If you didn't have the doctrine of a mortal sin if you changed churches(akin to walking away from Christ it seems). Would you go somewhere else? Do you have really committed friends who really live their lives for Christ? Do they really set a good example for you> Paul said follow me as I follow Christ.. The reason I ask is that I noticed others struggling and rather than encourage them to got deeper in Christ, you just go at the mortal sin and leaving Christ issue..To me that lays guilt and condemnation rather than freedom in Christ..Thank you for your comments..Christ in all things..Kim
I think, I'd be Catholic no matter what. I don't even ever think of the mortal sin to leave thing. Partly because of full knowledge. Let's say someone is Catholic, but their priest is rude and mean, no one really points out the Eucharist, their parish and the other members create a bad atomsphere. And the thousands of other things that are not unique to any group. Are they given and accurate and full picture of the Church? Have they been taught all of what the Church believes?
So many variables. So I just take people one on one in Christ. I believe many Catholics go away from the Church without full knowledge only to be lead back later by Christ along a road that helps them understand their faith far better than if they had stayed. Christ works miracles, I can only love. And for that alone, I am pretty happy and blessed. So, mortal sin? Not my place to say. In what I just described, I'd say no if pressed. Because I don't see full knowledge.
If somone asks why I am Catholic, I answer. If someone is thinking about leaving the Church I try to see why. Often it comes down to:
1. Frustration with others that reflecton on the Church
...a. A Catholic Family member viewed as a good Catholic
...b. A priest who sins publicly
...c. A spouse
2. Frustration with a dogma that was improperly explained
3. disagreement with a Dogma due to modernist ideas
4. A personal crisis that deals with:
...a. Frustration with a family member
...b. Frustration with a priest or his manner
...c. An elitism encounted in a new parish
...d. Sorrow from a death
...e. Confusion and pain from an illness (theirs or a loved ones)
5. General improper education in the faith
I might have forgotten one or two, but that is generally a basic list (and thank my Nuns for the outline form). Now, what I try and do is:
1. Advise prayer, and focus on Christ
2. See a priest (another if the problem is with yours)
3. Try to advise some reading in Scripture or the works of the saints
4. Try to discern what God is telling you through all of the above
5. If it is a issue of improper understanding, I explain as best I can
But also, we are all joined in our love of Christ. A gift He has given us that is often overlooked is our humanity. So often looked down upon, it is our humanity that He sanctified by becoming human. True, without His grace it is not a thing of beauty. But alive in His Grace it shines.
and it is in that humanity that we all have some realtion to that first list. Most of us have been mad or disappointed in a priest or loved one who we expect to be holy. Or we've had trouble in getting used to a new parish. Or we've felt sorrow from a death or confusion and pain at a sickness.
Suffering, unites us. To each other. To the Cross.
One of the things when a brother or sister feels doubt and fear that we should first remember is that we have all...in some way felt doubt and fear. It is an exposed feeling.
We need to remember our own pain. Remember the pain of Christ. And by taking our brother or sister in our arms, remember that at that moment we bring them into the arms of Christ.
For a Catholic, that is in my opinon, the best way to explain what we feel and know about the Church and what she teaches us.
Short form of that...using some empathy at times would help bunches in many situations in our lives.
