Please, explain what I should do

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I have said this many times but probably another time will do no harm - please diffrentiate between real Church’s teachings/doctrines and individual Catholics. I understand it is difficult for you since you come to be taught Catholicism.

Devotion, which is practicing a certain spirituality in a devoted way, is not doctrine. It may be necessary for spiritual growth but it is not obligatory.

For example, as a way for spiritual growth, you can be devoted to the Eucharist by going for the mass everyday. That is a good thing. The teaching of the Church however, tells us that we are only obliged to go for the mass on Sundays and days of obligation. Similarly for other devotions. So hope you can see the differences. They are not obligatory.

Now, when you go into devotion, you can expect a deeper understanding of the subject that you are devoted to. The words used therefore have to be understood in the context they are used. This is the reason why non-Catholics would jump up at the terminologies we used because they understand it generally without knowing our context in using them.

As for Mary, for starter, it is enough for you to know that she is the mother of Jesus who is God. In that sense she is called the Mother of God. She does not have the power of God but basically her roles is intercessory (for us). Being an intercessor, she is special because being the mother of Jesus, she would be the closest to him as a mother does. Remember at Cana, only a mother can do that kind of thing to her child. And Jesus, like any good Jew is a good filial child. When we ask Mary, she will be on our side, and that would be to our advantage.
 
Reuben_J said:
As for Mary, for starter, it is enough for you to know that she is the mother of Jesus who is God. In that sense she is called the Mother of God. She does not have the power of God but basically her roles is intercessory (for us). Being an intercessor, she is special because being the mother of Jesus, she would be the closest to him as a mother does.
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I agree with Reuben. This is sufficient and is all you need to believe to get a start.

But you also have to have some respect and an open mind to other Catholics who have devotional practices towards Mary that you do not understand. Saying it’s “appalling” and “sickens and saddens you” etc actually makes ME feel appalled, sick and sad because it’s like an insult to Jesus’ Mother and hence an insult to Jesus Himself.

Mary always, always, ALWAYS leads us to God/ Jesus. Ad Jesum per Mariam. Salvation never comes from her. It comes from Jesus THROUGH her.

If you are a brand new Catholic and came from a Protestant tradition, you are probably not ready to appreciate the works of St. Louis de Montfort, or even the works of St. Maximilian Kolbe, with respect to Mary. That’s like Advanced Catholicism and you’re still on Introduction to Catholicism. You also shouldn’t be going around looking up random stuff on the web to read. It will only confuse you.

If you are serious about wanting to know more about Mary and have an open mind about her, I would recommend you find a good priest or spiritual advisor to talk to, make an appointment, and have the discussion. This sort of “I found some stuff on the web and it makes me sick and now I have to leave the Church” on a message board is not going to get you much of anywhere.
 
I’m sorry if I have come across the wrong way, its not Mary in herself I am appalled at… It’s how people seem to be portraying her, thats all. People saying that devotion towards her is necessary for salvation is what’s appalling, not the intercession or love for Mary part in itself
 
Some people get overwhelmed by their love of Mary and do not phrase things always in the least confusing, or even doctrinally correct way. I try to always phrase things correctly but screwed it up myself on here a few months ago, leading to somebody thinking I was advocating salvation through Mary. I was really upset about that as I meant no such thing but apparently didn’t write clearly.

Believe me, if people have it wrong and are not putting Jesus first, Mother Mary herself would be the FIRST one to come down and correct them. Mary NEVER put herself ahead of God or Jesus, ever, and she doesn’t want that now, so don’t worry. She helps Jesus but she never puts herself ahead or gives the salvation or grace her very own self. It always comes from God and she just dispenses it. Just like when we pray to her, she takes our intentions to Jesus, adding her own prayers to those.
 
As a former Protestant I understand your concerns. I still sometimes am put off by some people’s devotions. I find it an emotional and not reasonable reaction. But do the actual words of the Liturgy bother you? This is the central prayer of the Church. If those words don’t bother you then the heart of Catholic life is not a problem. Read the Catechism (the JPII or Baltimore). Does anything in there bother you? If not then the central teachings of the Church are not a problem.

So your problem is with particular Catholics (possibly including churchmen and even Popes) or particular expressions of devotion. But this is really a deeper level of Catholic understanding, even if what they are talking about they say is central.

If you dig into any other Christian Church you’d find problems or difficulties. If you believe everything else about the Catholic Church then you know that Protestantism is not an option. Orthodoxy is, but if you read enough Orthodox resources you’ll find problems there and you’ll definitely find a devotion to the Theotokos. So, like St. Peter where will you go? Who has the words of eternal life, even if you don’t understand it and struggle with it?
 
Your very right… And I thank you for your encouragement. It has been a very intense and trying conversion… That coupled with scrupulosity does not make it a pretty scene. But Christ knows all things and my heart, so I will need to lean on him now more than ever I think. Where else can I receive the eucharist? Nowhere. And no Protestantism is not and option. In fact, it does not fulfill me the same as the Catholic Church, which I believe is His truly… I just have to put out all the false things I might hear… Even if the Pope does wrong… Christs body is still on the altar… God bless you. Pray for me as I resist the devil!
 
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Popes are human. So are you. Just go to Jesus. If Mary is too difficult for you right now then just tell Jesus that.
He and his mother will understand, as long as you are respectful.
 
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Friend this is NOT A Roman Catholic Site; I suspect its either SPX or Anglican, so your worried about thongs that the RCC to the best of my knowledge [I’m a trained & Experienced Catholic Marian Catechist.

I did not bother listening to the ENTIRE presentation.

TRUTH, can only be what it actually is …SINGULAR per defined issue. This is NOT God’s entire TRUTH, and does NOT reflect Catholic Teaching

Please chose with CARE what you are trying to accomplish.

PRAY very much,

GBY

Patrick
 
I’m not trying to accomplish anything against the church. I’m just trying to understand
 
I suspect this is what I call it “Learning the Catholic lingo”. A Catholic might say: “I prayed to St Thomas today…” when he/she means " I asked St Thomas to pray for me and my family and… to God our Father."

Write down all your questions and thoughts and then contact a priest or deacon and talk. And talk more when you need to. For some, the individual talks with a priest, deacon, sister or sponsor are more important than the RICA classes. Especially for those who come into the church from an intellectual background or those who have been heavily involved in the Protestant churches and are reacting to “Catholic lingo”.

It is very common to be ready to back out from being received into the Church. If you notice you are on a spiritual “roller coaster” just hang in there. Things might settle down when your questions have been answered or on Ash Wednesday or ? For me it settled down when I had been to my first confession a week before Easter.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
Believe me, if people have it wrong and are not putting Jesus first, Mother Mary herself would be the FIRST one to come down and correct them.
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I know this is unrelated but when I read this a vision of my mother coming after me with a wooden spoon yelling what til your father gets home, just popped into my head. 😂😂😂

This was good I liked it.
 
HeDa said:
I suspect this is what I call it “Learning the Catholic lingo”. A Catholic might say: “I prayed to St Thomas today…” when he/she means " I asked St Thomas to pray for me and my family and… to God our Father."
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Yes, exactly. It is just a short way of saying that.
 
I apologize, but I am finding it difficult to understand how someone can approach the Catholic Church, go through Catholic spiritual training and suddenly be surprised that we venerate the Mother of God.
JesusReigns said:
This is appalling and sickens me and saddens.
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Really? How many images of Mary did you pass each time you went to the adult education room, or to Mass for that matter? As much as we honor the mother of God, she is not the Savior, her holy Son is. Show some respect. I don’t think our Lord would be to happy that you using such terms as “appalling” and sickening" in anything having to do with his Mother.
 
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It’s not the Veneration, it’s the supposed ideas of people who say that we con only be saved IF we go to her. I understand the honor part. And the prayer is powerful I believe. I don’t find her and her intercession and Veneration sickening, just the false ideas I have come across. Please understand I don’t find her appaling at all, in fact I love the Blessed Mother. PAX God bless you
 
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Perhaps my language in the original post seemed disrespectful of the Mother, but please anyone reading this understand I was referring to the false ideas, not necessarily Church doctrine or Our Lady. I was also venting a little. It’s a hard process. God Bless
 
I read you that way—confused and wanting to know—not attacking or belittling!

Even if you had views that oppose the Church and wanted to discuss them to see what the Church’s answers are to your arguments, that should be welcomed here. Everyone grows when we encounter a different perspective—whether we agree or disagree it helps us define for ourselves more clearly what we believe and do not believe.

I wish it didn’t turn into personal attacks so often! The intellectual debate towards mutual understanding and growth is the whole purpose. If we all already agreed it would be more of a pep rally than a forum for conversation.

I appreciated that you cared enough to ask for an explanation rather than just giving up altogether! And you asked it very honestly with your true reaction to what you had read from the Saints that were outside of your comfort zone. That should have informed us of your level of distress and your need for a clear and thorough explanation. It should not have brought any accusations against you.

I hope that some of the replies at least made you feel understood and welcomed and helped you understand a bit better. Please don’t judge the Catholic faith by people who are hurtful. They might not be practicing sincerely what they are preaching as carefully as they might ought to do… Behaviors that attack and accuse and harm are not of the Lord.

God bless you in your search for Truth. God always rewards you when you persevere in your quest to find Him, especially when it sometimes feels more like struggling than seeking.
 
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Practicing what you preach. I like that.
 
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