Worn down by prayer responsibilities (venting)

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Heisreturning

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Hello there! Recently went from Protestantism to believing in Catholicism here! (Not yet baptized into the Church) Now that I believe in souls in purgatory, devotion to saints (especially Mary), praying rosaries, and novenas, I have been quite overwhelmed with the responsibility of prayer. I feel like I have to pray for all the people I know (did this even before I was Catholic) plus say St. Gregory’s prayer a bunch of times for all the souls in purgatory (because if I say it one more time than more souls are freed, right?) plus the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 everyday, accompanied by the Stations of the Cross if I have time at 3 also (Jesus told St. Faustina to do this right?) Also I feel like I have to say grace before and after every time I eat (know it’s not required but feel like God will get mad at my laziness and ungratefulness if I don’t) plus I try to pray the rosary at night but usually so tired I don’t have the energy. If I don’t, I feel like God will be mad and send me to Hell because even though it’s not required per say it could be a sin of Sloth or Omission if I know I should and I don’t? I don’t have time to even spend with my family anymore because I am literally in my room praying ALL THE TIME. I guess maybe we are supposed to live as miserably as possible to make sacrifices and penance for ourselves and others, and store up rewards in Heaven. I feel like I even lost the feeling of “loving God” because I feel so burdened down all the time with responsibilities and never even pray for my own well being anymore. (Also it says in the Bible God prepares an amazing place for “those who love Him” and if I don’t feel like I love Him am I doomed?) I can’t see how Jesus said “my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Plus now the fear I’ll go to Hell if I don’t get all the sacraments in a time when I can’t (Coronavirus) is weighing on me. I feel like I know Catholicism is true but it was so much simpler when I didn’t have to pray all of these things. PLEASE HELP!! (Btw if I sound immature I’m 15 yrs old, I’m sorry!!)
 
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Heisreturning said:
Hello there! Recent convert to Catholicism from Protestantism here! Now that I believe in souls in purgatory, devotion to saints (especially Mary), praying rosaries, and novenas, I have been quite overwhelmed with the responsibility of prayer. I feel like I have to pray for all the people I know (did this even before I was Catholic) plus say St. Gregory’s prayer a bunch of times for all the souls in purgatory (because if I say it one more time than more souls are freed, right?) plus the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 everyday, accompanied by the Stations of the Cross if I have time at 3 also (Jesus told St. Faustina to do this right?) Also I feel like I have to say grace before and after every time I eat (know it’s not required but feel like God will get mad at my laziness and ungratefulness if I don’t) plus I try to pray the rosary at night but usually so tired I don’t have the energy. If I don’t, I feel like God will be mad and send me to Hell because even though it’s not required per say it could be a sin of Sloth or Omission if I know I should and I don’t? I don’t have time to even spend with my family anymore because I am literally in my room praying ALL THE TIME.
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All the things you mention aren’t obligation at all. I don’t know where you got these informations. Who told you all these things??
Jesus’s burden is light but you make it hard.
 
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Oh my. I think that you have this whole thing a little confused. A good relationship with God is 50% talking and 50% listening. He won’t condemn you to hell if you don’t pray to him every second of the day! In the end, God only wants to build a relationship with you. If you feel that you don’t have time to be with your family, then you are doing it all wrong because being burdened with prayer is not what God wants from you. Simply giving God your attention is giving Him your love. Also, you do not need to say St. Gregory’s prayer a bunch of times. God is merciful and knows your intentions and love for the souls in purgatory. My recommendation to you is this: Separate your prayers throughout the day. Try to pray a novena and for the souls in purgatory in the morning. Do the Chaplet and rosary at 3. And offer the rest of the day up to the Lord by praying to Him through your actions. If you don’t have time, IT IS OKAY! God understands how you feel better than anyone else! Also, during the time of COVID-19, of course, you can’t get all the sacraments. God understands! But (if you did not already know) there is a prayer to receive spiritual communion!
 
Please, speak to your parents about your anxiety. Talk to the person who sponsored you into the Church.
 
I’m sorry, I should specify I’m not baptized into the Church 😦 My family is Protestant, they get mad whenever I talk about Catholicism. I don’t think they would let me be baptized into the Church. I believe in Catholicism but not officially Catholic :cry:
 
Okay, then, be at peace. Prayer is simply talking to God. We have no directive to say every devotion or to follow every private revelation.

Maybe stick with a Morning Offering, the Angelus at 3 PM, then read some Scripture for 15 minutes before you go to sleep.
 
St. Theodora Guerin told her fledgling group of sisters in the pioneering wilderness to make their prayer in the morning and just briefly renew it throughout the day, because their work among the needy people was much more important and an act of prayer than sitting in a chapel all day would ever be. Make the “everyday routine actions” of your life an act of prayer and praise and it won’t be such a burden.
 
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Your devotion is admirable. You are praying as much as a retiree who loves to pray and has nothing else to do! Remember, though, sometimes it is more important to pray less and instead focus your prayer where it is most needed. Slow down and relax.
Heisreturning said:
. I feel like I know Catholicism is true
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I’m glad to hear this. When I was about your age, I felt this way as well, but was told I could not have anything to do with the Catholic faith, and had to obey my parents.
Heisreturning said:
I’m not baptized into the Church
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I know what you mean, but I assume you have been baptized when you were younger. To become Catholic, you will probably need to go through RCIA in order to learn more about the Catholic faith before receiving the other sacraments, such as Holy Communion.
Heisreturning said:
Recently went from Protestantism to believing in Catholicism here!
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Could you share what helped you understand the truth about Catholicism?
 
TheLittleLady said:
Okay, then, be at peace. Prayer is simply talking to God. We have no directive to say every devotion or to follow every private revelation.

Maybe stick with a Morning Offering, the Angelus at 3 PM, then read some Scripture for 15 minutes before you go to sleep.
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Yes, please follow Little Lady’s advice. God is PLEASED with you wanting to do His will. He loves you and is gentle, not angry and waiting for you to make a mistake.
 
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Heisreturning said:
If I don’t, I feel like God will be mad and send me to Hell because even though it’s not required per say it could be a sin of Sloth or Omission if I know I should and I don’t?
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Sounds like you have some spiritual issues bordering on some compulsions. You need to talk to your pastor, this is not healthy.
Heisreturning said:
Btw if I sound immature I’m 15 yrs old, I’m sorry!!
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You need some professional help. No we do not have to pray all the time, no we don’t have to do every devotion every invented.

You have something going on with you that is spiritually dangerous. Get some guidance from your priest.
 
When I was your age my situation was similar. Example: I’d pray my rosary and get irritated when my parents called me.

I tried doing the Liturgy of the Hours but there are times that I don’t feel like it either. My pastor told me that I’m not a religious so I’m not bound to the LOTH. He helped me simplify my prayer life.

It’s taken me a long time to realize that I could make my morning offering and by uniting myself to Christ I could still “pray always” even though I’m not praying the LOTH etc.

Hope this helps you.
 
Paragraphs!

Secondly, prayer is intended to be a joyfull experience, not a cross to bear! I think you are approaching prayer in a manner which is not the best for you.

Talk to father. You will burn yourself out.
 
You’re doing too many prayers.

God doesn’t get mad and send people to Hell if they are tired and don’t say a prayer, especially when they make a habit of praying daily even if it’s only for a few minutes.

You are not obligated to pray for everyone you know. If you want to pray for them all, a simple, “God, please take care of everyone I know” suffices. He knows who you mean. I usually just mention a couple people who are most in need at the moment, like if someone has just been fired from work, is having surgery, or just had a death in the family, etc, and then I add “and for everybody else on my prayer list” which at this point is probably heading for 1000 people, living and dead, and there’s no way I could name off everyone.

Your post suggests you are praying compulsively rather than sincerely. Please, for your own good, set aside a certain amount of time to pray each day, like a half hour, or just one or two prayers a day (no more) and stick to your limit. God will be fine with this, it will keep you from burning out, and it will help you to have a more fruitful prayer life. Also, don’t forget you can just ask God, Mary or the saints or angels for help on the fly, such as, “Jesus, please help me get through this traffic and get to work on time” or “Jesus, thank you for my blessings today,” or “Mother Mary, please pray for me that I do well on my exam.” Etc. Takes 10 seconds. You can also just talk to God or the saints free form.
 
I think your prayers, scrupulosity, zeal, earnestness are something wonderful to behold. Yes, you will need to set limits, set priorities, make adjustments, fulfill other types of responsibilities but I admire your efforts to find and fulfill your legitimate callings. Being lukewarm is not what you want. So, be both whole-hearted and prudent.
 
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A good regular prayer habit is laudable. And balance in prayer just as laudable. God is not a tyrant and He does not want us to wear out the knees in our pants.

There are many devotions out there, that are all very Catholic and very commendable. But we can’t do it all. We all have individual charisms and must choose one or two devotions that resonate with us.

I never pray the Rosary, but I pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily. It’s also one way to pray for “everybody”. It is liturgy, that is the official prayer of the Church. The intercessions at Morning and Evening prayer cover most intentions for the Church and her members, and one can silently add one’s own intentions at the end. You are not bound to the Liturgy of the Hours, but you might find Morning and Evening prayer, the two most recommended for laity, to be fruitful. They only take about 10-15 min each depending on how fast or slow you are. It’s nice to do it slowly and meditate on the psalms and readings.

Another good trick for praying for the intentions of people you know is to create a Word document with a list of people and intentions for them. Keep the list up-to-date, print it, fold it, and put it in your breviary or whatever prayer book you might use. Then, say at the end of the intercessions for Lauds and Vespers, simply add a private intention “and I pray for all my family, friends, acquaintances and my own personal requests on this list”. Keep the list manageable and limit it to serious situations; the rest you can cover with a “and for everyone else I know”. When an intention is fulfilled, cross it off the list. When a new one arises, add it either in pencil or on the Word document and reprint it. But again, keep it manageable, like @Tis_Bearself says stick to the most important intentions. The LOTH already covers “and for everyone else on my list”.

There are enough crosses to bear in life without creating our own unnecessary ones. The Church does not request this of us. Even monks, whose job it is to pray 7 times a day, balance that against work, rest and recreation.

So if the Rosary moves you, do that. If the LOTH, do that. Or whatever else. But don’t try to do them all, you will burn yourself out and stop praying. And then, the devil has won.
 
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There are some that pray only the Jesus prayer and the Lord’s Prayer.
Prayer can simply be a conversation with God.
 
Whoa! Be at peace. We are in a relationship w Jesus. We are to enjoy our time w him. If possible Daily Mass is the best prayer. You can’t empty Purgatory by yourself.
Good Morning God. Offer up your day. Read your Bible. One Chapter at a time, one Book at a time. In the New Testament. Good night prayers, Confession. A Rosary. You have to eat, take showers, work, clean house.
God has blessed you.
Galatians 5:22. Look up Fruits of the Spirit.
I can’t do Novenas. I forget to continue on.
Now First Friday & First Saturday masses are cool. Friday is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sat. Is Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Are you OCD??? Feel Gids love
In Christ’s Love
Tweedlealice
 
The above posters all gave you great advice.

Do you tend to over-commit in general, or only in your spiritual life?
Some people just take on too much and then get overwhelmed.

Learning to balance is a part of growing up 🙂
 
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