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CatholicFireman
Guest
Why don’t you walk across the street from the “Mason Nation” to the Catholic Center and maybe they can convince you to come home to the Catholic Church. We’d love to have you back.
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chain
Guest
Consider scheduling the time with the Priest (be it a confession or conference). It sounds like you have some serious items to talk about and the a scheduled visit will be a lot easier for the priests schedule.
I disagreed with many of the church teaching until I studied them more, only to realize that the church teachings were far more thought out than my problems with them.
I disagreed with many of the church teaching until I studied them more, only to realize that the church teachings were far more thought out than my problems with them.
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TedDC
Guest
No, I don’t believe many of the basic tenets of the Catholic faith any more.Why don’t you walk across the street from the “Mason Nation” to the Catholic Center and maybe they can convince you to come home to the Catholic Church. We’d love to have you back.
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John_of_Woking
Guest
I Think mjs1987 means well and has a genuine concern for this man’s soul and a thirst for truth. His zeal probably coloured his language a wee bit
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bilop
Guest
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crazzeto
Guest
Quite the oppisite, you should go to confession as soon as possible. More over you should tell Father that you would like to spend some time with a priest for direction, so you can bring up your points and allow him to address them. You should also read what the Bishops have to say about these issues, chances are you’ll see that abortion, contraception and same-sex unions are risible, and repugnant to reason.
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Scoobyshme
Guest
Would you be open to reasoning from the Church’s viewpoint? Or at least someone who’s Catholic (and quite intelligent)?
Dr. Peter Kreeft is a well-known professor of philosophy at Boston College. He is a convert to Catholicism, and is expert at reasoning (of course).
Perhaps you would like to listen to a couple of his talks on these matters and maybe get a book or two of his.
Here’s a one of his talks on being pro-life:
alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/peter-kreeft_prolife-logic.mp3
Here’s one on moral theology, which covers homosexuality:
alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/peter-kreeft_moral-theology.mp3
Also, I’d like to recommend Dr. Charles E. Rice, professor emeritus in the Notre Dame School of Law. He has an excellent talk on The Natural Law, where he covers, among other things, abortion and artificial birth control. Here’s one of his talks:
alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Natural_Law-1.mp3
There are many more talks on my site. Please feel free to download any or all of them, as you see fit. They’re mostly .mp3 files, with a few videos and a page of .pdf’s thrown in for flavoring.
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CatholicFireman
Guest
Sorry to hear that bro.
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Ave_Maria_1
Guest
To truly be a practicing Catholic one must give our assent to all the teachings of our Church and that includes those life issues such as abortion and gay ‘marriages’.
You owe it to yourself to study the Church’s teachings and discover why they are truth.
Otherwise you are “Catholic” in name only (CINO) and we have many such of those. Some are in political office. We need faithful Catholics who are not afraid to defend the truths of the faith.
The words you used to describe your feelings are more than doubts, they are denials. Heresy is the post baptismal denial and non-acceptance of a tenet of the faith. Take a look at where you are! Some call this ‘cafeteria catholic’. You owe it to yourself to decide if you are a Catholic and thus give the assent of faith or you are free to find another religion compatible to your liking. These moral issues are quite essential. Martyrs have died to defend a tenet of the faith. Would you?
You owe it to yourself to study the Church’s teachings and discover why they are truth.
Otherwise you are “Catholic” in name only (CINO) and we have many such of those. Some are in political office. We need faithful Catholics who are not afraid to defend the truths of the faith.
The words you used to describe your feelings are more than doubts, they are denials. Heresy is the post baptismal denial and non-acceptance of a tenet of the faith. Take a look at where you are! Some call this ‘cafeteria catholic’. You owe it to yourself to decide if you are a Catholic and thus give the assent of faith or you are free to find another religion compatible to your liking. These moral issues are quite essential. Martyrs have died to defend a tenet of the faith. Would you?
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TedDC
Guest
Apostolic succession, papal infallibility on matters of faith and morals, Real Presence/transubstantiation, need for confession to a priest, no salvation outside the Church.
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Lypher
Guest
Boy… I wonder if you believe in the Sacraments, why? If you can ponder on that and it is determined that it is because you believe in Christ, which I think it would, then I think you should ask yourself why? If you come to the conclusion that Christ is real then you might want to ask what was he teaching and who sent him. If you can understand these and agree on his mission of love and treating others as we would like to be treated and you accept God and his 10 commandments. Then I guess you could ask yourself why? What shows you that or gives you proof. If you believe that it is because of the Bible, and the tradition of the Church then you might want to ask yourself why do you believe in that. If you accept that the Church was responsible for the bible and that you trust the Church then you might want to read the old Church documents and the compare it to present teaching. If you belive the apostles then you can probably believe in what they said since they attest to Christ and present the Good News. That being said… All the things you have find fault with are not the Churches demands, they are the demands of God… and since you believe in God then you believe in these laws. You know I really and I mean really did not like the 55 mile an hour speed limit…I don’t like any speed limits… They are not fun. I like to speed, nevertheless I am suppossed to obey those laws. I don’t like them and their are consequences when I break them, but I have free will to decide if I want to put myself at risk and violate the law.
I think you already knew all of this, but probably did not accept it because it just is not fun. I like cigarettes too… I finally quit, but I still like them and I think about them all the time. Oh, well I just can’t smoke them or their will be a consequence. The sad part is that I smoked for many years so I probably will have consequences in the future for may actions of the past… same as all the old sins I committed. Purgatory is flat out going to suck, but I still hope I get there…
God Bless You … Please Pray for Me…
P.S. I am a LCMS convert and I wish I could take communion, but I can’t just yet…
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TiggerS
Guest
You are quite correct to follow the advice that Father has given you in Confession.
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TedDC
Guest
Not to pick on you in particular, but what I see in your post is a tactic all too common in these fora when addresssing non-believers: suggesting that they really know that Catholic faith is true, but they have chosen to put their own desires above their duty to obey God’s laws.Boy… I wonder if you believe in the Sacraments, why? If you can ponder on that and it is determined that it is because you believe in Christ, which I think it would, then I think you should ask yourself why? If you come to the conclusion that Christ is real then you might want to ask what was he teaching and who sent him. If you can understand these and agree on his mission of love and treating others as we would like to be treated and you accept God and his 10 commandments. Then I guess you could ask yourself why? What shows you that or gives you proof. If you believe that it is because of the Bible, and the tradition of the Church then you might want to ask yourself why do you believe in that. If you accept that the Church was responsible for the bible and that you trust the Church then you might want to read the old Church documents and the compare it to present teaching. If you belive the apostles then you can probably believe in what they said since they attest to Christ and present the Good News. That being said… All the things you have find fault with are not the Churches demands, they are the demands of God… and since you believe in God then you believe in these laws. You know I really and I mean really did not like the 55 mile an hour speed limit…I don’t like any speed limits… They are not fun. I like to speed, nevertheless I am suppossed to obey those laws. I don’t like them and their are consequences when I break them, but I have free will to decide if I want to put myself at risk and violate the law.
I think you already knew all of this, but probably did not accept it because it just is not fun. I like cigarettes too… I finally quit, but I still like them and I think about them all the time. Oh, well I just can’t smoke them or their will be a consequence. The sad part is that I smoked for many years so I probably will have consequences in the future for may actions of the past… same as all the old sins I committed. Purgatory is flat out going to suck, but I still hope I get there…
God Bless You … Please Pray for Me…
P.S. I am a LCMS convert and I wish I could take communion, but I can’t just yet…
Unless you know the individual you’re addressing, you have no basis for impugning his/her character in that way. By all means, debate them on matters of faith, but without evidence you have no right to suggest that their lack of belief represents anything but a simple lack of belief.
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Ave_Maria_1
Guest
Now TedDC has come from heretical ideas to being apostate where he rejects basic tenets of the faith and he calls himself ‘fallen-away’ Catholic. Yet, he is here on this forum. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is nagging him just a bit? Perhaps that Hound of Heaven is not leaving him in peace but rather to bring him to a place where he can accept the faith and when he does, he will be very strong. And this for our other doubter too.
The fullness of faith subsists in the Catholic church. There the answers to questions can be found but faith is indeed a gift and it can be lost. One can lose their faith and even become an enemy to the Church as we see so often. Some are scandalized by sinners so there are remarks like “I encounter so and so or such and such and I am glad I left”. Wow, easy mark for the evil one to keep that soul away! Yep, the Church is made up of those who give scandal and all sorts of sinners. Our Lord did not come for those who consider themselves so righteous that they do not need the Church and the healing Sacraments therein.
The belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a core belief.
Frequent confession will peel away the layers of unbelief and all other things that keep us from God in time. Confession attacks that pride that makes a soul feel above what everyone else needs or that pride that refuses to give assent or that pride that knows more than the Church. The devil hates confession and that alone is a very good reason to seek that Sacrament with frequency. Find a good holy confessor and your spiritual life will change.
The fullness of faith subsists in the Catholic church. There the answers to questions can be found but faith is indeed a gift and it can be lost. One can lose their faith and even become an enemy to the Church as we see so often. Some are scandalized by sinners so there are remarks like “I encounter so and so or such and such and I am glad I left”. Wow, easy mark for the evil one to keep that soul away! Yep, the Church is made up of those who give scandal and all sorts of sinners. Our Lord did not come for those who consider themselves so righteous that they do not need the Church and the healing Sacraments therein.
The belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a core belief.
Frequent confession will peel away the layers of unbelief and all other things that keep us from God in time. Confession attacks that pride that makes a soul feel above what everyone else needs or that pride that refuses to give assent or that pride that knows more than the Church. The devil hates confession and that alone is a very good reason to seek that Sacrament with frequency. Find a good holy confessor and your spiritual life will change.
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Neithan
Guest
You are blessed! Don’t despair about your doubts and difficulties of reasoning - you believe in the Eucharist and the Sacraments, and all the teachings of the Church are implicitly contained in them. Continue to study the Church’s reasoning - read the Catechism! - and pray for understanding. Do not suppress your doubts but let God use them to motivate your search for truth.
God bless you
God bless you
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jamison
Guest
The very ideathat you want only a faith that makes sense to your reason should alarm you. It’s FAITH for a reason. You can not pick and choose what teachings you except (cafateria catholic) from the Catholic church. That being said, you have to start somewhere and your faith will grow if you turn from your sin. Talk to your priest and go from there.
Remember, faith, even just the size of mustard seed, is a gift from the Lord.
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Ron_Conte
Guest
Your knowing freely chosen rejection of the Church’s definitive teaching on abortion, contraception, same-sex unions, the authority of the Pope, and the ability of the Magisterium to teach infallibly is the objective mortal sin of heresy. You are not permitted to receive Communion because you are not in Communion with the Church. If you go to confession and yet refuse to repent of your rejection of Church teaching, then you are not forgiven and you still may not receive Communion.
The Magisterium teaches infallibly in only three ways: papal infallibility, solemn definitions of Ecumenical Councils, and the universal magisterium. All other teachings of the Magisterium are non-infallible (limited possibility of error).
Can. 750 n. 1. A person must believe with divine and Catholic faith all those things contained in the word of God, written or handed on, that is, in the one deposit of faith entrusted to the Church, and at the same time proposed as divinely revealed either by the solemn magisterium of the Church or by its ordinary and universal magisterium which is manifested by the common adherence of the Christian faithful under the leadership of the sacred magisterium; therefore all are bound to avoid any doctrines whatsoever contrary to them.
Canon 751: “Heresy is the obstinate denial or obstinate doubt after the reception of baptism of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.”
Canon 1364 §1: “an apostate from the faith, a heretic, or a schismatic incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.”
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Lypher
Guest
Valid point…
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crenfro
Guest
God bless you! Savor that experience you had in that church a month ago.
And, many, many blessings to you on returning back to the faith!!!
Take a look too at that Rembrandt -it was Rembrandt, wasn’t it? - painting of The Prodigal Son. Hey, they had a party after one who was lost, came back.
Here’s my two cents about your post - they’re only my opinion and I’m just another struggler in this life, so take 'em or leave 'em.
I’d suggest you go to the site
catholicscomehome.org/
and follow the section there for Catholics who’ve been away from the faith.
I’d also suggest that you start listening to Father Corapi. I wouldn’t have returned to my faith if I hadn’t heard his talk concerning modern “hair shirts.”
And discuss things with God and wait for His answer.
I’d also suggest that you recall that “faith precedes reason” and discuss with God these things about the Catholic Church that you doubt and find obnoxious, yet keep your heart open to God’s guidance and keep asking God what is His will for you and be willing to do that - and do that in tiny, tiny baby-steps.
And start going to confession frequently and Mass frequently. Just go. Be like the Nike shoe.
Also, I’d suggest you listen to the “Catholic Answers Live” radio talk show that’s derived from this website and Open Line on the EWTN radio and call in and ask questions of their apologists. And just ask the ones you feel drawn to, and who “speak” to you. And read what they suggest, as much as you can.
All the apologists I’ve listened to on the Catholic Answers Live and EWTN are very different, with unique strengths and ways of communicating, but they really care. And all of them are excellent and orthodox, from what I’ve heard them say.
Many blessings to you. You sound beloved by God.
And, many, many blessings to you on returning back to the faith!!!
Take a look too at that Rembrandt -it was Rembrandt, wasn’t it? - painting of The Prodigal Son. Hey, they had a party after one who was lost, came back.
Here’s my two cents about your post - they’re only my opinion and I’m just another struggler in this life, so take 'em or leave 'em.
I’d suggest you go to the site
catholicscomehome.org/
and follow the section there for Catholics who’ve been away from the faith.
I’d also suggest that you start listening to Father Corapi. I wouldn’t have returned to my faith if I hadn’t heard his talk concerning modern “hair shirts.”
And discuss things with God and wait for His answer.
I’d also suggest that you recall that “faith precedes reason” and discuss with God these things about the Catholic Church that you doubt and find obnoxious, yet keep your heart open to God’s guidance and keep asking God what is His will for you and be willing to do that - and do that in tiny, tiny baby-steps.
And start going to confession frequently and Mass frequently. Just go. Be like the Nike shoe.
Also, I’d suggest you listen to the “Catholic Answers Live” radio talk show that’s derived from this website and Open Line on the EWTN radio and call in and ask questions of their apologists. And just ask the ones you feel drawn to, and who “speak” to you. And read what they suggest, as much as you can.
All the apologists I’ve listened to on the Catholic Answers Live and EWTN are very different, with unique strengths and ways of communicating, but they really care. And all of them are excellent and orthodox, from what I’ve heard them say.
Many blessings to you. You sound beloved by God.
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chain
Guest
I do not know your opinion of intercessory prayer, but if you are not theologically opposed to it, I will make a humble suggestion. Pray a rosary. Pray one every day. They don’t take that long, and odds are you are sitting in a car (or on a bus) longer every day anyway - use the time. See how it changes your outlook in a week, a month, 6 months, a year…
All journeys begin with a step - the rosary is a good step. You might not be ready to accept the catechism completely with only faith today. You might not be ready to read the church teachings that defend the philosophy behind the catechism. But perhaps you are ready to increase your prayer life with something as small as a daily rosary.
One second suggestion - everyone who reads this thread - say a rosary and include the poster in your intentions.
All journeys begin with a step - the rosary is a good step. You might not be ready to accept the catechism completely with only faith today. You might not be ready to read the church teachings that defend the philosophy behind the catechism. But perhaps you are ready to increase your prayer life with something as small as a daily rosary.
One second suggestion - everyone who reads this thread - say a rosary and include the poster in your intentions.
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