Mere Catholicism

[pabloSD]

Some Christians make following Jesus seem so easy…

You just read your Bible, congregate every Sunday (do some singing, listen to a sermon…), maybe meet during a weekday for Bible study, and you pray directly to God and ask for His forgiveness.

On the other hand, it has always seem to me that being Catholic is so hard. Not because you have to follow the commandments, and such, but because there is so much stuff you can do that it feels overwhelming… I think of praying the Rosary, Novenas, going to confession, missing Mass being a mortal sin, etc.

Is it possible to follow mere, simple Catholicism? And I don’t mean it as a disrespect, but I want to keep it as simple as possible, to be able to focus on the Eucharisty.

I just want to go to Mass, have Communion, pray directly to God, read my Bible and my Cathechism for guidance, have spiritual guidance in conversations with my priest, join a parroquial group, help in my parish, teach my children to love God and the Church.

I don’t want to pray the Rosary, I don’t want to ask for intersession from Mary or the saints, I don’t want to do Novenas, I don’t want to worry about things that, although are good for some people, I think are not necessary or mandatory.

I mean, I know that praying the Rosary is not mandatory. I know that asking the saints for their intertesession in private prayer is not mandatory.

Do you have any advice on how to be committed to God and the Church, but not doing those “extras” that just don’t feel right for me? Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the Magisterium, but after doing research, I now know that these things are not necessary for my salvation.

En Cristo,
Pablo

 

[jochoa]

Some Christians make following Jesus seem so easy…

You just read your Bible, congregate every Sunday (do some singing, listen to a sermon…), maybe meet during a weekday for Bible study, and you pray directly to God and ask for His forgiveness.

On the other hand, it has always seem to me that being Catholic is so hard. Not because you have to follow the commandments, and such, but because there is so much stuff you can do that it feels overwhelming… I think of praying the Rosary, Novenas, going to confession, missing Mass being a mortal sin, etc.

Is it possible to follow mere, simple Catholicism? And I don’t mean it as a disrespect, but I want to keep it as simple as possible, to be able to focus on the Eucharisty.

I just want to go to Mass, have Communion, pray directly to God, read my Bible and my Cathechism for guidance, have spiritual guidance in conversations with my priest, join a parroquial group, help in my parish, teach my children to love God and the Church.

I don’t want to pray the Rosary, I don’t want to ask for intersession from Mary or the saints, I don’t want to do Novenas, I don’t want to worry about things that, although are good for some people, I think are not necessary or mandatory.

I mean, I know that praying the Rosary is not mandatory. I know that asking the saints for their intertesession in private prayer is not mandatory.

Do you have any advice on how to be committed to God and the Church, but not doing those “extras” that just don’t feel right for me? Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the Magisterium, but after doing research, I now know that these things are not necessary for my salvation.

En Cristo,
Pablo

Prior to giving up on “extra” prayers, please consider an additional purpose in prayer: becoming more loving like the saint: As you pray, 1. Think about the loving qualities of the saint. 2. Think about ways in which your love is not as strong as his/hers. 3. Resolve to love on the same level as him/her.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Thoughts?

 

[yinekka]

So you’re asking “What’s the minimum I have to do to qualify as a Catholic and be able to go to heaven when I die?” Sorta like, “what’s the minimum I have to do or show to my parents to be sure of them letting me live in the house and inheriting it when they kick the bucket?”

I’ll have to get back to you on that one Pablo because I’ve never really thought of my Faith in those terms.

Speaking of minimums I don’t know of any top notch sports player who has aimed for the minimum, or any canonised saint whose life goal was the minimum needed. Maybe you need to move into the company of those whose aim is/was a little higher because the goal is the Beatific Vision. If you aim just for the minimum come judgement day you may find that “you have missed by just a little”.

 

[DavidFilmer]

If you want to know what the Church defines as “mere Catholicism” then there is an official answer. They are called the “precepts of the Church.” There are (only) five. They constitute the bare minimum that a person may fulfill if s/he is to lead a “Catholic lifestyle” as defined by the Church, and be a Catholic in good standing. The precepts are binding upon all Catholic Faithful according to the authority invested in the Church to bind and loose (Matt 18:18). The precepts are in the Catechism:

2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:
2042 The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor”) requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days. The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year”) ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness.
The third precept (“You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season”) guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.

2043 The fourth precept (“You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church”) ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart. The fifth precept (“You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church”) means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.
The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.

You may be pleased to learn that your personal ambitions largely exceed the minimum requirements defined by the Church. You do not ever need to pray any Rosaries or Novenas, or ask anyone (whether in heaven or still on earth) to pray for you.

There are, however, some particular obligations that you did not happen to mention, but which I am sure would not present a problem given the general context of your question.

 

[teresa_lamb]

I would suggest to just relax. You can’t “force” perfection.

Keep doing what you’re already doing and pray for the grace to do more. I know if I get overwhelmed I feel like quitting, but by the grace of God, I just slow down and keep going.

As a matter of fact, just this evening it dawned on me that I hadn’t prayed my rosary today. I was tired and didn’t feel like praying it, so I decided I wouldn’t do one. Well it weighed on me and I still felt like not praying one. Before I knew it a couple of hours passed and I was wide awake and feeling troubled. I started thinking about what was troubling me; it was my oldest daughter being at work and the bad weather. She had a thirty minute drive to get home. I called as she got off of work (which just happens to be five min from me) just to tell her to drive safely and if she was worried to come stay the night here. She assured me she would be fine and would call me when she got home. I then went and prayed my rosary. When I finished, I came out to the living room and she phoned to tell me she slid sideways down the on ramp of the hwy. She was OK but had gotten off at the next exit and was on her way to my house.

So thankful and blessed the Holy Spirit shook off my tirednes, put my daughters safety on my heart and put those beads in my hand with a special intention of asking for my daughters safety. She is here with me now, SAFE

Once again, go easy on yourself and the Lord will provide. He knows your heart.

God Bless.

 

[bmullins]

Can you imagine how much different our faith would be if Jesus in the garden of Gethsemene prayed not “thy will be done”, but “Hey Dad, What’s the least I can do to redeem these people? Do I really have to carry the cross? Maybe just wear the crown but not get flogged? C’mon how little can I do to get by with?”

Catholicism is about loving God fully. Sure those things aren’t necessary for salvation. They aren’t about salvation. They are about an intimate relationship with the body of Christ. They are a reminder of the eternal existence that you and I are part of. Because we believe that people who ‘die’ in Christ are not dead, but still alive in Heaven; and we realize that the body of Christ is eternal we know with confidence that they can and do pray for us.

When we are in love with someone, we want to do things for them. When we say we love our wives and then say, what’s the least I can do to show her my love? Do I even need to know her favorite color? I mean is that important? We aren’t showing love. We want to know her fully and do everything we can for her. The same with God. To show love, we don’t ask what’s the least I can do, we ask “How can I show you my love and faith?”

 

[RubyT]

So you’re asking “What’s the minimum I have to do to qualify as a Catholic and be able to go to heaven when I die?” Sorta like, “what’s the minimum I have to do or show to my parents to be sure of them letting me live in the house and inheriting it when they kick the bucket?”

I’ll have to get back to you on that one Pablo because I’ve never really thought of my Faith in those terms.

Speaking of minimums I don’t know of any top notch sports player who has aimed for the minimum, or any canonised saint whose life goal was the minimum needed. Maybe you need to move into the company of those whose aim is/was a little higher because the goal is the Beatific Vision. If you aim just for the minimum come judgement day you may find that “you have missed by just a little”.

To Yinekka:
“Criticism of others is thus an oblique form of self-commendation. We think we make the picture hang straight on our wall by telling our neighbors that all his pictures are crooked.”
Arch Bishop, Fulton J. Sheen

To the OP:
Each person does the “extras” as their heart feels they should. There are no requirements except the precepts. As the years go by you may find a need for novena and devotional etc. God loves you just as much as those that have plenty of time for such devotion. You are raising a family, we understand. This too is Gods purpose for your life.
It is very important to take the time for confession and Mass. You cannot just confess to God because Jesus told us to confess to men(Priest). Will someone please post the bible verse for me as it is very late this am.

Love you all, God Bless and Good night.

 

[Corpus_Cristi]

So you’re asking “What’s the minimum I have to do to qualify as a Catholic and be able to go to heaven when I die?” Sorta like, “what’s the minimum I have to do or show to my parents to be sure of them letting me live in the house and inheriting it when they kick the bucket?”

I’ll have to get back to you on that one Pablo because I’ve never really thought of my Faith in those terms.

Speaking of minimums I don’t know of any top notch sports player who has aimed for the minimum, or any canonised saint whose life goal was the minimum needed. Maybe you need to move into the company of those whose aim is/was a little higher because the goal is the Beatific Vision. If you aim just for the minimum come judgement day you may find that “you have missed by just a little”.

I didn’t necessarily gather the concept of “minima” from the OP. I think that it’s refreshing to go back to basics and regain a more orthodox understanding of our faith, one that isn’t clouded by arbitrary norms or expectations. People sometimes cling to those secondary elements of faith and treat them as though they’re primary.

God bless,

Rob

 

[Corpus_Cristi]

To Yinekka:
“Criticism of others is thus an oblique form of self-commendation. We think we make the picture hang straight on our wall by telling our neighbors that all his pictures are crooked.”
Arch Bishop, Fulton J. Sheen

To the OP:
Each person does the “extras” as their heart feels they should. There are no requirements except the precepts. As the years go by you may find a need for novena and devotional etc. God loves you just as much as those that have plenty of time for such devotion. You are raising a family, we understand. This too is Gods purpose for your life.
It is very important to take the time for confession and Mass. You cannot just confess to God because Jesus told us to confess to men(Priest). Will someone please post the bible verse for me as it is very late this am.

Love you all, God Bless and Good night.

I like this approach.

 

[Jeanne_S]

All such beautiful responses to this question…B Mullins,I really appreciated your response,well stated! Jeanne

 

[pabloSD]

To Yinekka:
“Criticism of others is thus an oblique form of self-commendation. We think we make the picture hang straight on our wall by telling our neighbors that all his pictures are crooked.”
Arch Bishop, Fulton J. Sheen

To the OP:
Each person does the “extras” as their heart feels they should. There are no requirements except the precepts. As the years go by you may find a need for novena and devotional etc. God loves you just as much as those that have plenty of time for such devotion. You are raising a family, we understand. This too is Gods purpose for your life.
It is very important to take the time for confession and Mass. You cannot just confess to God because Jesus told us to confess to men(Priest). Will someone please post the bible verse for me as it is very late this am.

Love you all, God Bless and Good night.

Thank you!!!

 

[pabloSD]

I didn’t necessarily gather the concept of “minima” from the OP. I think that it’s refreshing to go back to basics and regain a more orthodox understanding of our faith, one that isn’t clouded by arbitrary norms or expectations. People sometimes cling to those secondary elements of faith and treat them as though they’re primary.

God bless,

Rob

That was exactly the reason I asked: Going back to basics and focusing on the best of our faith. Thanks, Rob!!!

En Cristo,
Pablo

 

[puzzleannie]

I just want to go to Mass, have Communion, pray directly to God, read my Bible and my Cathechism for guidance, have spiritual guidance in conversations with my priest, join a parroquial group, help in my parish, teach my children to love God and the Church.

I don’t want to pray the Rosary, I don’t want to ask for intersession from Mary or the saints, I don’t want to do Novenas, I don’t want to worry about things that, although are good for some people, I think are not necessary or mandatory.

I

yes of course it is possible, as you very well know, and no other devotions are not mandatory, as you know.

However it compels me to point out that those other “extraneous” devotions arose precisely because they help people focus on Christ.

What is not possible to assume, and still remain in Christian charity, is that those who are engaged in these devotions are somehow “less Catholic” or pay less attention to Christ or are spiritually inferior in some way. The Catholic tradition is rich in spirituality and all these spiritual exercises lead directly to Christ and expand upon His presence experienced in the Eucharist. To imply otherwise is to embrace a series of false assumptions about the devotions and those who engage in them.

 

[WFS5801]

I don’t want to pray the Rosary, I don’t want to ask for intersession from Mary or the saints, I don’t want to do Novenas, I don’t want to worry about things that, although are good for some people, I think are not necessary or mandatory.

I’m a convert from Protestantism and I’m having trouble understanding why you don’t want the help and intercession of the saints, especially the help and intercession of Our Lady, the Mother of Our Lord. Long before I became Catholic, or truly understood Catholicism, I felt moved to pray the Rosary. Now that I’ve entered the Church and read the history of the Rosary and have read about all the souls that have been saved as a result of devoutly praying the Rosary, I don’t understand why any Catholic would not want to please Our Lord in this way. It almost seems like some Catholics are ashamed of Catholicism and the beautiful and rich traditions of the Church. Don’t you think Our Lord wants us to honor His Mother?

Sorry for rambling. This just seems foreign to me.

 

[bmullins]

I’m a convert from Protestantism and I’m having trouble understanding why you don’t want the help and intercession of the saints, especially the help and intercession of Our Lady, the Mother of Our Lord. Long before I became Catholic, or truly understood Catholicism, I felt moved to pray the Rosary. Now that I’ve entered the Church and read the history of the Rosary and have read about all the souls that have been saved as a result of devoutly praying the Rosary, I don’t understand why any Catholic would not want to please Our Lord in this way. It almost seems like some Catholics are ashamed of Catholicism and the beautiful and rich traditions of the Church. Don’t you think Our Lord wants us to honor His Mother?

Sorry for rambling. This just seems foreign to me.

I think it’s foreign to many of us who convert. I think it’s much like living next to a beautiful ocean with soft white beach fronts. The person who grew up there probably does appreciate the beach in some way… but it’s there every day. They see it every morning, and every night. They might go swimming once in a while, especially with friends, but often they just go on with their lives. They become accustomed to the sight and sounds.

Then there are those of us who have lived inland all of our life. We’ve never seen the ocean, tasted it’s salt, or felt the warm beach between our toes. When we arrive we are so excited to see the ocean and we are perplexed how people can live right there and not be on the beach every single day. Our entire time there we rush out into the waves and revel in this new experience.

For us who have never had the saints to pray for us, or the comfort that that brings we revel in it and we make use of it because we’ve never had it. While some of those who have been there a very long time see it as a so many different things that it seems like it’s a complex system that really is just a bother, there are those of us who see it as a vast array of hope and love. I think it’s a challenge for all of us to keep that original sense of awe and hope that we receive when we realize how much love God has revealed to us through all of these different ways to stay in communication with our family, Father and Son, Mother and siblings.

 

[yinekka]

This has got to be one of the very few threads I have read on CA which has not got off track and the advice has been excellent. I have copied a number of the posts and will reflect on them.