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Bob in Topeka
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| Joined: | Sun Nov 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Topeka, KS |
| Posts: | 12 |
| First Name: | Bob | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Episcopalian to Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 08:54 pm |
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Please pray that my wife, whom I dearly love, will return to the Catholic Church and will come to know Our Blessed Mother and to love her and to honor her. My wife is a non-denominational Christian who loves the Lord and Sacred Scripture very much. (One of her favorite questions to me when we discuss 'religion,' is: "Where is that in scripture?")
She was a non-denom before we married. Thank you for your prayers. Last edited on Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 09:33 pm by Bob in Topeka
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Didi
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| Joined: | Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 |
| Location: | Oregon USA |
| Posts: | 168 |
| First Name: | Didi | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic; almost left; Now an On-Fire Catholic! |
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 09:18 pm |
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Bob --
I will pray for your wife, Virginia. I have several family members who have drifted away from the Church and I pray for them and for all families who are not united in Christ's Church. Your example and faithfullness will speak volumes to her even when neither of you realize it!
God bless!
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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1268 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Apr 23rd, 2008 11:58 pm |
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| Bob, I will pray for you and your wife. It is obvious you love her very much, and I always believe God is pleased with a loving marriage. There are numerous books that give scriptural references for catholic doctrine. But you can come here with those questions and get fairly quick answers, and better yet, log onto Dave Armstrong's website, "Biblical Evidence for Catholicism." He has done a massive amount of documenting that type of scriptural background for catholic doctrine and practice. Last edited on Thu Apr 24th, 2008 12:00 am by Credo Catholic
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Steven Barrett
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| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 796 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Apr 24th, 2008 04:52 am |
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 Bob, I've been down that path and I know how frustrating it must be for you so you definitely have my prayers. Take it from a guy who had to learn the hard way by his stubborn pride, it's hard as hell--not to mention dumb as hell, too--to keep pushing a wet spaghetti noodle forward in the direction want it to go. (Try herding cats for an easier task.)
All you can, and should do is to love the daylights out of her and be thankful for all she's done for you and your family. She sees this and your dedication to the Church, well chances are being a good ambassador for what we believe in will be just THE kind of best prayer you could ever offer up, even when it seems like she'll never budge. So long as she doesn't bug you for sticking to your guns, there's little you can or should try and do.
Here's a posi tive example: No less than William F. Buckley. His dearly, and I mean dearly beloved wife Patricia never followed Bill into the Catholic Church. She remained an Episcopalian for life. But what a marriage. (Read May's First Things and Fr. Neuhaus' piece on his last visit with Bill to see what I mean.)
My wife's Baptist, but she's also a confirmed Episcopalian and baptized Congregationalist: Anglican, Baptist, Congregationalist: ABC and married to her Papist husband. Although not all that pleased with the Baptists, and especially the new fangled evangelical (megachurch informal "praise n' worship yahoo stuff" as she puts it, I wouldn't be surprised if she went back to the Episcys, save for the real far out lib ideas on gay marriage the parish we used to belong to pushes. (Only parishthat won't hold weddings as a protest for gay liturgies.) The local COngregationalists up here are no less radical. But,she's still "holding out" on Rome. But nowhere nearly as antagonistic as in past years, partly out of a beef she had over our older Baptism/dispensation rules, and papers I didn't have to sign. My insistence upon following through what I signed didn't settle too well with her. I guess that's when I realized how very formal a Protestant's protest for informalism can be, and in very adamant tones!
I'm praying for you. So don't be discouraged. Hell, we're coming up on 25 years and we've already had our 30 years war, "the Troubles" Cromwell's march through Ireland and the Lutheran sack of Rome under our belts. When she started reading her family's huge thick history book and started off with Ulster, instantaneously I said without even batting an eye:
"That says it all!"
Steven
PS: SInce your're out in Topeka, I have a cousin, June Marie Belt, who's suffering from a brain tumor from what I've been told. Please keep her in your prayers. Thanks and take cheer: He's got it all figured out for you and your missus.
____________________
For anyone suffering from a mental illness or has a loved one with a mental illness, my book "Lead kindly Light: A Devotional For The Mentally Ill" might be of some help: http://www.lulu.com/ (Use search box at the top of page.)
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Intercessor
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| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 950 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Apr 24th, 2008 05:32 am |
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Bob,
You and your wife will be in my prayers.
God bless,
Becky
____________________
"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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Bob in Topeka
Member
| Joined: | Sun Nov 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Topeka, KS |
| Posts: | 12 |
| First Name: | Bob | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Episcopalian to Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Apr 25th, 2008 08:41 pm |
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Didi, Marsha, Steven, and Becky,
THANK YOU for your prayers! I will let you know how we fare in this. And Steven, I will pray for your cousin June.
Thanks again,
Bob
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Steven Barrett
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 796 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Apr 26th, 2008 05:36 am |
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You're welcome Bob. Remember, God doesn't give you anything more than you can handle; but if you get tired, He's more than willing to help you carry your cross, just as St. Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry his.
Steven
____________________
For anyone suffering from a mental illness or has a loved one with a mental illness, my book "Lead kindly Light: A Devotional For The Mentally Ill" might be of some help: http://www.lulu.com/ (Use search box at the top of page.)
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Rick S
Member
| Joined: | Tue Apr 29th, 2008 |
| Location: | North Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 9 |
| First Name: | Rick | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Baptist, Presbyterian, now Episcopal crossing the Tiber |
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Posted: Tue Apr 29th, 2008 05:18 pm |
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I truly feel your pain as I too am praying for my wife (raised Baptist) to come to know and accept the truth of the Catholic Church. Please know that I will be praying for you both.
God Bless,
Rick S
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rbo4u2
Member
| Joined: | Tue Jan 16th, 2007 |
| Location: | Sunnyvale, California USA |
| Posts: | 365 |
| First Name: | Rich | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Formerly Christian & Missionary Alliance then became Presbyterian |
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Posted: Tue Apr 29th, 2008 05:27 pm |
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Rick S wrote:
I truly feel your pain as I too am praying for my wife (raised Baptist) to come to know and accept the truth of the Catholic Church. Please know that I will be praying for you both.
God Bless,
Rick S
Seems like a bunch of us here have the same problem. I wonder, who has the more difficult time accepting the Catholic faith? Is it a gender issue? Are wives more suspicious than men? Or is it simply a matter of both mates being on different wave lengths and that the expression of differing opinion is more of an indication of how marriage is? How many marriages are always exhibited by common faith, understanding and partnership? Even though we are united in marriage we are still individuals headed down life's path at our own speeds. Sure keeps our Lord busy.
I'll keep praying for all of you who have the same problem Rick, I and others have expressed.
Rich
Rich
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1790 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Apr 29th, 2008 09:41 pm |
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rbo4u2 wrote:Are wives more suspicious than men?
No, they’re not. In my years on this forum I’ve witnessed a lot of combative marriages, and it’s about equal whether the man or the woman tries to prohibit the other from becoming Catholic or from reforming his/her life.
And it’s true, what they say about ex-Catholics. They are definitely the most negative and angry people on the planet when it comes to God. Truly, only prayer and sacrifice will ever penetrate where reason and good will falter.
David
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Bob in Topeka
Member
| Joined: | Sun Nov 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Topeka, KS |
| Posts: | 12 |
| First Name: | Bob | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Episcopalian to Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Apr 30th, 2008 08:54 pm |
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My wife and I were discussing our 'differences' in the way we pray. Her non-denominational church gives her teachings which she didn't get in the Catholic church. I have heard many times from fallen-away Catholics that they go to these other churches to 'get fed.' The next time I hear this, I will probably be tempted to say that I, too, get fed in the Catholic church. I get fed by the Most Precious Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But they have a point. When was the last time you heard a homily about the evil of abortion?
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Steven Barrett
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 796 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Apr 30th, 2008 10:51 pm |
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Bob,
Quite frankly I can't understand why it'd be so difficult for a Catholic priest to get a little reddened in the collar and let his parish have it once and a while concerning abortion. Hey, that's what we're always getting hammered for by the 4th Estate...Well, remind Father it's okay to pound his pulpit and wake his sheep up! 
Remind him that the Episcopalians might be making headway with gay marriages (in KS of all places) by hammering and yammering away for sam n fred to take a combination wedding/honeymoon trip to Martha's Vineyard and because of that Episcy priest's dynamism and force, geez, he/she/or maybe a transgendered it, is getting his flock over at St. Brokeback all excited to do something. My gosh, if they could do that for THAT issue in KS, imagine what the Methodists, Congregationalists and UUs could do with an organized Planned Parenthood office and some very clever persuasion in the local schools' nurses offices.
That might get Fr.'s attention.
This problem may vary according to the priest, or diocese ... I really can't say. BUT, try and be a bit "rebellious" by "shopping around" till you hit the parish where the priest isn't afraid to take his gloves off on abortion (or the Episcys urging their male flock to marry off on some MAss island. (Please, not in my valley--I live near Northampton, aka "Lesbianville.")
Anyway -- should you get to hear Fr. Fearsnotthemediaheat rip into legal babykilling, tell him you loved his homily. (You'll make his day!) And, if he asks you why you've decided to attend Mass in his parish, let him know you're hungry for this kind of "food," as well. He might remind you that church rules require people to stick with their neighborhood parish (for understandable reasons) -- but that you, too, have some pretty valid ones, as well and tell him what they are. Chances are this priest just might feel "uncomfortable enough" about taking somebody else's parishioner, but not so uncomfortable that he can't pick up the phone and have a friendly chat with your regular pastor and who knows, that might get your regular pastor to pick up the pace concerning abortion. (My God, you'd think that'd be a "regular" thing he could put in his weekly homily, notwithstanding what the lectionary says.
I've seen an Episcopal priest stretch his "discretionary lectionary" sermon style so as to throw in his favorite "cause," homo marriage and lay on a "guilt trip" that would make any Catholic priest pale in comparison for style, sincerity and real enthusiasm. (I've also seen this priest make his parish the first -- and I suppose-- the only one in the nation that stopped holding weddings until the Motherperson Church gets around to developing a suitable liturgy for gay weddings. It might just do that, only to find out there aren't enough parishes and dioceses left to ratify the damn thing. No tears lost, at least from our perspective.
Yes, if only more of our priests would do the same concerning another abomination, one that's even worse: ligalized baby-killing. But we also have some clout as well. We can always go to the Chancery, with the official Diocesan Prolife organization, or with another one that's more energetic and spell out the problem. I'm almost sure any self-respecting bishop would be more than understanding and see to it that the "message" gets out. And remind him that the "de-noms" aka our protestant "competitors" are getting a leg up in this respect. That might tighten the belt under his saddle a bit.
As for the de noms and churches like that relying on a heavy emphasis of small group ministries that are constantly set up to "feed" the latest trendy thoughts coming out of the myriad of this, that, and everything else conglomeration of "bible colleges," etc. brush off whatever you hear as (what former Fed Chmn Alan Greenspan would call "excessive exuberance.") Frankly, I'm always more interested lately in what the Fed has to say than anything I've heard in some of these ever so picky, and I mean picky, discussions about this or that prophet, "bible hero" or "verse of the week." Usually it's one verse that'll bog the class down, and bogs 'em down real good: and that verse is often one of the least significant to anybody seeking a bigger picture of what Scripture has to offer.
But if you really want a good eye-ball rolling experience, try sitting through a session about the minor prophets and just after the leader draws a skeletal map of the Holy Land, somebody asks where the Medit. Sea is located. And when the instructor e v e r s o p o l i t e l y tells her it's on the left--you're either ready to  or and BOLT OUT THE DARN DOOR ONCE AND FOR ALL LEST YOU FIND YOURSELF READY FOR CHECKING INTO THE LOCAL NUT-HUT.
In any event, it sounds like you're on the right path, and it's a good sign if you and your missus are at least speaking about these kind of matters instead of pushing them aside or under a handy rug. Just how is it that two people who pledge to love each other unconditionally can be torn apart by the very means that are supposed to bring us closer to understanding God's love and desires for all of us?
Cynics will say "religion" at the drop of a thin dime. But just try and get them to bend over and pick up that dollar bill with pride scribbled all over it. I can almost guarantee it: You won't.
____________________
For anyone suffering from a mental illness or has a loved one with a mental illness, my book "Lead kindly Light: A Devotional For The Mentally Ill" might be of some help: http://www.lulu.com/ (Use search box at the top of page.)
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Pani Rose
Member
| Joined: | Fri Oct 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Irondale, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 387 |
| First Name: | Rose | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Ruthenian Byzantine in a Melkite Greek Catholic Parish, raised ... |
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Posted: Fri May 2nd, 2008 01:54 am |
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God is good!
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
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