Guest Kate Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 [quote name='Pia' post='1183287' date='Feb 2 2007, 04:11 PM'] me too [/quote] Let us know when you are going to make your oblation Belinda, so we can pray especially for you then! In the meantime you are in my prayers, Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmb144 Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 Hello again, Well I come to ask your prayers as I have a most difficult choice to make...... Phamily.....my catholic spiritual life has fallen to bits. My faith in the church is shattered. My faith in some of her people is shattered....and I do not feel that I can call myself Catholic any longer..... I ask your prayers, this one last time......I am ready to walk away....... Belinda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathoholic_anonymous Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 I will go to Communion today with you in my prayer. You may feel as though your spiritual life is dead, but that is a sign of its life - how many saints have braved this 'dark night of the soul'? Think of Jacob on the midnight hillside, where he 'saw the face of God and lived'. When the dawn came, he could only limp away. Think of Jesus Christ, alone on another dark hillside centuries further on, gripped by such fear that he cried and sweated blood while his disciples slept peacefully. Were they good friends to him then? Or on the next day, when he climbed the darkest hill of them all - Mount Calvary itself? Interestingly, it wasn't Peter ("You are the rock on whom I will build my church...") who stepped forward to claim Jesus' mutilated body after the crucifixion. He did love Jesus very much, but he was weak and frightened and feeble. So it was two Pharisees, men who had been secret followers of Christ for fear of their associates, who stood at the cross and tended to his bloodied body afterwards - Nicodemus, who would only visit Jesus at night; and Joseph of Arimathea. They wouldn't admit their faith in Christ even when he was the person everybody wanted to know - but they were there at the cross. This shows that the people you would least expect to show mercy are often the ones God chooses to show his compassion, and that even his most faithful followers can sometimes behave in the most shameful ways. If you can, forgive any Catholics who have treated you badly. It is important to remember that there is no value in a faith that has never been tested. There is no saint who has ever found it 'easy' to believe all the time. Faith is about love and love is about risk. Sometimes you have to risk everything you've ever had. "When the grace of God comes to a man he can do all things, but when it leaves him he becomes poor and weak, abandoned, as it were, to affliction. Yet, in this condition he should not become dejected or despair. On the contrary, he should calmly await the will of God and bear whatever befalls him in praise of Jesus Christ, for after winter comes summer, after night, the day, and after the storm, a great calm." - St Thomas a Kempis, [i]The Imitation of Christ[/i] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starets Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Certainly I will pray, Belinda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totus Tuus Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 (edited) I'm sending up prayers for you, Belinda. Keep in mind how many saints had to go through times of darkness, like yours. Saint Therese, for some time before she died (and even up until the point of her death) had a "dark night of faith"; she had doubts constantly plaguing her and it was only through her faith (not a feeling, but a decision) that she clung to Catholicism and [i]became a saint[/i]. Don't give up. Hang in there. "This too shall pass", and you will be stronger. Our Lord does not give people crosses they cannot carry: He weighs them with His Hands and warms them with His Arms. He [i]knows[/i] you can handle these crosses (you must be a [b]really[/b] strong person, Belinda!) I admire you. He has entrusted you with a heavy weight to bear, but He knows you [i]can[/i] bear it, and He has definitely not left you to carry it alone. We'll be praying for you. Stay [i]very close[/i] to Our Lady's motherly heart. She is the friend of the afflicted, because the sorrows she experienced on earth were incomparable. God bless you!!! Lauren Edited February 16, 2007 by Totus Tuus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SisterAli Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 My prayers, my prayers, my prayers. A rosary said for you today. One little note....if you are in a time of DESOLATION don't make a decision. That comes from St. Ignatius.....Don't make a huge change if you are in spiritual desolation for it can sometimes be a very bad thing to do. May God Bless you and Mary watch over you. Allie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 I can only endorse the wise advice given by CA and Lauren. Hang in there Belinda........you are not the first person whose faith has been tested. I will continue to pray for you. God Bless you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piamaria Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Dear Belinda, I ampraying the Divine Mercy Chaplet for you and tucking you deep in His great Sacred Heart. He who knew Gethsemane is with you now. Piamaria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stlmom Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Unfortunately, Catholics are just as prone as everyone else to meanspiritedness, shallow and poor behavior towards our own kind. I don't know all the particulars of your recent experiences, sorry, but I can imagine.... If I had a dollar for every time I encountered these people in different parishes over my life, I could retire now very comfortably. I have had to learn to love the Church for the good and the beauty that does exist, rather than walk away from it because of the many sins and failures of its members. My experience with other Christian churches (my husband is Presbyterian) is that they all have their share of difficult people too; in other words, sinners are everywhere, and some of the most offensive will be right there next to you no matter if the pew is Catholic, Anglican, Methodist,or New Age tree-hugger in the woods, etc., you get my point. If you can learn to practice forgiveness in the spirit of "Forgive them, they know not what they do", you may still be able to love the Church for what it struggles to become, and not what it sadly is at times. God bless you, and we all pray for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stlmom Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 Unfortunately, Catholics are just as prone as everyone else to meanspiritedness, shallow and poor behavior towards our own kind. I don't know all the particulars of your recent experiences, sorry, but I can imagine.... If I had a dollar for every time I encountered these people in different parishes over my life, I could retire now very comfortably. I have had to learn to love the Church for the good and the beauty that does exist, rather than walk away from it because of the many sins and failures of its members. My experience with other Christian churches (my husband is Presbyterian) is that they all have their share of difficult people too; in other words, sinners are everywhere, and some of the most offensive will be right there next to you no matter if the pew is Catholic, Anglican, Methodist,or New Age tree-hugger in the woods, etc., you get my point. If you can learn to practice forgiveness in the spirit of "Forgive them, they know not what they do", you may still be able to love the Church for what it struggles to become, and not what it sadly is at times. God bless you, and we all pray for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmb144 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 What I am about to say is very difficult and please don't think its not. Also before posting this I have let one of the mods know this already. I have the greatest respect for the church and her members and remain supportive to all here and will hold all of you in my prayers and continue to come here if I may. I have made a choice and I am not Catholic anymore.... I need to be open about this so I am posting here. Belinda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 My prayers are with you to feel God's love and to know that He cares about your pain. Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 God Bless Belinda! J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 God Bless you Belinda...............you have my prayers . LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starets Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 [quote name='In His Light' post='1207517' date='Mar 3 2007, 10:36 PM']What I am about to say is very difficult and please don't think its not. Also before posting this I have let one of the mods know this already. I have the greatest respect for the church and her members and remain supportive to all here and will hold all of you in my prayers and continue to come here if I may. I have made a choice and I am not Catholic anymore.... I need to be open about this so I am posting here. Belinda[/quote] I am sad that you have made this decision, but, I respect it. Maybe one day your heart will be healed and you will come home. I pray that it will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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