praying for death

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ready said:
You are misunderstood about the mentally ill. Statistics reveal that it is the mentally ill who are the targets of most crimes, not the perpetrators. And the perpetrators who are mentally ill are like the other perptrators of serious crimes, usually on drugs or alchohol.
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It is the drugs or alchohol dependency that gets them in trouble, not their mental illness. I know someone personally who attempted suicide four times, and not for attention. This person is doing just fine now, as the person has found roots in Jesus and not in others or in mere medication/treatment. St. Joseph Labre had schizophrenia according to Fr. Benedict Groeschel. St. Joseph died a saint, not some violent crazed man in need of a labotomy. I believe with all my heart that labotomies wouldn’t be necessary if the sick patients recieved the proper treatment from society, family, and friends. Maybe some mentally ill patients are far gone into mental illness, but I believe there is hope for even them too, if there were only the proper love for them in their lives.Well, perhaps you are right. Did u see father Groeshel , on tv last week, he suffered a stroke, & had a hard time pronouncing some of his words, but to have a stroke one week & be on the air the very next is quite amazing, I hope he is around for awhile, I Love listening to him
 
Methodi said:
Well, perhaps you are right. Did u see father Groeshel , on tv last week, he suffered a stroke, & had a hard time pronouncing some of his words, but to have a stroke one week & be on the air the very next is quite amazing, I hope he is around for awhile, I Love listening to him
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I love listening to him too!🙂
 
Dear Methodi,

And yes, I saw Fr. Groeschel last week. I knew something had to be wrong with him by the way he was speaking. But I’m glad he went on anyway. He’s excellent!
 
I want to thank everyone for their replys. I have a very depressed elderly parent who would much rather be dead than alive right now. I needed some insight into the Catholic perspective before I talk to him. Thanks again.
 
St. Therese in her autobiography “Story of a Soul”, it is written that she wanted to die but not one second before God wanted her to, she would say “Am I going to meet the “Thief” (Jesus) today?”. Also, “I never knew it was possible to suffer so much, never, never, never.” She offered her sufferings gladly to God for sinners. This is the way to want to die.
 
Holland said:
I want to thank everyone for their replys. I have a very depressed elderly parent who would much rather be dead than alive right now. I needed some insight into the Catholic perspective before I talk to him. Thanks again.
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Thoughts of death and suicide in themselves are not sinful. It is the act of taking a life that becomes a sin.
Many elderly persons become depressed due to the losses that they suffer. They are widowed and many of their friends are gone. This is grief, not depression due to a chemical imbalance. Depression is a natural part of the grieving process. Not only do the elderly grieve the loss of friends, they grieve the loss of mobility and independence.
Your presence is the best thing you can provide. Show interest in the stories he tells no matter how many times you have heard it before. Share the stories with children before they are lost forever. This person needs to know he is still valued and of value.

There have been some misconceptions posted on this thread concerning the mentally ill. Lobotomies have not been performed in decades although some depressed patients do receive electrical shock therapy.
Yes, there are medication to treat mental illness. Many have side effects. The number of people who will suffer a mental illness in the course of their lifetime is 25%. Just like physical injury or illness, mental illness can strike anybody.
 
Yes, I saw a documentary on PBS on labotomies and their failure. They would only give short term positive effects. Since I think the 50’s psychotropic drugs have been used effectively for people with mental illness, and electric shock in certain cases.
 
Awake said:
But you just said that we shouldn’t want suffering or death.
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We are not talking about martyrdom. Praying that when death comes it is hoped it comes in martyrdom is totally different to simply praying for death.

CCC 2280 Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.
 
A meditation on an expedient death:

*The Golden Key to Heaven
by Saint Anthony Mary Claret

The death of the just: Death will reach everyone, the good and the bad; but the destiny of each one is quite different. The just man sees himself in this valley of tears as a prisoner, serving a very hard term. He considers himself a slave in this world, suffering an extremely distressing servitude. He regards himself a sailor caught in a horrible storm. And as death means an end of his confinement, an end of his slavery, and is the port of his salvation, he ceases not to cry with David, “Woe is me that my sojourning is prolonged!. . .” (Ps. 119:5). He ceases not to ask with the Apostle, “. . . Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24)
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Robert_Sock said:
A meditation on an expedient death:

*The Golden Key to Heaven
by Saint Anthony Mary Claret

The death of the just: Death will reach everyone, the good and the bad; but the destiny of each one is quite different. The just man sees himself in this valley of tears as a prisoner, serving a very hard term. He considers himself a slave in this world, suffering an extremely distressing servitude. He regards himself a sailor caught in a horrible storm. And as death means an end of his confinement, an end of his slavery, and is the port of his salvation, he ceases not to cry with David, “Woe is me that my sojourning is prolonged!. . .” (Ps. 119:5). He ceases not to ask with the Apostle, “. . . Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom. 7:24)
__________________*
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Yes, I too would love it if Jesus would not prolong my sojourn here on the earth (I have no spouse and kids to care for and heaven is so much better, but I am grateful I don’t consciously pray for death. It would make me feel contradiction in my life - like I wanted to be with Jesus, but before the time he has designated for me. After all I do feel myself with Jesus already and I already experience a wonderful foretaste of heaven on this earth being a joyful member of his body.
 
The way I look at it is that God will take each of us at the exact moment we are ready. It would seem my wanting to leave this earth a moment before his plan would go against his plan for me and for souls, as I would still have something to accomplish on this earth to be ready to be with Him eternally in heaven (and for the sake of other souls I am called to be an instrument for. I should want to endure this life so that God’s purpose will be accomplished in all souls. For the Kingdom.).
 
ready said:
The way I look at it is that God will take each of us at the exact moment we are ready. It would seem my wanting to leave this earth a moment before his plan would go against his plan for me and for souls, as I would still have something to accomplish on this earth to be ready to be with Him eternally in heaven (and for the sake of other souls I am called to be an instrument for. I should want to endure this life so that God’s purpose will be accomplished in all souls. For the Kingdom.).
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OK, but I believe there’s nothing wrong with prayer and meditation asking for death. Perhaps with prayer it will become God’s will to take us sooner. Worse case is that God does not answer our prayers. And, even if our prayers are not answered, such prayers and meditations provide us with good priorities in living this life on Earth: To seek the Heavenly Kingdom above all things earthly.

God Bless
 
Dear Robert,

I don’t want to have to live an instant longer than I am called to live, believe me. If God were to give me the choice right now to die and be with Him in heaven or to suffer longer in this life for souls, I’d have to say I’d suffer for souls but I’d be being selfless by saying that, as eternity with God in Heaven right now would be just wonderful. I personally wouldn’t feel right asking for death unless it came to me. I guess I’m coming from a different place. From what I’ve read in the Catechism, God has a plan and I was created to know, love and serve Him and be happy with him forever in heaven…so I’ll just do that, without praying to have my life shortened…I wouldn’t want it prolonged either though. I just want to do what I was created to do - what the Catechism says and also in a nutshell: to love and receive God’s love. Maybe you are ready to die and get to heaven already. If you are God could be taking you soon. But I feel I still have a purpose to fulfill and I believe God will take me just at the moment I am ready and have fulfilled his plan for me in life. I wish it were my time to go, but I am not the judge of that, only my Father is.
 
ready said:
Dear Robert,

I don’t want to have to live an instant longer than I am called to live, believe me. If God were to give me the choice right now to die and be with Him in heaven or to suffer longer in this life for souls, I’d have to say I’d suffer for souls but I’d be being selfless by saying that, as eternity with God in Heaven right now would be just wonderful. I personally wouldn’t feel right asking for death unless it came to me. I guess I’m coming from a different place. From what I’ve read in the Catechism, God has a plan and I was created to know, love and serve Him and be happy with him forever in heaven…so I’ll just do that, without praying to have my life shortened…I wouldn’t want it prolonged either though. I just want to do what I was created to do - what the Catechism says and also in a nutshell: to love and receive God’s love. Maybe you are ready to die and get to heaven already. If you are God could be taking you soon. But I feel I still have a purpose to fulfill and I believe God will take me just at the moment I am ready and have fulfilled his plan for me in life. I wish it were my time to go, but I am not the judge of that, only my Father is.
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I always pray, “God willing.” Sure I want to go sooner than later, but like you, I want serve God and fulfill his plan. My cross gets heavy at time, with generalized anxiety. Whenever the weight of my cross get heavy, I pray that death comes soon, but again, not my will, but God’s. These past several days have been filled with underlying anxiety to the point that I feel very scared for apparently no reason. I’m on all kinds of med for depression and anxiety. I live all alone. and seldom go outside my apartment. No TV and no newspaper, just the Internet and EWTN over the web. I clutch onto thoughts of the Hereafter.

God Bless
 
Robert_Sock said:
I always pray, “God willing.” Sure I want to go sooner than later, but like you, I want serve God and fulfill his plan. My cross gets heavy at time, with generalized anxiety. Whenever the weight of my cross get heavy, I pray that death comes soon, but again, not my will, but God’s. These past several days have been filled with underlying anxiety to the point that I feel very scared for apparently no reason. I’m on all kinds of med for depression and anxiety. I live all alone. and seldom go outside my apartment. No TV and no newspaper, just the Internet and EWTN over the web. I clutch onto thoughts of the Hereafter.

God Bless
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Robert, I am in almost the same boat as You are , & probably there are many like us. God Bless, Try to get out more, Read the newspaper even tho sometimes it isn`t worth the read, When your time comes, as all of our time will come, I Hope Jesus will quickly welcome You into his Kingdom!
 
Dear Robert and Methodi,

Please consider me a friend you have on the Catholic Answers Forums and a sister in Christ who cares for you both in your trying situations. I will pray each day that God’s will be done in your lives and that you will be abandoned to his most merciful and perfect will in all things. I will pray that you obtain God’s sweet caresses of love in the depths of your soul when you are suffering most so you can endure this difficult life and its crosses as long as God has ordained for you to live. I’m sorry you find yourself wanting to die sometimes. Things must get pretty dark for you at times with your anxiety and depression, making your crosses harder to bear than others. Let me be Simon of Cyrene for you both and help you carry your crosses by extending my friendship to you and letting you know you may always send me a message should things get too tough for you at any given time. I encourage you to remember that your remaining true to your faith and clinging on to God with all your strenght is so pleasing to our Heavenly Father and is gaining much merit for souls.🙂
 
ready said:
Dear Robert and Methodi,

Please consider me a friend you have on the Catholic Answers Forums and a sister in Christ who cares for you both in your trying situations. I will pray each day that God’s will be done in your lives and that you will be abandoned to his most merciful and perfect will in all things. I will pray that you obtain God’s sweet caresses of love in the depths of your soul when you are suffering most so you can endure this difficult life and its crosses as long as God has ordained for you to live. I’m sorry you find yourself wanting to die sometimes. Things must get pretty dark for you at times with your anxiety and depression, making your crosses harder to bear than others. Let me be Simon of Cyrene for you both and help you carry your crosses by extending my friendship to you and letting you know you may always send me a message should things get too tough for you at any given time. I encourage you to remember that your remaining true to your faith and clinging on to God with all your strenght is so pleasing to our Heavenly Father and is gaining much merit for souls.🙂
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Thanks!

God Bless
 
thistle said:
The death of martyrdom is different from a normal death. The OP is not talking about martyrdom.
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Not all of us will be called to a martyr’s death.

As I understand the redemptive nature of suffering, I see where there would be no difference between a martyr’s prayer for a holy merciful death and that of a cancer victim ravaged by disease or a starving destitute individual praying for Christ to help them with their cross.

Eddie Mac
 
ready said:
Dear Robert and Methodi,

Please consider me a friend you have on the Catholic Answers Forums and a sister in Christ who cares for you both in your trying situations. I will pray each day that God’s will be done in your lives and that you will be abandoned to his most merciful and perfect will in all things. I will pray that you obtain God’s sweet caresses of love in the depths of your soul when you are suffering most so you can endure this difficult life and its crosses as long as God has ordained for you to live. I’m sorry you find yourself wanting to die sometimes. Things must get pretty dark for you at times with your anxiety and depression, making your crosses harder to bear than others. Let me be Simon of Cyrene for you both and help you carry your crosses by extending my friendship to you and letting you know you may always send me a message should things get too tough for you at any given time. I encourage you to remember that your remaining true to your faith and clinging on to God with all your strenght is so pleasing to our Heavenly Father and is gaining much merit for souls.🙂
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Thank You Very Much for your caring & concern, Thats what makes a Good Christian. This is what God wants, is for us to love one another. Thank You for your prayers, I will also remember You in Mine
 
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