Needing Catholic answers: Struggling deeply with my faith

[Bygraceandmercy]

I am struggling deeply with my faith. My struggle is the confusion between my former Protestant faith and my Catholic faith. Things that bother me are when I am practicing my Catholic faith, I get overwhelmed by all the requirements and unfamiliar things that seem strange to me. With the Protestant faith, sometimes it seems superficial to me, and I wonder if their historic claims of early church are really true. I’ve have studied myself to death, I have prayed for a long time, and I have tried both faiths. I am living in limbo, I cannot seem to be content in either one. I feel alone and shameful for not being able to figure it out. To me both sides seem to have such strong claims and truth (history included). I keep hoping I will find the one piece of historical information that will prove the truth to me. Who is right? I have begged the Lord many times to help me to know the truth, but He is silent. I have begged Mary to show me, but she is silent. I know this is the most important decision of my life. So I don’t understand why the Lord won’t make it clear to me and bring me out of this confusion. I fear death, I have bad insomnia almost every night because I am afraid of where I will go when I die, and I’m afraid because I know there is no promise of tomorrow. What else can I do? I am currently attending no church. I have been going back and forth in this struggle for a long time, even while remaining in a state of grace. I think the Lord is tired of me. If anybody can share me with similar experiences, ideas, or advice. I will gladly welcome them. Thank you.

 

[Bonnie]

I can only give you the advice that was given to me.

Before I joined the Church, I was having some doubts. The priest who was giving me instruction (pre-RCIA) asked me if I could trust the Church to teach the truth. I said yes…but I couldn’t understand certain things. He told me to simply trust - understanding would come later.

And he was right. Thanks Fr. Kennedy! I hope your halo fits!

 

[hamandcheese]

I think the Lord is tired of me.

No way is the Lord tired of you! Could you be tired of one of your children who cries out to you every day asking to know and to love you the way you do ? God loves you like you were his only child. Like you were the only one on this earth. Maybe you need to stop thinking about the theology of it so much. What has helped me in the past when I was going through a difficult time was sitting in church before the blessed Sacrament and just being with God. Not thinking or even intensely praying but just being there with him. Its nice in the evening and there’s hardly anyone else around. I always feel lighter after doing that. Everyone’s faith has its highs and lows. Even the great saints. Hang in there. Something horrible will happen in your life soon enough that will get your faith going again. Just kidding. I will be praying for you.

 

[Domini_cane]

I would suggest finding a priest who you are comfortable talking to, and scheduling something with him to just talk to him about the faith.

I will pray for you.

 

[Auntie_A]

Sometimes the mental gymnastics tire us out and keep us from true faith in the heart. Now I am not recommending shutting out reason but I am recommending a more practical knowledge that is felt in both heart AND mind.

I like reading Peter Kreeft. I like talking to regular Catholics, especially older ones, those who have suffered greatly, and hearing how they explain the faith, the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the devotion to Mary, Confession, the traditions, all the things that we do not have in common with the Protestants. There is something very solid and life-affirming about the Sacraments and the sacramentals that reminds me that we are here in physical form on earth so we need tangible connection to God.

Just look around at the world God made and ask yourself if we can move through life with just a Protestant approach to scripture or a FULL approach to Scripture which includes a rich tradition which engages the senses AND common sense.

 

[banarick]

I experienced loss and betrayal once that drew me away from the Church and Mass. That only made things worse. I saw my doctor who diagnosed me as normally depressed and sleepless under the circumstances. I took anti-depressants for a month. I went to a Christian counselor at a Lutheran Church who surprise surprise was a Catholic and knew about my situation being a small town. I learned to forgive, forget, pray hope and don’t worry, live, laugh and love. Coffee and chocolate during the day, exercise, regular Mass ( I sat in the back) I learned to rest with the Lord. Some thought I was sleeping but no I am at great peace with the Lord. I remember my parents in the car holding hands saying nothing but having great love for each other. No words were necessary. So it is with the Lord and I and all the Saints who are alive with the Lord. He is not the God of the dead but the living. My love for family here and in heaven really lifts me. I am better for that period and thank God is was short. Now I am happier than I have ever been in my life. God loves you. Trust in his infinite mercy and love. He loves us no matter what.

 

[1ke]

Please go to talk to your pastor. You already made your choice when you entered the Church in 2011. You are a Catholic. I hope you can find strength in the sacraments, draw close to them.

 

[aemcpa]

There is only one issue you need to resolve - does the Catholic Church have the authority to teach all truth in the name of Christ? If yes, then you can submit to all of her teachings because, in the words of Peter, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Why did you become Catholic?

 

[Linusthe2nd]

I am struggling deeply with my faith. My struggle is the confusion between my former Protestant faith and my Catholic faith. Things that bother me are when I am practicing my Catholic faith, I get overwhelmed by all the requirements and unfamiliar things that seem strange to me. With the Protestant faith, sometimes it seems superficial to me, and I wonder if their historic claims of early church are really true. I’ve have studied myself to death, I have prayed for a long time, and I have tried both faiths. I am living in limbo, I cannot seem to be content in either one. I feel alone and shameful for not being able to figure it out. To me both sides seem to have such strong claims and truth (history included). I keep hoping I will find the one piece of historical information that will prove the truth to me. Who is right? I have begged the Lord many times to help me to know the truth, but He is silent. I have begged Mary to show me, but she is silent. I know this is the most important decision of my life. So I don’t understand why the Lord won’t make it clear to me and bring me out of this confusion. I fear death, I have bad insomnia almost every night because I am afraid of where I will go when I die, and I’m afraid because I know there is no promise of tomorrow. What else can I do? I am currently attending no church. I have been going back and forth in this struggle for a long time, even while remaining in a state of grace. I think the Lord is tired of me. If anybody can share me with similar experiences, ideas, or advice. I will gladly welcome them. Thank you.

Without the Catholic Church not only would there be no Bible, there would be no Protestants, no Christians, no Muslims, only Judaism and Paganism. Linus2nd

 

[Joy_Therese]

It sounds as though you’re going through what St. John of the Cross calls the Dark Night of the Soul. His book (by the same name) is…lifesaving.
As has already been mentioned, Peter Kreeft is always good, and so is Eucharistic Adoration. Having dealt with serious doubts and personal pain myself, I also can attest to the healing that occurs when we simply ask for it, and let Him work on us, especially at Mass or in Adoration.
I have also been blessed with wonderful spiritual directors and a great Catholic counselor, and I am not ashamed to say I have needed counseling in the past.
If you are able to find some part of the faith that is simply beautiful, and which nourishes your soul, go after it! Whether it’s the Mass, church architecture, Gregorian Chant, the Rosary, Palestrina, the life of a particular saint, sacred art, or even just the smell of incense wafting through the church, seek that out as often as you (prudently) can. Grab onto it, because Beauty, real Beauty that points us towards God, can often do more than all the (no less important!) intellectual knowledge of the faith put together.
I will be praying for you. Know that God loved you into existence, and He sees exactly where you are, and will never, NEVER abandon you. Just hold on, and don’t let Him go!
He will NEVER leave you, and neither will Mother Mary, even if all seems silent.
To Jesus through Mary,
Joy

 

[opus101]

Things that bother me are when I am practicing my Catholic faith, I get overwhelmed by all the requirements

Do you feel comfortable sharing the things that you consider to be requirements?

Maybe if you look at it this way: there probably aren’t any (or many) requirements that you didn’t have as a Protestant (Sunday worship, prayer, following the Christian way of life).

As a convert, you are probably more aware of some things than most Catholics. Also, you had a lot to assimilate in a small amount of time during your catechumenate, things that take those who have been Catholic since infancy years to learn.

 

[aemcpa]

Do you feel comfortable sharing the things that you consider to be requirements?

Maybe if you look at it this way: there probably aren’t any (or many) requirements that you didn’t have as a Protestant (Sunday worship, prayer, following the Christian way of life).

As a convert, you are probably more aware of some things than most Catholics. Also, you had a lot to assimilate in a small amount of time during your catechumenate, things that take those who have been Catholic since infancy years to learn.

The problem for many is the concept of mortal sin. Many Protestants believe in “once saved, always saved” - you can’t lose your salvation no matter what sins you commit. Of course, that is one of the Big Lies that Satan has managed to sell to a large portion of the Body of Christ, but it can be difficult to come to grips with the truth that breaking the Commandments is something that you can actually go to Hell for.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I am struggling deeply with my faith. My struggle is the confusion between my former Protestant faith and my Catholic faith. Things that bother me are when I am practicing my Catholic faith, I get overwhelmed by all the requirements and unfamiliar things that seem strange to me. With the Protestant faith, sometimes it seems superficial to me, and I wonder if their historic claims of early church are really true. I’ve have studied myself to death, I have prayed for a long time, and I have tried both faiths. I am living in limbo, I cannot seem to be content in either one. I feel alone and shameful for not being able to figure it out. To me both sides seem to have such strong claims and truth (history included). I keep hoping I will find the one piece of historical information that will prove the truth to me. Who is right? I have begged the Lord many times to help me to know the truth, but He is silent. I have begged Mary to show me, but she is silent. I know this is the most important decision of my life. So I don’t understand why the Lord won’t make it clear to me and bring me out of this confusion. I fear death, I have bad insomnia almost every night because I am afraid of where I will go when I die, and I’m afraid because I know there is no promise of tomorrow. What else can I do? I am currently attending no church. I have been going back and forth in this struggle for a long time, even while remaining in a state of grace. I think the Lord is tired of me. If anybody can share me with similar experiences, ideas, or advice. I will gladly welcome them. Thank you.

You are looking in the rear view mirror and trying to drive the car forward. It doesn’t work that way. You ARE a Catholic my friend. You are no longer a Protestant. You need to embrace your faith with your whole heart, for you have left that other life behind. Do not go back and forth and wonder and wish for signs! Go back to Mass! You are weakening yourself by being away from Jesus in this way. Please go and talk to your pastor, in confession and outside of the confessional if you need to. Then, go back to Mass and receive Jesus. He will heal you from the inside out. Go to Him in adoration too. Just sit there in front of Jesus and ask him to help you. You don’t even have to pray if you don’t want to. Put yourself in His presence and let him heal you.

But at the end of the day, you ARE a Catholic. Look forward and not backward.

 

[John_Cocktosen]

I am struggling deeply with my faith. My struggle is the confusion between my former Protestant faith and my Catholic faith. Things that bother me are when I am practicing my Catholic faith, I get overwhelmed by all the requirements and unfamiliar things that seem strange to me. With the Protestant faith, sometimes it seems superficial to me, and I wonder if their historic claims of early church are really true. I’ve have studied myself to death, I have prayed for a long time, and I have tried both faiths. I am living in limbo, I cannot seem to be content in either one. I feel alone and shameful for not being able to figure it out. To me both sides seem to have such strong claims and truth (history included). I keep hoping I will find the one piece of historical information that will prove the truth to me. Who is right? I have begged the Lord many times to help me to know the truth, but He is silent. I have begged Mary to show me, but she is silent. I know this is the most important decision of my life. So I don’t understand why the Lord won’t make it clear to me and bring me out of this confusion. I fear death, I have bad insomnia almost every night because I am afraid of where I will go when I die, and I’m afraid because I know there is no promise of tomorrow. What else can I do? I am currently attending no church. I have been going back and forth in this struggle for a long time, even while remaining in a state of grace. I think the Lord is tired of me. If anybody can share me with similar experiences, ideas, or advice. I will gladly welcome them. Thank you.

It is difficult letting go of the old way of thinking especially if you have spent many years as a Protestant. I was a Baptist for 30 years so it has been a not so smooth transition at times. I was frustrated and angry during a large part of RCIA, because I was already a Christian and didn’t understand why I needed to go through an 8-month “ritual” to join the Catholic church. It just takes time to change old ways of thinking that seem like they are correct, but don’t hold up to Biblical scrutiny.

The most important thing you won’t get at a Protestant church is the real presence of Christ in the bread and wine. Having read the Bible for years and thinking I knew it well and also being completely ignorant of Catholicism, the case for the Eucharist is so clear I can’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. Why would you want to go back to not receiving Christ?

No church is perfect because we are flawed, sinful human beings. If it is perfection you want, you won’t find it any church (or even a lack of church - atheism and science can’t give satisfactory answers either).

May God’s love and peace be with you.

 

[DavidFilmer]

My struggle is the confusion between my former Protestant faith and my Catholic faith.

I am also a convert. I know the struggles you face, although I faced them during my long (two year) conversion process.

I get overwhelmed by all the requirements and unfamiliar things that seem strange to me.

What requirements are these? There are only five requirements that the Church imposes upon the Faithful (these are known as the Precepts of the Faith).

• You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
• You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
• You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
• You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
• You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

This is not exactly a onerous list of requirements. Two of them are only required annually. And two of the other three are usually expected of protestants as well (go to church on Sunday, and provide for the needs of the church). And some protestants of Anglican heritage observe fasts at least on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

With the Protestant faith, sometimes it seems superficial to me, and I wonder if their historic claims of early church are really true.

Ah. History is what converted me to the Catholic Faith. There are MANY protestant versions of the early church history. If you would be a little more specific as to which version you are contending with, we could help you more specifically.

The study of history is the death of the protestant faith.

 

[fhansen]

I am struggling deeply with my faith. My struggle is the confusion between my former Protestant faith and my Catholic faith. Things that bother me are when I am practicing my Catholic faith, I get overwhelmed by all the requirements and unfamiliar things that seem strange to me. With the Protestant faith, sometimes it seems superficial to me, and I wonder if their historic claims of early church are really true. I’ve have studied myself to death, I have prayed for a long time, and I have tried both faiths. I am living in limbo, I cannot seem to be content in either one. I feel alone and shameful for not being able to figure it out. To me both sides seem to have such strong claims and truth (history included). I keep hoping I will find the one piece of historical information that will prove the truth to me. Who is right? I have begged the Lord many times to help me to know the truth, but He is silent. I have begged Mary to show me, but she is silent. I know this is the most important decision of my life. So I don’t understand why the Lord won’t make it clear to me and bring me out of this confusion. I fear death, I have bad insomnia almost every night because I am afraid of where I will go when I die, and I’m afraid because I know there is no promise of tomorrow. What else can I do? I am currently attending no church. I have been going back and forth in this struggle for a long time, even while remaining in a state of grace. I think the Lord is tired of me. If anybody can share me with similar experiences, ideas, or advice. I will gladly welcome them. Thank you.

The Lord will clear it up. Keep asking! Protestantism can’t work because its based on personal interpretation/opinion of scripture. It ends up being a **** shoot- without even history on its side. So you’re simply left with the ancient churches- the ones, east and west- that can trace their beginnings to the church Jesus established, the churches that fall in line with each other and the early church fathers on issues such as the Real Presence, Baptismal regeneration, justification, a place/state of purification after death, etc. Death has been conquered, made evident by the resurrection and the faith God gives us to believe in it. Keep studying, asking, seeking, knocking, and God will bring you to this faith.

 

[Goya]

I am struggling deeply with my faith. My struggle is the confusion between my former Protestant faith and my Catholic faith. Things that bother me are when I am practicing my Catholic faith, I get overwhelmed by all the requirements and unfamiliar things that seem strange to me. With the Protestant faith, sometimes it seems superficial to me, and I wonder if their historic claims of early church are really true. I’ve have studied myself to death, I have prayed for a long time, and I have tried both faiths. I am living in limbo, I cannot seem to be content in either one. I feel alone and shameful for not being able to figure it out. To me both sides seem to have such strong claims and truth (history included). I keep hoping I will find the one piece of historical information that will prove the truth to me. Who is right? I have begged the Lord many times to help me to know the truth, but He is silent. I have begged Mary to show me, but she is silent. I know this is the most important decision of my life. So I don’t understand why the Lord won’t make it clear to me and bring me out of this confusion. I fear death, I have bad insomnia almost every night because I am afraid of where I will go when I die, and I’m afraid because I know there is no promise of tomorrow. What else can I do? I am currently attending no church. I have been going back and forth in this struggle for a long time, even while remaining in a state of grace. I think the Lord is tired of me. If anybody can share me with similar experiences, ideas, or advice. I will gladly welcome them. Thank you.

Question/challenge:

Where, when, and/or how–by what person or event, or otherwise–amounting to Divine Revelation, or Divine Authority–did the Church that Chirst actually founded–the ONE invested with the Holy Spirit on the Pentacost–that was passed on, AS HE PASSED IT ON, and as HE INSTRUCTED THEM to pass it on, and by WHOM He passed it on to–somehow displaced, or divested of the authority with which she was invested? The authority and confidence with which she was invested, to serve as custodian of the Word of God?

If you can answer this question at all, your answer must lead you to the Reformation. If not, then protestanism is quite simply, man made, and not worthy of your faith.

What God has put together, let no man put asunder.

For context:

*Re-cap of what the Bible does/does not provide for:

1. Christ did not hand his Apostles, a Bible.
2. In fact, Christ didn’t write anything down, AT ALL. This is staggering, in light of the ‘lost/found in the Temple’ episode. Jesus Christ is found in the Temple–when he was around 13 years old–lecturing the Church elders about scripture. Clearly, this child prodigy was learned and well read–and yet, Christ never wrote anything down at all–other than in the sand, with a stick.
3. Christ never prophsizes the Bible. Never mentions such a thing at all.
4. Though he does prophesize His Church (e.g.–"…thou art Peter (Petros) and upon this rock I shall build my Church").
5. Chirst passes his Faith system on to his followers–the Aposltes–orally. He expressly instucts them to do the same. They do. They expessly instruct their followers to do the same. They do. That is and yields, Tradition.
6. The Bible distinguishes between "Apostles’ and ‘disciples’. All Apostles are included as Christ’s disciples; not all disciples are Apostles. The Apostles are the 12–then minus Judas, then plus his successor, Matthias, then later, plus Paul. This distinction signifies a ‘hierarchy’. The replacement of Judas, and the later addition of St. Paul, signify succession, and growth, respectively. This is the Church that Jesus Christ founded.
7. There is no Bible at the time of the Pentacost, nor for centuries afterwards;
8. Nor even mention of a thing known as a ‘bible’, in the Bible–let alone mention of a concept known as ‘sola scriptura’. Not in the Gospels; not in the Acts of the Apostles; not in any letter by St. Paul, St. James, St. Peter, or anyone else. Hence the very concept of a ‘Bible’ at all, is the friut of the Church that Christ founded–i.e.–the fruit of Tradition.
9. Re. references to ‘scripture’ in the Bible–this refers to then existing scritpure; there is no express reference to scripture which will come into being; that only becomes so, through Tradition.
10. And of course, no prophecy whatsoever, of the reformation. Ergo, no Divine authority for what has been horribly inaccurately dubbed, “the reformation.”*

Point being–if you can’t account for the Church that Christ founded, from the Pentacost to to this very day, then Christ’s prophecy of his Church sustaining to the end of days, and “…the gates of Hades not prevailing against it”, must have been a lie—and consequently, everything else He promised.

The Church may be flawed, but it’s THE Church that Christ founded. In her, you will find all the perfection you need. Protestantism may have its charms, but the Catholic Church has Truth. THE Truth.

Keep the Faith…