I will be returning to Church, not yet

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Country_Gal

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Lot’s of signs pointing to me returning to the Church. Won’t do so until I’m ready to make an effort to attend regularly.

I decided, when I go to confession, I’ll mention that I haven’t been to church in a few years, even though I don’t really think that’s a sin. I’ll just mention it and leave it at that.

There have just been some strange coincidences indicating that I’m meant to return, people I’ve run into, little signs here and there. It’s been a season of change for me.

Basically, no matter where I go I’ll find it no entirely in line with my POV, but Catholicism is home. I’m not going to be a hard liner, I won’t be the Conservative Catholic that people here prefer. But, I can’t stay away forever.
 
Country_Gal said:
Lot’s of signs pointing to me returning to the Church. Won’t do so until I’m ready to make an effort to attend regularly.

I decided, when I go to confession, I’ll mention that I haven’t been to church in a few years, even though I don’t really think that’s a sin. I’ll just mention it and leave it at that.

There have just been some strange coincidences indicating that I’m meant to return, people I’ve run into, little signs here and there. It’s been a season of change for me.

Basically, no matter where I go I’ll find it no entirely in line with my POV, but Catholicism is home. I’m not going to be a hard liner, I won’t be the Conservative Catholic that people here prefer. But, I can’t stay away forever.
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Welcome back on the trail of coming home! Maybe the trail will be shorter than you expected. :christmastree1: Just keep walking.
 
Country_Gal said:
Lot’s of signs pointing to me returning to the Church. Won’t do so until I’m ready to make an effort to attend regularly.

I decided, when I go to confession, I’ll mention that I haven’t been to church in a few years, even though I don’t really think that’s a sin. I’ll just mention it and leave it at that.

There have just been some strange coincidences indicating that I’m meant to return, people I’ve run into, little signs here and there. It’s been a season of change for me.

Basically, no matter where I go I’ll find it no entirely in line with my POV, but Catholicism is home. I’m not going to be a hard liner, I won’t be the Conservative Catholic that people here prefer. But, I can’t stay away forever.
Click to expand...
yep… I’m the same…
 
Country_Gal said:
Lot’s of signs pointing to me returning to the Church. Won’t do so until I’m ready to make an effort to attend regularly.

I decided, when I go to confession, I’ll mention that I haven’t been to church in a few years, even though I don’t really think that’s a sin. I’ll just mention it and leave it at that.

There have just been some strange coincidences indicating that I’m meant to return, people I’ve run into, little signs here and there. It’s been a season of change for me.

Basically, no matter where I go I’ll find it no entirely in line with my POV, but Catholicism is home. I’m not going to be a hard liner, I won’t be the Conservative Catholic that people here prefer. But, I can’t stay away forever.
Click to expand...
Don’t worry about the conservative part. God does not ask of you to be conservative, he asks that you are faithful.
 
Country_Gal said:
Lot’s of signs pointing to me returning to the Church. Won’t do so until I’m ready to make an effort to attend regularly.
Click to expand...
Even if you can’t attend regularly don’t just stand on the sidelines until everything is “perfect”. Just take the first step, one step at a time. And next week maybe again. And the next week again. Even if you miss in between just do it the next time. Every time that you make the effort the Lord will bless you and you will receive countless blessings. The graces you receive will clarify your understanding and purify your heart.

Welcome home. You are already there in spirit and He is leading you. :angel1:
 
I dont want to put you down by any means and its good that you want to come back. However you can not confess something if you are not sorry for doing it or saying you dont think its really a sin if you know it is.

Not going to mass is breaking the First Commandment

Missing Mass is willfully choosing our schedules over God and we are hurting God and also ourselves.

Here is a short youtube vedio that will explain it to you.
youtube.com/watch?v=fc8g2m1XYP0&feature=channel_video_title

I just want you to relize that missing mass is not a good thing. I want you to see it as a sin before you walk in to the confessional. If you dont then I belive you should tell the priest that you dont think it is a sin and he may explain iot to you better then me. He may help you the relixe better then me. take care.
 
jesus4ever said:
I dont want to put you down by any means and its good that you want to come back. However you can not confess something if you are not sorry for doing it or saying you dont think its really a sin if you know it is.

Not going to mass is breaking the First Commandment

Missing Mass is willfully choosing our schedules over God and we are hurting God and also ourselves.

Here is a short youtube vedio that will explain it to you.
youtube.com/watch?v=fc8g2m1XYP0&feature=channel_video_title

I just want you to relize that missing mass is not a good thing. I want you to see it as a sin before you walk in to the confessional. If you dont then I belive you should tell the priest that you dont think it is a sin and he may explain iot to you better then me. He may help you the relixe better then me. take care.
Click to expand...
ok well maybe I’ll forget it. Going to church is a repetitive hassle really. People scrutinize you. Ugh.
 
Country_Gal said:
Lot’s of signs pointing to me returning to the Church. Won’t do so until I’m ready to make an effort to attend regularly.

I decided, when I go to confession, I’ll mention that I haven’t been to church in a few years, even though I don’t really think that’s a sin. I’ll just mention it and leave it at that.

There have just been some strange coincidences indicating that I’m meant to return, people I’ve run into, little signs here and there. It’s been a season of change for me.

Basically, no matter where I go I’ll find it no entirely in line with my POV, but Catholicism is home. I’m not going to be a hard liner, I won’t be the Conservative Catholic that people here prefer. But, I can’t stay away forever.
Click to expand...
I LOVED your post! I left the church for 30 years, came back sort of “accidentally” after my 98 year old Mom died as she wanted a Catholic funeral. I told our priest that I needed to go to confession so I could go to communion at my mom’s funeral Mass but not to expect too much other than that as I wasn’t planning to change my life for anyone! To his face I said that! Frankly, I think it’s amazing that he gave me absolution with my attitude–but he did. That was about 2 years ago and I guess I’m a hard liner now. You know inside your heart that it’s a mortal sin to not go to Mass on Sundays without a valid excuse–you’ve made logical arguments in your mind–but in your heart, you know the truth. You already know a lot of things in your heart. Come on home—go to confession—give Jesus a chance–and then just stand back and watch!!
 
jesus4ever said:
I dont want to put you down by any means and its good that you want to come back. However you can not confess something if you are not sorry for doing it or saying you dont think its really a sin if you know it is.

Not going to mass is breaking the First Commandment

Missing Mass is willfully choosing our schedules over God and we are hurting God and also ourselves.

Here is a short youtube vedio that will explain it to you.
youtube.com/watch?v=fc8g2m1XYP0&feature=channel_video_title

I just want you to relize that missing mass is not a good thing. I want you to see it as a sin before you walk in to the confessional. If you dont then I belive you should tell the priest that you dont think it is a sin and he may explain iot to you better then me. He may help you the relixe better then me. take care.
Click to expand...
I agree with what you said. 👍
 
Country_Gal said:
ok well maybe I’ll forget it. Going to church is a repetitive hassle really. People scrutinize you. Ugh.
Click to expand...
most good habits are repetitive. Worshiping God should be very, very repetitive. That’s what we are here on earth to do… Love God and each other. Worshiping at Mass, going when we really don’t feel like it, is a wonderful act of faith and devotion.

The vast majority of the people around you are not paying any attention to you at all. They are far more concerned about their own lives then to be worried about you. The only one scrutinizing you is you. It’s your own conscience nagging you to do the right thing.
 
vsedriver said:
most good habits are repetitive. Worshiping God should be very, very repetitive. That’s what we are here on earth to do… Love God and each other. Worshiping at Mass, going when we really don’t feel like it, is a wonderful act of faith and devotion.

The vast majority of the people around you are not paying any attention to you at all. They are far more concerned about their own lives then to be worried about you. The only one scrutinizing you is you. It’s your own conscience nagging you to do the right thing.
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Yes I agree with this. Most of the people around me are focused on the Mass and don’t pay attention to those around them. Going to Mass is entering into Heaven and the presence of the Lord each week. It is an opportunity to focus on the eternal and not on self and what others think about you. It expands your awareness, opens your heart to the needs of others and enlightens your spirit. In our present everyday lives there is rarely the chance to connect so completely with this dimension. It gives me energy and a new outlook on what is really important that I can apply to my day.

The Lord can read your heart. It really is about you and Him and not about the people around you. If you are not ready to receive the Eucharist then just make a spiritual communion with him when the time comes until you feel that you can make a good confession and receive absolution. But try to make the effort to go. It is worth it.👍
 
Country_Gal said:
ok well maybe I’ll forget it. Going to church is a repetitive hassle really. People scrutinize you. Ugh.
Click to expand...
Lot’s of signs pointing to me returning to the Church. Won’t do so until I’m ready to make an effort to attend regularly.
Click to expand...
There have just been some strange coincidences indicating that I’m meant to return, people I’ve run into, little signs here and there. It’s been a season of change for me.
Click to expand...
Don’t let some people’s opinion keep you from doing something you are thinking about doing.

The Church is made of people, people have opinions and do different things - don’t let someone keep you from your own adventures and journeys.

Most likely you can find people who scrutinize others every place you go.
 
RoseMary131 said:
Don’t let some people’s opinion keep you from doing something you are thinking about doing.

The Church is made of people, people have opinions and do different things - don’t let someone keep you from your own adventures and journeys.

Most likely you can find people who scrutinize others every place you go.
Click to expand...
That’s what I get, I suppose, for posting anything in a public forum.

No, I don’t believe that a person will go to Hell for missing church. The Catholic faith seems so real and good until people start saying that. It’s that legalistic nonsense that is such a turn off to me. 😦

As far as scrutinizing, reading some of the threads here awakened me to the fact that there are a few who are quite scrutinizing of others in church. It makes me feel like the church is a fishbowl!
 
Country_Gal said:
No, I don’t believe that a person will go to Hell for missing church. The Catholic faith seems so real and good until people start saying that. It’s that legalistic nonsense that is such a turn off to me. 😦
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Just be open to God and let Him speak to your heart. In prayer and through the Bible He will do that. Then you will see that the catholic teaching is a whole and it’s not the ideas and opinions of other people, but the will of God whom we all try to serve. Keep going 👍
 
Country_Gal said:
That’s what I get, I suppose, for posting anything in a public forum.

As far as scrutinizing, reading some of the threads here awakened me to the fact that there are a few who are quite scrutinizing of others in church. It makes me feel like the church is a fishbowl!
Click to expand...
It may seem like that… the church is a fishbowl… look past the church… you’ll find that “fishbowl” attitude in lots of places.

A discussion any place about parenting … someone will say “you do it wrong.”
A discussion about eating healthy food… someone will say “you do it wrong.”
A discussion about …

Take another look… you’ll find someone who welcomes you with open arms.

Have you read the books *Surprise by Truth, *edited and co-authored by Patrick Madrid? The books have chapters written by converts to the Faith. The writers of the different chapters tell something that they discovered about the Faith that was a “hold back” for them, but that they later “understood” in a new light. (You might find the books at the library or at a parish library.)

patrickmadrid.com/

Don’t let something or someone keep you from exploring your journey. Sometimes you just need to take that first step on the trail in order to begin walking. You won’t know what’s at the end of the trail if you let others keep you from getting on the trail.

:christmastree1: Just keep walking. You’ll find companions on the trail with you.
 
RoseMary131 said:
It may seem like that… the church is a fishbowl… look past the church… you’ll find that “fishbowl” attitude in lots of places.

A discussion any place about parenting … someone will say “you do it wrong.”
A discussion about eating healthy food… someone will say “you do it wrong.”
A discussion about …

Take another look… you’ll find someone who welcomes you with open arms.

Have you read the books *Surprise by Truth, *edited and co-authored by Patrick Madrid? The books have chapters written by converts to the Faith. The writers of the different chapters tell something that they discovered about the Faith that was a “hold back” for them, but that they later “understood” in a new light. (You might find the books at the library or at a parish library.)

patrickmadrid.com/

Don’t let something or someone keep you from exploring your journey. Sometimes you just need to take that first step on the trail in order to begin walking. You won’t know what’s at the end of the trail if you let others keep you from getting on the trail.

:christmastree1: Just keep walking. You’ll find companions on the trail with you.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your gracious response.
 
Have you seen the movie the 10 Commandments with Charlton Heston? When you come into Mass and kneel down, put this image in your mind for we have the same thing here, with Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. He too is a flaming fire that does not consume us. The scene where Moses comes before the Burning Bush…

youtube.com/watch?v=zUm6rC0o7Po (sorry about the brief commercial clip)

When you and I understand more fully what it is that God is offering to us, hidden as a piece of bread, we would weep.

When God gave Moses the 10 commandments so long ago, no man could look upon the face of God and live. And yet we do, and we consume Him, and He consumes us. To say that we would rather do something else on Sunday, shows our lack of friendship and love, and breaks the commandment of Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. There are saints and prophets who have longed to see the Messiah come upon the world and did not have that blessing. They were tortured, quartered, sawed in 2. The world was not worthy of them, and they did not have this blessing that we enjoy.

May God continue to bless and call you to a closer walk with Him.
 
@Country Gal: Why don’t you try going to Mass once a month? Or going to a couple of different parishes? I went through a lot of this once when I first started going to Mass before I became a Catholic. Technically it wasn’t a serious sin for me because I wasn’t Catholic but I still struggled with what should have been the obvious.

I also had the most difficult time dealing with the Real Presence. A lot of cradle Catholics just assume everyone just gets it. I think you just have to kind of evolve rather than instantly accepting Church teaching.

Also please don’t attend St. Scrupulous and expect to be happy.😉
 
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