www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Prayer Faith issues

Dear all,

I request your prayers as i am struggling with my Catholic faith. My former protestantism is rearing its head and casting doubt over what i have come to believe. When i became Catholic i did so self consciously and deliberately knowing that according to my branch of protestantism I was becoming an apostate. Now this is really weighing heavily on me.

Thanks for praying.

jason b.

I will pray for you jason. --Paul

Prayers for the strengthening your faith.

james

Jason,

Prayers that you will be strengthened in your faith through the intercessions of Saints John the Forerunner, Volodymyr the Great, and Saint Helen, patrons of converts, and that your mind will be put at ease through the intercession of Saints Joseph the Betrothed and Thomas the Apostle, patrons against doubt. Please, if we can answer any questions or concerns that you have, feel free to ask them of us.

Many years,

Neil

Dear Jason:

I do hear that the South (Georgia is in my mind ) is particularly hard on converts to Catholicism.

Yours is not a unique case. Our PANI ROSE, a former Baptist (her entire family was), should be an inspiration to you as she has been to me all these years in this Forum, although I am Latin to the core.

My prayers are joined for your enlightenment.

Amado

Dear Jason,

Prayers!

Feel free to contact me at any time to talk, if you wish.

Alex

Jason,

Please trust the Lord and treat this as the temptation it is. A temptation against faith is not sin if you counter it with a profession of faith.

Right now, I would strongly suggest not focusing on the temptation at all. Just simply pray the creed over and over again and ask the Lord to accept that as the cry of your heart. Receive the sacraments as often as you can, and if a temptation against believing in one or another of the sacraments comes up, counter it by closing your ears to the temptation, and living the faith, you actually know, underneath it all, that you believe.

Get through this time in deep prayer and confidence, despite feelings....and then, when it is all over, strengthen your Catholic faith through reading and asking questions. I believe that you will find, to your delight, that you can once again see the truth the way you saw it at your conversion...or even more deeply.

You are not apostate in leaving any branch of protestantism.....Christ did not found one particular branch of protestantism, and bind His followers to it. Jason, remember why you chose Catholicism in the first place, and hold on tight to your faith. It is a gift from God, and you can't just lose it unless you willingly give it up.


Trust in the Lord, pray, ask the Blessed Virgin for her prayers, and know that others are praying for you, too.

God bless you!

Jason,
Always search for the truth. Christ wants us to seek out the truth in everything that we do and believe.
Without a doubt you will be led back to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

You are in my prayers,

Brad

Dear Jason, +May the LORD sustain you in your love and dedication to Him and may His grace and His love for you help you to struggle and keep His most precious gift: FAITH in His Body...His Holy Church!

With our poor prayers for you,
+Father Gregory

Jason:

I can't add anything to what has been posted above for your support, especially by Unity in Christ. To that post, let me simply add "AMEN, AMEN, AMEN."

Don't be discouraged by doubts about your past move into the faith or any move toward Christ. The Enemy throws those up as dust is thrown up by the wind to divert our focus and our determination to persevere.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. EACH OF US HAS HAD THESE SAME DOUBTS THROWN UP TO US.

In addition to Alex, let me offer you my support. Please pm me at any time that you feel you need support.

Keep coming around here, too. This is a place that has a motto "WE CARE."

In Christ,

BOB

I can attest to this. In fact, I think I should have some nice t-shirts made up: "byzcath.org -- We care"

Dear all,

Thanks for your comments, encouragement, counsel and prayers.

I wish i were able to articulate exactly what my doubts and fears are but as it is, i can only generalize. This issue has come up as one of many layers that have been stripped from me. I have been through so much in the past 3 years that I quite literally am not the same person i was before that time. God has torn one thing down after another in my life and sent me on paths i would not have chosen on my own. He has brought me to the end of myself and yet these doubts persist and remain. I guess there is a deeper issue at stake here than just a simple doubt.

I feel as someone might feel who has for whatever reason had to be immersed in a foriegn culture and way of life. In my immaturity I suppose i am still protestant. A protestant trying to live in a Catholic world. While i believe the teaching of the catholic church, in my feelings I have protestant reactions to Mary, the saints, sacrificial character of the mass etc...I feel that i need help integrating these things and understanding how they all work together.

A friend suggested that im trying to be to intellectual...perhaps he is right...but i have a devil of a time holding to some beliefe without understanding what that belief is and what it is not.

Im just very confused. I know the answers are out there, its just a matter of finding them.

Jason

To my dear Roman Redneck Brother,

God took a small child in hand one day, and said I have wonderous things to show you that your eyes have not seen nor have your ears heard. Things that I have made for you since the foundation of time. Things that no mere man can give, gifts that can only be brought to you by my Son.

Abba held you before he placed you in your mothers womb and promised you great truths in life. He has led you through tulmultuos times. He knew long before you of the pain and suffering you were going to go through. I belive this is why he has brought you to his Eucharistric Son. How well he knew that you needed that special bond that only he can give with the only man that could truly give you life, Jesus Christ himself. Perfect Substanance for an unperfect world.

Oh how he longs for us to cry out to him, Abba, Pappa pick me up and hold me. As we humble ourselves to that point he gently reaches down as he did when he held us before we were placed in the womb and lets us know of his unbounded love for us.

Shaddi has called you by name and you are his. He has brougt you to the perfect place in an unperfect world; rejoice in his love, in his church, the body of Christ, take time to praise and thank him. Free him from the restraints of this world which we place him in our minds, and you will truly soar on the wings of an eagle.

Pani Rose

Dear Jason,

I was wondering why God was choosing to call himself Shaddi this morning for you. I believe this is why... He is God Almighty, who is and was and is to come. To you he comes with healing. Draw close to the Eucharist and he will give you strength and understanding to your questions, and you will know his peace.

Pani Rose

Dear Jason,

Were you well catechized when coming into the Catholic Church as a convert? If not, perhaps this is the time to catechize yourself, or seek direction from someone who can help you learn the meanings behind the practices and teachings of your faith.

Yes, there are answers out here, "Faith seeks knowledge" is a true saying, and you need to strengthen your faith with knowledge, but you don't want to get yourself into a position where you won't believe something until you understand it.

You might want to read some books written by other protestants who became Catholic... we converts understand each other's concerns better than many "cradle Catholics" can, simply because we've been there....

Since you are latin rite (I presume) you might enjoy reading The Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is full of explanations of many parts of our faith. You also might enjoy "Why do Catholics do that" I don't remember the author on that one...or you might like "Rome, Sweet Home" by Scott Hahn. It is a conversion story that goes into some of your expressed concerns. I haven't read it for several years, so I can't remember the details, but I liked it when I was coming into the Church years ago.

As a Roman Catholic, I suggest you might want to look for an "imprimatur" in front of any books about the Church's teachings, to try to get something that represents the teachings of the Church fairly and accurately.

Hold on, Jason, and pray that the Lord will guide you into a deeper understanding and acceptance of the faith He has given you.

And keep posting here.... we are glad to keep you in our prayers, and do what we can to encourage you in your faith....

Unity In Christ