Coming Back To The Church?

[MissyP89]

LS-

Welcome home. You're very much like me, you know. I'd fallen away, went crazy with sin, and then this Easter I was hit over the head with the clue bat. I returned to the Church six months ago. I feel your struggle with sexuality, contraception, etc--those are my hot button issues, too. A lot of times, it's as if I'm in a cycle I cann't seem to break.

Go see your parish priest, talk to him, make a confession. Start praying again and going to Mass. And never give up.

~Melissa

[VeniteAdoremus]

Trust me, you haven't been away for long

Someone I know left college seminary, studied Russian (with the connotations that had in the 60's), had two kids (out of wedlock), split up with the mother of said kids, became a very weird type of Protestant, and ended up as sacristan of our Cathedral and one of the main lay catechists of the parish. He's [i]totally[/i] orthodox and [i]totally[/i] happy, very much respected, and my dad

So. You were saying?

I don't mean to say that it won't be hard for you - switching lifestyles never is. But you're not the only one. You're not alone. We're right here and loads of us know exactly what you're going through. And we think you're totally phat for having the courage to do this!

[Anastasia13]

[quote name='lost sheep' post='1395519' date='Sep 30 2007, 10:43 AM']My school has a local Neumann center, which i did not know. The only problem, is I work 55 hours a week and go to school part time, which makes it extremely hard to make time to go out and mingle with other Catholics[/quote]

Maybe you can find fellowship at Church to help you. Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ. You are not without Catholic family, even if it seems hard to spend time with them.

[CoffeeCatholic]

LS-
WELCOME HOME!

I'm a convert too, and actually didn't really find my faith until like 6 months AFTER my confirmation. My hot buttons were also contraception and sex and the normal college-ite stuff. It's funny now, since i run a college campaign to help college students see the harmful effects of contraception :-D! But really, if you're serious about coming back to the church, and you want to follow her teachings while your trying to learn the truth behind them, it all starts with contraception. If you're having a hard time with sexual sin (which was me to a tea) get off the pill if you're on it- educate yourself about the biological reasons not to use contraception and get your body back in line. If you're anything like me, this will help you to abstain from sex because now you won't be able to go into it supposedly "care free" like before, because you will be opening yourself up to the possibility of pregnancy. It's much easier to say no with that in mind. And that helped me to spend the time i needed to learn WHY the church opposes contraception and pre-marital sex without having my sinfulness and desires getting in the way too much.

I had a priest once tell me that if you do the right thing, even if it's not necessarily for the noblest of reasons, it is still the the right thing and God will bless you for your actions and those blessings may help you to understand the true reason why you should be acting that way. Kinda round about, but it helps and makes sense.

I'm here for you and praying for you. If you need anything, let me know!

[lost sheep]

Thanks, Coffee Catholic. It will be a big struggle to accept Church teaching on contraception. I will have to do a lot of research into the harmful effects of it.

I went to Mass tonight, and it was wonderful. The priest's homily was about abandoning sinful ways and repenting in the 'here and now'.

It was God's Will that I go to that Mass today.

I prayed a rosary after church tonight, and I feel a lot better.

[Starets]

That sounds wonderful. a homily tailor-made for you it seems. i am glad you were there. careful with feelings though. My own experience is that feelings are fickle and variable and not to be trusted

[lost sheep]

Thanks for the advice. I need to keep that in mind, because feelings and emotions fade.

[Sister Rose Therese]

Welcome back! I'm sure it will be a struggle aspecially at first.
It does sound like you'll have to find a way to make some time for God. I hope you will be able to limit some of your work hours. It really sounds like you are taking on too much.
I'll be praying for you.
God bless.

[XIX]

[quote name='Staretz' post='1395797' date='Sep 30 2007, 10:47 PM']That sounds wonderful. a homily tailor-made for you it seems. i am glad you were there. careful with feelings though. My own experience is that feelings are fickle and variable and not to be trusted[/quote]
That said, Catholicism is a religion of tremendous joy. You aren't always feeling good, but in the end, God can provide so much more than other worldly things.