My resignation as a catholic

[Markie Boy]

Send PM if you like, I've changed my privacy settings for now.

Seem to be having trouble with a PM.

 

[anna ~ grace]

.

 

[Jesus4Madrid]

I pray Stabat that you find peace. I sympathise with your struggle, as I literally felt churchless for many years.

There is no perfect church, for we who make up the Church are imperfect. If you set your sights on finding a true church, however imperfect, you may be satisfied. One can find peace—I did in any case. I wish you could find what I have found, wherever that may be for you: Catholic, Lutheran or Orthodox (I have communed in all three). God bless.

 

[timothyu]

Politics have no place in the Kingdom.

 

[Lost4words]

Lots going on in the church. God is aware of this. I place my trust in God.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Why is most everyone in this thread bidding him fond fair well? We know as Catholics that the best way to stay close to Christ, to remain a Christian, free from sin and error, is to remain within the womb of Holy Church. I grew up in a very godly, confessional Lutheran church too. I can point to numerous things the confessional Lutherans have over novus ordo Catholics, but this isn't about church polity, economy, subjective experience, the behavior of clergy, but objective truth.

It's because we have been through the wringer too and feel what the OP feels even if we are not going to up and leave. Pope Francis has been hard on us. The faith has gotten really hard. You are right though. Magna est veritas et prevalebit. Subjectively it isn't going so well. Objectively God will keep us as we persevere. This is a fallen comrade in arms. Some could say 'traitor' but I see it as a badly shell shocked comrade who I will be praying for. He's not the only one wounded in recent years.

 

[Open Heart]

Hi Stabat. My heart goes out to you. I've been following your problems with the church for many a year now, and I kind of saw this coming. I feel like a kindred spirit since the same issues have left me lapsed as well. Yet I have so many wonderful memories of being Catholic that I have to say I'm grieving over your loss as well.

The Catholic Church is a good place -- but throughout history it has had it's mountains and valleys, and right now it's just going through a pretty dark valley. It will eventually pull itself out and reform, I just don't know that I can hang in there until then, or even if it will happen in my lifetime.

I know you have to go where your conscience leads you, as do I. I trust in the integrity of the spiritual quest. Everything we learn along the way has value. And HE is waiting at the end. Carry your sword and shield, and stay on the path--falling into sin casts a veil of confusion over the whole thing.

I'd like to send you a PM, but right now that is not an option.

The road goes ever on and on
out from the door where it has been.
Now far ahead the road has gone
and I must follow if I can.
Pursuing it with weary feet
until it joins some larger way,
where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

 

[Lost4words]

Imagine living in the Catholic faith several hundred years ago! With tyrannical Popes and a lot of evil within and without! Plus during persecutions!

The church has been through much tougher times.

Stand firm. Ride the storm with Jesus at the helm.

 

[Open Heart]

Imagine living in the Catholic faith several hundred years ago! With tyrannical Popes and a lot of evil within and without! Plus during persecutions!

The church has been through much tougher times.

Stand firm. Ride the storm with Jesus at the helm.

I think this is more like living as a Catholic during the times of the scandalous popes of the Reformation Era. And we all know how they effected many Catholics. The Church can't get around the fact that scandal will have its casualties. The longer it waits to reform, the greater the mortality rate will be.

 

[Lost4words]

I think this is more like living as a Catholic during the times of the scandalous popes of the Reformation Era. And we all know how they effected many Catholics. The Church can't get around the fact that scandal will have its casualties. The longer it waits to reform, the greater the mortality rate will be.

This is where people truly have to put their trust in God.

 

[Markie Boy]

Not to start anything, just sharing where I am at and why with this. It's not that I don't trust God - it is because I don't want to offend Him, that I consider moving on.

When I look at history, and then it looks like some of the supreme claims of the papacy are false. I don't want to offend God by supporting something that is prideful, self serving, and corrupt - and seems heretical and not in line with Apostolic ways.

I know it sounds harsh, and I don't want to make trouble - but it's the only way to describe how I feel.

 

[dzheremi]

Sorry to be "that guy", but fellow non-Catholics and Catholics eyeing the door: you know this is the Catholic confessional forum, so the rule regarding not posting anything contrary to the faith of the forum which is represented by the confessional forum applies here just as much as it would in The Ancient Way, Voice in the Desert, etc. The Catholics have a right to have this be a safe haven of sorts, which I don't think the OP violated by posting this thread, but it could be argued that some of the subsequent replies do.

For both the OP and those who have expressed dismay at his decision, let's just pray. Anything beyond that could get the thread shut down.

 

[tampasteve]

I'll be "that guy"

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[Markie Boy]

Got it - sorry. Where is the place to discuss some of the Catholic issues I struggle with?

 

[tampasteve]

Got it - sorry. Where is the place to discuss some of the Catholic issues I struggle with?

Discussion and questions are welcome, and if you are Catholic one can go further. But even non-Catholics are welcome to ask questions. Non-Catholics are just not allowed to teach, debate, or answer questions addressed to Catholic members. For a discussion including non-Catholic questions the proper forum might be General Theology, Denomination Specific Theology, Controversial Christian Theology, or one of the other fitting forums based on the questions.

 

[Anhelyna]

Please folk

I'm speaking as someone who has known Stabat for a looooong time here - he's had many problems and not being in the USA he has not had a Catholic Church on every street corner so if he wasn't happy in one parish he could not just go to another a short distance away.

He has struggled , he's tried other Churches who also were not exactly on his doorstep and as yet has not found a home - he will in time, but he just needs your prayers of support and does not need to be told that there is only one place he should be.

No-one leaves one Church for another easily - there's a huge amount of soul searching that goes on. I was very very lucky to be accepted by my present Community long before I made the decision to ask for Reception there. They supported me through a very rough patch - no pressure , no questions asked of me - they showed me love and charity. It was a good 2 years of struggle for me , before I was ready.

I'm now at peace - my former Clergy have accepted my reasons and I am lucky that I am still on very good terms with them. I keep them in my prayers and I know they keep me in theirs.

Stabat - be at peace - just keep your eyes on Him Who made you - He will show you where your home is

 

[Porpoise]

I have to admit I have difficulty understanding the struggle that others are describing. Where is our faith? Didn't Jesus say "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"? Even though others may interpret it differently, we (probably at least some of us) each came to this understanding of it through our studies, and determined that it supports the Catholic Church and its apostolic succession. I think it was also understood that this was a matter of faith, that we were meant to believe this as we believe anything else we know from scripture, even when we don't see it for ourselves. If we understood this before, when things were easier, why should we change our understanding now, because things have gotten harder? What can alter what we know by faith?

 

[anna ~ grace]

Please folk

I'm speaking as someone who has known Stabat for a looooong time here - he's had many problems and not being in the USA he has not had a Catholic Church on every street corner so if he wasn't happy in one parish he could not just go to another a short distance away.

He has struggled , he's tried other Churches who also were not exactly on his doorstep and as yet has not found a home - he will in time, but he just needs your prayers of support and does not need to be told that there is only one place he should be.

No-one leaves one Church for another easily - there's a huge amount of soul searching that goes on. I was very very lucky to be accepted by my present Community long before I made the decision to ask for Reception there. They supported me through a very rough patch - no pressure , no questions asked of me - they showed me love and charity. It was a good 2 years of struggle for me , before I was ready.

I'm now at peace - my former Clergy have accepted my reasons and I am lucky that I am still on very good terms with them. I keep them in my prayers and I know they keep me in theirs.

Stabat - be at peace - just keep your eyes on Him Who made you - He will show you where your home is

This is also the Catholic Subforum. It's ok to encourage souls to stay. It's difficult to be both supportive, and watch people leave. We don't have to encourage souls to leave or embrace every part of what they want to do, to remain friends in Christ. It's ok to not encourage folks to leave, too. Honesty is good. But it's also good to plead for what you feel is right. Even if all your friends seem headed towards the door. Even if people leave, anyway.