Need help. Semi-Desperate

[4givemeasinner]

So, for those of you who have read my posts, let me start by saying I deeply appreciate this forum.

This thread is mink crisis I’m having and I don’t know how to resolve it. I consider myself more of a traditional catholic, and I am discerning the priesthood. Recently, however, I’ve been heavily researching the NO mass. My parish is conservative, and it celebrates the Mass with the NO liturgical books, and I’ve always found it full of grace and I’ve been able to truly experience God. However, I prefer the Latin mass much more. And when I see liturgical abuse around me on the Internet, it quite literally churns my stomach.

My crisis then, is I’ve been considering a move to Orthodoxy. They have valid sacraments, etc. however I don’t disagree with the Catholic Church position on the papacy, etc. I just find the liturgy on the web so…empty. I’m in line with Church dogmatically, but I’m having a hard time reconciling the faith with what is going on around me.

Please help.

Please pray for me.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

I think if you truly want to be a part of the Church, under the pope, then you should accept that the Mass is the Mass, whether it’s NO or TLM. In Wichita, I know of only one Latin Mass at 8 AM Sunday; so there is one priest in our diocese that gets to do that.

But Jesus comes to us through the Eucharist in any valid Mass. If you are put in charge of the Mass at a parish, then you control what you have the authority to control. Other than that, quit worrying about it. You are going to have to promise to be obedient to the bishop, and if the bishop doesn’t have a sense of humor, then the Holy Spirit certainly does. Whatever stresses you out, you will be confronted with it – this isn’t a rule but it seems to be the way it goes. But look at this as a good thing, and mortify yourself to any emotional reaction to these things. Because anything that causes you emotions, controls you. You’re like an oven that should be on warm, but any number of goblins could come and turn the knobs and make you overheat. This doesn’t mean you have to like them, but you must be prudent in the way you handle it and it’s hard to be prudent when the thing is tugging at you emotionally.

If you go to a church that is more traditional, maybe you’ll have a better experience. But the Holy Spirit could take you either way at this point, which is what it sounds like.

And remember that all the knowledge and even tradition in the world cannot save you, but the Eucharist cannot fail you. Focus on the miracle you or other priests are bringing to the Mass through your hands, and you won’t even care about those other things except as a distant secondary set of topics.

Alan

 

[aemcpa]

[IRONY]You should ignore pretty much everything on the Internet.[/IRONY]

You can control very little of what goes on in the world. Find a good spiritual director and a parish that treats the Sacraments with reverence and awe, and you will have everything you need to discern your vocation. What the rest of the world does is their business, even if they put it on YouTube.

 

[Auntie_A]

The San Francisco Bay Area has several Latin Mass communities with aging priests and no young men to bring up the ranks (Oakland, San Jose, St Mary’s Petaluma, St. Vincent’s in Marin. I know that Nebraska has an incredible seminary with a very reverent and traditional formation. The Byzantine rite is another option since it is reunited with the Church. I know that the cathedral in Santa Rosa has a Latin mass two times a week and is looking for good candidates for the priesthood. I know some churches do not do Latin masses because “no one knows Latin”.

Consider your problem a good problem, you needn’t be desperate. I know there will be a good place for you in the Church. Call around and ask around. You WILL find help. Just pray, be persistent and patient.

If you get stuck, Private Message me and I will give you some leads.

 

[Trebor135]

Whatever you do, please help your Catholic brethren to (re)discover reverent liturgy as much as possible.

Something like this!

 

[St_Francis]

First of all, almost every liturgical abuse which has ever occurred or been heard of by very angry ultra-Traditional people has been replayed more often than they occurred in the internet. Have abuses occurred? Yes. Are there fewer now? I would say YES! Those hippie priests from the 60s are now retiring and being replaced by wonderful young men like you who believe in God as God and man as His worshippers.

You have been fine with the Ordinary Form of the Mass up til now, and it is only the fact that you have read about lots of abuses that you feel shaken. But what those people who document those abuses don’t do is show how many Masses occur without abuses!

If you feel that God is calling you towards the Extraordinary Form, discuss that with your vocations director (who should be at your diocese). The Fraternnal Society of St Peter is in union with the Pope and their priests offer almost exclusively the EF. I believe there is training for the EF as well as the OF in some seminaries.

May God be with you on your journey! And thank you

 

[CompSciGuy]

So, for those of you who have read my posts, let me start by saying I deeply appreciate this forum.

This thread is mink crisis I’m having and I don’t know how to resolve it. I consider myself more of a traditional catholic, and I am discerning the priesthood. Recently, however, I’ve been heavily researching the NO mass. My parish is conservative, and it celebrates the Mass with the NO liturgical books, and I’ve always found it full of grace and I’ve been able to truly experience God. However, I prefer the Latin mass much more. And when I see liturgical abuse around me on the Internet, it quite literally churns my stomach.

My crisis then, is I’ve been considering a move to Orthodoxy. They have valid sacraments, etc. however I don’t disagree with the Catholic Church position on the papacy, etc. I just find the liturgy on the web so…empty. I’m in line with Church dogmatically, but I’m having a hard time reconciling the faith with what is going on around me.

Please help.

Please pray for me.

Why would you consider Orthodoxy? There are many Orthodox churches… they are as split as the Protestants. Plus they are not under the pope. Rather than considering Orthodoxy, consider Eastern Catholicism, maybe the Maronite or Byzantine rite. There is a Maronite church near my apartment and I am thinking about attending there regularly. It is a beautiful liturgy. You would be blown away by it.

 

[Trebor135]

There are many Orthodox churches… they are as split as the Protestants.

How?

This is one of the most absurd statements I’ve ever read. The Orthodox Church shares one faith. The five thousand Protestant denominations don’t.

There is a Maronite church near my apartment and I am thinking about attending there regularly. It is a beautiful liturgy.

I’ve been to the Maronite church in my city on a few occasions and was greatly disappointed by its liturgy. Do you happen to know of any YouTube clips from Maronite services which are like what you’ve experienced?

 

[ready]

Don’t leave the Faith to be in schism. Join a traditional community of priests and brother.