So Hard to Be Catholic

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lwest

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I just need to vent, so bear with me. Although I’ll never leave the Faith and I truly try to follow the Teachings, I’m finding it very hard to be Catholic. I see such public hypocrocy… I’ve heard of priests who tell divorced and remarried Catholics that it’s ok to receive Communion because it’s “no big deal”. So we have the ultra liberals. Then we have the other side of the coin: the ultra conservatives who believe that if you only have 2 children, they are destined to hell. There are people who claim to be so holy but arereally not very nice people If you wear pants, you’re destined to hell. It’s lke they take the Teachings and bump them up a notch to put themselves on a pedastle. What happened to just being Catholic?

It saddens me and angers me because we are losing people. People are leaving the Church, not because of the Teachings but because of their lack of understanding of them and because of the poor examples so many Catholic display. if this is Christ’s kingdom on earth, it sure needs work.

Thanks for listening.
 
Perhaps you should stop listening to people, and start listening to the voice of God.

Practicing religion, without faith, is nonsense.

Faith isn’t the suppression of doubt, but the relationship with Jesus Christ.

Faith makes religion rich and meaningful. Lack of faith makes religion dry and even irrational.

So, pray for faith, by going to the source of faith, Jesus Christ.

God Bless
Jim
 
Also go to the source of teachings on our faith, such as the Catechism, and cling to that. Unfortunately “Phariseeism”, or self-righteousness in us, is always rearing it’s ugly head, and proving the Churchs’ doctrine on original sin to be true!
 
What do the actions of all these other people you mention have to do with YOU being Catholic?

Spend more time on your own spiritual position and less time looking outward. You will also begin to see the goodness of Christ’s Bride, and all the good and wonderful people and priests who ARE coming to the Truth of Christ.

Focus on the negative and that’s all you will get out of life.

~Liza
 
As St. Robert Bellarmine said, “Without labors and sorrows, where would be the crown of patience?”

And to deal with living amongst sinners, St. Catherine of Siena reminds us by writing the words of the Father:
Another thing is necessary for you to arrive at this union and purity, namely, that you should never judge the will of man in anything that you may see done or said by any creature whatsoever, either to yourself or to others. My will alone should you consider, both in them and in yourself. And, if you should see evident sins or defects, draw out of those thorns the rose, that is to say, offer them to Me, with holy compassion. In the case of injuries done to yourself, judge that My will permits this in order to prove virtue in yourself, and in My other servants, esteeming that he who acts thus does so as the instrument of My will; perceiving, moreover, that such apparent sinners may frequently have a good intention, for no one can judge the secrets of the heart of man. That which you do not see you should not judge in your mind, even though it may externally be open mortal sin, seeing nothing in others, but My will, not in order to judge, but, as has been said, with holy compassion. In this way you will arrive at perfect purity, because acting thus, your mind will not be scandalized, either in Me or in your neighbor. Otherwise you fall into contempt of your neighbor, if you judge his evil will towards you, instead of My will acting in him. Such contempt and scandal separates the soul from Me, and prevents perfection, and, in some cases, deprives a man of grace, more or less according to the gravity of his contempt, and the hatred which his judgment has conceived against his neighbor.
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Likewise, St. Pius X reminds us,
  1. But there is comfort for us: the Lord liveth and “He will make all things work together unto good to them that love God” (Rom. viii. 28). Even from these evils He will bring good, and above all the obstacles devised by human perversity He will make more splendid the triumph of His work and of His Church. Such is the wonderful design of the Divine Wisdom and such “His unsearchable ways” (Ib. xi. 33) in the present order of Providence – “for my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor my ways your ways, said the Lord” (Isai. Iv. 8) – that the Church of Christ is destined ever to renew in herself the life of her Divine Founder who suffered so much, and in a manner to “fill up what is wanting of the sufferings of Christ” (Coloss. i. 24). Hence her condition as militant on earth divinely constrains her to live in the midst of contentions, troubles, and difficulties, that thus “through many tribulations she may enter into the kingdom of God” (Act. xiv. 21), and at last be united with the Church triumphant in heaven.
  2. Anselm’s commentary on the passage of St. Matthew: " Jesus constrained His disciples to enter the boat," is directly to the point: “The words in their mystical sense summarize the state of the Church from the coming of Jesus Christ to the end of the world. The ship, then, was buffeted by the waves in the midst of the sea, while Jesus remained on the summit of the mountain; for ever since the Savior ascended to heaven holy Church has been agitated by great tribulations in the world, buffeted by various storms of persecution, harassed by the divers perversities of the wicked, and in many ways assailed by vice. Because the wind was contrary, because the influence of malign spirits is constantly opposed to her to prevent her from reaching the port of salvation, striving to submerge her under the opposing waves of the world, stirring up against her all possible difficulties” (Hom. iii. 22).
  3. They err greatly, therefore, who lose faith during the storm, wishing for themselves and the Church a permanent state of perfect tranquillity, universal prosperity, and practical, unanimous and uncontested recognition of her sacred authority.
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forever the church has been full of sinners and hypocrisy. BUT, it has survived these past 2000 years. in reading about the saints, i am finding that the church has had people falling away constantly and then there are the saints who are doing their darndest to bring them back.

so what you are seeing is nothing new, unfortunately.
like someone else already said, focus on you being catholic first and foremost.
 
lwest said:
I just need to vent, so bear with me. Although I’ll never leave the Faith and I truly try to follow the Teachings, I’m finding it very hard to be Catholic. I see such public hypocrocy… I’ve heard of priests who tell divorced and remarried Catholics that it’s ok to receive Communion because it’s “no big deal”. So we have the ultra liberals. Then we have the other side of the coin: the ultra conservatives who believe that if you only have 2 children, they are destined to hell. There are people who claim to be so holy but arereally not very nice people If you wear pants, you’re destined to hell. It’s lke they take the Teachings and bump them up a notch to put themselves on a pedastle. What happened to just being Catholic?

It saddens me and angers me because we are losing people. People are leaving the Church, not because of the Teachings but because of their lack of understanding of them and because of the poor examples so many Catholic display. if this is Christ’s kingdom on earth, it sure needs work.

Thanks for listening.
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Dear Iwest

Once, I felt the same like you but later I realized that my faith is between God and me nothing else. I’m not active in the parish because I see many people are being active but the other sides they make rumours. I don’t say that all but what I’ve seen like that. So I attend the mass I just focus to the mass, I focus to God. I don’t want to look at the priest (because sometime it could effect us not to go to the mass if you know what I mean), I don’t want to look at negative side. I just look to positive side and the most important is that the union between God and me in The Holy Eucharist. That’s all. And it keeps my faith stronger.

God bless
 
wina said:
Once, I felt the same like you but later I realized that my faith is between God and me nothing else.
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Love of God should overflow to others–especially poor sinners. Being a Catholic is not about “just God and me” but it is a communion in Christ–and that includes sinners (like you and I too). Christ dined with sinners for this reason. We must be like leaven and allow the fire of divine love to spread to all men, even if we are calumniated, or gossped or lied about, etc (like Christ was)–love bears all things. Like Christ, we must patiently bear with the sins of our neighbors (like He patiently bears with ours) so that in all mercy and charity and we spread the salvation He offers. If we isolate ourselves from the community, our faith will be sterile and not produce such fruit.
 
While I have encountered “phariseeism”(LOVE the term by the way) within the Catholic faith, personally I have witnessed it much more in non-Catholics. Of course this may be due to the non-Catholics with whom I associate, instead of their religion. Nevertheless, it has been true in my experience.
fhansen said:
Also go to the source of teachings on our faith, such as the Catechism, and cling to that. Unfortunately “Phariseeism”, or self-righteousness in us, is always rearing it’s ugly head, and proving the Churchs’ doctrine on original sin to be true!
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Genesis315 said:
Love of God should overflow to others–especially poor sinners. Being a Catholic is not about “just God and me” but it is a communion in Christ–and that includes sinners (like you and I too). Christ dined with sinners for this reason. We must be like leaven and allow the fire of divine love to spread to all men, even if we are calumniated, or gossped or lied about, etc (like Christ was)–love bears all things. Like Christ, we must patiently bear with the sins of our neighbors (like He patiently bears with ours) so that in all mercy and charity and we spread the salvation He offers. If we isolate ourselves from the community, our faith will be sterile and not produce such fruit.
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Genesis, thank you for your explanation and I agree what you said.But what I mean it’s just between God and me because probably I’m not a person who can deal with others who I don’t really know. I know it may not be right but I pray for them. What I mean that some time it’s so hard to deal with people like that and if I’m not ready to face them, it’s better I try not to look at their attitude because whether I realize or not the there is a sin because in my heart I already judge them. It may not the right thing to do. Anyway…I’ve been trying to change.So, I try to involve with the community with the other parish as collectors, or just join to prayer group. I believe that through prayers we can share God’s love to others. Probably I’m the other branch that share God’s love with different way. Because I do believe that there are many ways to show our faith and God’s love and it could be one not being active at the church but active in other social field.
Peace and God bless
 
People leave the church because they wish to pursue the permissive ways of society. Our faith requires self-denial and personal sacrifice; something repugnant to most people. It is the same now as it’s always been. Most follow the broad road to hell and only a remnant manage to seek and follow to the end the straight and narrow way that leads to life. And so it is. Many are called but few are chosen.
 
Yes, I agree that it is hard to be a good Catholic. And, I have found that the more you know about your faith, the more you grow in your faith, the harder it becomes. I don’t mean harder in the sense that it is harder to try to please God, but it is just harder because you hold yourself to a higher standard. In today’s world, having higher standards is a bit uncommon. So, just have faith and keep your eyes on your eternal reward. 🙂
 
Thanks, Swizzlestick! And everyone else who commented. (obviously) I dont’ get on this forum very often.
 
lwest said:
I just need to vent, so bear with me. Although I’ll never leave the Faith and I truly try to follow the Teachings, I’m finding it very hard to be Catholic. I see such public hypocrocy… I’ve heard of priests who tell divorced and remarried Catholics that it’s ok to receive Communion because it’s “no big deal”. So we have the ultra liberals. Then we have the other side of the coin: the ultra conservatives who believe that if you only have 2 children, they are destined to hell. There are people who claim to be so holy but arereally not very nice people If you wear pants, you’re destined to hell. It’s lke they take the Teachings and bump them up a notch to put themselves on a pedastle. What happened to just being Catholic?

It saddens me and angers me because we are losing people. People are leaving the Church, not because of the Teachings but because of their lack of understanding of them and because of the poor examples so many Catholic display. if this is Christ’s kingdom on earth, it sure needs work.

Thanks for listening.
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We are going to have weeds wherever we are, just like Jesus’ parable of the sower tells us. But I will tell you the positive side. It is the beautiful testimony of many marvelous Catholics that has drew me to the fullness of the truth in the Catholic Church. It is the nuns, the monks, the priests who abandon everything for love of Christ that tell me: life is worthy living no matter how bad it is. It is the warmth of the catholics I meet in church that tells me God is indeed good, that I can have a family even with strangers.

Look for the good side. You will find it.
 
It IS hard to be a Catholic, for a Catholic is a follower of Christ. A phrase I once heard that inspired me was that “Catholicism is a hard core religion, no wimps allowed.” Well being I have been a wimp my whole life, you can imagine the first effect that statement had on me, but after some reflection I suddenly was filled with a sense of warmth and security, in that God who knows all things, had by His grace allowed me to get thus far, and by that same grace would take me all the way home.

I am also reminded of Mother Theresa of Calcutta who lingered in absolute poverty of spirit for over forty years, NO consolations from God, yet look at what Christ accomplished in and through her in the midst of her suffering.

Fr. Jean Pierre de Caussade in his very enlighting book, *Abandonment to Divine Providence *reminds the reader often…it is precisely when things are most dark and dreary that God is closest.

Finally I would like to share a favorite passage of mine from Dostoevsky’s, The Brothers Karamazov.

Exhortations of Father Zossima

Work without ceasing. If you remember in the night as you go to sleep, “I have not done what I ought to have done, “ rise up at once and do it. If the people around you are spiteful and callous and will not hear you, fall down before them and beg their forgiveness; for in truth you are to blame for their not wanting to hear you. And if you cannot speak to them in their bitterness, serve them in silence and in humility, never losing hope. If all men abandon you and even drive you away by force, then when you are left alone fall on the earth and kiss it, water it with your tears and it will bring forth fruit even though no one has seen or heard you in your solitude. Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and praise God in your loneliness. And if two of you are gathered together—then there is a whole world, a world of living love. Embrace each other tenderly and praise God, for if only in you two His truth has been fulfilled.
 
lwest said:
I just need to vent, so bear with me. Although I’ll never leave the Faith and I truly try to follow the Teachings, I’m finding it very hard to be Catholic. I see such public hypocrocy… I’ve heard of priests who tell divorced and remarried Catholics that it’s ok to receive Communion because it’s “no big deal”. So we have the ultra liberals. Then we have the other side of the coin: the ultra conservatives who believe that if you only have 2 children, they are destined to hell. There are people who claim to be so holy but arereally not very nice people If you wear pants, you’re destined to hell. It’s lke they take the Teachings and bump them up a notch to put themselves on a pedastle. What happened to just being Catholic?
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When Jesus was threatened at the Garden of Gethsemane, everyone fled from Him and left Him alone. These were the twelve holy apostles He chose for Himself. So yes, weakness has been in the Church from the beginning. And pride, as when Judas set himself up against the Lord, as so many Catholics do when they say their private ideas on ethics are better than the Church’s. 😦

I recommend focusing not on the negative but on the positive. There are very active societies or organizations of Catholics involved in charity or evangelism, such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul or the Legion of Mary (groups at my local parish). There is great fidelity to Christ among some Catholics and there is infidelity among others. I think the way to start feeling better is really to focus on praying thanksgiving to God each morning and evening, and praying that you might see more clearly the beauty and love He has established in His Kingdom.

For truly, His Kingdom on Earth is breathtakingly beautiful and glorious, at least to my eyes. Praise be to God.

I’m a new guy who came into the Church a year and a half ago or so, and I’m dazzled by the beauty I see everywhere I look, such love and goodness. And I’ve met liberal priests and false teachers as well, and have seen some bad things, but God in the Catholic Church is so great and I have so much to be thankful for, I am overflowing with happiness.

I recommend just focusing on the good and praising God for it and praying to know the good more fully, and then shadows like the ones you’ve described will cease to oppress your life of faith.
lwest said:
It saddens me and angers me because we are losing people. People are leaving the Church, not because of the Teachings but because of their lack of understanding of them and because of the poor examples so many Catholic display.
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That is true, and it saddens me too.
lwest said:
if this is Christ’s kingdom on earth, it sure needs work.
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Read about the saints :D. The Kingdom of God is perfectly one and lovely and beautiful. Whenever we sin, we are splitting a part of ourselves away from its unity but are not destroying the integral and everlasting unity that exists.

But I agree that we Catholics need a lot of work! That’s the process of sanctification, and it’s lifelong. I’m so glad God is merciful with us during that terrible journey of exile.
 
One of the tools that the devil uses against us is he has us watch other people. Keep your eyes on Jesus and you won’t go wrong
 
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