What if I made a mistake becoming Catholic?

[theAuthor]

This may seem a strange question, but we recently became Catholics which I was very keen to do, but we cannot go to Mass as a family (our toddler plays up and I get angry with my son when people look). In our old protestant churches where contraception is allowed, there are crying rooms and creches, yet in our Parish there is no such thing, so we need to separate. I am sure that is not what God would want, yet I cannot ignore the stares.

I am also having real problems with Our Lady. I actually thought I had advanced a long way. I thought prayers like the Memorare that seemed to place Mary on par with God were rare, but there are lots of them and I am discovering so much Marian devotion that it’s like Jesus is forgotten. I used to defend Catholics when Prots said that catholics worshipped Mary, but now I am in the Church, I have to admit it is actually quite true! More prayers are said to Mary than the Holy Spirit, who is one of the Trinity, or even Jesus it seems…think Hail Marys, for instance. We can pray directly to God in Jesus name (as he said), so although I accept praying for intercession, Our Lady should not be a necessary step unless we want her to be. Terms like Mediatrix of all grace are misleading. What about co-redemptrix?

What’s more “prayer aids” such as statues with kneelers are a violation against the graven images commandment.

I also have a problem with the Magesterium ignoring the “divorce clause” in Matthew for adultery. Not because I am in that situation, but becuase the Church is overruling a specific clear statement of Jesus himself. I trusted the Church would always interpret Scripture but be in harmony with it, not contradict it.

If I follow my conscience, do I become an apostate and therefore damned?

 

[JudiTherese]

Can I ask what made you and your husband want to become Catholic in the first place?

I have never heard any prayers to Mary during the Mass.

 

[puzzleannie]

The RCIA where you prepared for becoming Catholic was the time and place to ask your questions and you were entitled to ask them. Your reasons for becoming Catholic could only have been because you were convinced that only the Catholic Church possesses and teaches the fullness of the Truth taught by Jesus Christ through his apostles, whose successors are the bishops. If you are still convinced of that, you must remain Catholic, and trust that your doubts are a natural part of your growth in faith and address each one as it arises by learning and studying more with an open heart.

The Catholic Church, who forbids contraception, welcomes children and babies as part of the assembly where they belong, and recognizes that babies and toddlers do what they do and that it takes a long time and maturity for a child to learn how to behave in any public place. We don’t ban children from McDonalds or the library, we gradually teach them to behave over time. In the same way we recognize that families handle church-going in the baby-toddler years in the best way that works for them–using cry rooms, even taking a child outside for a brief time if necessary, or even attending separate Masses for a couple of months while a toddler gets over a rowdy stage. That is not a matter of a dispute with doctrine, that is a matter of the architecture and custom at your particular parish.

the Catholic Church is virtually the only Christian denomination that does in fact interpret Jesus’ teaching on adultery to mean exacty what he said: divorce is forbidden because a valid marriage is made in heaven and cannot be broken on earth. He makes an exception only in cases where the union was invalid at its inception. This is exactly how the Canon law of the Church applies the teaching.

As for problems with Mary, you have not observed anyone worshipping Mary, or putting her anywhere but her rightful place, as one who by example and intercession leads us to Jesus and demonstrates perfect obedience to God’s will. You will get to know Mary better over time, as you did your own mother in law over time.

The true interpretation of the 1st commandment prohibition on graven images has been discussed many times on this forum, a search on the apologetics forum will yield more detail. The commandment forbids erecting and building idols who are worshipped in place of God. It does not forbid making images that are aids to prayer and meditation, or in obedience to God, such as the bronze serpent fashioned by Moses to heal the Israelites, or the golden cherubs guarding the Ark of the Covenant.

Every Catholic prayer, without exception, is addressed to the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit. This includes the Mass. Read the Eucharistic prayers and listen carefully and you will see this is true. Catholics begin and end every prayer with the sign of the Cross, invoking the Trinity. The Rosary is a prayer about Jesus, prayed with Mary. Jesus is the hinge of every prayer, the Our Father begins every decade and the doxology ends every decade. It is a guided meditation on the gospel. If you heard differently you were not properly instructed.

 

[theAuthor]

Can I ask what made you and your husband want to become Catholic in the first place?

I have never heard any prayers to Mary during the Mass.

Being brief, I am the hubby. I was taken in by priests when my life went off the rails at about 20 (drinking and drugs). I boarded in the Presbytery, attended AA, Mass and AOG services. Went back to Uni, now have job, house, wife, family, etc. Going well.

We went to the AOG church when we got married because my wife’s father is an AOG pastor, and my inlaws figured too large in the picture. Anyway, it got to be too “prosperity gospel” and about money so we left.

So after years of me pleading we did the RCIA (which I wasn’t happy about, I’d already been Catechised at the Presbytery), and joined the RCC. It was the only other church I knew the still preached the gospel we believe in. I had always believed in the Primacy of Peter, AS, transubstantiation and had a soft-spot for Catholicism in general.

I think reading puzzle’s quote that maybe the Parish we joined is particularly Marian. The one I boarded in was not (it was Charismatic, and the priest was very special-he still calls us up), so it has a different flavour to what I expected I guess. Our new parish, since we live in a different state, is also quite anti-protestant which we weren’t used to either.

Puzzle, I really must raise with you that the Memorare is only in part asking for intercession. It is actually addressed to Mary, and asks things of Mary besides intercession:

*Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.*

We should be flying to Jesus, or the Comforter. I have no problem with intercession, and I pray Hail Marys, but this prayer clearly asks for more than intercession. It asks for Mary to answer, in the same way you’d petition Jesus. In the RCIA this was the most extreme Marian prayer and I thought it would be a one-off, but it is not.

 

[Randy_Carson]

This may seem a strange question, but we recently became Catholics which I was very keen to do, but we cannot go to Mass as a family (our toddler plays up and I get angry with my son when people look). In our old protestant churches where contraception is allowed, there are crying rooms and creches, yet in our Parish there is no such thing, so we need to separate. I am sure that is not what God would want, yet I cannot ignore the stares.

Here is an article on the issue with kids.

catholic.com/thisrock/1997/9703rs.asp

 

[leonie]

What helps me is to realize that we can never honor Mary as much as Jesus honored her. He lived the fourth commandment perfectly, of course!

And, he honored her most of all by choosing her to be his mother.

By uniting our petitions with Mary’s prayers, we are asking someone who is perfectly righteous to pray with us. This is of course pleasing to God.

At the Wedding of Cana, Jesus clearly established Mary’s role as intercessor. If you ask Mary to intercede for you, you are just being obedient to Jesus.

ewtn.com has a series by Scott Hahn that might help a little.

ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/file_index.asp?SeriesId=6668&pgnu=

 

[BelFarfalla]

This may seem a strange question, but we recently became Catholics which I was very keen to do, but we cannot go to Mass as a family (our toddler plays up and I get angry with my son when people look). In our old protestant churches where contraception is allowed, there are crying rooms and creches, yet in our Parish there is no such thing, so we need to separate. I am sure that is not what God would want, yet I cannot ignore the stares.

Hm, most, if not all, Catholic parishes that I have been in in the last few decades have cry rooms… big enough for the entire family of noisy children. My husband and I used those rooms for some time until we could get our very rambunctious young boy to learn to behave during mass. Most of our friends did the same thing. Maybe the parents of small kids in your parish could convince the Priest to put in such a room, help raise the funds for it, etc.
I’m not going to address the Marian issue as other are. As a life long Catholic I have just never seen this in the magnitude you are talking about. It certainly has never bothered me when I have seen it, such as in the Hail Mary or Memorare because I know who Mary, Jesus and God are. I never, ever put Mary on equal level with either Jesus nor God.

What’s more “prayer aids” such as statues with kneelers are a violation against the graven images commandment…

Not true. There are placed in the bible where God tells people to make statues and shows how to use them. The restrictions against statues, images etc is against worshiping them as gods. Catholics know darn well that they are not gods.
As for kneelers… please show us where in the bible it puts restrictions on furniture that is meant to help people? My knees are so messed up that I cannot kneel with out them.

 

[Allweather]

Regarding your “problem” with your child: Personally, I would ignore the stares. We should all welcome children into our worship. How else can they be taught to revere and worship God themselves? If some people are irritated by a squirming child, that is THEIR problem, you have every right to be there. That doesn’t mean that you allow your child to crawl around and scream. But normal squirming should not be a problem for most people. Our parish has a crying room. You might consider looking for a parish with such a provision, while your child goes thru these squirmy years.

As for the other issues you raise, I advise study, prayer, and patience. I converted over from a fundamentalism that was intensely anti-Mary. It took me a very long time to shed the indoctrinations… Years even. Don’t expect to shed your own indoctrinations overnight. Allow time for healing. You are in the right place. Just breathe deeply, relax, allow God to heal the wounds inflicted by false religious teachings that you absorbed prior to becoming a Catholic. I will pray for you.

 

[theAuthor]

Leonie, I have already said above I have no problem with praying to saints for intercession. When you talk of having someone immaculate pray for us, I understand that and take your point. However, intercession is all it is meant to be. Prayers like the Memorare ask for intercession, and also for Mary to grant petitions herself. That is not Our Lady’s role, it is Jesus’ role. To make it Our Lady’s role is to turn Our Lady into an idol before God! It’d probably be really hard, but read that prayer with fresh eyes.

I have read Scott Hahn before. He’s OK, but I don’t like a lot of EWTN except for Fr Groeshel.

Belfar, I never meant that kneelers generally were wrong. I like kneelers, because where there are kneelers there are pews, and where there are pews there are traditional churches, and I love traditional churches! I meant that prayer aids have kneelers in front of them because they are meant to be kneeled before. God says in scripture not to make a graven image and bow down to it, but to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Please provide Bible references for where God provided instructions on how to make statues and use them. If it is true, I will change my mind on the topic.

Allweather, I actually do not have any anti-Mary indoctrination. She just did not figure as big in my initial catechesis as she has in this new Marian parish. Where I boarded, I don’t think I saw a rosary. Where we go now, I’d hazard a guess that most prayers are addressed to Mary. She certainly gets as much or more emphasis and attention as the Godhead, outside of Mass. I actually think I have a balanced view of Our Lady, I love her, I pray to her, and have seen remarkable answers to prayer from her (including the Memorare). The thing is that I read the Bible and Jesus explicitly tells me I can pray to the Father directly in his name. He says there is one intermediary.

I wish we had a cry room! I honestly find it hard to put up with the looks we get because of our toddler and even the baby! That red face, that is how I feel about my son when people look, and I know that is not right. Thanks for your prayers.

 

[BelFarfalla]

Belfar, I never meant that kneelers generally were wrong. I like kneelers, because where there are kneelers there are pews, and where there are pews there are traditional churches, and I love traditional churches! I meant that prayer aids have kneelers in front of them because they are meant to be kneeled before. God says in scripture not to make a graven image and bow down to it, but to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Please provide Bible references for where God provided instructions on how to make statues and use them. If it is true, I will change my mind on the topic…

catholic.com/library/Do_Catholics_Worship_Statues.asp

 

[JustinApologist]

davidarlette:

, I have already said above I have no problem with praying to saints for intercession. When you talk of having someone immaculate pray for us, I understand that and take your point. However, intercession is all it is meant to be. Prayers like the Memorare ask for intercession, and also for Mary to grant petitions herself. That is not Our Lady’s role, it is Jesus’ role. To make it Our Lady’s role is to turn Our Lady into an idol before God! It’d probably be really hard, but read that prayer with fresh eyes.

I pray the Memorare and I have no problem with it. Prayers contains poetic elements. In the Book of Judith the Jews did the same honor many of us Catholics give to Mary.

In Judith 13:18, Uzziah said to her,

“O, Daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens, and the earth, who has guided you to strike the head of the Leader of our enemies. Your hope will never depart from the hearts of men, as they remember the power of God. May God grant this to be a petual honor to You, and may he visit you with blessings, because you did not spare your own life when our nation was brought low, but have avenged our ruin, walking straight path before our God.”

I have read Scott Hahn before. He’s OK, but I don’t like a lot of EWTN except for Fr Groeshel.

Belfar, I never meant that kneelers generally were wrong. I like kneelers, because where there are kneelers there are pews, and where there are pews there are traditional churches, and I love traditional churches! I meant that prayer aids have kneelers in front of them because they are meant to be kneeled before. God says in scripture not to make a graven image and bow down to it, but to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Please provide Bible references for where God provided instructions on how to make statues and use them. If it is true, I will change my mind on the topic.

Allweather, I actually do not have any anti-Mary indoctrination. She just did not figure as big in my initial catechesis as she has in this new Marian parish. Where I boarded, I don’t think I saw a rosary. Where we go now, I’d hazard a guess that most prayers are addressed to Mary. She certainly gets as much or more emphasis and attention as the Godhead, outside of Mass. I actually think I have a balanced view of Our Lady, I love her, I pray to her, and have seen remarkable answers to prayer from her (including the Memorare). The thing is that I read the Bible and Jesus explicitly tells me I can pray to the Father directly in his name. He says there is one intermediary.

I wish we had a cry room! I honestly find it hard to put up with the looks we get because of our toddler and even the baby! That red face, that is how I feel about my son when people look, and I know that is not right. Thanks for your prayers.

Images in the OT can be found in the follow passages.

Exod. 25, 18-20, Num. 21, 8-9, 1 Kgs. 6, 23, 1 kgs. 6, 26-27, 1 Chron. 28, 18, Ezek. 41, 18. These passages which I posted images can be used as long as they are centered on one divine being. God.

There is no Church document that we put Mary above God. To understand why we ask Mary to mediate for us is fact that she the Mother of God, Jesus.

Since Jesus is King of Heaven who inherited the throne, so his mother is the Queen. In the OT, Jewish Kings have mothers as their queen. Since Jesus inherited the kingdom of his father, David, so he took continue this tradition. A Davidic kingdom. In the Davidic Kingdom, Queen mothers intercede in behalf of the people and give it to the King.

Read 1 Kings 2:17, 20, 1 Kings 2:18, 1 Kings 15:13, 2 Chron. 22:10, and Neh. 2:6. All this refers to all Queen mothers in the OT.

You should read the entire context of 1 Tim 2:1-6.

It reads and I quote,

First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers,** intercessions**, and **thanksgivings be made by all men **for kings and for all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectfully in every way. This is good and it is acceptible in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is One God, and there is One mediator between God and men, and man Christ Jesus, who gave himself ransom for all."

Paul here is call us all to intercede and offer prayers. In a way we are all mediators in Christ Jesus. Since our membership to the Mystical Body of Christ does not end at death, saints who died in Christ can still pray for us. Since Mary is a saint, we can ask her to intercede for us. May this help you in your troubles.

 

[believers]

This may seem a strange question, but we recently became Catholics which I was very keen to do, but we cannot go to Mass as a family (our toddler plays up and I get angry with my son when people look). In our old protestant churches where contraception is allowed, there are crying rooms and creches, yet in our Parish there is no such thing, so we need to separate. I am sure that is not what God would want, yet I cannot ignore the stares.

I am also having real problems with Our Lady. I actually thought I had advanced a long way. I thought prayers like the Memorare that seemed to place Mary on par with God were rare, but there are lots of them and I am discovering so much Marian devotion that it’s like Jesus is forgotten. I used to defend Catholics when Prots said that catholics worshipped Mary, but now I am in the Church, I have to admit it is actually quite true! More prayers are said to Mary than the Holy Spirit, who is one of the Trinity, or even Jesus it seems…think Hail Marys, for instance. We can pray directly to God in Jesus name (as he said), so although I accept praying for intercession, Our Lady should not be a necessary step unless we want her to be. Terms like Mediatrix of all grace are misleading. What about co-redemptrix?

What’s more “prayer aids” such as statues with kneelers are a violation against the graven images commandment.

I also have a problem with the Magesterium ignoring the “divorce clause” in Matthew for adultery. Not because I am in that situation, but becuase the Church is overruling a specific clear statement of Jesus himself. I trusted the Church would always interpret Scripture but be in harmony with it, not contradict it.

If I follow my conscience, do I become an apostate and therefore damned?

You’re not alone. That is why so many have left the RCC. Many Catholics will say they don’t worship Mary… but actions speak volumes. Listen to your conscience. Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. Get back into God’s Word and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

 

[Stephen_C]

You’re not alone. That is why so many have left the RCC. Many Catholics will say they don’t worship Mary… but actions speak volumes. Listen to your conscience. Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. Get back into God’s Word and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

You know what…I guess you can believe what you want…You see worship…I see I give Mary the same honor I give my Parents… Please stop this. Really… I agree though with the second part. Dave, Keep your heart open, be still, and let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and guide you.

Dave you will be in my prayers tonight.

 

[mirandajb]

Leonie,
I actually think I have a balanced view of Our Lady, I love her, **I pray **to her, and have seen remarkable answers to prayer from her (including the Memorare). The thing is that I read the Bible and Jesus explicitly tells me I can pray to the Father directly in his name. He says there is one intermediary.
.

Hi,
By your own admission, that is actually what she does - she answers your prayers. That does not mean the miracle or breakthrough is from her, but from her intercession. She **answered **the prayer of the people of Cana by getting Jesus to intervene in the matter.

Allweather:
As for the other issues you raise, I advise study, prayer, and patience. I converted over from a fundamentalism that was intensely anti-Mary. It took me a very long time to shed the indoctrinations… Years even. Don’t expect to shed your own indoctrinations overnight. Allow time for healing. You are in the right place. Just breathe deeply, relax, allow God to heal the wounds inflicted by false religious teachings that you absorbed prior to becoming a Catholic. I will pray for you.

I am from a similar background, and couldn’t even say the Hail Mary, because the Protestants taught me that when you say “Holy Mary Mother of God” it is false because Mary is not the Mother of God because God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Today I love and honor M Mary but it took years of unlearning ‘Protestant indoctrinations’ - but today I think she is really ‘far out’. I will ask you to look around you - you will see that people with M Mary in their lives are really compassionate and humble, unlike the Protestants who have a ‘holier than thou’ attitude. I shall also pray - to Jesus - that he reveals more of His mother to you. God bless.

 

[guanophore]

Puzzle, I really must raise with you that the Memorare is only in part asking for intercession. It is actually addressed to Mary, and asks things of Mary besides intercession:

*Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.*

We should be flying to Jesus, or the Comforter. I have no problem with intercession, and I pray Hail Marys, but this prayer clearly asks for more than intercession. It asks for Mary to answer, in the same way you’d petition Jesus. In the RCIA this was the most extreme Marian prayer and I thought it would be a one-off, but it is not.

There is no distinction between the two. Mary can do nothing, just like none of us can, without Christ. It is not as though she was being asked to do something apart from Jesus. She wants everyone to come to know her Divine Son in His fullness. If you have any people in your life that you consider especially good prayer warriors, it is not different. You might call them up and say “please, please, pray for me I have …” this or that problem. The language of this prayer is very old, before there were phones and email. It was not uncommon at the time to make formal petitions by letter, with compliments.

It is difficult for us, in modern times to see it the same way. However, these prayers are not required, and if it does not sit well with you, then another type of prayer can be used.

 

[Allweather]

Where we go now, I’d hazard a guess that most prayers are addressed to Mary. She certainly gets as much or more emphasis and attention as the Godhead, outside of Mass.

This part really confuses me. Can you recite the parts of the Mass that are prayers addressed to Mary? I am not at all familiar with any such thing as this. I’ve been going to Catholic Churches all over the country, have heard Mass celebrated by dozens of priests, and have never heard of a Mass where “most” or even a few prayers are addressed to Mary. What kind of Catholic parish is this that you’re going to? Are you sure that it is a real Catholic parish? Remember, there are some that are not within the communion. Even here in Albuquerque there are about a dozen that have been identified as out of communion by our Bishop, notifying us that they are not to be attended by Catholics.

Thanks for your prayers.

Not a problem. Keep us informed as to your journey. It sounds as if there is some confusion going on in your parish. I strongly recommend you visit other parishes in your town. Hopefully there are some, I don’t know where you live. I know some cities don’t have much to choose from. But every parish is different. Here in New Mexico, a Mass without squirming, crying children wouldn’t feel right. Especially the Spanish language Masses. Our Mexican brothers and sisters love children, so they aren’t bothered by them, but rather have joy in their presence. I hope you can find such a place where you and your family, crying children, too, can be welcomed, and where you will find prayers to Jesus the norm rather than to Mary.

 

[denver_faithful]

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

All this says is that anyone who sought the protection, help, and intercession of Mary was given what they sought.

Even Jesus as a child surely asked for protection and help from Mary so why should we not.

You have already said you have no problem with intercession.

To ask Mary to help is not saying she is God, but more in my eyes a guardian angel of sorts.

You have found the church that will be best in the long run, contemplate some of these answers to your questions and if you still have qualms about being catholic ask your priest!

 

[JustinApologist]

You’re not alone. That is why so many have left the RCC. Many Catholics will say they don’t worship Mary… but actions speak volumes. Listen to your conscience. Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. Get back into God’s Word and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

Really according to the latest news its the Protestants who are losing members.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Membership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) declined again last year, dropping by more than 46,000 in 2006, the denomination says.

The number of active Presbyterians fell from 2,313,662 in 2005, to 2,267,118 in 2006, according to an annual church survey released June 7. Baptisms in the same period also declined — by 946 for adults to 8,297, and by 234 for children to 30,493.

In addition, the number of congregations fell by 56 to 10,903.

Like other mainline Protestant denominations, the Presbyterians have seen membership rolls shrink over the last couple of decades. In 2004 and 2005 alone, the denomination lost 48,474 active members.

The latest drop comes as fighting intensifies within the church over how Presbyterians should interpret Scripture. Congregants are divided over whether the Bible bars gay relationships, among other theological issues.

The largest congregation in the Pittsburgh Presbytery, Memorial Park Presbyterian Church in McCandless Township, recently voted to leave the denomination and join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, a smaller, more conservative group.

Source: news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070616/ap_on_re/religion_briefs;_ylt=AjZIVYn0KKAad4y.juvtEo07Xs8F

The Catholic Church is getting an increase though, especially the Southern US. Soon the Bible Belt will be Catholic Country…

frinstitute.org/southern.htm

In 2005, 73,684 people were received into full communion with the Catholic Church.9 In addition, 80,817 adults and 943,264 infants were baptized.10

usccb.org/comm/cip.shtml

 

[BelFarfalla]

This part really confuses me. Can you recite the parts of the Mass that are prayers addressed to Mary? I am not at all familiar with any such thing as this. I’ve been going to Catholic Churches all over the country, have heard Mass celebrated by dozens of priests, and have never heard of a Mass where “most” or even a few prayers are addressed to Mary. What kind of Catholic parish is this that you’re going to? Are you sure that it is a real Catholic parish? Remember, there are some that are not within the communion. Even here in Albuquerque there are about a dozen that have been identified as out of communion by our Bishop, notifying us that they are not to be attended by Catholics.

.

I’m a bit confused about this mostly having Mary in the mass thing too as I’ve never seen it. I did some internet searched no masses and did not find any that are Mary centric either…

catholic-resources.org/ChurchDocs/Mass.htm#Word

 

[BelFarfalla]

This may seem a strange question, but we recently became Catholics which I was very keen to do, but we cannot go to Mass as a family (our toddler plays up and I get angry with my son when people look). In our old protestant churches where contraception is allowed, there are crying rooms and creches, yet in our Parish there is no such thing, so we need to separate. I am sure that is not what God would want, yet I cannot ignore the stares.

I am also having real problems with Our Lady. I actually thought I had advanced a long way. I thought prayers like the Memorare that seemed to place Mary on par with God were rare, but there are lots of them and I am discovering so much Marian devotion that it’s like Jesus is forgotten. I used to defend Catholics when Prots said that catholics worshipped Mary, but now I am in the Church, I have to admit it is actually quite true! More prayers are said to Mary than the Holy Spirit, who is one of the Trinity, or even Jesus it seems…think Hail Marys, for instance. We can pray directly to God in Jesus name (as he said), so although I accept praying for intercession, Our Lady should not be a necessary step unless we want her to be. Terms like Mediatrix of all grace are misleading. What about co-redemptrix?

What’s more “prayer aids” such as statues with kneelers are a violation against the graven images commandment.

I also have a problem with the Magesterium ignoring the “divorce clause” in Matthew for adultery. Not because I am in that situation, but becuase the Church is overruling a specific clear statement of Jesus himself. I trusted the Church would always interpret Scripture but be in harmony with it, not contradict it.

If I follow my conscience, do I become an apostate and therefore damned?

I’m curious, Why did you convert to the CC and what do you like about it and in what ways do you agree with the CC?