Is it wrong to live in a catholic bubble?

[stanncie]

Hello friends

I was thinking about my life today and something occurred to me. I have very little meaningful contact with secular people on a daily basis and was wandering whether I should try to change that?
I’m a home health physical therapist so the only people I see on a daily basis at work are sick people who often are clinging to God at this time in their life even if maybe at one point they were not believers. Even those who are not very religious are open to ‘spirituality’. I have not coworkers to be annoyed at or to try to convert lol

I’m single and very active at church so most of my time is spent in ministries, volunteer work or just socializing. Most of my friends are church going people who have at least an amount of faith in their lives. My mom is quite devout and although the rest of my family are what you call cafeteria Catholics they at least have some faith and keep certain traditions.

I do go to the gym often but everyone there is just focused on exercising and have no meaningful relationships there apart from talking about trivialities of daily life.

I ask this because in the few occasions that I do encounter secular people I’m surprised at their lack of faith and their general attitude about life. I don’t know why because I was very of the world at one point in my life too but I guess when you live in my bubble you forget lol

I don’t even get doses of secularism from tv because I don’t have cable TV just rabbit ears which don’t always work well. I watch very little tv except from movies from netflix and the like. Frankly I don’ t have much time between work, gym and church activities

Should I try to engage the current culture more? I don’t even know why I’m concerned about this but the thought just popped into my head

 

[JaredR]

As long as you keep yourself free from spiritual pride, not at all.

 

[epan]

Hello friends

I was thinking about my life today and something occurred to me. I have very little meaningful contact with secular people on a daily basis and was wandering whether I should try to change that?
I’m a home health physical therapist so the only people I see on a daily basis at work are sick people who often are clinging to God at this time in their life even if maybe at one point they were not believers. Even those who are not very religious are open to ‘spirituality’. I have not coworkers to be annoyed at or to try to convert lol

I’m single and very active at church so most of my time is spent in ministries, volunteer work or just socializing. Most of my friends are church going people who have at least an amount of faith in their lives. My mom is quite devout and although the rest of my family are what you call cafeteria Catholics they at least have some faith and keep certain traditions.

I do go to the gym often but everyone there is just focused on exercising and have no meaningful relationships there apart from talking about trivialities of daily life.

I ask this because in the few occasions that I do encounter secular people I’m surprised at their lack of faith and their general attitude about life. I don’t know why because I was very of the world at one point in my life too but I guess when you live in my bubble you forget lol

I don’t even get doses of secularism from tv because I don’t have cable TV just rabbit ears which don’t always work well. I watch very little tv except from movies from netflix and the like. Frankly I don’ t have much time between work, gym and church activities

Should I try to engage the current culture more? I don’t even know why I’m concerned about this but the thought just popped into my head

My opinion is that there is no requirement, but as an intelligent person, you might enjoy expanding your sphere of influence. There is also the possibility of leading someone to your faith by example during the course of a friendship.

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

Hello friends

I was thinking about my life today and something occurred to me. I have very little meaningful contact with secular people on a daily basis and was wandering whether I should try to change that?
I’m a home health physical therapist so the only people I see on a daily basis at work are sick people who often are clinging to God at this time in their life even if maybe at one point they were not believers. Even those who are not very religious are open to ‘spirituality’. I have not coworkers to be annoyed at or to try to convert lol

I’m single and very active at church so most of my time is spent in ministries, volunteer work or just socializing. Most of my friends are church going people who have at least an amount of faith in their lives. My mom is quite devout and although the rest of my family are what you call cafeteria Catholics they at least have some faith and keep certain traditions.

I do go to the gym often but everyone there is just focused on exercising and have no meaningful relationships there apart from talking about trivialities of daily life.

I ask this because in the few occasions that I do encounter secular people I’m surprised at their lack of faith and their general attitude about life. I don’t know why because I was very of the world at one point in my life too but I guess when you live in my bubble you forget lol

I don’t even get doses of secularism from tv because I don’t have cable TV just rabbit ears which don’t always work well. I watch very little tv except from movies from netflix and the like. Frankly I don’ t have much time between work, gym and church activities

Should I try to engage the current culture more? I don’t even know why I’m concerned about this but the thought just popped into my head

I think we are all called to strive foe holiness within our state in life amidst the people and circumstances we happen to be in. The role of the clergy is to feed and nourish the laity; whereas the members of the laity are called to serve in the world. I would very much recommend you listen to this short talk, about what it means to be a member of the laity in the world.
I think you will find it very helpful: Here is the link: AUDIO LINK

 

[Samuel63]

I am glad you posted and gave this background. I also feel increasingly disconnected from the people I interact with at work and in the neighborhood for one simple reason. Almost all of these people have no faith life of significance. Even the few that are catholic with a small “c” do not attend mass and are quite lukewarm. I on the other hand cannot get enough solid catholic media. I am about to burst with joy and want to discuss the faith but there is no one to talk with.

What to do? Here is my opinion. I will keep learning and growing in holiness and try to exhibit and express that solid interior joy. Others will eventually be attracted to this and will open up and start asking questions. I need to be prepared for when that precious moment comes and to give the response that helps that person along the way to a deeper spiritual life, a life of virtue, practicing the sacraments, and to a state of grace.

I started a weekly faith formation group with the help of Miles Christi (www.mileschristi.org). It is a small group now but the time spent one hour each week is fulfilling. I hope you can start one too.

 

[Miguelita]

Well, here’s where I’d say to watch out; be open to secular or non Catholic friends if the opportunity brings such a thing up. If you meet some people who are kind, fun to be with, and atheist/secular/non Catholic, don’t be closed to having a friendship with them.

 

[fin]

I also feel increasingly disconnected from the people I interact with at work and in the neighborhood for one simple reason. Almost all of these people have no faith life of significance. Even the few that are catholic with a small “c” do not attend mass and are quite lukewarm. I on the other hand cannot get enough solid catholic media. I am about to burst with joy and want to discuss the faith but there is no one to talk with.

I’m in the same boat. I’m looking forward to meeting people who share my love for the faith. I’m getting tired of small talk and shallow relationships with people around me. I really wish to have deeper friendship, but it’s difficult when they’re not the type of people I would like to be friends with, nor do I think that they would be good for my life, let alone my spiritual life.

 

[fin]

OP, I envy you for living in a Catholic bubble. How I wish I am. Ever since I was born, I have not been in any kind of Catholic bubble. It’s difficult to live a life having enthusiasm for the faith when the people around you aren’t.

Relocation came into my mind. But what, how, where, etc? I honestly don’t know at this moment.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I’m in the same boat. I’m looking forward to meeting people who share my love for the faith. I’m getting tired of small talk and shallow relationships with people around me. I really wish to have deeper friendship, but it’s difficult when they’re not the type of people I would like to be friends with, nor do I think that they would be good for my life, let alone my spiritual life.

This is exactly how I feel. I felt absolutely envious reading the OP’s post. I would love to live like that. At one point I became so sick and tired of secularism and non believers I started withdrawing from it all because it was just too draining. For some reason, non-believers are the people I always end up meeting, never faithful Christians. I’m trying to change that but it is so difficult. I don’t know if this is what God wants for me for some reason or if I’m just making bad choices in life.

 

[Crescentinus]

Being Catholic means being able to fight the spiritual war. We aren’t called the Church Militant for nothing!

 

[UpUpAndAway]

At one point I became so sick and tired of secularism and non believers I started withdrawing from it all because it was just too draining. For some reason, non-believers are the people I always end up meeting, never faithful Christians.

And this is exactly how I felt until I withdrew from the secular world. I just have nothing in common with people who live only for themselves. I used to do that, and I gave it up because I realized what a hollow existence it is. Once I did that, I had the time to cultivate relationships with like-minded people in my parish. Now my life is filled with prayer, worship, and service to others - all of which I have achieved through the help of my parish priest http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/Pascal_S/smileys/priest.gif and fellow parishioners.

That said, my withdrawal is only partial. I still have a lot of contact with the secular world through the non-religious friends I had before I reverted who have no problem with my being Catholic (those who did walked away from me on their own), through my husband’s varied inner circle (he has a good friend who’s a pastafarian…:ehh: ), through my fallen-away family members and through people I meet every day just by going about my usual business. So I wouldn’t say I live in a Catholic bubble, but my first priority is the practice of my faith.

Example: Tomorrow evening I’m going to a cocktail party for the residents of the apartment building I live in, but I still intend to maintain my Friday abstinence and I will leave early to go to adoration as I do every Friday. There aren’t many churchgoers amongst my neighbors so I know there will be some who will try to dissuade me from one or the other or both, but it is in holding firm that I show what my priorities are. Perhaps my actions will inspire others to think about their own priorities.

I don’t think it’s wrong to live in a Catholic bubble, but I know that if I did I would miss out on a lot of opportunities to bring other people home to the Catholic Church.

 

[Andre1000]

Many monks are also isolated from the world and the Church has always supported them. You are living in a state between monk and more secular person, people like this are also needed. Whatever position you have you should give your best to be helpful for the Church. The Church needs people for the inside, too.

 

[Kenny_Kamel]

Since I entered into the Church during Easter Vigil 2011 I have had similar sentiments. The majority of people that I spend my time with are fellow Catholics and I’ve often questioned myself as to why I don’t make more of an effort to reach out to people outside of the Church. I do have many other friends and acquantances but the ones closest to me (outside of family) are Catholic. In fact my best friend and roommate is a former seminarian working towards entering into the Priesthood and my best lady friend is working towards becoming a Nun.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with this, in fact considering my past I truly feel the need to surround myself with the best influences I’m able to befriend. Also I actively seek to evangelize and hope that my friends outside of the Church will at least consider converting at sometime in the future. I find it difficult to relate to people whom I cannot share my faith with or would at the very least be openminded enough to entertain such conversation.

I’m 30 and I have a good community of peers in their 20’s & 30’s so I’m pretty comfortable and don’t feel the need to branch out any more than I already am.

 

[EasterJoy]

Why do you think monasteries were invented?

 

[stanncie]

Thank you all for your thoughts I don’t feel so strange now. Perhaps God has led me down this path because he knows me well.

I have a very agreeable personality and I admit very easily influenced. When I was away from the church it was easy for me to get involved into endless partying and the like. I also cared a lot about getting mani/pedis weekly and my monthly facial and just having fun at all costs. In essence to live completely away from anything spiritual or meaningful. I used to go out to clubs no less than twice a week and had a large circle of friends to do it with. We went from one even to the next and that was my life.

Upon my reversion tot he church my agreeable personality helped me though because since I make friends easily it was easy for me to get involved in church. Now I have church events coming out of my ears lol! As you can imagine my former friendships were mostly very shallow and centered around just having fun by going out until all hours of the night. Once i stopped doing that the friendships pretty much fizzled.

No worries though because i now have a ton of church friends from kids to old ladies and everyone in between. I do try to always show a good example and evangelize in the little opportunities I have now.

For the people that are envious I encourage you to get involved in your parish and if your parish is dead try another one! When I first went back to Mass i used to go to my home parish but it was full of mostly older families and not much was happening there.

Thankfully I found another parish that had tons of ministries and I joined a few of them. People took to me easily since I was just a sponge wanting to learn anything they had and now I couldn’t get away from church even if i tried

Respect life ministry is often full of very devoted loving people. I also recommend going in retreats especially those that then have further formation via weekly or monthly meetings. You will meet tons of people there! A few examples are Cursillo and Emmaus walk, John xxiii retreat also has weekly meetings but I don’t know if this retreat is offered in English. I once went to a Magis retreat that’s based on the spiritual exercises and they also met often and were like a family.

 

[Paddy1989]

To be honest i feel what you have is a good thing, all those who i am friendly with and associate with at work etc are secularist’s and therefore i live entirely in a secular bubble, even having one Faithful Catholic friend would be so nice. It can be a bit daunting knowing how different your world-view is from everyone you know. I suppose it doesn’t help that the place’s i attend on weekend’s would be the like’s of bar’s and club’s etc as these are pretty much the bulk of place’s people attend for enjoyment and social interaction, i can assure you though your not missing much in the secular bubble

 

[anruari]

I would like to comment on the writings of 2 saints on this topic:
St. Francis De Sales points out that our “natural friendships”: i.e. family and geographically close neighbours, collegues etc" are people who we have a duty to befriend - if these put you into a catholic bubble this is a good thing.

your voluntary friendships: i.e. those you choose: should always be people who can love and support you in your faith. if you have people in your group of “Voluntary Friends” who are a serious source of behaviours or thoughts which lead you away from His Grace, then those friendships should be re-thought or abandoned: especially if they cannot be sanctified.

St. JoseMaria Escriva on the other hand encourages the believer to cultivate strong friendships within the Church, but to maintain a number of real friendships among people who can be specifically evangelized. This work of evangelism should be “quiet and persevering” and based on witness and love, with faith or morals only brought up in a conversation when the occur naturally. The opportunities to then share your beliefs on topics of faith or morals will slowly present themselves, as will (eventually) the opportunities to invite that friend along to some church service or formative event.

However: as st. Paul tells us: we are the body of Christ. but each of us is not the full body. one of us is a hand, another is a foot, another is a kidney, or an eye. SO some of us are doing the work of Christ by ministering in the church building, others are being Christ to the elderly, sick or dying in hospitals and care homes, others are evangelical missionaries constantly seeking opportunities to share their faith and attract the people they meet to know or better know Jesus in his Church and in the Sacraments.

Living in a “Catholic Bubble” can be a great blessing , helping you to avoid many near occasions of sin. perhaps it better suits the graces the Lord has given you.

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

Why do you think monasteries were invented?

Monasteries are for certain souls who are called out of the world in order to pray for those in the world ans spiritually support the Church Militant. The laity are called to live in the world and bring the life, grace, and light of Christ to the non-Christian and all who are starving and thirsting for the Truth and Love of Christ. The laity are called to shine amid the darkness, confusion and loneliness that exists in the world. Thus Catholics are equipped for battle through the sacraments, which give men and women *sanctifying grace *in overflowing measures which are there to transform men and women into perfect instruments of God’s grace in the world.

Thus it is that Christ spoke, over and over, that His followers must bear good fruit. Thus, we are not going to be judged by our religion; but by our love and acts of sacrifice for others in the name of Christ.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

The laity are called to shine amid the darkness, confusion and loneliness that exists in the world. Thus Catholics are equipped for battle through the sacraments, which give men and women *sanctifying grace *in overflowing measures which are there to transform men and women into perfect instruments of God’s grace in the world.

I’m not disagreeing with this at all, but are you saying that being surrounded by other Catholics and not being interested in the secular world is wrong? That by avoiding it we are not fulfilling our duty? Maybe some people are better off without it and God leads them in that direction. I wish I was one of them, but…

 

[Gabriel_Serafin]

I’m not disagreeing with this at all, but are you saying that being surrounded by other Catholics and not being interested in the secular world is wrong? That by avoiding it we are not fulfilling our duty? Maybe some people are better off without it and God leads them in that direction. I wish I was one of them, but…

I would think that loving our neighbor means not avoiding those who may end up in hell had we not had some influence in their life. Being a Soldier of Christ means we are preparing for battle in a war for souls. It doesn’t mean standing on a soap box and thumping a Bible. It means growing in virtue within your circumstances and state in life amid the people you encounter on a daily basis. For example, you could be standing at a bus stop and praying for the soul of the man standing next to you. It meas standing up and speaking the truth when occasions arise. It means bringing truth, goodness and love into this world by becoming better instruments of God’s grace. Or as St. Therese put it; becoming like a pencil in the hand of God.

I think Bishop Sheen addresses the question succinctly in this short talk I would recommend. Listen carefully how he begins the talk: AUDIO LINK