Through Apologetics... I'm suddenly told I'm "reading into it too deep"

[jmoburg]

Again – great replys by all! I just wanted to update the group since originally posting the thread. Rather than good news/bad news, I had sad news and good news. The sad news… that relationship I was so trying to find commonalities to stay in it, that relationship I tried to save by seeing eye to eye faith wise with my girlfriend…ended. I grew exhausted, and gave up. She wanted to keep trying, but her trying meant “keep trying to make me leave my Catholic Faith.” Respectfully we’ve parted ways even though it hasn’t been anything close to easy. I’ve got the void, I miss the person, but our future was destined for constant faith differences, inappropriate to for raising a family etc (even though some do work-- thats a whole separate convo I’ve spent hours on).

Good News- While out one night with old college friends, one asked me “So I heard you had a great girl, but you broke it off because she wasn’t Catholic…I’ve never understood the whole pope, Mary worship, confessions, mumbling prayers etc” 1 year ago, I would have been unable to reply with much of anything. But suddenly a 5 minute monologue of reason came out. My friend just stared at me & said “wow… I guess I can’t put you in the same boat as other catholics who do what they do without knowing why” … we ended the conversation on a friendly note, I’ve told him to ask me more, because I would love for him to know what I’ve learned.

Even though choosing Catholicism hasn’t been easy, I’m loving it.

 

[Larry1700]

But suddenly a 5 minute monologue of reason came out. My friend just stared at me & said “**wow… I guess I can’t put you in the same boat as other catholics who do what they do without knowing why” **… we ended the conversation on a friendly note, I’ve told him to ask me more, because I would love for him to know what I’ve learned.

Even though choosing Catholicism hasn’t been easy, I’m loving it.

:clapping: That’s fantastic! As a convert to Catholicism, I was saddened by the lack of catechesis, and it seems to me that it should be at the forefront of priest’s minds. If more Catholics knew the immense treasures in the Church, they would never even consider leaving.

 

[jmoburg]

Larry – I think you’re on to a true sad fact, that many people who leave the Catholic faith just don’t understand it. Earlier someone else quoted something about how Catholicism is best enjoyed when it is understood and it might take being an adult to understand.
I don’t have kids, but I have a 23 month old nephew (Godson), and I’m not quite sure how to convey these concepts effectively. My parents, sister and myself all made a conversion to Catholicism back in 93/94, and at the time I was in 6th grade. I was overwhelmed with new information-- all good info, but I believe I couldn’t cognitively digest it all. I’ll admit, after the honeymoon ended and it had been a couple years of having been Catholic, I hit my high school years and faith resistance. During those high school years, I didn’t like the mandatory religion classes at my Catholic high school - especially those with date memorizations, and memorization in general. To me, there’s a big difference in telling someone to memorize the 10 commandments vs understanding them – or memorize the books of the bible vs understanding who wrote them-- who they were writing them to etc. Even in college I wasn’t very interested in some of my classes – probably mostly my fault because I wasn’t trying to listen, instead I would have rather slept in, or I was thinking of something else during class.
Now… I miss having the chance to learn daily. I’m receptive, and many of the pieces of information I get I feel are just one jigsaw piece of a 10,000 piece puzzle, to which I’ve only managed to have 1,200 pieces and even they are fully connected yet. Just like a person loving the challenge of the large jigsaw puzzle, I too am now understanding the “Whys” of our faith, and they’re beautiful.

Young or Old, male or female… there are plenty of people that risk losing their Catholic faith because they don’t understand enough. (& plenty of non catholics that will continue to stay non or even anti catholic if they don’t take a crash course in understanding our faith). Many of you who replied made a reference to “the treasures” of the faith as you keep digging. I agree 100%. But the whole story is long, VERY LONG… not something that can be looked up and read on Wikipedia’s website for 5-10 minutes. It’s sites like these, conversation threads, great homilies, a good Catholic newspaper or magazine, a Catholic TV show, a Catholic Radio show… our Sacraments… if we don’t expose ourself to this type of stimulation, we won’t motivate ourselves to ask the intelligent next question…that triggers the digging deeper, and begins to be rewarding as we stumble upon these “treasures.”

 

[Teflon93]

Even though choosing Catholicism hasn’t been easy, I’m loving it.

May God bless and keep you.

Catholicism is never easy, but compared to what the great saints have endured, we have it much easier than those who pray on our behalf did.

When my wife and I were dating, we were NOT on the same page at all spiritually. She was a devout Pentecostal, I a lapsed Episcopalian. We were each willing to follow the other, though, and to give things a try. This launched us on an investigation of the true Christian faith, which led us both to cross the Tiber together this year despite our separate anti-Catholic prejudices.

We both went through our “anything but Catholic” phases too.

Fortunately, there is no shortage of wonderful Catholic women devoted to their faith and seeking out men of similar devotion. That is no small consolation, although, as someone who didn’t marry until very late in life by Catholic norms (I was 34 when we wed), I well remember how tough the loneliness was to bear until I met my wife. Sometimes abiding in faith is about all we can do.

You have made a decision which has brought short-term pain, but promises long-term happiness, indeed, eternal happiness. It takes a special man to do so, and you truly have been blessed with God’s grace.

May your road to wedded bliss be a short and fruitful one, my brother.

 

[Larry1700]

I was overwhelmed with new information-- all good info, but I believe I couldn’t cognitively digest it all.

I’m 48, and some concepts are still difficult for me. There is, I believe, great virtue in the search for Truth.

I’ll admit, after the honeymoon ended and it had been a couple years of having been Catholic, I hit my high school years and faith resistance. During those high school years, I didn’t like the mandatory religion classes at my Catholic high school - especially those with date memorizations, and memorization in general. To me, there’s a big difference in telling someone to memorize the 10 commandments vs understanding them – or memorize the books of the bible vs understanding who wrote them-- who they were writing them to etc. Even in college I wasn’t very interested in some of my classes – probably mostly my fault because I wasn’t trying to listen, instead I would have rather slept in, or I was thinking of something else during class.
Now… I miss having the chance to learn daily. I’m receptive, and many of the pieces of information I get I feel are just one jigsaw piece of a 10,000 piece puzzle, to which I’ve only managed to have 1,200 pieces and even they are fully connected yet. Just like a person loving the challenge of the large jigsaw puzzle, I too am now understanding the “Whys” of our faith, and they’re beautiful.

Very well put! I’ve had similar thoughts about education in general. When we’re young, we “go through the motions” to learn material. When we get older, we start to see the value of what we learned, and wish we’d learned it better. It almost seems as though education should be started at age 30, after we’ve been out in the world for a while. We’d appreciate the opportunity for education quite a bit more.

Many of you who replied made a reference to “the treasures” of the faith as you keep digging. I agree 100%. But the whole story is long, VERY LONG… not something that can be looked up and read on Wikipedia’s website for 5-10 minutes.

I look upon it as a lifelong journey, which will only reach its culmination when we get to Heaven. I try to read a little each day, and try to focus on the classics of Catholic literature, such as Imitation of Christ, Story of a Soul, etc., as well as apologetics literature, and (of course) the BIble.