Who are YOU to tell me I'm GOING TO HELL???!!!

[Nickkname]

If you reread John Russell Jr.'s post again, you will note he said, "The Church has never TAUGHT of one person going to hell. Hell is a Christian belief, not only Christian Catholic. The Catholic Chruch has stated certain ACTIONS are DESERVING of Hell, but also states that God is the final judge. NO ONE can JUDGE another and say with any certainty what either their punishment, OR their REWARD will be. IF this was EVER said by a TEACHING of the CHURCH.

And when did I ever judge anyone? Also, just because the Church has never said someone is in hell dose not mean no one is in hell. People go to hell if they reject God’s Mercy. The agony of Jesus in the garden reveals this truth.

 

[SoledadLuLu]

It is very true that we don’t judge - God does, but we don’t fool ourselves about outcomes when it comes to mortal sins. I guess that is a fundamental difference between most protestant denominations and Catholics and I would include the JW’s in this as well, even though I don’t consider them Christian in that they deny Jesus is Lord! They may even mince that statement with semantics, etc. but basically they don’t believe God is God and call Him by another name. Outwardly even though they may appear to be wonderful folks doing all the “right” things and putting some obvious sinners to shame, inwardly they don’t believe in God and I think, not wanting to upset any of them who may take me to task on this, THAT is what prevents them from obtaining the salvation they need. Our Savior is Jesus Christ and He is God. Who can they get mercy from if they exclude Him for their religion? Is He to forget that they sold a false religion all their lives because they accomplished many politely nice deeds? ]

GailMac, JWs believe in God. They call him God, Our Father in Heaven, Jehovah God, Almighty God. They also believe Jesus is their Savior and sacrificed himself for the sins of the world. They may not believe that Jesus is God. Jesus was their Messiah, the one God sent to free us from sin. They also are very sorry for their sins and ask forgiveness for them in the name Jesus Christ. Is not this the whole basis of Christianity?

Besides, when we finally stand before the Almighty, will not His Truth be revealed? It is at that point that one will choose or reject God, and choose Eternal Salvation or Eternal Damnation.

My brother is in Heaven, and this is how I know. I did not want to initially reveal this, but I think it might help you be at peace since the loss of your parents. I went to mass, even though I did not want to go. I was angry at my husband for reminding me of the time every 15 min. just to make sure that I went. I surrendered, as it was easier to keep the peace. Mass went along, my anger subsided, and I silently thanked my husband for insisting I go. I started thinking about my brother, and started crying. I asked for his forgiveness. Forgivness for not being a part of his and his family’s life, as JW’s and Catholics are oil & water and it causes lots of divisions. Just before the Amen, when we join our voices together with all the angels and saints, I FELT my brother’s presence. He was there with me, worshiping God and he was at peace. (He would not be at peace if he was in Hell, or Purgatory). I cannot describe the calm serenity that came over me. I finally have peace.

Believe in God’s Love, Believe in His Truth…Believe in his Mercy. It is a gift to all, not a select group.

For the sake of His sorrowfull passion, have Mercy on us and on the WHOLE world…the whole world is NOT Catholic. Read St. Faustina’s Diary, It will help you understand the depth of God’s Mercy.

 

[uglygal]

That line of thinking isn’t scary, it’s ridiculous; and there’s nothing to ponder at all, save how anybody who believes in a loving God could also believe something like that.

um catholics

Any Catholics who subscribe to that line of thinking are totally ignorant of what their own faith teaches and are seriously in error. You should tell them that too, and suggest that maybe they should go learn some very basic core tenets of Catholicism if they wish to call themselves Catholics.

or they’ll go to hell

you left that part out

 

[GailMac]

Dear Soledad,

I repeat JW’s don’t believe that Jesus is LORD and avoiding mentioning this fact doesn’t make the elephant in the living room go away…you can step around it but it is still there! Jesus is one person of the Trinity another thing they don’t believe. The trinity doesn’t divided God up like pizza pie but gives us understanding that reveals God’s nature to us. He is One God in three Divine Persons, all three are equal. This basic understanding of God’s nature is where the JW’s depart from basic Christian understanding of God’s nature. they believe in one God, but Jesus isn’t Him so there you have it. Since we as Christians believe Jesus is God, not jehovah, we part ways. It is that simple, at least to me.

As I understand it most JW’s have incorporated stuff about Christianity in their religion lately to attract former Christians to their fold. They used to more strictly use the name jehovah to describe their god and forbid the use of the name Jesus and people went through a period of re-education before they could talk about their religion denying Jesus Holy Name! constantly until it feel from their usage! It says in my Bible that those who deny Him, He will deny, etc… They also claim that their religion is a “revelation” of God that is superior to all we (Christians) know about Him. To me and many it is still a wreckless sect that feeds it adhereants bogus “revelations” about the nature of God and many other things to simple minded folks uneducated enough about Christianity to fall for bogus revelations.

Anway, I don’t wan to debate the ridiculous tenets of JW’s religion. They aren’t Christian and claiming they accept Jesus as a Savior is a lie.

As for my personal experience with my parents, I am at peace. There is no wrangling about their choices. I don’t expect to find them when I get to Heaven and I’ve accepted that many times over through the years. They may have found the Mercy of God in their hearts at the end, but since I don’t know that, then I’ll find out when I get to Heaven. They could be doing penance in Purgatory for all I know. What’s not peaceful about that? Trusting in the Divine Mercy gives one a sure footing in the climb. That probably seems a contradiction to you, but I understand what I mean. But placing them in Heaven simply because I love them is ridiculous. The reality of their life choices is simply that, reality.

I don’t need any “proofs” that someone I love is in Heaven to feel “at peace” by experiencing some nice feelings in Mass. Discernment would place that in a very suspect light especially since those concerned passed outside the Church by choice. The devil would want me to dis-believe the Truth so as to tempt me to stray. Your hubby is right in dragging you to Mass, though I hope he doesn’t encourage you to receive Communion just yet. That would be wrong since you don’t believe what we believe. Hopefully you will someday. I would attribute any peaceful feelings I had at Church during Mass to the place and the Liturgy and God’s presence among us during that holy occasion and in that holy place.

I hope you aren’t long in trusting Jesus and accepting His Church. I can feel for you going through it though.

Peace,

Gail

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

People do go to hell and most likely a great deal. But the church has never named one person who is there. There are no doubt many but which ones we don’t know. The church does verify when it’s sure someone is in heaven though. That is all I meant. We should leave the judgment of each person up to God because only he knows their hearts and everything and many people no doubt under the influence of grace repent before expiring according to the divine mercy revelations. Hell is so terrible we can’t fathom it now. We should never wish the worst thing on another like hell. We must do our best to help ourselves and others avoid hell though. Judge not lest ye be judged. Don’t condemn anyone to hell. We are all sinners who crucified Christ. We all deserve hell but God in his mercy allows many to enter eternal life. We don’t decide who goes to hell, God does. We simply do what he asks as best we can and leave the judgment up to him. We should focus on our own sanctification first. If we did this far fewer people would wind up in hell. I hope this clarifies my position. And I know we are responsible for going to hell if that’s where we end up, not God. God will exhaust every possible excuse for us when we die before he is forced to cast us out. God wills that no one goes to hell. We made hell and we choose to go there.

Do you mean that men do not go to hell at all or that men are not destined to go to hell? If the former, I object: hell is a Catholic doctrine. If the latter, I agree: God damns no one to hell - he wills everyone to be saved. For a clear understanding of what I mean, I present to you the Church’s teaching on hell, from the Catechism:

IV. Hell

1033 We cannot be united with God unless we freely choose to love him. But we cannot love God if we sin gravely against him, against our neighbor or against ourselves: "He who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."610 Our Lord warns us that we shall be separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the little ones who are his brethren.611 To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called “hell.”

1034 Jesus often speaks of “Gehenna” of “the unquenchable fire” reserved for those who to the end of their lives refuse to believe and be converted, where both soul and body can be lost.612 Jesus solemnly proclaims that he "will send his angels, and they will gather . . . all evil doers, and throw them into the furnace of fire,"613 and that he will pronounce the condemnation: "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire!"614

1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire."615 The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.

1036 The affirmations of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church on the subject of hell are a call to the responsibility incumbent upon man to make use of his freedom in view of his eternal destiny. They are at the same time an urgent call to conversion: "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few."616

Since we know neither the day nor the hour, we should follow the advice of the Lord and watch constantly so that, when the single course of our earthly life is completed, we may merit to enter with him into the marriage feast and be numbered among the blessed, and not, like the wicked and slothful servants, be ordered to depart into the eternal fire, into the outer darkness where "men will weep and gnash their teeth."617

1037 God predestines no one to go to hell;618 for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church implores the mercy of God, who does not want “any to perish, but all to come to repentance”:619

Father, accept this offering

from your whole family.

Grant us your peace in this life,

save us from final damnation,

and count us among those you have chosen.620

 

[Ted_in_Charlott]

I very much enjoy talking with people who believe different things than I do. There’s no need to take everything personally. Sometimes the timing is off and it just isn’t convenient to talk. But if the conditions are right I just let them do their thing and generally have a pretty cool exchange of ideas.

Being around people who agree with me is boring.

What a great way to look at life.

 

[Ted_in_Charlott]

Luke Chapter 16:
19 There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores, 21 Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. And no one did give him: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. Abraham’s bosom… The place of rest, where the souls of the saints resided, till Christ had opened heaven by his death. 23 And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom: 24 And he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame. 25 And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot, nor from thence come hither. 27 And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren, 28 That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments. 29 And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. 30 But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance. 31 And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead.

Sounds like we as Catholics need to be telling more people about hell.

 

[BartBurk]

I believe not many people actually realise what they are saying when they say someone is going to hell or think that they are going to hell.

Hell is the one point that repels me from christianity and the christian god because its reality is so nauseating it literally makes me sick …and a god of love fashioned it, maintains it, populates it! uch:

How a person can wish eternal … ETERNAL … suffering, torment, pain, lonliness onto any other living creature regardless of what they’ve done but because of their creed, is beyond me. Then again I’ll be told I don’t understand … blah blah blah

It is interesting to note that the Nicene Creed talks about the forgiveness of sins, but does not talk about hell. There is a reference in the Apostles Creed to Jesus descending to hell, but the better translation is that he descended to the dead.

While I admit the possibility of hell, there is also a thread in many of the Early Church Fathers such as Origin and St. Gregory of Nysaa of universal reconciliation. As Catholics we often pray during the mass that all of the departed will come into God’s presence. Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote a book entitled "Dare We Hope “That All Men Be Saved?” in which he made it clear that a possibility for universal salvation exists. We can’t take away people’s free will to reject God, but there is no reason to believe that God can’t bring everyone back while at the same time respecting their free will. God’s desire is that all be saved. We don’t make judgments about who might be in hell and trust in God’s mercy for everyone. At the same time we need to admit that hell is a reality that we should take seriously.

 

[SoledadLuLu]

Your hubby is right in dragging you to Mass, though I hope he doesn’t encourage you to receive Communion just yet. That would be wrong since you don’t believe what we believe. Hopefully you will someday.

I think you do not understand. I believe Jesus is God, I believe Jesus is my savior. I believe in Hell, I believe in Purgatory too. This is Why I chose to leave the church of the JWs. I do believe in God’s Mercy.

Yes, I go to mass, I receive communion. I suppose, now I am going to be damned to hell by other Catholics, because of the mortal sin I commit every Sunday, of receiving Christ, without fully believing in EVERYTHING the catholic church teaches.

Time limits my response, as there is more I would like to say.
Have a Great day everyone.

 

[disciple123]

I don’t understand your reaction to the JW. I know they can appear at inconvient times but here she was trying to help you in a way she thought was right. They aren’t trying to mislead people, they are just mislead themselves. Wouldn’t this have been a perfect time for you to share your beliefs with her and try to help her? Now she didn’t go back to her friends and say Oh how I messed up!! She went back and said there goes another lost person!! Next time be prepared and know what you will say if approched. At church this past Sunday the talk was about “When truth is attacked”, we read Acts 11 1:18. I learned that when my faith is being attacked I need to

1. React with humility-speak with love and no fear because God is on your side.
2. React with bold assurance-defend what you believe. Tell how God has effected your life in a real way.
3. Stand on solid scriptual support- God said it so who am I to say different. Know your scripture. Many time these people that approach you only know parts of scripture to make it work toward thier cause. They only way we know if it is true is if it is in the bible. Let them show you where it is and read the whole text not a line taken out of context. Again you need to know your scripture inorder to defend your beliefs to them.

Next time someone appoaches you be prepared, take a breath and try to help them.

"I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is my right hand, I will not be shaken." * Psalm 16:8*

 

[RC_Matt]

um catholics

or they’ll go to hell

you left that part out

You appear to have firmly decided for yourself what the Church teaches, despite it’s NOT being what the Church teaches. You do realize that this attitude largely puts you in the same category as those misinformed Catholics with whom you seem to have issues, don’t you? The difference being that they speaking from ignorance, whereas you appear to be speaking from malice. Either way, the facts are misrepresented and all subjective credibility is lost a result.

 

[yellowbird]

Yes, I go to mass, I receive communion. I suppose, now I am going to be damned to hell by other Catholics, because of the mortal sin I commit every Sunday, of receiving Christ, without fully believing in EVERYTHING the catholic church teaches.
.

Nobody should damning anyone to hell. So you don’t believe in EVERYTHING… we are all a work in progress. That’s my problem as well… so I pray and I ask God to give me faith & help me to accept the things that don’t make sense to me. By going to mass, and praying, and reading, little by little my doubts or “issues” have begun to melt away. I hope the same happens for you.

I am so sorry for the loss of your dear brother. I have known JW’s - and they have all had one thing in common: The desire to please & serve God above ALL THINGS. Are they misguided? Yes - especially about Jesus. But God is merciful and knows their hearts. I trust in Him.

 

[SoledadLuLu]

Nobody should damning anyone to hell. So you don’t believe in EVERYTHING… we are all a work in progress. That’s my problem as well… so I pray and I ask God to give me faith & help me to accept the things that don’t make sense to me. By going to mass, and praying, and reading, little by little my doubts or “issues” have begun to melt away. I hope the same happens for you.

I am so sorry for the loss of your dear brother. I have known JW’s - and they have all had one thing in common: The desire to please & serve God above ALL THINGS. Are they misguided? Yes - especially about Jesus. But God is merciful and knows their hearts. I trust in Him.

Thank you YellowBird. This is my same experience. When I walk up to communion I silently pray for God’s forgiveness of my sins and for him to guide me to his Truth and to be filled with His Presence so that I may become a reflection of His Love. I do not accept everything that the catholic church puts out there. It took me a long time to believe in the Real Presence, and I still have doubts occasionally. Do I sin every Sunday I take communion. I think not.

All of us are misguided in one way or another. Religions are restricted to man’s interpretations of the bible & traditions. (This is another issue for another post) Thus the many religions. We are like children.

Let’s say a child is taught that the color Red is not Red, but Blue. He is taught to love the Crayon he calls Blue with his whole heart, mind and soul. Surely he loves his Blue Crayon! As the child grows, he notices that other children call the same crayon Red that he calls Blue. He questions them, does research. He starts to question what he has been taught. Doubt and confusion take over, and he starts to seek the truth about the Red Crayon. Is that child culpable because it grows being taught that the Crayon he calls Blue is Red? If the child dies without ever casting out his doubts, does God hold him responsible for not knowing the Truth about the Red Crayon. I think God will look upon him with His Divine Mercy and embrace him completely

Poor analogy…but as YellowBird says we are all a work in progress. We are all children of God, and we all will have doubts and question what we are taught to believe. If you do not question your faith, how is it you expect it to grow & develop.

May all of you be filled with the Holy Spirit that you may become a reflection of His Love.

 

[kell0618]

I finally went mini-ballistic on a Jehovah’s Witness last week.

First, a little background information. Walking down the main shopping street in our community on a Saturday is like running the gauntlet. There are two moving nests of Jehovah’s Witnesses that lie in wait to ambush the passerby, shoving The Watchtower in your face and sternly warning you that you’re GOING TO HELL unless you do what THEY tell you to do. Then there is Pentecostal Pastor Dude, who stands on the corner, in front of his little church, waving his Bible, trying to make eye contact, and warning you that you’re GOING TO HELL unless you do what HE tells you to do. Then there is the inevitable pair of Mormon missionaries, warning you that you can’t get to heaven unless you do what THEY tell you to do. Then there are the Nazarenes, who go door-to-door, warning you that you’re GOING TO HELL unless you do what THEY tell you to do. I’ve been told by numerous Baptists that I’m GOING TO HELL unless I do what THEY tell me to do. I’ve been warned by two different Mormons, on this board alone, that I’m GOING TO HELL unless I become a Mormon.

So, last Saturday, lugging a 40 pound bag of dog food on my shoulder, I absent mindedly strolled past one of the JW traps. Woman jumps out in front of me, waving The Watchtower, and starts the pitch. Tried to be nice and tell her “not interested,” but she wouldn’t stop and warned me that I’m GOING TO HELL unless I listened to her. Not being in the mood to be banished off to the eternal lake of fire that day, I plopped down the sack of kibble and asked her, in a not-so-polite tone of voice, “what gives YOU the right to banish ME off to HELL???!!! You don’t know me, you don’t anything about me, so what gives you that right? Like, just who do you think you are? Etc., etc., etc.” In any case, she lowered her Watchtower and high-tailed it back to the nest. I don’t think that one will bother me again anyway.

Don’t these idiots realize how STUPID they sound? It is absolutely beyond my comprehension how anybody with a marginally functional cerebral cortex can subscribe to this kind of nonsense. And it’s not just the connoisseurs of “Elvis painted on velvet” and the like either. I’ve known some very respectable and well educated people who firmly believe that everybody BURNS IN HELL, except those who believe and practice as they do. Like the qualification for heaven is that one strictly follows a specific set of tenets. In addition to totally defying common sense, it’s precisely the sort of thing Jesus warned us AGAINST. What ever happened to “love your neighbor as yourself?” Seems to me like these people have totally missed the point.

God presented you with the perfect opportunity and you blew it in my opinion. I would have handed the person the bag of dog food to hold and relaxed for a bit. Then I would have shared with her that while you think it is nice that she hopes for a paradise on earth with the butterflies and grizzly bears in a big love fest, you plan to spend eternity in heaven with God.

 

[Sepharad]

I think you do not understand. I believe Jesus is God, I believe Jesus is my savior. I believe in Hell, I believe in Purgatory too. This is Why I chose to leave the church of the JWs. I do believe in God’s Mercy.

Yes, I go to mass, I receive communion. I suppose, now I am going to be damned to hell by other Catholics, because of the mortal sin I commit every Sunday, of receiving Christ, without fully believing in EVERYTHING the catholic church teaches.

Time limits my response, as there is more I would like to say.
Have a Great day everyone.

Soledad, I’m not Catholic (just so you know.) But I know and have worked with many, many Catholics, and honestly, until I found this forum, I’d met very few who fully believed everything the Catholic church teaches.

I remember one woman I met, who was a leader of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal meeting at her parish, who INSISTED to me that the “immaculate conception” is the Catholic belief that Jesus was born of a virgin. I kept explaining to her that it was the Catholic belief that when Mary was conceived in HER mother’s womb, it was without original sin. But she insisted I was wrong.

I finally, in frustration, told her to ask her priest. She did, and a few days later, called me to apologize, because, she said, I was right.

And she is not the only Catholic I have met like that…mostly all Catholics I’m good friends with use artificial contraception, and a few chided ME because I did not use it even though I am not Catholic!

So believe me, you are not alone by any means.

 

[GailMac]

Soledad,

I think it might be time for you to take advantage of the resources here at Catholic Answers and talk to Father Serpa. Yes, we in the Church believe certain things and to not believe those things and receive Communion would be Mortal Sin! I would be remiss if I let what you have just shared with us pass by without saying so:

“Yes, I go to mass, I receive communion. I suppose, now I am going to be damned to hell by other Catholics, because of the mortal sin I commit every Sunday, of receiving Christ, without fully believing in EVERYTHING the catholic church teaches.”

And again in another post: “When I walk up to communion I silently pray for God’s forgiveness of my sins and for him to guide me to his Truth and to be filled with His Presence so that I may become a reflection of His Love. I do not accept everything that the catholic church puts out there. It took me a long time to believe in the Real Presence, and I still have doubts occasionally. Do I sin every Sunday I take communion. I think not.”

At this point, I don’t know what to say other than I will pray for you. Please, please Soledad, talk to a Priest before going much further.

Peace,

Gail

 

[uglygal]

You appear to have firmly decided for yourself what the Church teaches, despite it’s NOT being what the Church teaches. You do realize that this attitude largely puts you in the same category as those misinformed Catholics with whom you seem to have issues, don’t you? The difference being that they speaking from ignorance, whereas you appear to be speaking from malice. Either way, the facts are misrepresented and all subjective credibility is lost a result.

thanks for the judgment. A catholic must be ignorant but a non-catholic must be malicious.

 

[RC_Matt]

thanks for the judgment. A catholic must be ignorant but a non-catholic must be malicious.

No, I said YOU, as in the second person singular personal pronoun; whether or not you are Catholic is irrelevant. The pertinent eschatological teaching of the Catholic Church has been outlined numerous times on this thread and I have provided two references to the applicable section of the Catechism myself. Therefore, you cannot be speaking from ignorance; your comments are misrepresentations of the facts and thus rise to the level of malice.

 

[MakingMemories]

…Please, please Soledad, talk to a Priest before going much further.

SoledadLulu:

This is good advice. See if you can find a good spiritual adviser. Preferably a Catholic priest who truly believes in the Real Presense. If you can’t find a good priest at your local parish, shop around until you can find one.

It’s a dangerous spiritual path to go it alone. Trust me - I’ve treaded that road to some degree myself. It takes an act of humilty to trust in someone other than your own spiritual direction.

God bless you!

 

[SoledadLuLu]

At this point, I don’t know what to say other than I will pray for you. Please, please Soledad, talk to a Priest before going much further.

This is good advice. See if you can find a good spiritual adviser. Preferably a Catholic priest who truly believes in the Real Presense. If you can’t find a good priest at your local parish, shop around until you can find one.

It’s a dangerous spiritual path to go it alone. Trust me - I’ve treaded that road to some degree myself. It takes an act of humilty to trust in someone other than your own spiritual direction.

Thank you MakingMemories and GailMac for your obvious and genuine concern for my soul. Not only is very, very touching, but thought provoking.

I love the Mass, but I must admit there are times where I resist to go. I am defiant by nature. It’s a personality flaw.

Over the last 4 years now, I have been on such a difficult but beautiful spiritual journey. 4 years ago I was in a pit, I fell on my knees (literally) and surrendered my self to God. I am where I am at because I have followed God’s path. I have been defiant along the way, but God redirects me.

Over this journey, I have sought the help of a spiritual guide, and asked many questions. The one I have now, I think just tells me what I want to hear.

I am planning to meet with our new priest. I am not sure where it will take me, but this is where the Spirit is guiding me. He is a very spiritual man. Every time he consecrates the bread & wine, it is a VERY HOLY MOMENT. Some priests, you can tell are just going through the motions. He is Reverent to the Holy Spirit and that is what I am looking for.

I must admit too, that I am kind of frightened. I think he is going to be brutally honest and tell me how it is, but he is also very merciful and believes very strongly in God’s Mercy. I think he might be a good fit for me.

Thank you again, GailMac & MakingMemories. In all honesty, my intentions in the tread are not to “diss” the Catholic teachings, or to be disrespectful. I was just trying to point out how arrogant sounding the original post was. I get tired of these “I’m right, Your wrong” attitudes. That is not effective. That just stirs tempers!