Mixed feelings about the Church

[Cura Animarum]

I'm so glad that your priest is wiling to work with you and around your health troubles. The questions regarding Mary and the saints are easily addressed, so easy that I'm surprised no one helping prepare you has done so.

I actually just sent out a tweet asking those follwoing me to pray for my family given that a number of my loved ones are suffering in a variety of ways right now. I can't see these people and I don't really know them too well, but for the most part we are bound together by a common faith and love for Christ.

In my possition as full time parish mininster I get asked by a great many people to pray for them for this or for that. And I in turn ask the same of others. I'm sure that you have a few people who are praying for you right now whether by request or simply becasue they love you and know you could use the intercesion.

In a nut shell, this is what the communion of saints is al about. We who share faith in Christ have a bond which ties us in faith and love. I can pray for you, and you can pray for me...and we do this al the time for each other as a means of reaching out in communion. But it's even bigger than that, our Church is bigger than you or I, or even all the people on these forums, or on the internet or in the world...even bigger than the created universe.

Christ opened the gates to an Eternal and living Kingdom and that's a hard thing to grasp right off the bat but what it means is that we are not just in constant communion with the people we see and touch and feel, or even just with the people we know who might be separated by distance, but we remain in sure and certain communion with EVERYONE who has been claimed by Christ who has ever and will ever live either here on earth or in the heavenly kingdom right now.

Asking these brothers and sisters (or even the Mother of Christ herself) to pray for me is just as easy as askin you to, or my mom, or the neighbor down the road. This is what we are doing when we turn to the saints or Mary to pray for us, we are turning to more of our Christian brothers and sisters and asking them to intercede for our dep and heartfelt needs.

It's as simple and wonderful as that!

Peace and God Bless

 

[greg300]

I think the best thing to do is to try and find a good priest or theologian to talk to. I think a priest is better because unlike a theologian, a priest can offer pastoral care and advice and guidance. You should try and find a parish priest rather than an ordinary priest who may just move from church to church as part of their job. I think it helps if you find a good priest who can explain the doctrine and the meaning of this sacrament who can also try and ensure your integration into the community. After all confirmation in my understanding is supposed to strengthen your bond with the church. As to doctrines, I think the best way to handle that is to discuss your doubts with a good priest or confessor and prayerfully study good theological materials (including the catechism) to try and understand the teaching and its rationale and form your conscience in light of it. Sometimes the root reasons for a teaching may not be apparent, but they become clearer if you look deeper. You may also consult laypeople but I would be careful here, as people can give opinions that may well be wrong.

 

[Andrew B.]

Thanks Greg. I am working with a Priest now. He visits me from time to time to give me sacraments. Then answers my questions. He has been extremely helpful. He also told me I can email him questions. But I still might ask questions here. Just fun to chat sometimes.