Why I'm staying Catholic......thank you everyone!

Markie Boy

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Wow - so after massive struggles, I am staying Catholic.

The why is a long story - but centers around Catholicism being the only place I have found perfect moral teaching.

Thank you all for putting up with me!

God Bless
 

Michie

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Wow - so after massive struggles, I am staying Catholic.

The why is a long story - but centers around Catholicism being the only place I have found perfect moral teaching.

Thank you all for putting up with me!

God Bless
I know it’s tough Mark. But I’m very happy to hear of your decision. :)
 
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Markie Boy

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I know it’s tough Mark. But I’m very happy to hear of your decision. :)

Thank you so much for putting up with me. I'm probably going to need a little other help going forward, but it will be on the positive not negative side. A much better place to live!
 
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Michie

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Thank you so much for putting up with me. I'm probably going to need a little other help going forward, but it will be on the positive not negative side. A much better place to live!
Believe me I understand. We converts tend to have a hard time of it as compared to cradle Catholics or those that come from no faith background at all.
 
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zippy2006

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Wow - so after massive struggles, I am staying Catholic.

The why is a long story - but centers around Catholicism being the only place I have found perfect moral teaching.

Thank you all for putting up with me!

God Bless

Wonderful! :)
 
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mmarco

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Wow - so after massive struggles, I am staying Catholic.

The why is a long story - but centers around Catholicism being the only place I have found perfect moral teaching.

Thank you all for putting up with me!

God Bless

I'm very happy to hear this.

God Bless
 
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Lady Bug

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Wow - so after massive struggles, I am staying Catholic.

The why is a long story - but centers around Catholicism being the only place I have found perfect moral teaching.

Thank you all for putting up with me!

God Bless
I never thought I'd see you make such a post lol. But heck, this is wonderful news. :)
 
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Markie Boy

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I never thought I'd see you make such a post lol. But heck, this is wonderful news. :)

That makes two of us. I literally had to exhaust all options, and myself, to get there. If how I live matters - and I believe it does - Catholicism has the plan to follow that I can't find anywhere else.

I have come close to this before, but never like this. Sadly I made things hard on some of those around me along the way. Never intentionally, but nothing short of time and persistence will repair that.

And so the journey begins...........
 
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narnia59

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Wow - so after massive struggles, I am staying Catholic.

The why is a long story - but centers around Catholicism being the only place I have found perfect moral teaching.

Thank you all for putting up with me!

God Bless
Like others have said it's not easy. But I wish you much peace through it all.
 
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chevyontheriver

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Wow - so after massive struggles, I am staying Catholic.

The why is a long story - but centers around Catholicism being the only place I have found perfect moral teaching.

Thank you all for putting up with me!

God Bless
It hasn't been easy for us, or obviously for you. For me I hope I have been at least a little bit helpful to you.

Given the underlying problems you encountered with less than stellar liturgies in your neck of the woods, how do you plan to make your decision here work for you? The decision is great, and I agree with you that it's the preservation of the moral teaching of the Church that is one of the prime reasons to remain Catholic. But how are you going to make it work for you week by week, day by day?

I'm still sort of sheltering in place because of Covid. I want to rebel and sneak out to a church for mass. Last week my wife and I did sneak out for adoration. I need to sneak out for confession too. The only good part of it is that we can move around virtually to scope out the different masses in our new home city. Found an Ordinariate church, one that is novus ordo but about half Latin, another place with good homilies. On line mass doesn't work well for me, but it's slightly better than nothing. Back in my days in the Peace Corps it was nothing for long stretches. The Liturgy of the Hours helped then.
 
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chevyontheriver

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That makes two of us. I literally had to exhaust all options, and myself, to get there. If how I live matters - and I believe it does - Catholicism has the plan to follow that I can't find anywhere else.

I have come close to this before, but never like this. Sadly I made things hard on some of those around me along the way. Never intentionally, but nothing short of time and persistence will repair that.

And so the journey begins...........
Just keep walking. It's all any of us can do. Get up and walk. Hang in there and pray for us all as we pray for each other and for you. God is merciful to us even when it may seem a severe mercy.
 
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Markie Boy

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It hasn't been easy for us, or obviously for you. For me I hope I have been at least a little bit helpful to you.

Given the underlying problems you encountered with less than stellar liturgies in your neck of the woods, how do you plan to make your decision here work for you? The decision is great, and I agree with you that it's the preservation of the moral teaching of the Church that is one of the prime reasons to remain Catholic. But how are you going to make it work for you week by week, day by day?

I'm still sort of sheltering in place because of Covid. I want to rebel and sneak out to a church for mass. Last week my wife and I did sneak out for adoration. I need to sneak out for confession too. The only good part of it is that we can move around virtually to scope out the different masses in our new home city. Found an Ordinariate church, one that is novus ordo but about half Latin, another place with good homilies. On line mass doesn't work well for me, but it's slightly better than nothing. Back in my days in the Peace Corps it was nothing for long stretches. The Liturgy of the Hours helped then.

Ain't that the eternal question! So here is what I have come to. I'm not drawn to Latin - just not for me.

The only hope I see for most of the Church is the concept that it's never the priest you follow or depend on. It's always Christ - through the priest. Always Jesus - and the teaching of the Apostles and early Church. I'm trying to re-focus.

I have seen locally when the long time favorite Lutheran pastor left, people jump ship and stuff changes. Same idea with the Baptists shifting between Baptist churches.

Learning to focus on Jesus, not everyone else in the pews. And not depending on the bishop or priest to lead and teach - because in my experience that's a set up for a let down in so many cases.

Anyone read the Benedict Option? The answer lies in what's already been done.

I still love my protestant roots - but I'm not sure they have the depth to hold in the coming storm. However most of Catholicism doesn't seem to either. It's not a "brand" that's going to hold up - it's a person - and that living person is Jesus.
 
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Gnarwhal

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Anyone read the Benedict Option? The answer lies in what's already been done.

Been thinking about reading it. I know there's some difference of opinion over the conclusions but I think it's interesting nonetheless.

Do you have any Ordinariate or Eastern Catholic parishes within a reasonable driving distance?
 
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Markie Boy

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I guess what I am saying is the teaching in Catholicism is what's more foundational. But you have to dig for it - the average parish, or priest is not going to serve it to you regularly. And some of the more vocal and "conservative" voices in the Church are putting too much focus on politics for me, and not really teaching the Gospel.
 
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zippy2006

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Ain't that the eternal question! So here is what I have come to. I'm not drawn to Latin - just not for me.

The only hope I see for most of the Church is the concept that it's never the priest you follow or depend on. It's always Christ - through the priest. Always Jesus - and the teaching of the Apostles and early Church. I'm trying to re-focus.

I have seen locally when the long time favorite Lutheran pastor left, people jump ship and stuff changes. Same idea with the Baptists shifting between Baptist churches.

Learning to focus on Jesus, not everyone else in the pews. And not depending on the bishop or priest to lead and teach - because in my experience that's a set up for a let down in so many cases.

Anyone read the Benedict Option? The answer lies in what's already been done.

I still love my protestant roots - but I'm not sure they have the depth to hold in the coming storm. However most of Catholicism doesn't seem to either. It's not a "brand" that's going to hold up - it's a person - and that living person is Jesus.

I agree with all of this and I have read The Benedict Option. It sounds like you should focus not only on finding a parish, but also on finding a good spiritual director (which is hard). Else, find a spirituality or theology in the history of the Church and let it nourish you. There are plenty to choose from.
 
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Gnarwhal

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I connect with Eastern much easier. I have looked - four hours to the closest.

Ouch I'm sorry, I can feel your pain - nearest Latin Mass for me is two hours and that's what want most. I just can't afford to make that trip every week.

We work with what we've been given I suppose!
 
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WarriorAngel

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There are Eastern Catholics, which my brother is. Byzantine, Ukraine, etc.
There are so many cultural choices under the one Church.
We have West and East. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

God Bless you and best wishes.
 
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