(Catholics only) How long should I keep fighting what seems a lost war?

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

Hi, this is a question I've been asking myself on and off for almost my entire time as a catholic : how long shall I fight against the demonic powers reigning in the church? Liberalism and heterodoxy is so so widespread and I'm not able to rest anywhere, but in my private prayer and in theological studies. I'm tired and I'm exhausted, Its coming to the point where I start to think I should let go.

I mean since the day I embraced Catholicism and converted I've felt drawn by its mysticism and its spirituality aswell as its systematic theology.
Equally true is it that since day one I've felt like I'm being labeled and harrassed within the church for taking the catechism and the faith deeply serious.
Progressive and heterodox Catholics are everywhere and I'm feeling like a sitting duck in a duck pond surrounded by predators.

As I said I'm on the brick of giving up and let this pope of ours keep his church and have all his liberal friends spread their heresy without my having to endure this hogwash, week in and week out.
I'm very disillusioned with how things are at the moment, both in the western church aswell as the eastern church. I'm about to give up on this whole apostolic church idea we adhere to and hold so highly. I'm actually thinking of perhaps go back to a conservative Lutheran church or something, I dunno...

Thing is I wish I can continue on in church, but it's so tiresome to be running uphill every single minute I'm in church. Liberal mass, liberaltheology and straight out heretical homilies...
On top of everything sspx is shutting down its parish near me
I can only take so much and then on top of everything I'm ostracised by friends and other Catholics because I'm prolife and against LGBT...

Well I'm just letting go of some steam I guess. I guess I'm just asking for prayers etc...

 

[Michie]

I'm sorry you are having such a tough time. A lot of us converts have struggled. I have just gotten to the point where regardless of the clergy speaking out of both sides of their mouths, we have the actual teachings of the Church to go to. It can be disconcerting to see those in the Church try to change these teachings or practice them incorrectly. But where else are we going to go?? It is not any better anywhere else in my view. We were warned of these things in Scripture. It's frustrating but what is there to do but to hang on to what is true and fight against to what is not?

Hi, this is a question I've been asking myself on and off for almost my entire time as a catholic : how long shall I fight against the demonic powers reigning in the church? Liberalism and heterodoxy is so so widespread and I'm not able to rest anywhere, but in my private prayer and in theological studies. I'm tired and I'm exhausted, Its coming to the point where I start to think I should let go.

I mean since the day I embraced Catholicism and converted I've felt drawn by its mysticism and its spirituality aswell as its systematic theology.
Equally true is it that since day one I've felt like I'm being labeled and harrassed within the church for taking the catechism and the faith deeply serious.
Progressive and heterodox Catholics are everywhere and I'm feeling like a sitting duck in a duck pond surrounded by predators.

As I said I'm on the brick of giving up and let this pope of ours keep his church and have all his liberal friends spread their heresy without my having to endure this hogwash, week in and week out.
I'm very disillusioned with how things are at the moment, both in the western church aswell as the eastern church. I'm about to give up on this whole apostolic church idea we adhere to and hold so highly. I'm actually thinking of perhaps go back to a conservative Lutheran church or something, I dunno...

Thing is I wish I can continue on in church, but it's so tiresome to be running uphill every single minute I'm in church. Liberal mass, liberaltheology and straight out heretical homilies...
On top of everything sspx is shutting down its parish near me
I can only take so much and then on top of everything I'm ostracised by friends and other Catholics because I'm prolife and against LGBT...

Well I'm just letting go of some steam I guess. I guess I'm just asking for prayers etc...

 

[eleos1954]

Hi, this is a question I've been asking myself on and off for almost my entire time as a catholic : how long shall I fight against the demonic powers reigning in the church? Liberalism and heterodoxy is so so widespread and I'm not able to rest anywhere, but in my private prayer and in theological studies. I'm tired and I'm exhausted, Its coming to the point where I start to think I should let go.

I mean since the day I embraced Catholicism and converted I've felt drawn by its mysticism and its spirituality aswell as its systematic theology.
Equally true is it that since day one I've felt like I'm being labeled and harrassed within the church for taking the catechism and the faith deeply serious.
Progressive and heterodox Catholics are everywhere and I'm feeling like a sitting duck in a duck pond surrounded by predators.

As I said I'm on the brick of giving up and let this pope of ours keep his church and have all his liberal friends spread their heresy without my having to endure this hogwash, week in and week out.
I'm very disillusioned with how things are at the moment, both in the western church aswell as the eastern church. I'm about to give up on this whole apostolic church idea we adhere to and hold so highly. I'm actually thinking of perhaps go back to a conservative Lutheran church or something, I dunno...

Thing is I wish I can continue on in church, but it's so tiresome to be running uphill every single minute I'm in church. Liberal mass, liberaltheology and straight out heretical homilies...
On top of everything sspx is shutting down its parish near me
I can only take so much and then on top of everything I'm ostracised by friends and other Catholics because I'm prolife and against LGBT...

Well I'm just letting go of some steam I guess. I guess I'm just asking for prayers etc...

Praying the Lord will lead you where He wants you to go.

Best advise I think is ... in your circumstances ... what would Jesus do?

Follow the Lamb.

 

[LivingWordUnity]

Sorry I can't help. I'm just trying to hang on to what's left of my faith, too.

The only way I can see this mess the Church is in being resolved is with Jesus' return.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

Well, speaking for myself, I will be consistent, to the point of obnoxiousness. I enjoy standing in the way of unnecessary progressive policies.
So my answer to the OP would be: Until you drop dead.
And it’s only a lost war if you quit.

 

[Porpoise]

Some excerpts from Our Lady of Good Success (16th-17th century):

“The first significance is that at the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century, various heresies will be propagated in this land, then a free Republic. As these heresies spread and dominate, the precious light of Faith will be extinguished in souls by the almost total corruption of customs (morals). During this period, there will be great physical and moral calamities, both public and private."

"“As for the Sacrament of Matrimony… it will be attacked and deeply profaned… The Catholic spirit will rapidly decay; the precious light of the Faith will gradually be extinguished… Added to this will be the effects of secular education, which will be one reason for the dearth of priestly and religious vocations."

"“The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be ridiculed, oppressed, and despised… The Devil will try to persecute the ministers of the Lord in every possible way; he will labor with cruel and subtle astuteness to deviate them from the spirit of their vocation and will corrupt many of them. These depraved priests, who will scandalize the Christian people, will make the hatred of bad Catholics and the enemies of the Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church fall upon all priests…"

"“Further, in these unhappy times, there will be unbridled luxury, which will ensnare the rest into sin and conquer innumerable frivolous souls, who will be lost. Innocence will almost no longer be found in children, nor modesty in women. In this supreme moment of need of the Church, the one who should speak will fall silent.”"

“In order to free men from bondage to these heresies, those whom the merciful love of My Most Holy Son will destine for that restoration will need great strength of will, constancy, valor and much confidence in God. To test this faith and confidence of the just, there will be occasions when everything will seem to be lost and paralyzed. This, then, will be the happy beginning of the complete restoration.”

“The second meaning,” Our Lady said, “is that My Convent, being greatly reduced in size, will be submerged in a fathomless ocean of indescribable bitterness, and will seem to be drowning in these diverse waters of tribulations.” Many authentic vocations will perish, She continued. Injustice would enter even this Convent, “disguised under the name of false charity, wreaking havoc in souls.” And faithful souls, weeping in secret and imploring that such dire times be shortened, would suffer a continuous and slow martyrdom."

"During this time, Our Lady foretold, “the secular clergy will be far removed from its ideal, because the priests will become careless in their sacred duties. Lacking the Divine compass, they will stray from the road traced by God for the priestly ministry and they will become attached to wealth and riches, which they will unduly strive to obtain."

“How the Church will suffer on that occasion—the dark night of the lack of a Prelate and Father to watch over them with paternal love, gentleness, strength, discernment and prudence. Many priests will lose their spirit, placing their souls in great danger.”

"Our Lady continued to explain the fourth reason for the extinguishing of the Tabernacle light: “Therefore, pray insistently without tiring and weep with bitter tears in the secrecy of your heart. Implore our Celestial Father that, for the love of the Eucharistic Heart of My Most Holy Son and His Precious Blood shed with such generosity… He might take pity on His ministers and bring to an end those ominous times, and send to the Church the Prelate who will restore the spirit of Her priests."

"Again Our Lady promised that during this time there would still be religious communities who will sustain the Church and holy ministers of the altar—hidden and beautiful souls, who will labor with valor and disinterested zeal for the salvation of souls. “Against them,” She warned, “the impious will rage a cruel war, letting fall on them vituperations, calumnies and vexations in order to impede the fulfillment of their ministry. But they, like firm columns, will remain unswerving and will confront everything with the spirit of humility and sacrifice with which they will be vested, by virtue of the infinite merits of My Most Holy Son, Who will love them in the innermost fibers of His Most Holy and Tender Heart.”"

Our Lady Of Good Success – Prophecies For Our Times

 

[The Grouch]

Hi, this is a question I've been asking myself on and off for almost my entire time as a catholic : how long shall I fight against the demonic powers reigning in the church? Liberalism and heterodoxy is so so widespread and I'm not able to rest anywhere, but in my private prayer and in theological studies. I'm tired and I'm exhausted, Its coming to the point where I start to think I should let go.

I mean since the day I embraced Catholicism and converted I've felt drawn by its mysticism and its spirituality aswell as its systematic theology.
Equally true is it that since day one I've felt like I'm being labeled and harrassed within the church for taking the catechism and the faith deeply serious.
Progressive and heterodox Catholics are everywhere and I'm feeling like a sitting duck in a duck pond surrounded by predators.

As I said I'm on the brick of giving up and let this pope of ours keep his church and have all his liberal friends spread their heresy without my having to endure this hogwash, week in and week out.
I'm very disillusioned with how things are at the moment, both in the western church aswell as the eastern church. I'm about to give up on this whole apostolic church idea we adhere to and hold so highly. I'm actually thinking of perhaps go back to a conservative Lutheran church or something, I dunno...

Thing is I wish I can continue on in church, but it's so tiresome to be running uphill every single minute I'm in church. Liberal mass, liberaltheology and straight out heretical homilies...
On top of everything sspx is shutting down its parish near me
I can only take so much and then on top of everything I'm ostracised by friends and other Catholics because I'm prolife and against LGBT...

Well I'm just letting go of some steam I guess. I guess I'm just asking for prayers etc...

You know the answer and you know its not an easy answer... how long do we have to fight.. until our dying breath and then we continue the fight from heaven until God decides enough is enough

You are always in my prayers

 

[Davidnic]

It can be a struggle against the poor men without chests in the Church.

But we look to the great reformers like Saint Charles Borromeo and others.

The question comes down to: Is the Church worth fighting for?

Yes. She is.

But it can be exhausting and we need rest at times to continue the fight. We also need the Eucharist to keep us strong.

 

[Rhamiel]

I know how you feel brother
We have to try and hold on though

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

Thanks for answers and feedback people, its appreciated. I'll just have to pray and pray over this and in the end follow my conscience I guess.
It's been a fight from the day I became catholic, but not more so than now. I'm dead serious about leaving what has evolved into a ultramontanist cult.
Ultramontanist clergy seeking shelter in clericalism when faced with criticism based on solid orthodox Catholicism.

Todays pope and today's clergy is no better than those reigning during the reinesance. As a church we've learned nothing from the past

 

[Rhamiel]

I wish you could find a good traditional parish

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and the Father are one.

 

[anna ~ grace]

Thanks for answers and feedback people, its appreciated. I'll just have to pray and pray over this and in the end follow my conscience I guess.
It's been a fight from the day I became catholic, but not more so than now. I'm dead serious about leaving what has evolved into a ultramontanist cult.
Ultramontanist clergy seeking shelter in clericalism when faced with criticism based on solid orthodox Catholicism.

Todays pope and today's clergy is no better than those reigning during the reinesance. As a church we've learned nothing from the past

I think the answer, Stabat, to some extent, is to focus less on the clergy, and more on what is interior, and within our ability to work with. We can't change people, Stabat. But we can pray, and struggle upwards, and follow Christ.

 

[Gnarwhal]

How long should I keep fighting what seems a lost war?

Yeah, it's really discouraging at times, but I find a bit of solace in 'the good ones'. And what's more, I think Christ would do the same for us without end. I feel like the least I/we could do is return the favor for his Church.

Finally, there's simply no alternative, no matter what people say or what kind of mental gymnastics people try to pull off to justify another tradition—there is only Rome.

 

[Markie Boy]

I feel a similar struggle. I'm not sure the East has a problem on the scale that the RCC does.

What to do...….I'm very disappointed too. It's hard when you bring up something that should look like sin or wrong, and nobody around you sees the issue, including your priest (well, one tradition minded lady gets it).

Why is it I convert, and then have to start teaching and defending things to those that have been there so long.

I now pause, and am not sure of my conversion. Even in that, I trust in Jesus - that does not change.

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

If I revert I'll be able to work part time as a priest while I'm finishing my masters degree in history of religion aswell and perhaps work full time after I graduate.
That's a more practical take on it, but to be frank I'd love to ditch Francis as my pope...

It's this whole post Vatican ii church which undermines the claims of the church.
The Roman church claims to be consistent and lead by the Holy Spirit and all I see is uturns and contradictory doctrines.
I guess it made sense until Vatican ii, but after that it falls on it's own claims.

Theological freedom would be great too. I dunno, if I'm giving up on Catholicism I have this feeling I won't ever come back so it's a big choice to make.

 

[Davidnic]

Take Pope Francis out of it. Do you believe what the Church teaches? Not weak Bishops
Or feckless priests but what you know the dogma and teachings of the Church are supposed to be. Do you believe that?

 

[Rhamiel]

Take Pope Francis out of it. Do you believe what the Church teaches? Not weak Bishops
Or feckless priests but what you know the dogma and teachings of the Church are supposed to be. Do you believe that?

@Stabat Mater
I know it does not do much to settle the heart, but David speaks very well here
think of all the Bishops who apostatized during the Arian Heresy
even though all that men were called to preserve in the Faith

 

[Michie]

Wheat grows with the chaff. Distressing as it is, we were warned. I had the same attitude upon conversion. Catholicism is the safe haven. We can leave our problems behind in our Protestant backgrounds. Well the RCC is not immune from the spiritual struggles all Christians experience. It just did or does not make the front page like the RCC does. Do you every wonder why?

 

[Stabat Mater dolorosa]

Take Pope Francis out of it. Do you believe what the Church teaches? Not weak Bishops
Or feckless priests but what you know the dogma and teachings of the Church are supposed to be. Do you believe that?

I cannot answer that now, I dont know. I simply cannot rule the ecclesiology out of the picture I mean it's our selling point above everything.

If what just happened to the church is possible then I'll need to reconsider if I even believe in our ecclesiology and papacy.
If the office falls then so does our exclusiveness and our uniqueness.
Then we're just one church among many...