Lapsed Catholics Explain Why They Leave the Church

  • Thread starter Thread starter MarcoPolo
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I have felt the need to leave the church for several years. I keep trying to remind myself that it isn’t God’s fault that the Church is so royally messed up right now but to be honest I’d love to follow the Lapsed out the door sometimes. If it was possible to find God anywhere else on earth, I’d be there with bells on. The Church has severe cultural and bureaucratic problems right now and the excuse that that they all happen to be ‘flawed humans’ and ‘individual cases’ worries me deeply.
 
Geist said:
It sounds like many people want the church to revolve around them instead of the other way around.
Click to expand...
Not all lapsed Catholics are that way. There are many varied reasons and yes in some circumstances it was priest or fellow Catholics that were part of the problem. We have not been without our share of issues. They just need someone to listen and not to make it seem like everything has always been rosy…cause it hasn’t.

But the Eucharist is the best reason to come back:thumbsup:
 
CountrySinger said:
But they were acting in the name of holy Catholic Church. I was told I was an enemy of the Church. For better or worse, they represent the Church.
Click to expand...
*You have been deeply wounded and I cannot imagine just how you feel. I could suggest you pray about it and offer it up to the Lord. Can you offer your woundedness as a gift to the Lord?

There are many wonderful and compassionate people in the Church, many outstanding souls - you could perhaps seek out someone who could hold you… I mean listen and pray with you and reach out to you.

I have been in a terrible situation and I screamed out to the Lord on my way to Adoration at 3am for 4 1/2 years. The Lord gave me strength and held me. There is no human woundedness that cannot be overcome. I experienced JOY in the midst of my sorrow - as I walked out of the Adoration chapel at 4am into the moonlit garden I experienced perfect JOY.

Remember also that at Mass we receive the greatest gift of all - the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. If you concentrate on Jesus and feel the enormity of His Gift to you and thank Him for loving you and sacrificing Himself for you, then perhaps you will be able to overcome your woundedness. Try to empty yourself so that you can be filled with the body, blood, soul and divinity …

🙂 *
 
Rich_Olszewski said:
Hmmm? Don’t agree with your POV. These are not devils or angels, but men who represented our Church.
Click to expand...
Would this be a more apt analogy?

These Catholic “social justice” types are acting in the name of all persons. I (unborn child) was told that I was the enemy of some persons. For better or worse, these Catholic “social justice” types with their “proportionate reasoning” are acting in the name of all persons on behalf of the Catholic Church.

According to your logic, the unborn would have a legitimate gripe against “Catholics” based on their voting records. Maybe, you are right!
 
CountrySinger said:
What about people who were directly involved? I had a (well loved by the parish) priest try to rape me when I was younger. When I brought it up to archbishop, he blew me off, and said “I must have had it coming.” Then they “accidently” gave out my full name in the state Catholic newspaper. :rolleyes: And the parishioners were not very nice to me. I was attacked by men who thought I was now “easy” and women would throw garbage at me. So I can’t even go by a Catholic Church without wanting to cry or be sick. So going to Mass is right out. The last time I tried to go to Mass I ended up crying for hours. And I’ve tried going back, but the memory of it always comes back. And I’ve been to therapy, but nothing will make the memory go away.

Later, I got a letter of apology from the archdiocese. The priest was finally caught after raping several woman over several years (I was the only woman who fought him off). Like an apology will restore my reputation. I thought priests were supposed to be representatives of Jesus on Earth. **To say, “just suck it up and go to Mass” **doesn’t work.
Click to expand...
No…it doesn’t. You have to work through your feelings about it. Its ok to process that…even by crying. To just suck it up isn’t healthy. I pray that someday you can forgive…and have peace. Even if that be without the Church. Although I pray one day that you can come back…there are many good and wonderful priest. Just like for someone who has been abused by their father…it doesn’t mean that fatherhood is bad. But that person will have to work through it. Is it fair? No…but the suffereing binds us closer to Christ.

I had someone tell me that they once were able to get past some of it when they came to this realization, “It is NOT my fault, and it’s not for me to turn that person around…its for me to pray for his reconciliation with God…in whatever form I can manage. But not for me to see results for him…or eve it feel good about the stuggle…it’s ok that I’m heartbroken…it’s not for me to just suck it up and be ok…it’s for me to work through and not get derailed by the father of lies”

For me personally I find comfort in Psalm 34…especially.“The Lord is close to the broken heart and He saves those whose spirit is crushed”

Peace to you…
 
Cinette said:
:confused::confused:I don’t get it!:confused:
Click to expand...
Devils are fallen angels. Angels are messengers of God. For better or worse, devils represent the message of God.

Rapist priests are fallen priests. Priests are messengers of the Gospel. For better or worse, rapist priests represent the message of the Gospel.

Do these statements make sense? Get it.
 
wynnejj said:
Devils are fallen angels. Angels are messengers of God. For better or worse, devils represent the message of God.

Rapist priests are fallen priests. Priests are messengers of the Gospel. For better or worse, rapist priests represent the message of the Gospel.

Do these statements make sense? Get it.
Click to expand...
🙂
 
irishpatrick said:
The Church defines the parameters, but it never says what inidividuals will go to hell–mainly because it is impossible for the Church to read a person’s heart and mind. All the Church can do is teach what Christ taught about salvation, and teach what the Holy Spirit handed down regarding salvation–the rest lies in the hands of every individual person.
Click to expand...
She does for instance say here who could not be saved.

scborromeo.org/ccc/para/846.htm

So if someone can not be saved, be it “could not” is a tense of “can not”, where is the Church saying they go if not to hell? :confused:
 
saraih said:
I have felt the need to leave the church for several years. I keep trying to remind myself that it isn’t God’s fault that the Church is so royally messed up right now but to be honest I’d love to follow the Lapsed out the door sometimes. If it was possible to find God anywhere else on earth, I’d be there with bells on. The Church has severe cultural and bureaucratic problems right now and the excuse that that they all happen to be ‘flawed humans’ and ‘individual cases’ worries me deeply.
Click to expand...
I hear and understand what you are saying and it worries me deeply as well. God bless you along your journey and peace.
 
Annabelle_Marie said:
Not all lapsed Catholics are that way. There are many varied reasons and yes in some circumstances it was priest or fellow Catholics that were part of the problem. We have not been without our share of issues. They just need someone to listen and not to make it seem like everything has always been rosy…cause it hasn’t.
Click to expand...
:clapping: Reminds me of words the priest said during his homily at morning weekday Mass today. He said we are not perfect and are like the coffee creamer Half and Half. Hopefully the scale is tipped better than half and half he said but his point was well illustrated.
 
CMatt25 said:
The scandal matter may never be resolved on earth to the satisfaction of all. One side simply chalks it up to sin. Others nevertheless have concerns which can even bring into question for them fruits by which to know by. Yes others have had their scandals but it’s the Catholic Church which proclaims Herself Christ’s one and only true Church. People may question for instance when men preach the sanctity of life but then did not know better in these cases.

And the visible head of the Church on earth is a man. The bishops are all men who are believed to be the successors of the Apostles. Priests who are entrusted to shepherd their flocks are all men. So I’m not clear how you can be in the Church and as part of the practice of your faith, not have a relationship with man along with God. :confused:
Click to expand...
gibberish
 
Scott_Lafrance said:
“full of grace” and “highly favored” depend on the translation one uses.

THe Douay-Rheims, the version I use, says this:

“And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

The Greek (which Luke was written in) says* κεχαριτωμένη*, which literally translated, means “endued with grace”. A word study of endued indicates a quality that ones assumes as a gift of another. Since God is the only One capable of endowing someone with grace, we can then directly correlate that Mary was full of grace, not because of personal awesomeness, but because she humbly accepted the gift that God bestowed on her.
Click to expand...
And the Polish is * łaski pełna*, “full of grace.” I’ll stick to the Polish since the Poles don’t leave the Church. Leaving the Church must be some Anglophone thing. 🙂
 
the main problem is the liberal catholics trying to change the catholic church into there image.satan eat your heart out.
 
Cinette said:
You have been deeply wounded and I cannot imagine just how you feel. I could suggest you pray about it and offer it up to the Lord. Can you offer your woundedness as a gift to the Lord?
Click to expand...
Country Singer would be giving the Lord a very special gift. I’m often deeply drawn to the level of wounds that could elicit from Jesus the words “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?”. Would God the Father ever forsake his son? So, who is to begrudge any person their anguished cries, especially at the hands of church members as was done to Our Lord in his day.
 
*Our Catholic Church is both divine and human and comprises so many mysteries.

If one considers that just before Christ appointed Peter, Peter had denied Him three times. Consider also that Peter had witnessed the Transfiguration!!! Explain that!

:)*
 
Cinette said:
*Our Catholic Church is both divine and human and comprises so many mysteries.

If one considers that just before Christ appointed Peter, Peter had denied Him three times. Consider also that Peter had witnessed the Transfiguration!!! Explain that!

:)*
Click to expand...
I’m not so sure because Peter denied Christ that it helps a lapsed Catholic who for instance was abused and did not remain which may have even caused them to question the fruits by which to know by.
 
Would I be wrong to leave the Roman Catholic Church to join the Ukrainian Catholic Church just so I could attend a more stimulating Liturgy? 😛

I wonder why all these people choose themselves over the truth. I’m also concerned over the state of their souls, if they so willingly ignore the truth and favour their carnal desires (anything sensual - of the senses is carnal).

I’ve gotta pray more often.
 
ishii said:
The Church does not say where any specific individual goes because they don’t have a window into his/her soul.

Ishii
Click to expand...
You’ve forgotten about the canonical Saints. 😉

We know they are certainly in Heaven, because their intercession betrays their divine resting place. 🙂

But we cannot know if a soul is gone to Hell. For a soul in Hell is powerless to do anything. He cannot even die - that is, to cease existence - which is what he went to Hell to do in the first place.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top