G
Gabriella_San_S
Guest
(emphasis mine) That, dear friend, is the “stuff” that* saints* are made of.:getholy: My* heartfelt* admiration is yours…
Sincerely, your sister in Christ,
Gabriella
- Status
Sincerely, your sister in Christ,
Gabriella
G
GodIsGracious
Guest
Thanks Gabriella. I don’t feel all too saintly considering how I feel.
Peace be with you.
D
distracted
Guest
define what you mean by liberal? everyone has their own definiton…Many of us “liberal” Catholics feel the same.
D
distracted
Guest
outside the Exposed Sacrament and the Mass…No, I have not had children, I said I don’t want them, right?
they are… and since you have never had any, you wouldn’t know about that… (and having babysat a few times in your life hardly compensates… )
D
distracted
Guest
then i am 90% saint… cause i HATE being celibate… (although i have been so deprived for many, many yrs now…). the longer you live w/o gratification, the more you hate celibacy…
no, Scratch that… my BODY hates it…
it has a mind of its own, you know…
uch::banghead:I get tired of all the arguing between mind and spirit…
but if ending celibacy and enjoying… marital “priveleges” means… living with a man for the rest of my life… (assuming we are talking about the kind of men i have known…
)then… Scratch the whole thing. In that case: i LIKE being celibate…
so… hmmmm…
… as Emily Latella would say: Never mind… 
G
GodIsGracious
Guest
G
GodIsGracious
Guest
Have you considered letting it go? Offering it to God? Once I do that everything is easy. That’s what I mean when I said I “got over being celibate.”
I’m not saying it’s not pleasurable, or it’s not good, or it’s not fun. I just wonder if you’re putting too much emphasis on celibacy in your life. I don’t know, I’m not you. Only you can determine that.
I have physical pain I live with on a daily basis. I was getting so tired of it. And of course, being human, I get to my tipping point. I have started to offer it up to Jesus and enduring it as my ‘cross to bear’ for Him as a way to show my love for Him.
And now that I think about it, I forgot to say that this morning and yesterday because it is no longer an issue for me!
Uh… drugs help too. LOL!
Sorry, got distracted there … anyway. I find that accepting what I have in my life as what it is and if it’s something I don’t like or am having a hard time dealing with, I’m trying to at least say (if I don’t entirely believe yet, but at least act on faith) a small prayer something to the effect of, I will bear it as my cross because of the cross your bore for me. I dunno, I don’t remember the exact words. Sometimes I just pray things off the top of my head.
And not all men are awful. There are some pretty good guys out there. I know. I’m dating one.
D
distracted
Guest
everyone’s entitled to his opinion…
maybe if you ever hve any children, you should give them to someone who would appreciate them… the Church is not against adoption…
G
GodIsGracious
Guest
Yes, correct. It is an opinion.
And to be honest, I do not have to worry about whether I will have children.
You seem to be someone who assumes that people will just a) automatically want or desire children or b) that they will simply have them regardless. Can you not fathom that someone just simply does not want them? Nor that someone doesn’t think children are the “closest to God you can get?” Sorry, no. The EUCHARIST is. And I don’t share your opinion that children are next in line to that.
D
distracted
Guest
after all these yrs, i don’t see where i had much choice than to let it go… but maybe i have not let go to the extent i should… God knows… All i know is that i will be celibate forever if it means “settling” for a man who is not… “worthy” (Only God knows wht all that means… i just try to learn through trial & error)…
i try to offer up things… and for theSorry, got distracted there … anyway. I find that accepting what I have in my life as what it is and if it’s something I don’t like or am having a hard time dealing with, I’m trying to at least say (if I don’t entirely believe yet, but at least act on faith) a small prayer something to the effect of, I will bear it as my cross because of the cross your bore for me. I dunno, I don’t remember the exact words. Sometimes I just pray things off the top of my head.
1st several yrs of celibacy, hardly even thought about being celibate and waht all i might be missing or what have you… but after all these yrs, the "alone-ness’ gets rather tiresome at times… but only at times… Most of the time, like i say… i enjoy being alone… In fact it is my alone-ness that i cherish and would not sacrifice except for someone very special… someone who knows something about love… I tend to think most men nowadays don’t know much about love. they are not usually caretakers of children, etc… so they don’t learn like women usually do… and what is worse, they don’t seem to WANT to learn… but that is just my own experience talking…
where?And not all men are awful. There are some pretty good guys out there. I know. I’m dating one.
D
distracted
Guest
again, that’s your opinion. But obviously the Church doesn’t have that opinion. The Church and the Word say that children are a blessing from God and that we should not try to avoid having them…Yes, correct. It is an opinion.
And to be honest, I do not have to worry about whether I will have children.
You seem to be someone who assumes that people will just a) automatically want or desire children or b) that they will simply have them regardless. Can you not fathom that someone just simply does not want them? Nor that someone doesn’t think children are the “closest to God you can get?” Sorry, no. The EUCHARIST is. And I don’t share your opinion that children are next in line to that.
I know a woman who felt the same way you did… never thought she wnted to have childrne. But then she accidentally had one… (got one)…
best thing that ever happened to her… and she herself says that… and she had many more afterwards…
G
GodIsGracious
Guest
sigh I’ve heard that before… “I’ve never wanted children until I had them!”
“You’ll change your mind!”
“You just need to find the right man!”
“You just need to grow up/become responsible!”
“Children are a blessing!”
“Children are a gift from God!”
“Who’ll take care of you when you’re old???”
“You were a kid once too!”
“What if your kid finds the cure for cancer?!?”
“You must be angry/been abused/had a horrible childhood!”
“What if your mom felt the same way?”
“It’s the most important job in the world!”
etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum
Yep, I just got “bingoed” again.
After at least 34 years of saying I have no desire for children (since I was 6!) I don’t think there’s anything new I haven’t heard. 
I never said they weren’t a blessing, I just don’t believe they are the next thing closest to God. Remember, children are not a requirement for salvation. Jesus didn’t have any children.
G
GodIsGracious
Guest
I’m not going to address everything individually in this post but say that I do understand.after all these yrs, i don’t see where i had much choice than to let it go… but maybe i have not let go to the extent i should… God knows… All i know is that i will be celibate forever if it means “settling” for a man who is not… “worthy” (Only God knows wht all that means… i just try to learn through trial & error)… i try to offer up things… and for the
1st several yrs of celibacy, hardly even thought about being celibate and waht all i might be missing or what have you… but after all these yrs, the "alone-ness’ gets rather tiresome at times… but only at times… Most of the time, like i say… i enjoy being alone… In fact it is my alone-ness that i cherish and would not sacrifice except for someone very special… someone who knows something about love… I tend to think most men nowadays don’t know much about love. they are not usually caretakers of children, etc… so they don’t learn like women usually do… and what is worse, they don’t seem to WANT to learn… but that is just my own experience talking…
where?
As human beings, being social creatures, we do get lonesome. I think that’s something we’re given so that we seek out others, to marry, and have babies! Sex is pleasurable, to make having babies fun! I don’t deny that and I recognize that too.
And I also figured that you do offer things up to God. You seem very devout, at least from your posts on the forum.
People, being people, can sometimes be tough to deal with. I don’t like to say that it is only men who can be … uhm… “dense.” Because I know some women who are just as dense. I think that sometime people are just oblivious to anything outside of themselves.
At anyrate, it seems like you’re just at a point where you probably need a little venting and people need that too.
Peace.
D
distracted
Guest
yes, i know this in my head… but the rest of me doesn’t exactly appreciate it…
my head and my heart are miles apart…
the longest journey you will ever take is the one between your head and your heart…
D
distracted
Guest
i didn’t say i was *lonely… *just … well, i think i have such a negative attitude about the opposite sex that … that is mostly the reason i don’t get lonely anymore… that is why being alone is so wonderful most of the time… because being w/ the kinds of men i’ve known is tantamount to being in hell…
There’s a news-flash for ya…
i need*** something***… that’s for sure… just haven’t figured out exactly waht it is…At anyrate, it seems like you’re just at a point where you probably need a little venting and people need that too.
]
hmm… let me think…
ok…
i have finally figured it out…
and have concluded that what i need most… does not exist in this world…
… hmmm…
:coffeeread:but then again, there IS the Exposed Sacrament… and the Holy Mass…
A
Absolution
Guest
Honestly? Yeah, there are some things. I have a problem with giving money to a Church that is providing an annuity to child molestor/rapist Oliver O’Grady. I have a hard time devoting myself to an institution that allowed the travesty of child abuse to take place in the first place when the problem was known at high levels. I have a hard time following the current Pope who ordered bishops to cover up the abuse when he was a Cardinal leading the Congregation of the Doctrine of The Faith. I have a hard time looking at a picture of the previous Pope kissing the Koran, which contains the statement that God has no Son. Doctrinally, I’m in agreement with the Church on most issues and I’m willing to submit to its teachings on the issues where I’m not in agreement. I just wish there were some real spiritual leadership so I wouldn’t have to keep telling myself that I’m following God and not the men running (or is that ruining?) the Church.
D
distracted
Guest
whoa… i didn’t know all this!!!
i had heard something about the last pope having something to do with the koran but i didn’t know he kissed it!!!
i didn’t know our current pope ordered a cover-up of the priest scandal (as cardinal)???!!!
i didn’t know any of this…
now i am… discombobulated… don’t know wht to say…
that doesn’t happen very often…
all i can say is i have even better reasons for dislikin being Catholic…
where can i (we) get details?
D
distracted
Guest
apparently O’Grady made a film Deliver us from Evil?
he abused a 9 month old girl!!!
says he is only sexually attracted to children…
an Irish priest… they are usually the most devout, it seems…
and the church knew about it…
Why doesthe Church do this kind of thing - move priests who molest children to another parish??
i don’t feel so enthused about the Church today…
i know it is the One Christ establsihed on Earth… but what the heck is wrong with its members???
Are THAT few saved, as st. Leonard said???
www.olrl.org/snt_docs/
he abused a 9 month old girl!!!
says he is only sexually attracted to children…
an Irish priest… they are usually the most devout, it seems…
and the church knew about it…
Why doesthe Church do this kind of thing - move priests who molest children to another parish??
i don’t feel so enthused about the Church today…
i know it is the One Christ establsihed on Earth… but what the heck is wrong with its members???
Are THAT few saved, as st. Leonard said???
www.olrl.org/snt_docs/
A
Absolution
Guest
It’s all pretty well documented. The movie Deliver us From Evil documents the cover-up of the sex abuse, and you can find numerous articles on the internet, e.g. thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23369148-details/Pope+‘led+cover-up+of+child+abuse+by+priests’/article.do
As far as JP II kissing the Koran, again, it’s all over the internet, as you can see here.
images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=pope+kissing+koran&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=
As someone returning to the faith after a long absence, it’s these kinds of things I struggle with. I believe in the faith, but I often find myself hating the Church.
As far as JP II kissing the Koran, again, it’s all over the internet, as you can see here.
images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=pope+kissing+koran&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=
As someone returning to the faith after a long absence, it’s these kinds of things I struggle with. I believe in the faith, but I often find myself hating the Church.
G
GodIsGracious
Guest
You know, for the most part, and with all the things or teachings I like or don’t like, I absolutely love the Catholic church. LOVE. IT.
A bit about me: I was baptised and had first communion as a Catholic. Born into the religion which is why I consider myself a “cradle Catholic” even though I left the Church for about 20 years. NO ONE could adequately answer my questions. NO ONE would take the time to teach me (and I promise you, I asked) what we did as Catholics and why we do what we do. All I was told was to “shut up and do it.” Now, my mother was, at one point, going to be a nun. She could be very fire and brimstone.
Not having the cathechesis that I craved, not having the questions I had answered, not having a defense against attacks by Protestants, disagreeing about teachings on marriage (because again, I never wanted children), and not really believing that God would really care one whit about whether I had sex outside of marriage or not believing that God concerned himself with birth control, I left the Catholic church. for nearly 20 years.
But deep down in my heart. Deep down in my very being, I just knew, without doubt, that the Catholic church was the One True Church that Christ Himself founded. How can anyone join a religion not founded by God Himself?
When I was supposed to confirm, even though I could not honestly and sincerely confirm to the Catholic faith with my heart, being and soul, I was told to just “shut up and do it.” Couldn’t do it. Angered my mom FOR YEARS. She then asked me why, WHY, couldn’t I just at least confirm? My response? Because I loved and respected the Church that I couldn’t confirm, make a mockery of the sacrament, “just because I was supposed to.” I wouldn’t take the Holy Eucharist even though I was told to “just go ahead and do it” because I was in a state of mortal sin. Although it was what I wanted.
In spite of the scandals the Church has faced, in spite of the fact that I heard all sorts of “you can find God and inner peace within you! kumbaya!” all around me, I held that the Catholic church IS Christ’s church.
It wasn’t until I got to the point that I desired Christ more than my Self, that I was willing to do as he commanded that we give up all we had to follow Him, that I confirmed. I realized that I gave up what I wanted and simply followed. I may not always LIKE the path I am on, I may not have wanted to give up sex with my boyfriend, the pursuit of wealth and riches and material things, I still have the foul mouth that I still struggle with
, all of that … I may not have liked how the Church covered up scandals. But in all of that, by being a Catholic I am following Christ.So while I have answered in this thread what I dislike about being Catholic, it wasn’t that it was what I disliked about being Catholic, it’s that I disliked a few of her teachings but I was willing to submit to them because I know that by doing so I am following Christ.
I am grateful to be Catholic. I have the priviledge of being able to receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.
There is NOTHING that compares to that. NOTHING. No sex, no money, no scandal, NOTHING, that will keep me away from the Eucharist anymore.
So when I consider all of that, and compare it all to the Eucharist, it’s nothing. Because Christ is everything.
Really.
- Status