Lapsed Catholics Explain Why They Leave the Church

[CMatt25]

Kind of a catch 22. You’re right that some will always leave. However, the numbers may or may not be less if proper teaching was provided. That hasn’t happened for decades, maybe 50 years. So we can’t get to your point because it hasn’t been tried recently.

How do you know this? Do you know every catechism instructor of the past 50 yrs?

 

[Elizabeth502]

Not sure that I ever said that leaving was a good idea or that those who stay have not been wounded.

BUT the fact remains that there are still those out there…and how do we work to heal and bring them back?

I can’t agree more, Annabelle. Understand that yours is one of the few examples on this thread of the realization that coming back is (must be) the goal. Given that you seem to acknowledge that, your statement implies, also, that leaving is not a desirable course of action, not a solution to pain, and not a necessary response to unChristian behavior on the part of members of that Church. The person being (additionally) punished is the one choosing to leave, not the ones remaining behind. “You’re bad, so I’ll leave” is both counter-intuitive and a form of injustice to the one leaving. That’s on the first level.

On a second level, leaving the Church out of disappointment in its members’ behavior is not like leaving a job because of a bad environment. A job can be replaced with a job or setting equal or better. But there is no replacement for the Church.

On the third level, leaving Church life as a form of personal protest against some members assigns a false equivalency between those members and sacramental graces. Even priests are not sources or dispensers of sacramental graces: they are administers of some of those graces. It is God who is the source and who dispenses. I fully understand (and have experienced) disillusionment in particular parish priests in my life (and conversely, enormous respect and awe for very different varieties of parish priests!). But if a bad role model and bad authority figure is the problem, the solution is to remove oneself from that parish, not from all parishes. A very bad priest does not “represent” all priests; he doesn’t stand in for others, is not their agent.

For example, during some of the peak publicity periods of the abuse crisis, many priests have said that they are even more horrified than the laity is to hear such stories; it has upset them so much they are reduced to speechlessness. They want no association with such behavior, whether it happened once or repeatedly; they repudiate such abuse of power and have tried to reassure the laity that clergy sexual abuse is a small exception to the much larger rule. It serves no purpose to classify all priests together as if they are a single organism; that does not represent Truth.

That said, whenever we are in a position of authority ourselves, it is really our responsibility to be the outreach, because that’s what genuine leadership involves: initiative, courage, and the willingness to be vulnerable, even if we were not the catalysts for the disappointment. I think that sincere priests are the ideal people to take the lead in representing the opposite model from what The Departed have experienced. It’s fine if lay people want to take on that role instead, or in addition, but the more powerful healing, in my experience, comes through priests themselves.

For example, years ago in a parish near me they had annual Homecoming groups which were transition opportunities for those who had made either an abrupt or a gradual departure from the Church, and were questioning or considering a return. Usually it was not a traumatic event that had been the reason for leaving, so much as a series of miscommunications, a drifting away, or a choice to experiment with alternatives to Catholicism. The priest who led these Homecoming groups could not have been a better choice. He was completely non-threatening, non-judgmental; in a phrase, spiritually seductive. By his person he induced pacifism (surrender) in others.

Unless you are advocating that they are not worthy of coming back?

It’s unfortunate that so many people on this thread have obviously sought out this thread as an opportunity to draw opposing lines in the sand, creating strife where none was intended or introduced. I have done no such thing, and I find it detrimental to conversation that an intellectual discussion about the advisability of leaving the Church becomes an opportunity for personal combat for some of you, as if even questioning that advisability condemns us. Really sad. It’s so disappointng to me that I’m leaving this thread now so that you can carry on your strife with each other. I’ll not be a party to it. Anyone who wants to continue a conversation with me, if they can do so civilly, can email me through CAF.

 

[wynnejj]

It’s unfortunate that so many people on this thread have obviously sought out this thread as an opportunity to draw opposing lines in the sand, creating strife where none was intended or introduced. I have done no such thing, and I find it detrimental to conversation that an intellectual discussion about the advisability of leaving the Church becomes an opportunity for personal combat for some of you, as if even questioning that advisability condemns us. Really sad. It’s so disappointng to me that I’m leaving this thread now so that you can carry on your strife with each other. I’ll not be a party to it. Anyone who wants to continue a conversation with me, if they can do so civilly, can email me through CAF.

What is really sad is that you have viewed posters as having questioned the advisability of leaving the sacraments. I see no such suggestion and cannot see how one jumps to that conclusion. Illustrating how one can question the Real Presence based on observations is far from saying that the Holy Eucharist is bad medicine. Illustrating how such questions can send someone far afield is far from saying that the Holy Eucharist is bad medicine. But like all good medicine it can only be administered as prescribed or else it will have ill effects. These ill effects are not the action of the Holy Eucharist, but the confirmation of egregious behavior in the performance of a sacrilege. And these ill effects are manifested and observable in the pervasive tendency to test every established rule of the Catholic Church. Selling the Holy Eucharist without the prescription label at the very venue where it is administered is simply wrong. Sermons about convenient truths only is simply wrong.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

leaving is~not a solution to pain, and not a necessary response to unChristian behavior on the part of members of that Church~ leaving Church life as a form of personal protest against some members

Indeed.

It’s so disappointng to me that I’m leaving this thread now so that you can carry on your strife with each other.

I would characterize what you can “strife” as the ordinary give-and-take that is a normal part of this Forum. I’m sorry you choose to leave. You did a good job of providing suggested solutions to those three reasons for which some leave the Church.

It would seem, however, that the solution for those who lose part or all of their faith and leave without a backward glance is to pray that they might be given to see the light again.

 

[ProVobis]

There are a few parishes in Brooklyn with Masses in one of the languages of India. Ain’t it great that Mass is universal, yet can be tailored to the individual parish?

Yes and no. It can work to convert, teach, and excite in many areas of the world, such as Asia or Africa, but it can also be divisive in American and European cultures, where a more common language, albeit less understood language, once afforded everyone to go to the same Mass without favoritism. On top of that, English is one language which doesn’t exactly breed many Catholics, judging by the number of English speaking countries whose population has a low percentage of Catholics, and of those a still much lower number who attend Mass. In other words, we might as well get used to the Spanish and Polish and Vietnamese Masses. Real Catholics shouldn’t mind attending Mass in languages they don’t fully understand. We’re not in the 60’s and 70’s anymore. Just saying.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I can’t agree more, Annabelle. Understand that yours is one of the few examples on this thread of the realization that coming back is (must be) the goal. Given that you seem to acknowledge that, your statement implies, also, that leaving is not a desirable course of action, not a solution to pain, and not a necessary response to unChristian behavior on the part of members of that Church. The person being (additionally) punished is the one choosing to leave, not the ones remaining behind. “You’re bad, so I’ll leave” is both counter-intuitive and a form of injustice to the one leaving. That’s on the first level.

On a second level, leaving the Church out of disappointment in its members’ behavior is not like leaving a job because of a bad environment. A job can be replaced with a job or setting equal or better. But there is no replacement for the Church.

On the third level, leaving Church life as a form of personal protest against some members assigns a false equivalency between those members and sacramental graces. Even priests are not sources or dispensers of sacramental graces: they are administers of some of those graces. It is God who is the source and who dispenses. I fully understand (and have experienced) disillusionment in particular parish priests in my life (and conversely, enormous respect and awe for very different varieties of parish priests!). But if a bad role model and bad authority figure is the problem, the solution is to remove oneself from that parish, not from all parishes. A very bad priest does not “represent” all priests; he doesn’t stand in for others, is not their agent.

For example, during some of the peak publicity periods of the abuse crisis, many priests have said that they are even more horrified than the laity is to hear such stories; it has upset them so much they are reduced to speechlessness. They want no association with such behavior, whether it happened once or repeatedly; they repudiate such abuse of power and have tried to reassure the laity that clergy sexual abuse is a small exception to the much larger rule. It serves no purpose to classify all priests together as if they are a single organism; that does not represent Truth.

But sometimes it is like me. I ran away from home when I was 14…why? Abuse and it was not safe…was the streets preferable? They can be VERY dangerous…and not a good place to spend one’s childhood. Sometimes you are in so much pain and hurt that you can not see clearly. Sometimes you feel a need to leave because you see no other way. There have also been priests/laypeople who don’t make the sacraments seem all that valuable…

That said, whenever we are in a position of authority ourselves, it is really our responsibility to be the outreach, because that’s what genuine leadership involves: initiative, courage, and the willingness to be vulnerable, even if we were not the catalysts for the disappointment. I think that sincere priests are the ideal people to take the lead in representing the opposite model from what The Departed have experienced. It’s fine if lay people want to take on that role instead, or in addition, but the more powerful healing, in my experience, comes through priests themselves.

For example, years ago in a parish near me they had annual Homecoming groups which were transition opportunities for those who had made either an abrupt or a gradual departure from the Church, and were questioning or considering a return. Usually it was not a traumatic event that had been the reason for leaving, so much as a series of miscommunications, a drifting away, or a choice to experiment with alternatives to Catholicism. The priest who led these Homecoming groups could not have been a better choice. He was completely non-threatening, non-judgmental; in a phrase, spiritually seductive. By his person he induced pacifism (surrender) in others.

Yes…not always can a priest lead the entire series though…I attended one of these series…Catholics Can Come Home …I was like…“they can?”

It’s unfortunate that so many people on this thread have obviously sought out this thread as an opportunity to draw opposing lines in the sand, creating strife where none was intended or introduced. I have done no such thing, and I find it detrimental to conversation that an intellectual discussion about the advisability of leaving the Church becomes an opportunity for personal combat for some of you, as if even questioning that advisability condemns us. Really sad. It’s so disappointng to me that I’m leaving this thread now so that you can carry on your strife with each other. I’ll not be a party to it. Anyone who wants to continue a conversation with me, if they can do so civilly, can email me through CAF.

I was honestly just trying to figure out where you were at…hence the question and not a tirad on you about it. There are some that actual do feel that way though…or that it is up to the Catholic who left to “figure it out”.

 

[Dave_B]

Thank you for listening (reading).

Thanks for your testimony, interesting. God bless.

 

[saveusfromhell]

rfournier103 i posted this already

it indicates a lack of charity rather than a lack of faith.
this would possible indicate a belief some people deserve hell more than others.
none of us should ever consider this as an option, lest we be judged by that standard.
as hard as this is to come to terms with there is a few parabels that preach about this.
nobody was more wounded than Jesus for our sins. yet he forgives us.
each one of us should start with the basis that there is no greater sinner and nobody that deserves hell more than ourselves.
while praying for our brothers and sisters, if and when they fall to continue on the road to salvation.
.

 

[Cinette]

I don’t know if my story qualifies me as a “lapsed Catholic,” but this is my story. When the Clergy sex-abuse scandal first came to light I was VERY angry. The only authority I hold in higher regard than my country is God, and I felt much betrayed at this total abuse of trust. I’m in Massachusetts, and in the Archdiocese of Boston the scandal was as bad here as it was anywhere. I myself was never abused, nor anyone I know personally; but the lies, the cover-ups, the silence from the Cardinal, and the refusal to admit wrong-doing made me SO ANGRY, I stopped going to Mass. *My first thought when the scandal erupted was the pain I felt for all the good, holy and self-sacrificial priests. They were perceived to all be abusers which is so unfair. I have never met or known of an abuser. Yes I was angry but I did not attribute blame on the hierarchy. *

The “One True Faith” has been reduced to a punch line because bad people were allowed to become priests, and their superiors knew what was going on, and those same superiors (the Cardinal) hushed it up. Though the Archdiocese of Boston denies it, they’ve had to close NUMEROUS beloved parishes, and sell properties to pay settlements to victims.That makes me MAD because abuse in Protestant denominations, schools and other institutions have far, far outnumbered Catholic abuse. The Catholic Church have had to pay for ALL the abuse! Don’t get me wrong just ONE priest abuser is too much but the media made TOO MUCH of the matter. So many people were heartbroken! Yes I am on the other side of the world and I also felt the pain -BUT THIS WOULD NEVER MAKE ME STOP GOING TO MASS! I see the Church as separate from the human side. It has gotten to the point where people are “occupying” these churches so they won’t be shuttered and sold off. They stay in the buildings in shifts, and in some instances this has been going on for YEARS. All to save their parish. For example, parishioners have occupied St. Jeremiah’s Catholic Church in Framingham, Mass. for SIX years! They’ve written to the Vatican, and appealed to the Attorney General to block the sale.Gosh I hope something can be done to save the parish - I applaud the people.

I stopped going because I want my Church to have a strong moral authority. I want clergy I can be proud of. How can the Catholic Church expect to attract new members, retain the members it has, or even be taken seriously when it speaks about how we should live? I am sick and tired of the jokes, the finger-pointing, and the condescension about Catholicism. You make strange statements because in the same breath you condemn and support!!! Don’t you know that the abusers were in a minority? Why turn your back on the Eucharist from which you can get consolation and support? I don’t understand you!!

All this, and Rome’s lack of will to punish these “men” publicly and severely have contributed to a lack of credibility in the Catholic Church. *Are you not aware of the steps taken by Pope Benedict? *

I actually forgot how angry I really am until I started typing this…

I am a true and faithful Catholic, and go to Mass regularly again. Glad to hear this. I refuse to let a gaggle of molesting old men drive me out of my Church, and I take comfort knowing that those priests will most certainly suffer unspeakable punishment in hell.

Nothing has changed about how I feel, but I cannot allow men to muddy my relationship with God. I pray that we can right the ship and return our Church to the lofty position of credibility it once had.

Thank you for listening (reading).

*Again I say I feel the pain but turning away from the Eucharist would be unthinkable for me in whatever circumstance.

Welcome back!
God bless
*

 

[Nec5]

How do you know this? Do you know every catechism instructor of the past 50 yrs?

It’s called talking to hundreds of people. These people have in turn talked to hundreds of people themselves. People like teachers, laymen, priests, rabbis, atheists, etc… In their own ways, they report that Catholics and Christians in general know less about their faith than outsiders, doubters, or anti-theists as a result of poor teaching.

You then begin reading websites with various articles reinforcing these views. Then you read in major newspapers that study after study reflects the state of teaching the faithful. More than half don’t believe in the very existence of hell. This is basic stuff that any atheist knows. It’s pathetic.

Then you watch interviews with priests and lay teachers of the faith lamenting the same problem stretching back 50 or so years.

Then you can draw a conclusion that makes a lot of sense and fits the circumstances.
And the conclusion I offer is that there has been a drastic weakening of the faith and consequently morals in the West from around 1960 and on (maybe a bit earlier).

Why would I need to know every instructor for 50 years? By that standard, no one could draw a conclusion about anything because no one is able to talk to every single person involved in some area (i.e. teaching, boxing, fishing, oratory, mathematics) before making a judgment. That’s an absurd standard. Heck, I guess we can’t say that Rome fell largely as a result of corrupt officials and poor managers. After all, no one ever knew all the Roman officials and managers over it’s last century, so I guess by your standard we can’t say they were corrupt or performed poorly.

 

[CountrySinger]

*Again I say I feel the pain but turning away from the Eucharist would be unthinkable for me in whatever circumstance.

*

It isis easy toto say “don’t leave”. When I left, I thought “this guy ruined my life, why stay in an organization that condemns the victim?” I had no choice to leave, if I stayed, I would be worse off. Everyday I was harassed by Catholics in my old parish. Going to Mass is torture for me.

It is to easy to sugar coat when you’ve never been in that situation. Abusive priests are in the minority, but how people have they hurt? I’ve met hundreds. 5 women (including me) are connected by the actions of one evil priest. He is thankfully dead now. But the pain will be there. And I will always associate the Catholic Church with that pain. I could put myself through horrible emotional pain and be Catholic, or I could move on. I need to move on for my sanity.

And I can leave the Eucharist when I tried to receive it at my old Church, and this woman screamed during Communion “don’t give it to that w****!” I was so embarrassed, I ran out crying. And every other time I tried to receive, I hear her words and stop.

Ironically, I married a Catholic man. At least he is disgusted by what the priest did. And he understands why I left. He is the first to understand why I can’t return. He knows to not have a lot of Catholic stuff up (he knows seeing it can trigger a panic attack). He is first Catholic to show an ounce of kindness.

 

[Cinette]

It isis easy toto say “don’t leave”. When I left, I thought “this guy ruined my life, why stay in an organization that condemns the victim?” I had no choice to leave, if I stayed, I would be worse off. Everyday I was harassed by Catholics in my old parish. Going to Mass is torture for me.

It is to easy to sugar coat when you’ve never been in that situation. Abusive priests are in the minority, but how people have they hurt? I’ve met hundreds. 5 women (including me) are connected by the actions of one evil priest. He is thankfully dead now. But the pain will be there. And I will always associate the Catholic Church with that pain. I could put myself through horrible emotional pain and be Catholic, or I could move on. I need to move on for my sanity.

And I can leave the Eucharist when I tried to receive it at my old Church, and this woman screamed during Communion “don’t give it to that w****!” I was so embarrassed, I ran out crying. And every other time I tried to receive, I hear her words and stop.

Ironically, I married a Catholic man. At least he is disgusted by what the priest did. And he understands why I left. He is the first to understand why I can’t return. He knows to not have a lot of Catholic stuff up (he knows seeing it can trigger a panic attack). He is first Catholic to show an ounce of kindness.

*I am happy for you that you have such a special husband - I really am. However, many years ago I was in an abusive marriage and it was horrible but I did not let it change me. As for the Eucharist I cannot understand how you cannot put God above all else! I am sorry but I simply can’t. As I read your post I could not help feeling that the evil one was at work creating a barrier between you and the Eucharist. I think you should pray about to help overcome this barrier. The fact that you are on CAF talking about this tells me that you do care. Well then - do it! Fight! Surely the Eucharist is worth it?
*

 

[irishpatrick]

It isis easy toto say “don’t leave”. When I left, I thought “this guy ruined my life, why stay in an organization that condemns the victim?” I had no choice to leave, if I stayed, I would be worse off. Everyday I was harassed by Catholics in my old parish. Going to Mass is torture for me.

It is to easy to sugar coat when you’ve never been in that situation. Abusive priests are in the minority, but how people have they hurt? I’ve met hundreds. 5 women (including me) are connected by the actions of one evil priest. He is thankfully dead now. But the pain will be there. And I will always associate the Catholic Church with that pain. I could put myself through horrible emotional pain and be Catholic, or I could move on. I need to move on for my sanity.

And I can leave the Eucharist when I tried to receive it at my old Church, and this woman screamed during Communion “don’t give it to that w****!” I was so embarrassed, I ran out crying. And every other time I tried to receive, I hear her words and stop.

Ironically, I married a Catholic man. At least he is disgusted by what the priest did. And he understands why I left. He is the first to understand why I can’t return. He knows to not have a lot of Catholic stuff up (he knows seeing it can trigger a panic attack). He is first Catholic to show an ounce of kindness.

It is so painful to learn of your experiences. I pray that the Lord brings complete healing to your heart, mind, and soul.

 

[irishpatrick]

***After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.

Jhn 6:67 Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?”

Jhn 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life;

Jhn 6:69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." ***

 

[Elizabeth502]

I only want to respond to Country Singer here.

I can definitely understand the effects of trauma, being one who has suffered trauma myself – both church-related and non-church related. The problem is that staying attached to one’s (ill-deserved) trauma reinforces the trauma, rather than moving beyond it to deserved healing. And who is the source of healing par excellence? Jesus.

God is not responsible for the bad actions of any human being, including human beings wearing Roman collars, including human beings who are lay ministers in churches, including lay people who set themselves up, by implication, as some kind of superior authority figures who should be identified with/as the Church.

No human being should be allowed to separate us from the love of Christ (as St. Paul has said and has been quoted). No human being can succeed in separating us from the love of Christ ***unless we let him or her do so ***-- by our inappropriate association of such people with God himself, with the sacraments themselves, etc. To say that ‘we can’t help but’ associate the two separate realities only means that we are attached to our pain and are not moving forward with the healing which we deserve.

Priests do not “contain” the love of Christ. God’s love is not possessible by human beings, any human beings, regardless of their function.

I can also definitely understand avoiding particular persons and particular locations which remind us of trauma. I have done so myself in my life, and in smaller instances, continue to do so. But God is not limited to a particular person or location. Omnipresent, indestructible, and uncontainable is God. Those are what the words transcendent and infinite convey.

Plenty of authority figures in the Church were responsible for sins of commission, for sins of omission, and very poor judgment in the area of clergy sexual abuse. Because of that, I can fully understand not wanting to associate in a practical way (through financial support, through support of labor – such as participating in church activities, etc.) any particular parish – even if, and after, one is essentially healed of overwhelming trauma. Someone said upthread that the idea of supporting an organization that can’t manage itself (its personnel) properly does not deserve to be associated with. Again, I can understand the idea of refusing to provide material and practical support for human beings; however, the idea that the divine power of grace and healing – available only through the sacraments – should also be abandoned is illogical and compromising to one’s self.

Consider that there are terrible parents (bad as human beings, having done bad acts, etc.) who nevertheless give birth on occasion to wonderful children who are very unlike those parents. I can’t imagine rejecting the gifts and talents of those children because their parents don’t deserve similar recognition and support.

The grace of God, and the gifts and spiritual support of other people who have not committed terrible acts, have integrity of their own that cannot be touched by the evil of others.

Yes, trauma – and the effects of trauma – is/are completely understandable, and operates with a “logic” of its own. But to remain there and claim we “can’t help ourselves” is merely a statement that we are not ready yet to be healed, and will suffer until we are ready to transcend that trauma which is only possible with God’s grace (combined with possibly any psychological treatment we need/seek). And what is the most significant source of Grace for a Catholic? The sacraments. Not availing ourselves of the sacraments will delay that healing, not advance it.

Personally, I would never return to a particular location which has caused me trauma, if I am not yet healed, such as a parish with cruel lay ministers or an aloof congregation or a pastor detached from the troubles of others. That would merely reinforce the trauma. I would seek a location with people very different from that, to encourage the healing and finally allow me to experience the reality that the grace of God is not limited by the sins of men.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

I can definitely understand the effects of trauma, being one who has suffered trauma myself – both church-related and non-church related~~~~the reality that the grace of God is not limited by the sins of men.

Very well put, indeed!

 

[CMatt25]

I only want to respond to Country Singer here.

Personally, I would never return to a particular location which has caused me trauma, if I am not yet healed, such as a parish with cruel lay ministers or an aloof congregation or a pastor detached from the troubles of others. That would merely reinforce the trauma. I would seek a location with people very different from that, to encourage the healing and finally allow me to experience the reality that the grace of God is not limited by the sins of men.

I know you were only responding to Country Singer but I don’t think that means only Country Singer can respond back since you posted on a board for everyone to see.

In any case from reading what Country Singer has posted, it appears she is taking your advice other than in regard to receiving the Catholic sacraments. But even on that she has tried.

She has clearly stated “going to Mass is torture for me”. Has said “the pain will be there”. And says she “will always associate the Catholic Church with that pain”. She states she “could put myself through horrible emotional pain and be Catholic, or I could move on. I need to move on for my sanity”.

I don’t know whether her experience has caused her to lose faith in the Eucahirst or not. I’m unclear about where she is on that. I know you encourage her to receive the sacraments. But from what she says, she has tried and it appears to be too painful for her. As she has said after a woman screamed not to give her Communion in not such nice words, every time subsequently when she has tried to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, she hears the woman’s words and stops.

I don’t know if she has sought another location outside the full communion of the Catholic Church. I only know she says she needs to move on. And I only know I don’t walk in her shoes and my heart breaks for her. And I can only pray for her to find peace.

 

[CMatt25]

I’m sitting here further pondering what Country Singer has shared with us including saying “everyday I was harassed by Catholics in my old parish”. And in regard to the topic of the thread, I can’t help but wonder if many if not all of the experiences which cause Catholics to lapse or “leave” need not happen.

 

[Cinette]

I know you were only responding to Country Singer but I don’t think that means only Country Singer can respond back since you posted on a board for everyone to see.

In any case from reading what Country Singer has posted, it appears she is taking your advice other than in regard to receiving the Catholic sacraments. But even on that she has tried.

She has clearly stated “going to Mass is torture for me”. Has said “the pain will be there”. And says she “will always associate the Catholic Church with that pain”. She states she “could put myself through horrible emotional pain and be Catholic, or I could move on. I need to move on for my sanity”.

I don’t know whether her experience has caused her to lose faith in the Eucahirst or not. I’m unclear about where she is on that. I know you encourage her to receive the sacraments. But from what she says, she has tried and it appears to be too painful for her. As she has said after a woman screamed not to give her Communion in not such nice words, every time subsequently when she has tried to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, she hears the woman’s words and stops.

I don’t know if she has sought another location outside the full communion of the Catholic Church. I only know she says she needs to move on. And I only know I don’t walk in her shoes and my heart breaks for her. And I can only pray for her to find peace.

*Country Singer is the only person who can help herself. If she believes in God, the Sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus’ teachings and has the WILL, she can do it! If she chooses to listen to that “voice” which can never be of God, then it is her right to do so. God gave us free will to choose between good and evil. It is our choice! It is Country Singer’s choice!

God bless Country Singer and give her strength.

Cinette*

 

[CMatt25]

If she chooses to listen to that “voice” which can never be of God, then it is her right to do so.

Actually according to CCC a voice can be of God. Depends on the voice.

CCC1776 Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment. . . . For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. . . . His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths