So, OBOB, it finally begins...

[Sword of the Lord]

I'm going to join the Church. After something like a decade hanging out with you all here, flirting with the Church, I'm finally in a place where, despite the wolves, I'm ready to give my life to the Church I've known in my heart all this time is the correct place to be.

I come with heavy baggage, though. I'm divorced, engaged (2 years into this relationship), and cohabitating. I'm seeking an annulment, and it really seems like my case should be clear cut: it wasn't a marriage. My ex wife is willing to participate, and she said she'll be honest about the fact that when we are late teenagers, very early twenties she was pressuring me and I never wanted to get married and that she told me if I didn't marry her that she would take my kids from me and find someone else. And quite a few other things as well that would lead to probable invalidation. We will find out.

Now, the cohabitation. That's a problem, and I really can't reasonably rectify that. We've lived together for a year and have built a life together and rely on combined resources. We got into this situation before we even considered the Church. My son lives with us as I have custody of him, has his school / school district, his friends, etc. We split bills to make it. She's mothered my son, and she's close with my 3 daughters we get every other weekend. That's the circumstance in which we are coming to Jesus. But we're seeking to rectify that. We've committed to celibacy, and if and hopefully when my annulment is approved we will marry soon afterwards (pray for us). She's committed to becoming a good Catholic and faithful Catholic wife.

We are certainly disordered but we are going to do everything we can to make it right.

So please pray. I'll be home soon!

 

[Lady Bug]

Congratulations on reaching the end of your spiritual quest and the beginning of a new spiritual journey. I hope that all the obstacles you are concerned about facing are resolved. I've been lurking OBOB for virtually 15 years now (yikes) and I could have joined sooner but I was fraught with my own obstacles, and to be honest, those obstacles are not totally gone, but have softened down enough so that I could join RCIA and hopefully get confirmed. Looking back, it felt like an eternity to finally do this. I do not know how I lived through the waiting, and I mean that literally.

 

[Lady Bug]

p.s. you said you hung out a decade here but I don't remember you lol. Did you have another username before?

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

Come as you are . No one comes to Christ with everything all together. We all spend our live incrementally being made in the image of God.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

p.s. you said you hung out a decade here but I don't remember you lol. Did you have another username before?

Sword of the Lord / Mikhael, Disciple of Christ aka crazy, drunken Aspie Michael who won't shut up about Islam being horrible.

 

[Lady Bug]

Sword of the Lord / Mikhael, Disciple of Christ aka crazy, drunken Aspie Michael who won't shut up about Islam being horrible.

Oh I think I remember. You may not remember this but a few years ago I remember this poster who was cantankerous poster (lol just observing) who I thought didn't like me or something. That could have been you lol.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

Oh I think I remember. You may not remember this but a few years ago I remember this poster who was cantankerous poster (lol just observing) who I thought didn't like me or something. That could have been you lol.

Only liberals would have felt that way about me. I pretty much love(d) everyone here.

 

[Lady Bug]

Only liberals would have felt that way about me. I pretty much love(d) everyone here.

Oh gosh I'm not a liberal.

 

[Lady Bug]

p.s. I wasn't trying to start anything, I was just talking, sorry lol.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

Oh gosh I'm not a liberal.

Wasn't me then lol

 

[Sword of the Lord]

p.s. I wasn't trying to start anything, I was just talking, sorry lol.

It's ok. I mean I doubt it was me. I know exactly who you are as I have an excellent memory ( @Fenwick can attest to that lol ). I never disliked you. However I did struggle from trauma / abuse caused alcohol abuse disorder and had meltdowns a lot, on top of being diagnosed as having high functioning autism (aka Aspergers) , often times I've been misunderstood. I don't drink anymore (haven't been a drinker since 2019) and I've gotten the therapy I've always needed and do quite well with how I interact with people these days. It's entirely possible that at some point it may have seemed like I didn't like you if I was having one of those bad days, but I don't recall ever feeling that way about you.

But if you bring up gay tran-e or Muslim stuff I can revert real quick and bash my keyboard like an autistic idiot lololol

 

[Amittai]

It's ok. I mean I doubt it was me. I know exactly who you are as I have an excellent memory ( @Fenwick can attest to that lol ). I never disliked you. However I did struggle from trauma / abuse caused alcohol abuse disorder and had meltdowns a lot, on top of being diagnosed as having high functioning autism (aka Aspergers) , often times I've been misunderstood. I don't drink anymore (haven't been a drinker since 2019) and I've gotten the therapy I've always needed and do quite well with how I interact with people these days. It's entirely possible that at some point it may have seemed like I didn't like you if I was having one of those bad days, but I don't recall ever feeling that way about you.

But if you bring up gay tran-e or Muslim stuff I can revert real quick and bash my keyboard like an autistic idiot lololol

(If I'm permitted to join in here) Great to reacquaint with another "Aspie". From my experience (as multi denominational in person, and single) I would say please put overt organisational sacraments and organisational matters in the place where Christ and Holy Spirit would put them; the meaning in all of Holy Scripture and our quality of belief in relating and in hoping in God are what should be paramount. Place your loyalties there and not in men. Above all eschew the intensity many people pile on, and also use our justly fabled logic to employ assiduous diligence over all matters. My impression in the RCC at one time was that we are genuinely permitted to believe remarkably little about the church organisation and its accoutrements per se. Pray for communion to be as communion does, towards those to whom it should be. Pray for your padres to preach well. The Creed and Lord's Prayer are truly wonderful to join in. The RCC gives out more Scripture in services than any other if it's not gabbled. The fabled aesthetic reasons were never the right reason for people to join Mother Church. It sounds like your personal story and relationships have played a wholesome part on this occasion. We have priesthood as believers to approach Christ's throne. (Apologies if not permitted here; one of the main reasons I've not been attending for over a year is the people that would accost me when I'm in there.)

 

[Susie~Q]

I'm going to join the Church. After something like a decade hanging out with you all here, flirting with the Church, I'm finally in a place where, despite the wolves, I'm ready to give my life to the Church I've known in my heart all this time is the correct place to be.
Congratulations, I am sure the saints in heaven are rejoicing with you.
I come with heavy baggage, though. I'm divorced, engaged (2 years into this relationship), and cohabitating. I'm seeking an annulment, and it really seems like my case should be clear cut: it wasn't a marriage. My ex wife is willing to participate, and she said she'll be honest about the fact that when we are late teenagers, very early twenties she was pressuring me and I never wanted to get married and that she told me if I didn't marry her that she would take my kids from me and find someone else. And quite a few other things as well that would lead to probable invalidation. We will find out.
I got annulments from both of my "unbiblicial" marriages, it actually went fast. From what I am reading, you should have no problem getting yours annulled as well.
Now, the cohabitation. That's a problem, and I really can't reasonably rectify that. We've lived together for a year and have built a life together and rely on combined resources. We got into this situation before we even considered the Church. My son lives with us as I have custody of him, has his school / school district, his friends, etc. We split bills to make it. She's mothered my son, and she's close with my 3 daughters we get every other weekend. That's the circumstance in which we are coming to Jesus. But we're seeking to rectify that. We've committed to celibacy, and if and hopefully when my annulment is approved we will marry soon afterwards (pray for us). She's committed to becoming a good Catholic and faithful Catholic wife.
The fact that you have committed to celibacy is the right thing to do, in my humble opinion, since you are being celibate, and living as brother and sister, it should be OK to live together temporarily until you get married. However, I certainly wouldn't think it would be OK to live that way permanently, although, some do, I am sure not one to judge.
We are certainly disordered but we are going to do everything we can to make it right.
I will keep you in my prayers and that everything will go smoothly for you both.
So please pray. I'll be home soon!

 

[chevyontheriver]

Come as you are . No one comes to Christ with everything all together. We all spend our live incrementally being made in the image of God.

Come as you are. Indeed. But come realizing that you don't stay as you are. This isn't a place to become comfortable but a place to be disciples. And that means doing the hard work of becoming sanctified.

It's a bold move to become Catholic in these trying days. But considering time could possibly be apocalyptically short, it's right to get in now.

 

[Wolseley]

Welcome, welcome, welcome, brother. I pray that this journey will the most fulfilling of your life and that you will have finally reached home when you have full communion with the Church.