Still struggling with the faith

[lookaround]

… can you honestly say you do not do this?:

"It is important that the Catholic does not give the impression that there is no real separation between Catholics and Protestants. Protestant services must not be attended in order for the Catholic to experience “feelings” of fellowship or closeness to God."

I cannot.
I do not take of their eucharist, but I do feel close to God.

I will speak about this with a Priest. Thank you.

 

[lookaround]

“Unity” is not the issue you’re grappling with; it’s not the issue you opened this thread to discuss.

I’m going to repeat what I told you earlier: It’s not good for us to focus on doing what is, under certain limited circumstances, “permitted.” Instead we should try to do what pleases God the most and what is the best for us…This goes for everyone but it goes 200% for someone like you who is struggling with a spiritual weakness. In my opinion, you’re playing with fire.

It seems to me, lookaround, that you opened this thread expressing some uncertainty about what you’re doing, but your posts since then don’t show any uncertaintly. You clearly want to do what you want to do and you seem to be disregarding the very prudent advice you’ve been given. No matter what any of us say, or show you documented in the Church’s teaching…you, obviously, know better.

I say this with love…I think you’re blinded by either pride or foolishness, not sure which. I pray that you sort yourself out before it’s too late.

You are right this did go off topic, and since I know there is a problem. I might not be the best person to make a judgment on the matter.
While I do not feel that I have done anything wrong in attending other worship. I will speak with a Priest on the matter.

 

[ac_claire]

You are right this did go off topic, and since I know there is a problem. I might not be the best person to make a judgment on the matter.
While I do not feel that I have done anything wrong in attending other worship. I will speak with a Priest on the matter.

I think that’s a great idea, and it shows a lot of grace and humility on your part.
Be sure to discuss your current struggles with your priest.

I reiterate (and seem to agree with you, I hope) that the issue isn’t whether attending non-Catholic worship services is technically allowed but, rather, whether or not it’s a good thing for you to be doing at this particular point in your life.

More simply, when you’re struggling with the Catholic faith it’s not going to help you to dilute the truths that you’ve learned with anti-Catholic imitations of the faith. And I am no protestant-hater at all but the truth is all protestant denominations are to some degree or another anti-Catholic by their very nature and existence. What you need, in my opinion, is the real stuff: good, orthodox Catholicism which will strengthen you.

I read your other thread here. You’ve already made the journey home through many obstacles, by the grace of God. The Catholic Church is where you belong, you can bet your life on it. What a waste it would be if you gave up on it now, either by rejecting the Church actively or by default (seeking consolation in other denomenations that you feel fit your temporary needs better.)

All of us go through periods of dryness and questioning, even doubt. The point is to persevere with your will and your heart, and God will bless you for it. I’ll pray for you too.

 

[Soler]

Those women are in mortal sin

I would say most of them aren’t in mortal sin. Grave matter is only one of the three conditions necessary for mortal sin.

 

[PJM]

=lookaround;5292830]Some of you may remember in a previous thread about how I have been struggling as a Catholic. I believe in God (more then anything), but my faith in the RCC and some of its teachings are weak. I have still been attending Catholic worship, but I have not taken Communion for what feels like forever.

I have also been attending a nondenominational church with a friend. I enjoy worshiping there, but I am not sure if that is the direction God wants me to go.

praying for peace
lookaround

Friend please allow me to ASSURE YOU that it is NOT God who is tempting you, so guess who it MUST be:shrug:

Jesus speaking to St. Peter, the first Pope. Mt. 16:18 & 19.

Verse 18:. "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock [YOU PETER] I [JESUS] will build my [Singular] church,[Singular] and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. [And this was said some 2.000 -two-thousand years ago! Do you think it might be true?

Verse 19: ** 19 “I [JESUS] will give you [PETER] the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”**

Friend when you seek trouble AND YOU ARE! You ARE going to find it!

So what is you do not understand, or can’t accept. Let’s you and me take it to the next step. But stop kidding yourself. LOOK inward Befrore you look outward! Stop seeking trouble and putting your soul at risk, and start seeking the TRUTH! I can help. BUT NO GAMES!

Come Holy Spirit Come!

Love and prayers,

Pat

What don’t you understand about what your God is saying:shrug:

 

[ac_claire]

I would say most of them aren’t in mortal sin. Grave matter is only one of the three conditions necessary for mortal sin.

Most of them aren’t…? Since we were talking about a very general group of people, there’s no way really you can make that judgement. Any more than anyone can say with certainty that every ABC-taking woman who receives communion is in mortal sin.

The point for lookaround is, receiving communion with mortal sin on one’s soul is in itself a sin (ie: a very bad thing which is to be avoided) and these women are not an example that a Catholic should emulate.

I think lookaround understands this now though.

 

[rfpapcun]

There is a lot of “feelings” talked about here.

As Clint Eastwood said in The Unforgiven, “‘Deserves’ has got nothing to do with it.” Same thing with feelings.

Countless people have argued erroneously that faith is a matter of what we feel.

Read the Divine Intimacy (Tan Books) meditations dealing with spiritual dryness and the dark night of the soul. They clearly show that feelings are not an essential part of the spiritual life.

 

[Monica4316]

Hi, I just wanted to share a bit of my own story with you
I was baptized Eastern Orthodox as a child and then became Protestant later on. The way it happened is I started attending a non denominational church with some friends… I liked it there, and I felt close to God there. I never felt close to God at liturgy. I already was having some doubts, and going to the church eventually convinced me that I should be Protestant. I converted…

then, in a couple years…God lead me right back to liturgy and the sacraments in the Catholic Church. lol. There are some major holes in Protestant theology and even though their style of worship helps some people to emotionally respond to God, there is no Eucharist… I had traded the Sacraments for emotion, for feelings, and I didn’t realize it. I thought I was following God’s will. Now He did use my time there…He helped me get to know Him better, to learn more about Him, to be a better Christian… but ultimately, it was only a way to Catholicism, not the final destination I see now that the grace we receive in the Eucharist is soo much greater than anything or any “spiritual high” at the Protestant church. It is worth it to stay…the Eucharist alone is worth it. If you have any problems with Catholic teachings…please try to research and talk to people and figure it out… I had so many problems, I agreed with nothing at all in the beginning, but God changed my mind.

If I could give you any advice, I’d say, stop attending the Protestant church. It would just confuse you… either the teachings, or the feelings, etc. That can all be deceptive. If you feel God’s presence there, that doesn’t mean that’s where He wants you… it can just mean that He is calling you closer to Himself. But if you become Protestant, you would lose the Sacraments and all the graces that go along with being in the Church.

God bless