It shouldn't be this hard to be Catholic

[PilgrimJWT]

We have Christ’s own word about the difficulties of attaining salvation, whether in or out of the Catholic Church. In Matthew 7 he states that the gate that leads to life is narrow, the road to it difficult to find and that it is traveled by very few. But the gate that leads to destruction is wide, the road to it easy to find and it is traveled by very many. Enough said?
I imagine I will meet a lot of people I know in Hell. Heaven looks like it will be pretty empty, to judge from what Scripture says.

 

[csr]

Just a random thought or two: you say it shouldn’t be this hard to be Catholic. What about Jesus on the Cross? It was pretty hard for Him. Our worship experience should not be one of being crucified, but maybe it was just too easy to be Catholic. Maybe society is too far from anything like Christendom, without Catholics being willing to serve as signs of contradiction. One of the most prominent secular Catholics of today appears to be preaching the message: ‘I don’t agree with abortion, but you go ahead and have one! Values are relative!’ That’s a far cry from what Our Lord did on the Cross.

 

[puzzleannie]

still praying for you, JC, and thanking you for your guidance in my ministry with RCIA in the parish. One good thing about the Catholic Church is all the Catholics, of every type and description and level of devotion and faithfulness. Also the worst thing about the Catholic Church is all the Catholics, of every type and description of sinfulness, contrariness, disobedience, uncharitableness and general orneriness. May up your mind if you want a Church of perfect people with beautiful liturgies, the Episcopal Church is not a bad place to be. If you want a Church full of sinners, that would be us.

 

[jlroussin]

I can really relate to what you said in your original thread John Carroll . I was a cradle Catholic, and then fell away in my late teens/early 20’s. Then I searched for God in various evangelical and protestant churches. But now I’ve returned to the Catholic church because it has the fulness of truth, and especially because of Christ in the Eucharist. However, I really miss the fellowship I found in the other churches. I’m even a member of a small study group, and even there I feel like there is a certain coldness and distance by most of the members. However, there are one or two ladies who will talk to me and pray for me. But, I’m still struggling with feeling a lack of fellowship, and a certain aloofness from other people there. And I also get sick of the silly lyrics and the music.

 

[TarAshly]

mercygate:

Heh, heh, heh. My story echoes yours, and I believe God is calling people like you (us) into the Church to rescue it from its complacency, to renew her spirit of exuberant love for Jesus, to reinvigorate the joy in her Magisterium! Take heart. The Church does have the fullness of truth. It’s worth putting up with “all the other crud!”

i ABSOLUTELY agree with both of you thats why i got involved with teaching CCE i wanted to show the kids that faithful Catholics are not (no offense) all old and boring, we have a blast im trying to show them that it is (and i hate this term) cool to be Catholic. GET INVOLVED it has to be on an individual basis at first before anything is going to change. its time to focus on love and reach out and be joyful and happy and spirited in our faith and love for Jesus Christ and that needs to spread like wildfire!

 

[Teresa9]

Dear Puzzleannie

I would agree with you. Some of the most hurtful things said to me or done to me came from people who were Catholic, not because their words or acts were specifically more hurtful in their nature than those done by people outside of the faith to me, but because as a Catholic we expect people within the faith to be warm and loving…this isn’t always the case, the case is you have humans who believe in what the faith teaches, this doesn’t make them perfect and it doesn’t always reflect the love of Christ, therefore we can not evaluate the love of Christ and His Catholic church on the actions and words of those who make up His church…though we are supposed to be known for our love and kindness.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you all

Teresa

 

[izziebee]

I have read a good number of the replies to the question of “How hard it is to be Catholic”.

This secular world we live in is part of the reason and it seems to me that we all have to do much more than pray especially when Catholic/Christian beliefs and values are ridiculed. Even within my own family there are dissenting voices about aspects of the faith.

As for myself, I do lose heart a bit at times and long for a stronger, more confident faith but one thing I do know is that no other religion would satisfy my longings so completely as the Catholic Faith.

There must be many members of other faiths who feel it is hard to be a true follower of Christ when even the Hierarchy of those Churches choose to dilute the Church’s teachings e.g. (Gay marriages).

Church music in recent years is not as inspiring as in the past. We need to be spiritually moved. I recollect a mission in our parish many years ago when some wonderful meditative Taize music was played (on tape) - a great aid to prayer and meditation.

Enjoy reading about other’s esperiences. God Bless.

 

[nobody]

Taken from the Prologue to The Ascent of Mount Carmel by St. John of the Cross, which is about the dark night of the soul, but I think might contribute some “food for thought” to this conversation:

“But I am inclined to believe that, even if it were presented with greater accuracy and polish, only a few would find profit in it, because we are not writing on pleasing and delightful themes addressed to the kind of spiritual people who like to approach God along sweet and satisfying paths. We are presenting a substantial and solid doctrine for all those who desire to reach this nakedness of spirit.”

 

[TheresaS]

My mother always said that if you wanted something you might have to work to get it, then work harded to keep it…and how right she was! I grew up with a Catholic mother and a Protestant father. Needless to say there was conflict and I felt my father’s resentment towards the faith. But what I remember more was how on Sunday morning the car was always warmed to take us to church and he would be waiting down the block to pick us up. My mother fought hard to keep the six of us Catholic and as I grew up I realized the greatest gift she gave to me was my faith. I understood early that to be a “good Catholic” took work. Now that I have my own family I hope I have passed that on to them. I am proud that I work at my faith…reading…studying…asking questions. I recently finished a book, St. Benedict and St Therese, by Dwight Longenecker that has encourged me to keep on pushing my faith. I am a sinner and I and am striving for holiness (I hope I have a few more years since I have a long way to go!). St. Therese wrote, “Sancity consists in a disposition of the heart that leaves us little and humble in God’s arms, aware of our weaknesses and trusting unto folly in His Fatherly goodness”. Humility takes work…practice, but what rewards!

 

[puzzleannie]

there is one aspect of the situation JC describes which we have not really touched on. I have only been responsible for implementing RCIA for 3 years, have taken 3 formal trainings in addition catechist & DRE certification, and anyway it is very much an OJT situation. If there is somebody with more experience than I please offer guidance. We have also served as RCIA sponsors and lay members of the team at other parishes so have seen it from the other side of the table.

I would like to know why those who are already Christian, have been practicing their faith solidly for years, knonw the bible, know Christian doctrine, are adhering to Christian moral teaching - are put in the same class with and take the identical classes with those who are undergoing true conversion from a way of living that has not been Christian. Some have undergone initial conversion from an atheistic point of view, some from an overtly sinful lifestyle, have absolutely no background in doctrine or scripture. Yet all go through the same 12 to 24 month schedule of classes, very similar liturgical rites, on the same timing.

Then we have people born and baptized Catholic, even raised Catholic, who have not really been catechised and have not had the opportunity to receive first communion and confirmation. Some come from strong CAtholic backgrounds, some have no family support or mentorship at all.

Yet all these people are in the same class. I can see some benefits from sharing their dissimilar backgrounds and their stories (which is only a part of the process), but for two key components of the RCIA process, they should be in very different pastoral situations. One is formation, ongoing conversion and the spiritual growth, and the other is catechesis, instruction on doctrine and practice. People are starting from different points, and logically should proceed at different speeds, with some starting and stopping, yet we expect all these candidates to follow a pre-set academic or liturgical calendar…

I am pretty good on the catechesis end of the process, but it takes true pastoral care to take care of formation, discern conversion and spiritual growth.

How are we failing to respect the individuals in our RCIA preparation programs by the way we structure the process?

 

[Les_Richardson]

puzzleannie:

I would like to know why those who are already Christian, have been practicing their faith solidly for years, knonw the bible, know Christian doctrine, are adhering to Christian moral teaching - are put in the same class with and take the identical classes with those who are undergoing true conversion from a way of living that has not been Christian. Some have undergone initial conversion from an atheistic point of view, some from an overtly sinful lifestyle, have absolutely no background in doctrine or scripture. Yet all go through the same 12 to 24 month schedule of classes, very similar liturgical rites, on the same timing.

I would agree that different catechumens should be treated differently depending on where they come from spiritually and theologically.

My experience? I didn’t go through RCIA. I had never been baptized, although raised in a Baptist church (I was a rebel of sorts). About a year before I was baptized (2003) I began to study and research Christianity from the protestant reformation in both directions. Eventually I could not resist the Catholic Church and by the time a had a conversion experience (that’s a story in itself) I had read most of the Catechism. I had a handle on all the major points of contention between protestant and Catholic; Mary, the saints, faith and works, real presence, etc.

One Sunday morning I asked the priest if I could be baptized. We set up a meeting and had two interviews, and he asked me a lot of questions, satisfying himself that I knew precisely what I was doing. He obtained permission from the Bishop and I was baptized and then confirmed all at one time on a Saturday afternoon. I’ve been studying ever since. Personally, I would love to be a catechist. Perhaps the Lord will provide a way that I can do that someday.

It may be merely a function of time and man-power that causes everyone to be lumped together like that. You would know more about that part as a director. You know something that I’ve noticed as a convert? I’m not sure why, and it is really not a criticism, but Catholics tend to organize and regimentize everything they set out to do, sometimes to the point of stifling the original idea. What causes that? Is it church culture?

There is a lot to be said for well organized smoothly run groups, no question about it, but sometimes flexibility suffers, as in the case of the catechumens.

Just my two cents.