Lost in the Catholic Church

[mike85]

I have not read through all of these posts, call me lazy, but after the first page and the ignorant “read your bible” response by the poster, I felt inclined to read the bible to him. There are many, many verses that explicitly say that the traditions and rituals passed down from Our Lord Jesus Christ through the church are the Truth, but one stands out most to me.

2 Thessalonians 13-15

But we ought to give thanks to God for you always, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in truth. To this end he has called you through our gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.

Sola Scriptura doesn’t cut it. The Catholic Church is the light and the Truth to which Jesus saves us.

 

[kungfubob]

I have been Catholic all my life.I know that most of you do not believe that i ever was mainly due to my very first post so after reading all your responses carefully,so now im drawing a close to this thread which was intended to help me understand the Church,but the comments of most were more confusing and unhelpful due to their arguementative nature.So many of you seem to have so many different and strong opinions about the Catholic Church and are willing to hurt each others feelings that i feel im back to square one in understanding what the Church really means.

When i started feeling “lost in the Church” i wondered “Why?” so i started to ask questions to help me clarify issues that i felt were confusing.I looked for help in understanding my faith through priests,Church members etc. but to no avail.The priest said “you cannot interpret the Bible for yourself” “i can do this for you”. But i thought to myself,"Why should i let this man,who has abused children for most of his life in the most horrific of ways,an alcoholic and a bully teach me the true meaning of God. No-one questioned this animals actions including our Bishops for decades. So,naturally i was left sad and confused,not knowing who Christ really was. The hurt and pain i felt inside was at times unbearable as even my peers (priests,nuns,teachers) all had the same thing in common,they bullied people in physical,mental,sexual and emotional ways.So many young people suffered at the hands of these animals,the young people Irish didnt have anyone to teach them properly.Our parents were scared to disagree with Church representatives fearing a back-lash against them. These people are meant to guide us,but in reality they turned away thousands of lost souls.
I am tearful as i write this as it is not easy to write.I know many of you have been angered by what i have said,but im only saying what i feel and im being truthful.

After a long period of searching for answers and being beaten back down by angry tounges and fists over and over again i have decided that i am leaving the Catholic Church.I personally searched for Jesus,i found him and he saved my life. I was suicidal and he reached for me,something that the Catholic Church has never done and will continue to do, in Ireland at least.
To the 2-3 people who posted postive posts,i thankyou. You are kind and i appreciate your kindness and understanding but to the negative people who posted messages of awful things,we all see that you havent Jesus in your life.You may think that you do but you do not and you are blinded by politics. Your no better than the perverted priest/nun,turning away lost souls just because somewhere inside you a sadness truely lies. I will pray for you.

I hope that whoever reads this entire thread of posts,will see whats right and wrong in your own life and i wish you well.

Kungfubob.

 

[JRKH]

Kungfubob,
In reply to your post above, I am sorry that you have chosen to leave the Church do to your bad experiences.
I am also sorry for your feeling attacked here.
I’m afraid that what most of us read in your first post was not a cry for help with the questions you had about the Church, but rather a strong attack upon her - This what I saw too. Thus many people got thier “Hackles Up”.

It is obvious now that you are in a very raw and tender spot spiritually and I beleive you are right to “Hold Onto Christ” first and foremost. So many don’t and wind up tossing the “baby out with the bathwater”, as they say.

I hope that you will find peace in Christ and eventually decide to come back into communion with the Church.

There is another person here who you may find is a kindred spirit. Her sceen name is “UglyGal”, though spiritually she is anything but. I would highly recommend your looking at some of her posts and possibly even PMing her. She may be of some help.

May God Keep you and Bless you.

Peace
James

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

I hope that whoever reads this entire thread of posts,will see whats right and wrong in your own life and i wish you well.

Kungfubob.

You will remain in my prayers. Please keep me in yours.
Prayers & Gods choicest blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[RobinSebas]

Dear Bob,

Theological arguments aside - I would just like to say that if you found Jesus anywhere, in or out of the Catholic Church, I am very happy for you. I hope you stay in His grace for the rest of your life and that we someday meet in Heaven. I also hope that you won’t be too hard on those of us who have found Jesus within the Church and continue to seek Him there. May God bless you and guide you (and all of us).

Me too.

 

[bpbasilphx]

**
Theological arguments aside - I would just like to say that if you found Jesus anywhere, in or out of the Catholic Church,**

**How do you know it was Jesus that you met?

In the Gospels, Jesus is usually to be found among His disciples.**

 

[csr]

I, like many young people was blinded by these “pillars”. I am now glad to say that I have left the Catholic Church and since I have, I have now found God through Jesus Christ and everyday is a blessing. I read the bible with joy as I’m learning and gaining knowledge that the Catholic Church would not have given me.

Hello, KFB! What kind of knowledge are you gaining?

Yes there is some evidence that the clergy cover up each others’ malfeasance. As this did not happen to me I can only say this in faith, but, I think that with prayer and calm you can gradually separate them in your mind. That is, the actions of Jesus in establishing a living hierarchy are separate from the actions of the hierarchy. Also think of all the good the hierarchy have done. In every century, they have been a good example, have promoted the right values, and on and on. Christianity made the West the best place to live on earth, the best blend of factors and considerations. And what is Christianity, but Catholicism, when correctly and fully understood?

Try the Radio section of catholic.com. They have a lot of nice discussions about these and other topics. It never fails to amaze me the extent to which the problems one can encounter personally or vicariously can be answered by the Catholic faith, and the variety of problems one can get into without the Catholic faith. It is all too easy to end up believing, for example, that multiple marriages are fine, that sensual pleasing of the self is fine, that all kinds of sexual menages are fine, that dabbling in sorcery is fine, and so forth. And to the extent that the Evangelical and other Christian answers seem equally effective, it is important to observe that to a great extent they depend upon the history and work of the Catholic Church toward defining terms and clarifying the application of important concepts.

 

[jmcrae]

BTW God doesnt accept mastercard or visa.

Neither does the Catholic Church, that I am aware of. What does that have to do with anything?

The priest said “you cannot interpret the Bible for yourself” “i can do this for you”.

I read the Bible all the time, and I have never figured out how any priest would stop me, even if he wanted to - I find the Catholic Church in the pages of the Bible, so I don’t know why they would even want to - so far, no priest has ever done anything except encourage my studies, or else be indifferent to them, so I don’t know what “Catholic Church” you go to where such things are discouraged.

 

[Chaldean_Rite]

**
Theological arguments aside - I would just like to say that if you found Jesus anywhere, in or out of the Catholic Church,**

**How do you know it was Jesus that you met?

In the Gospels, Jesus is usually to be found among His disciples.**

Furthermore, you may not be aware of His prescene in your life…read the Emmaus passage:

Luke 24:32 And they said one to the other: Was not our heart burning within us, whilst he spoke in this way, and opened to us the scriptures?

Don’t let dryness be a cause for despair, loneiness, etc.

 

[redrosetea]

If Fr Groeschel were here he would say don’t take the soup…It became a catholic phrase during the famine

The protestants offered to feed the Catholics during the potato famine if they would renounce their religion…What kid of Christan’s are those?

Christ will have something to say to them at the last judgment when he say you saw me hungry and did not feed me

 

[peary]

Im a 29 years old male and i come from a strong Irish Catholic background.My mother is a Eucharistic minister and the community i live in is small and close knit.
Over the past few years i have looked at my faith in the Church and i found that i was completly lost. i asked myself, “Why do i feel this way?”
All my life i have had the Catholic “Religion” forced upon me by my mother,my priests and school teachers all of whom (as im older and more educated now, i realise) have mis-led me in so many ways via rituals and sacriligous worship,alot of which actually comes from paganism
I questioned my faith, asking myself " Do i even believe in God!?
I now know that God DOES exist and Jesus is my Saviour but for a long time i was very lost and now i know why.
The basic fundamentals of the Catholic Church revolve around money as do the vast majority of Churches.Every Sunday i went to mass but i wasnt learning anything about God and how he loves me.i was learning nothing and getting more confused within myself.
My head master in school was a priest and a very evil man like alot of priests (im not saying that all are like this but alot are). He constantly mentally,physically and sexually abused pupils and all the while everyone knew about him but were afraid to speak out as he was “a pillar of society” and any questions asked upon him were shot down by Bishops and “the other pillars within the Church” I,like many young people was blinded by these “pillars”
I am now glad to say that i have left the Catholic Church and since i have,i have now found God through Jesus Christ and everyday is a blessing. I read the bible with joy as im learning and gaining knowledge that the Catholic Church would not have given me.
Many of you reading this may not like what you read but what i learned is that “i dont need a priest/bishop or the pope to get to Heaven. Praying at statues wont get me to Heaven.Saying a million Hail Mary’s and rosarys wont get me into Heaven.I could do good works for all my life and i would not get to Heaven. So i asked myself “How DO i get to Heaven?”.
The answer is by reading and studying the words of Christ Himself and asking Him to come into my life and into my soul to fill the emptyness that the Catholic Church left in me.
Jesus said” The only way to Heaven and God the Father is through me and only me".
Those are the words of Christ Himself and no priest/pastor/or pope can disagree with that.The Catholic Church is the most wealthy organisation on Earth and thats a fact and at every mass/funeral/wedding/baptism they get a little more richer.They have the wealth to wipe out the third-world hunger but every Sunday priests across the world make us feel guilty so we will pay more into the basket for the starving children,but in reality the vast majority of the money taken in each week goes to fund evil doings and sheer greed.Let me say that the Catholic Church isnt alone on this subject as 95% of all Churches do just the same.
Jesus’s love is free. He did not preach in huge marble and gold laden Churches or from altars made from the most finest materials known to man.He did not wear the finest silk garments or jewels. He preached the Word of God in fields,on hills,in humble homes. Did Jesus charge for this service? no he didnt,God’s Love is Free.Jesus asked us to accept Him as the Saviour of Man-kind and pray to Him for forgiveness,and use the Ten Commandments as a guide to living a wholesome life,occasionally we will sin and fall but Jesus will Forgive us if we are true in our hearts to Him and eventually we will sin less.
So to you i ask the question,what is more important the Catholic Church or Jesus Christ? i know who i choose,do you?

**Here we go again…more protestant fodder **

 

[KingAlfred]

Just say ‘no’ to Protestantism.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

KFB know you will remain in my prayers and I will ask the others to pray for you also.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[jmcrae]

Just say ‘no’ to Protestantism.

This makes me think of the old French philosopher who announced that he was giving up the practice of the Catholic faith. The press came around and asked him, “Which variety of Protestantism will you be following, then?”

Angrily, he responded, “I have lost my faith - not my mind!!”

 

[cathguy]

So to you i ask the question,what is more important the Catholic Church or Jesus Christ? i know who i choose,do you?

Jesus Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, in the Eucharist.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass requires ordained men, who are successors of the apostles. Without the Mass, there is no Eucharist.

Christ came to found a Church, not write a book. We are Christians… NOT muslims. Without the Church, there is no Mass, and nothing makes sense, for Christ said that the gates of Hell would never prevail against the Church. It is the Church that protects the NT and the entire deposit of faith.

You ask: “what is more important, Christ or the Church?” Christ founded the Church, and he is found truly present only in the Church.

You see… you have bought into an Americanist error.

Its not all about YOU and Jesus. Its about WE and Jesus… and the WE is the Church.

You do intellectual violence against the one, you also attack the other.

 

[Podo2005]

Im a 29 years old male and i come from a strong Irish Catholic background.My mother is a Eucharistic minister and the community i live in is small and close knit.
Over the past few years i have looked at my faith in the Church and i found that i was completly lost. i asked myself, “Why do i feel this way?”
All my life i have had the Catholic “Religion” forced upon me by my mother,my priests and school teachers all of whom (as im older and more educated now, i realise) have mis-led me in so many ways via rituals and sacriligous worship,alot of which actually comes from paganism
I questioned my faith, asking myself " Do i even believe in God!?
I now know that God DOES exist and Jesus is my Saviour but for a long time i was very lost and now i know why.
The basic fundamentals of the Catholic Church revolve around money as do the vast majority of Churches.Every Sunday i went to mass but i wasnt learning anything about God and how he loves me.i was learning nothing and getting more confused within myself.
My head master in school was a priest and a very evil man like alot of priests (im not saying that all are like this but alot are). He constantly mentally,physically and sexually abused pupils and all the while everyone knew about him but were afraid to speak out as he was “a pillar of society” and any questions asked upon him were shot down by Bishops and “the other pillars within the Church” I,like many young people was blinded by these “pillars”
I am now glad to say that i have left the Catholic Church and since i have,i have now found God through Jesus Christ and everyday is a blessing. I read the bible with joy as im learning and gaining knowledge that the Catholic Church would not have given me.
Many of you reading this may not like what you read but what i learned is that “i dont need a priest/bishop or the pope to get to Heaven. Praying at statues wont get me to Heaven.Saying a million Hail Mary’s and rosarys wont get me into Heaven.I could do good works for all my life and i would not get to Heaven. So i asked myself “How DO i get to Heaven?”.
The answer is by reading and studying the words of Christ Himself and asking Him to come into my life and into my soul to fill the emptyness that the Catholic Church left in me.
Jesus said” The only way to Heaven and God the Father is through me and only me".
Those are the words of Christ Himself and no priest/pastor/or pope can disagree with that.The Catholic Church is the most wealthy organisation on Earth and thats a fact and at every mass/funeral/wedding/baptism they get a little more richer.They have the wealth to wipe out the third-world hunger but every Sunday priests across the world make us feel guilty so we will pay more into the basket for the starving children,but in reality the vast majority of the money taken in each week goes to fund evil doings and sheer greed.Let me say that the Catholic Church isnt alone on this subject as 95% of all Churches do just the same.
Jesus’s love is free. He did not preach in huge marble and gold laden Churches or from altars made from the most finest materials known to man.He did not wear the finest silk garments or jewels. He preached the Word of God in fields,on hills,in humble homes. Did Jesus charge for this service? no he didnt,God’s Love is Free.Jesus asked us to accept Him as the Saviour of Man-kind and pray to Him for forgiveness,and use the Ten Commandments as a guide to living a wholesome life,occasionally we will sin and fall but Jesus will Forgive us if we are true in our hearts to Him and eventually we will sin less.
So to you i ask the question,what is more important the Catholic Church or Jesus Christ? i know who i choose,do you?

Peace be with you my brother in Christ,
I understand the feelings you are experiencing and have like you thought of leaving and searching for Christ …by myself. The problem is… I can’t, and Thank God I’ve realized that. You see, God works in this word through us, the Church, the physical Body of Christ. We are the image of Christ in this world, therefore it is important to have a strong Catholic Church in order to allow Christ to work in the world. What I have learned is that the Catholic Church, although it is not perfect because it made of sinners (yes believe it or not, priests sin, nuns sin , even the pope sins), is still my home, my family in other words. I am only a part of the Church, a mere part of the body. But if I leave, how long is it before the rest of the body starts to crumble and “leave” because I’m not there doing my part. The biggest mistake that people make is thinking that they can get to heaven by themselves. How can you possibly Love Christ if you don’t tend or care for your brothers and sisters on earth? ( and I don’t mean forcing ppl to believe because that doesn’t work, but doing the best you can and letting God do the most). We can’t get to Heaven ( we can’t do the Lord’s will) without the rest of the Church, much less enjoy being in heaven ( which is basically Loving and praising our God forever with the rest of the Church, not alone)
Pray about it man, don’t judge the whole Church because of some self righteous, proud pricks. You need to pray for those kinds of people. I’ve met some awesome catholics in my short lifetime already .

God Bless
Podo

 

[Rooskie]

this is a very intresting topic, Please dont mind me I am new to this community, but I understand both sides to this, not looking at this as an argument but as far as the catholic church or any church for that matter can be very corrupt and taken over by selfish sinners, but in the same aspect the churches are thier for good intentions and faith, the last thing anyone wants is for thier to be fighting or harm done to others. I will pray for those who are hurt, i will pray for those to be forgiven and i will pray for those to be on thier way to healing. I am sorry to hear of this dreadfull story kunfubob but i blelieve you things and stories such as these are real and should be acknowledged no one is perfect but instead of putting down bob i look inside myself and i want to help, those who have been abused and those who were the abusesers, no one is born wnating to hurt others, no one is born with the intentions to get pleasure form some one elses pain, no one is born with greed, we as humans are taught these traits from other beings on this earth who have been taught them. we should all be praying for this to come to a stop and we should all be thinking about how we can help those in need of help. is that not what faith is about? being as true to ourselves and to od as we can? shall we not sit back and judge this man{kunfubob} for his opinions and expieriences yet take this information as a sighn we need to help and do somthing? I ask myself every day what can i do to help others? what do you ask yourself? would God and our Lord want us sitting at home all day every day praying or would they wnat us out helping who we can help?

 

[Dempsey1919]

No Catholic from Derry would become Protestant. It just wouldn’t happen.

They would never turn their back on their community and join the other side.

Northern Ireland is extremely sectarian; they even have their own bus stops and doctors. There is still a massive divide in N. Ireland.

Even if he did become Protestant, I doubt the other side would accept him because of where he comes from. In Ireland, religion is just as much about politics as faith.

I know N. Irish from both sides of the divide. I have met Orangemen and people with IRA relatives and they would never convert from their respective faiths. To do so would result in them being ostracised from their whole communites.

Something about the OP just doesn’t add up…

 

[Clairdelune_89]

I’ve got to say, living in the heart of the bible belt, I get this kind of story all the time, about how they “found” Jesus. As if he was lost!
I have discovered that he is, in fact, waiting for us in the tabernacle of every Catholic church across the globe.

Reading the bible converted me to Catholicism. The bible is a Catholic book. Every time I would have a doubt, I’d look it up in the bible, and it was in there plainly spelled out.

 

[Dempsey1919]

Assuming the original poster is from Derry (since he calls it that and not Londonderry it is a mark that perhaps he is genuine as there is a division in Northern Ireland as to which group uses which name)

The Catholics call it Derry and the Protestants call it Londonderry.

It is saddening to hear of the young Irish Catholics who feel this way about the Church, especially when Ireland was once the breeding ground for many, many Priests. I pray that Ireland retains it’s Catholic identity.