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princessleah
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 27th, 2007 |
| Location: | Adelaide, Australia |
| Posts: | 19 |
| First Name: | Leah | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Adelaide to Rome, I'd say I'm at about Naples!! |
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Posted: Sun Apr 8th, 2007 12:12 am |
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I could really use some prayer at this time in my life. My journey in the faith is a roller-coaster at the moment. On Good Friday I spent the whole day reading about the faith, I couldnt wait to get to midnight Mass on Saturday night. I felt more at peace about Catholicism than ever before.
But by the tme I got to Mass I was lost, scared and alone. This journey Im taking has caused me to lose my friends, and now Im losing my family too. I dont know who to turn to. I get so scared because Im so alone that I cry until I feel physically sick. Last night I cried most of the way through Mass, and not out of sorrow for what happened to our Lord on the Cross, but because I felt so scared and so so alone.
I would really appreciate some prayer.
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2109 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Apr 8th, 2007 01:47 am |
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This journey I’m taking has caused me to lose my friends, and now I’m losing my family too. I don’t know who to turn to. I get so scared because I’m so alone that I cry until I feel physically sick.
My conversion (decades ago) went the same way. I was utterly alone and scared out of my wits. But I knew I had to do it, and I did just as soon as I was able. I lost my friends, my family turned against me; I was ostracized and persecuted.
Jesus told us that this may well be the price of following him: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:34–36). But he goes on to say, “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it” (vv. 37–39). So he is quite demanding of us.
But in many places, he also tells us of the graces his Father bestows on those who are willing to make the sacrifice. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.… Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.… Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:5–12).
This may not be much consolation at the moment, but faith has a way of being like the birth of a child. The mother experiences travail and pain, but when it is over she rejoices because a new human being has entered the world.
Here on the forum, you have a helping hand from many people who have had similar experiences. Here you are not alone. We will pray for you — and with you (I certainly am) — and one way or another, with the Lord’s help you will get through it if you have your heart set on truth and obeying the will of God.
I have great faith in prayer and obedience, Leah. So should you.
David
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Kristine
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| Joined: | Wed Apr 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 13 |
| First Name: | Kris | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Mormon, Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Apr 8th, 2007 02:12 am |
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I'm sorry your having such a difficult time right now, when I decided to become Catholic my family was not supportive at all and some of them still are not. However, pray for your friends and family that someday they to will find thier way home... just like you did...Maybe you should find someone in your parish that you can talk to? For starters, maybe you could go to your local Catholic bible study I did and found many friends and now I don't feel all alone at all!
My prayers are with you..
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brian
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 810 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
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Posted: Sun Apr 8th, 2007 03:05 am |
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As one who has made the journey recently, my advice would be to be patient. I often tried to go 20 steps of the way when God was only calling me to one or two. Grace is never in a hurry, rather we make demands on ourselves and God that are unreasonable. I often get confused because we are to seek God with our whole heart and keep enough oil in the lamps so to speak. So I am glad I sought with passion and diligence and would advise anyone else to do the same. To pray, search, and keep their eyes open. But now I know there were many anxious times when I tried to see too far ahead and the road was eventually going to smooth itself out for me. Of course we all go down different paths in some ways, so you will be different than me.
But I find God is leading more through the peace than the anxiety, though I think he allows some anxiety so we will run to Him seeking the peace He can give. He won't ask more of you than you are capable of, and if He wants you to become Catholic then He will give you the grace to get there one way or another. Now the hard part: following Him when it seems difficult.
Whenever I got scared and almost gave up and felt defeated or like the issues were too big for me to handle, something always encouraged me one way or another to keep seeking. So I imagine you may have to go back and forth like this for a period of time. But it will get easier. I suppose that I was just meant to be Catholic and as tough as the search got, God kept me going. I trust and pray He will do the same for you.
The church is so beautiful but our past and social situations clutter the beauty with so much fear. In time the beauty will dwarf the problems even if they never go away or get better but you will somehow know you are "home" and this will be worth the pain, even if the cross remains.
In short, I will pray for you, and if anything I said made sense, good. If not, just forget what was not helpful. I am more speaking from my experience which will be different from yours, and I can't assume you will find things the same way I did.
Brian
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BettyBoopToo
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
| Posts: | 538 |
| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Apr 8th, 2007 04:25 am |
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princessleah wrote: I could really use some prayer at this time in my life. My journey in the faith is a roller-coaster at the moment. On Good Friday I spent the whole day reading about the faith, I couldnt wait to get to midnight Mass on Saturday night. I felt more at peace about Catholicism than ever before.
But by the tme I got to Mass I was lost, scared and alone. This journey Im taking has caused me to lose my friends, and now Im losing my family too. I dont know who to turn to. I get so scared because Im so alone that I cry until I feel physically sick. Last night I cried most of the way through Mass, and not out of sorrow for what happened to our Lord on the Cross, but because I felt so scared and so so alone.
I would really appreciate some prayer.
Leah: I certainly will lift your intentions up in prayer, I've been in your situation or close to it before. And most of the time, I still am.
Doing the Lords will is not necissarily the most comfortable at the time, but it will bring you the most peace.
Remind yourself where the wide and east road leads to, and then pass through the narrow gate.
God Bless, Welcome to the forum, the folks here will help you every step of the way. I did not find this wonderful forum until 3 yrs after I became a catholic. I've thought many times how it would have been nice If I'd of had it during RCIA. But personally I think God wanted me to learn to look for him for all guidence and then he blessed me with the forum. He's brought you here for a reason too.
Betty
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Patience
"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
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mrsbill
Member
| Joined: | Tue Dec 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | Deltona, Florida USA |
| Posts: | 39 |
| First Name: | Nora | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Lutheran & Baptist backgrounds, currently on the Road to Rome! |
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Posted: Sun Apr 8th, 2007 09:46 am |
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This journey Im taking has caused me to lose my friends, and now Im losing my family too. I dont know who to turn to.
Leah, I can totally relate, since I too am going through the same thing. I have felt very alone at times and even cried. I am lucky enough to have a supportive husband, who wants this for me (he's a cradle Catholic), but my sons, brother, and mother think I'm crazy I know...though they haven't been awful about it, I can't say that they've been supportive either.
My friends on the other hand are a totally different thing. I have some strained relationships and some that I know are lost forever. But, over the past few months, it's made me think, were they really my friends then? I'm done crying about it now and ready to press on. As I read more about the Church and traditions, I know that I have no choice but to press forward in my Journey.
My prayers will be with you, Leah, as you try to get through this rough patch. I know that in the end it will all be worth it for you!
Last edited on Sun Apr 8th, 2007 09:47 am by mrsbill
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Steven Barrett
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 979 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 9th, 2007 12:56 pm |
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 Leah,
Welcome to the gang! (God's gang, that is!) It's heartbreaking to hear of your sense of isolation beause I've been there and it's no picnic for any of us. What's wonderful about this forum is that you'll meet people who have much in common concerning their spiritual journeys, and these people love to share their stories, tips, heartbreaks, and most of all, they openly give their encouragement with tons of sincere Love.
Don't feel guilty about the direction of your tears during Mass. The Lord knows the depth of your heart for Him and the ONLY Church He founded, not to mention all the loneliness and grief you're putting up with.
As you continue proceeding along your journey, your strength will grow, not only in Faith, but also in charity towards your loved ones who can't comprehend your desire to become a Catholic. Keep your cool, love 'em back in spades and let them see by the look on your face (which reflects your heart) that you are headed in the right direction. At least they'll respect you for taking an upopular stand but doing so with grace and class.
This is easy to say, and in families, where tensions rise from zero to furious in a few seconds, you are going to have your moments of trial. I did when I wrote a response to somebody attacking an evangelical church meeting in the local public library. I described myself as a "catholic evangelical" and my Protestant wife hit the roof. This was during the darkest hours of the pedophile scandale. She's come to accept my return to Catholicism because she understands now how important my Catholic faith has been to me along. Sometimes it just takes time, even when we feel as if our time reserves have been all used up. Not with God, though.
Nobody, though, has any right to tell an other adult what religion he or she can belong to or join. If Catholicism teaches against forced conversions, then other people within other faiths and denominations have no business telling you where you can practice your faith. We don't live in Saudi Arabia, Iran or Afghanistan. But, alas, sometimes we'd never know it in the US and Austrailia by the way our families treat even adult members who answer to a different call.
It's not only been a pleasure to partake in this forum and gain strength knowing I don't need to feel alone although I'm the only practicing Catholic in the family, it has been an even greater blessing and pleasure to be able to help others along their journey(s).
You've got a new spiritual family you can rely upon this side of the Pacific!
God Bless you and your leap across the Tiber.
Steven
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For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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princessleah
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 27th, 2007 |
| Location: | Adelaide, Australia |
| Posts: | 19 |
| First Name: | Leah | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Adelaide to Rome, I'd say I'm at about Naples!! |
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Posted: Fri Apr 27th, 2007 08:15 am |
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I want to say thank you to anyone who has prayed for me through this website, be it a quick prayer offered up, or more at length.
I am in the most beautiful state of what I shall call Grace, as I have no other words to describe it.
The last few weeks for me have been this amazing time of hunger to learn and discover Christ and the Catholic faith. This in itself is amazing, as for months I was too scared to even read about Catholicism. I reached this turning point where I sat down and thought about what I now believe: that the Catholic Church was established by Christ, that she is infalliable, that I should trust and believe what she teaches. And since that point I've been filled with this deep desire to absorb anything I can get my hands on to read!! Books, websites, a Catechism. And the more I read, the more I long for the things I'm reading about. I long to receive the sacraments, and be received into the Church!
I still have work to do, in terms of learning, and starting to attend Mass every week, but I can honestly say I want to become a Catholic!!
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Steven Barrett
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 979 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Apr 27th, 2007 11:24 am |
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From your profile I noticed you've reached Naples. Sounds like you've gone a bit further. Stay on the path, but a side pilgrimage to Monte Cassino along the way won't hurt either. And, of course, you have my prayers.
s.Last edited on Fri Apr 27th, 2007 11:25 am by Steven Barrett
____________________
For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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brian
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 810 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
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Posted: Sat Apr 28th, 2007 03:24 am |
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That is such wonderful news to hear! It can be a long journey and you may have to wait a while, and will have your ups and downs, but it is relatively short compared to the blessings you receive and how you will be able to explore them for the rest of your life.
Brian
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