I'm having a hard time being Catholic

[teadough]

Thanks to the person who originaly posted this thread. Although my situation is a little bit different I feel that I am worried too much about the rules. I posted a thread in the prayer section about how I feel like I am not goint to make the cut in Catholicism. I have been so wrapped up in Church history,RCIA,Praying,Learning what is going on at Mass that I don’t know where I should be right now. The closer to Confirmation day the more I feel like I such loser. I can “let go”. Maybe I am putting too much on my plate. I decided tonight that I am going to put all my Catholic books away,except the Bible, and jump into some random novel of fiction until after Easter Vigil.

I am getting a lot of what I need to hear in this thread.thanks to Kittery for this thread.

God Bless you and your Family.

It is hard going through this alone. My wife has does not want anything to do with the Christian faith at this time she is of the Jewish faith. Culture would be a better word being that she does not go to Temple or anything. I could go on and on. I am at work right now and I can’t help but focus on what I don’t have instead of what I have. I hate when I get in a “poor me” mode.

 

[Rui]

Hi

Someone once told me that I will never grow unless I go through suffering.

Jesus went through it and the early disciples as well.

I feel for you and will keep you in my prayers.

The good news is that your husband has confessed to this stronghold that Satan had over him, I can earnestly say that if you help him through this difficult time you and your marriage can only grow stronger, remember that it must have been very difficult for him to confess this , this means that he has acknowledged his sins and his on his way to salvation when it comes to the stronghold.

Seek a Christian counselor and you marriage will succeed.This is a great time to be in as it is Lent.

My advice to you is that you both get down on your knees and pray together and fast for God to work in your marriage.

All the rest will fall into place when it comes to the rituals.
Rituals are great if done with a clear understanding and a contrite hear, the mass will come alive for your family

God Bless you and your marriage

 

[BarbaraTherese]

BarbaraTherese- Thank you, thank you, thank you. Just what I needed to hear right now God doesn’t expect everything at once from us. It’s ok to not be perfect. But it’s so hard for me- I never believed in such things as mortal sins and fading in and out of salvation from day to day. Finding a spiritual director sounds like a very wise thing to do. How do you go about that?

Rest assured none of us is perfect, we are all struggling somewhere or other and we all fail somewhere or other. These difficulties that you have re mortal sin and salvation - you most certainly are not taking things for granted and are really trying - rest assured Jesus of Mercy knows this and try to be at Peace in His Mercy. To be sinful and put salvation at risk and not be caring about it is one thing…to be in the same position and struggling and battling is another thing entirely. Most of us are or have been in Confession confessing the same offence every time - this is not the real problem as it were, rather the real problem would become if we did not confess.

I think finding a spiritual director is a very wise move - they can be worth gold! I am South Australian but there are a number of ways to find a director. The first person is your confessor or the priest who hears your confession - you could ask in confession or ring and ask if you could have an appointment with him and does he undertake spiritaul direction - if he answers in the negative, ask how you would go about finding one. The other alternative is to ring a Religious Order of priests stating you are looking for direction and a director. Failing that you could ring a Religious Order of nuns or sisters and ask them how you would go about finding direction and a director.
The other alternative which we certainly have here in South Australia is to ring your diocesan offices telling them you are new to the Faith and looking for a spiritual director and can they tell you how you would go about this.
Will be keeping you in prayer…Blessings - Barb

 

[Conservative]

Conservative- your post made me get goosebumps! I always think of that as a sign that the holy spirit is speaking to me, what you said is written in my heart and I thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Through you, I hear God saying that I should do what I can and let him help me with the rest. Pray a little, gain a lot. I can do that. Take my children to mass. I can do that. What a weight I feel lifting!

Everyone here has been so kind. So encouraging. ,

,Thank you all. What a blessing you’ve all been to my heart!

Funny, it worked both ways. I, too, got chills as I read your words and everyone’s replies. What a wonderful way for this thread to develop…I feel like singing Amazing Grace ! :harp: I love this forum! :heaven:

 

[byers]

kittery
Lots of good ideas and suggestions here.

Way back in the old days of the 50’s say two perfectly acceptable excuses for missing mass were ‘care of the sick’ and ‘care of young children’. Many couples were rarely able to go to the same mass because they had to rotate watching the children when very young and if say you’re husband was away for some reason, and you couldn’t get a babysitter you were not expected to attend…it was not a mortal sin then

Some parishes now have babysitting which I assume is a big help. It’s darn near impossible to get anything out of Mass with the ages of your children.

A good friend of my mothers’ with 10 children said she loved to go to mass…it was the only time she had any peace

So although it’s nice to go as a ‘family’ right now it might be best to rotate masses with one staying with the children and the other going to mass at a different time.

My own parents never took any of us to mass with them until we were about 5…and only if we behaved. It was a long time before we could all go all the same time. Bless you.