Lost and Confused...

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SeekingAbba

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I was at the beginning of RCIA a candidate…

I fell away from the Christian faith and began practicing witchcraft again. I’ve contacted the deacon at my church and explain what happened, but I just can’t shake the feeling of guiltiness off of me.

Here are some questions…
  • How can I know the Catholic Church is the One, True Church?
  • How can I know for a fact that Catholics don’t go to Hell as I was taught growing up in the Pentecostal-Holiness denomination?
  • How can I know that God will really save me if I trust Him?
  • How can I know that Mary really does deserve the honor given as the Catholic Church expresses and believes?
  • How can I know that the saints really do pray for us?
  • How can I know that if I become Catholic I’m doing the right thing by God even if it makes others think that I’m falling away from Him?
  • How can I, as an ex-Protestant, find my way to God?
These are questions I’ve been pondering. I feel lost and confused without God in my life but I feel that waiting until Easter is too long to wait to become Catholic.

Thanks,
Brian
 
To begin with, get away from witchcraft. There is too much confusion going on and you need to get direct answers to your questions. You can begin by praying, especially the Rosary. You may not get answers immediately but it will calm your mind and open your heart up to hearing the truth. Make an appointment with a priest and tell him you want to know the answers to your questions. Sit down with him and have an honest discussion. He won’t condemn you but will do everything he can to help you to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church. If you can get a copy of the Catholic Catechism that also may answer some of your questions. It contains lots and lots of very good information. Good luck and may God bless you as you move forward on your journey.
 
Lost and Confused, I’m confused. What exactly is the attraction to witchcraft? Why do you feel compelled to bo back to it? It sounds a little like an addiction. I am concerned that maybe you need some strong prayers on your behalf for protection from this. We are warned so strongly in the Bible to stay away from all kinds of witchcraft, fortunetelling, etc. for a reason. It can give the devil a strong foothold on you. Please go immediately to a priest and inform him of this and ask for him to pray for you. If he doesn’t seem to take it very seriously, then find one who does. You can also find a prayer group at your local parish and ask for their prayers.

Eucharistic adoration is also a good place for you to go pray, and put it in God’s hands. Let him show you the truth, be open to Him there. Please let us know how you are doing.

I am also wondering, if you are so concerned about the condemnation of Catholics you heard from your Pentecostal childhood, are you not even more concerned about the practice of witchcraft? Was that not condemned even more harshly?
 
Hello SeekingAbba!
  • How can I know the Catholic Church is the One, True Church?
On your own, you can’t know.
  • How can I know for a fact that Catholics don’t go to Hell as I was taught growing up in the Pentecostal-Holiness denomination?
Catholics can go to hell. Being Catholic alone doesn’t save one from being separated from God. Religion does not save anyone.
  • How can I know that God will really save me if I trust Him?
Through faith
  • How can I know that Mary really does deserve the honor given as the Catholic Church expresses and believes?
Jesus practiced the 4th commandment, to honor thy mother and father, perfectly. We merely imitate Jesus in giving honor to His mother.
  • How can I know that the saints really do pray for us?
You can’t, without faith.
  • How can I know that if I become Catholic I’m doing the right thing by God even if it makes others think that I’m falling away from Him?
For starters, stop searching for a religion to answer your questions.
  • How can I, as an ex-Protestant, find my way to God?
The bottom line is, no religion, no person, can give you faith.

Faith comes from God alone. It is a gift, the revelation of God Himself (how ever that may happen), to the person.

To receive faith, you must go to the source of faith, Jesus Christ, and ask for it with an open heart and a willingness to surrender all to Him. This means surrendering your ideas, ambitions and apprehensions, your entire being.

In return, Jesus will give you a new life of peace, joy and happiness, that can not be matched.

Until you receive faith, religion is a fruitless exercise, for true religion, is a response to “faith.”

God Bless
Jim
 
If you believe in Goodness and in Evil and choose to be on the side of Goodness, everything else will fall into place.
 
  • How can I know the Catholic Church is the One, True Church?
  • How can I know for a fact that Catholics don’t go to Hell as I was taught growing up in the Pentecostal-Holiness denomination?
  • How can I know that God will really save me if I trust Him?
  • How can I know that Mary really does deserve the honor given as the Catholic Church expresses and believes?
  • How can I know that the saints really do pray for us?
  • How can I know that if I become Catholic I’m doing the right thing by God even if it makes others think that I’m falling away from Him?
  • How can I, as an ex-Protestant, find my way to God?
I can only answer one question for you.
*- How can I know that Mary really does deserve the honor given as the Catholic Church expresses and believes?-*Read True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis De Montfort
Remember that:
**On the Cross **- Jesus saw his own mother, and the disciple standing near whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son”. Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother”. And from that hour, he took his mother into his family.

The Wedding at Cana - Jesus, His Mother and disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana. During the wedding feast the wine ran short. Mary turned to Jesus: “They have no wine.”
Jesus replied: “What would you have me do? My hour has not yet come.” Mary said to the waiters: “Do whatever he tells you.”
There were six stone water jars, each holding fifteen to twenty gallons. Jesus bids the waiters to fill the jars with water, and then draw some out and take it to the chief steward.
The chief steward said to the groom: “Every man serves the good wine first… but you have saved the good wine until now.”
At Mary’s request, Jesus worked His first miracle.
(pacifier.com/rosary-center.org/luminous.htm)

Finding in the Temple - And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother[a] did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:42-51)

God is a God of the Living - “He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.” Luke 20.38 (Remember how Moses and Elijah came down to the Mountain)

So if Jesus was obedient as to Blessed Virgin Mary throughout his life, from his first biblical statement, to his first miracle. And on the death on the cross, he even entrusted her with humankind. **So Jesus revered her through life. Shouldn’t we follow his example and do the same? ** Especially because God is a God of the living and not the dead - so she is still alive. Besides, the miracle at Fatima was witnessed by 70,000 people and recorded in the New York Times and Newsweek.

And Paul says that Christians should interceed: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and pleasing to God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1–4). (catholic.com/library/praying_to_the_saints.asp)
So why not ask the Mother of Jesus to interceed before we ask our falliable friends?

Please PLEASE Please read **TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY **by St. Louis De Montfort. He explains the most holy devotion to the Virgin Mary so well he convinced me of its necessity.👍 😛 🙂 👍

**Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is With Thee. Blessed Art Thou Among Women and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God. Pray for Us Sinners Now and the Hour of Our Death Amen! **👍 😃 🙂 👍
 
On the Roman Catholic church being the right Church. It has something to do with the Pope existing in an unbroken line of apostolic succession since St. Peter.
 
I was at the beginning of RCIA a candidate…

I fell away from the Christian faith and began practicing witchcraft again. I’ve contacted the deacon at my church and explain what happened, but I just can’t shake the feeling of guiltiness off of me.
First - STOP that practice immediately. The guilt you are feeling is coming from God…He doesn’t want you doing that, He wants you to come to Him. Confess your sins, to Him and maybe you could do it with the Priest as well - I’m not too sure but I really see no problem with that. I believe anyone can go to confession, especially in your situation.
Here are some questions…
  • How can I know the Catholic Church is the One, True Church?
Mat 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say I am?”
Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
Mat 16:17 Then Jesus said to him, “How blessed are you, Simon, son of John! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven has. **
Mat 16:18 ** I tell you that you are Peter, and it is on this rock that I will build my church, and the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Mat 16:19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven.
From the time after that, when Peter became the Bishop of Rome, there has been an unbroken line of people (Popes) who have occupied that position as leaders of the Church.
  • How can I know for a fact that Catholics don’t go to Hell as I was taught growing up in the Pentecostal-Holiness denomination?
  • How can I know that God will really save me if I trust Him?
Joh 3:14 Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
Joh 3:15 ** so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. **
Joh 3:16 "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son **so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life. **
Joh 3:17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Joh 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s unique Son.
This includes you, and Catholics, and anyone else who believes. For those who understand - which would be those within the Catholic Church - this also means Those who believe AND accept the Sacraments and what the Church teaches. All of which can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church which is set out in Paragraphs (what all those numbers are referring to) The index is found down at the bottom of the page.
The things we MUST believe are THESE DOGMAS which are taken from the Catechism (The CCC), and explained there if you have any questions.
  • How can I know that Mary really does deserve the honor given as the Catholic Church expresses and believes?
  • How can I know that the saints really do pray for us?
Check the index in the Catechism.
  • How can I know that if I become Catholic I’m doing the right thing by God even if it makes others think that I’m falling away from Him?
Well, first of all, people have always persecuted the Church…just as Jesus said they would. That will never change. As for whether or not the Church is His Church, what would it take to convince you?
  • How can I, as an ex-Protestant, find my way to God?
Follow your heart, not your head. God is standing at the door to your heart and knocking…answer Him. You would not be even looking at the Catholic Church had He not led you here. Especially after all you’ve apparently been through. A lot of which - at least from what you have told us - I went through as well. If where you have been was the Truth - why did you leave it to come Here?

It’s normal to have lots and lots of Questions about the Church. The Catholioc Church is Faith Yes - God’s True Church IS all about Faith…but…it is a reasoned Faith - not a Blind one.

If you want a list of Miracles in the Church, because of your Pentecostal background - simply google it - I did, and found TONS of them. Such as:

Miracle of Lanciano Italy There are more than just that one there…but that one, to me, really got to me.
These are questions I’ve been pondering. I feel lost and confused without God in my life but I feel that waiting until Easter is too long to wait to become Catholic.

Thanks,
Brian
You don’t have to wait until Easter to be Catholic - you can choose to be Catholic at any time. The only thing you have to wait for Easter for is the Eucharist…but until then you can have what is called “Spiritual Communion” with God - He is more than happy to do that for/with you. Just ask Him…and He will come.

Peace and Blessings - you will be in my Rosary Prayers…which is also something that will help you tremendously…Our Blessed Virgin Mother is the one who is doing all She can to help you…help Her help you through what She has given to us - Her Rosary.

John
 
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