and just” This is why there must be a strong evangelization to Christianity. A positive note :Where-ever evil abounds, grace abounds more, and if you want to exert real prayer power’ “Praise God for all things, even for the evil, because He wouldn’t allow it if He could not draw good from it” This is hard, or even impossible for us to comprehend, but Gods’ ways are not our ways, and His thought:s are not our thoughts. Seek our peace in His Love for His creatures, He has not abondoned us. Discouragement and sadness, and depression are not from God. Show mercy, compassion on those afflicted, and seek liberation for them from Jesus, our Savior by petition, sacrifice and love. We all need liberation in our own lives.🙂
 
True, and helpful.

Further realizations about the state of my heart:
  1. I’m still sad over all this but praying and trying to pull out of it, praying to Mother Mary to comfort me - tears while typing this but maybe it’ll get it out of my system. Again, the whole business hit me harder because it was all a sudden shock - was just hanging out with my friend having a good time and then that story came on the TV and I wasn’t sure at first if they were going to say the woman didn’t abort and had a healthy child. Then I was trying to figure out what was going on and anxious and thinking aloud “Did they say she did or didn’t?” because the volume was low, and when my friend confirmed that she did, that led to the awkward and heartbreaking conversation with my friend.
  2. Today, I realize there is also anger behind my sadness. I will have to pray to be set free from that as well. It’s selfish anger - it’s simply because I was having a happy time de-stressing from the holidays and being lighthearted one moment, and being slammed with heavy, dark, depressing things the next.
Pope Francis has said “Ask Jesus what He wants from you, and be brave.” This is our diocese’s “slogan” for this year’s seminarians. I have to apply that to me right now too. For His mysterious reasons, God allowed me to be drawn into this morass of emotion and He must have a purpose; there’s some way I’m to cooperate with Him in bringing good out of it. And I won’t see immediate results, not likely anyway. But someday He will turn my mourning into dancing . . .

I want the best for my friends, for everybody. This person is very kind and charitable and giving in so many ways. She could be such an asset to the pro-life movement and a strong spokesperson for the Church’s teachings if she could embrace them in her heart. The loss of that - or the fear that it won’t happen - is why I grieve.
 
There is an old saying I think from a Chinese sage, it goes: Suffering makes men think, thinking make men wise, and wisdom makes life endurable. To understand what forces are involved in human decisions and actions takes enlightenment that comes from the grace of God. Human endeavor is not sufficient, because of its limitations, ignorance, weakness and fallibility… The catholic church has been given to us to guide us in our present life and eternal destiny with God. This is why “evangelization” is needed more than all our social endeavors to bring about justice, life, peace and well being. This is what Jesus came for. Until society learns this truth, by divine grace,the cure of these social evils, at best will be symtomatic. That is why these evils exist in every generation. Everyone in society has to be “reborn” and in every generation. There is only one Savior, and the best we can do is to witness to others about Him, and live to the best of our abilities a Christian life. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. How I would gather you like a hen gathers her chicks, but you would not… Its one of the great burdens of life for noble souls and a good sign of Christs presence in that person. 🙂
 
Believe me, the “O Jerusalem” verse has gone through my mind many times including this week with regard to this situation.
 
Don’t cry! Pray!
The Catechism quotes St. Chrysostom:
“Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy…”
 
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