Made a conscious and adult decision to leave the Catholic Church?

Fed up with the Church opposing homosexuality, abortion, IVF and same sex 'marriage'?

Disgusted that some priests are paedophiles, that hypocrisy rages through the Vatican and that the Holy Father presides over untold riches in the form of paintings, chalices and priceless books and manuscripts?

Think that becoming a Buddhist is a good idea?.....or an agnostic?....or, just nothing at all?

Wrong, wrong wrong.

The Church on earth is imperfect. But, in Heaven it is perfect.

Remember two very important things; firstly, the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ.
It may err in its ministry because of human weakness.

Secondly, the Church is our Mother.

Yes, our Mother.

How would treat your own mother if she was suffering abuse or had made an error?

Would you walk away and say: "I don't believe in mothers any more"

Or, "My mother is disgusting, I'm going to put my faith in some other mother"

Father Barron speaks here on leaving the Church....

A few good starts to the week

First and foremost, in this age when many are falling away from the Faith, mainly out of ignorance or laziness, here is a great post from Ascending Mount Carmel blog.

And another post right on target from James Preece at Catholic and Loving it - so you thought that reception by hand was all part of the Second Reformation did you?

To top it all off we have the Holy Father stating that we have suffered from liturgical abuses and irregularities, thanks to Cathcon - so, no more self expression on the sanctuary, hand clapping, kissing or ad libbing!

What a start to the week....can it get any better than this?

Apostasy, heresy, disobedience, war, famine, persecution...it's great to be a Catholic!

Through this arch lies redemption -

it leads to the Coliseum's arena

It was never going to be an easy ride. We never expected anything else. We know, do we not, that redemption comes from sharing the carrying of that very heavy cross? That's why we shrug off serious illness in ourselves and our loved ones, we cope with redundancy and business failure, we pray more when our children leave the faith or suffer hardships, we take casual persecution in our stride and pray even harder when it becomes physical persecution. We know that bereavement is hard to accept but all part of the process.

We do our duty in times of war but hate war nonetheless, we take a stand against abortion, euthanasia, homosexual practices, all serious sin; and when our priests fail us we pray for them and the Church; when our Bishops and Cardinals fail us we write to Rome and keep on praying....we say the Rosary...we go to Mass - nothing in this world can hurt us. God is our Father, Our Lady is our Mother; we have a Guardian Angel and the Communion of Saints behind us!

Bring on the heresy and the apostasy; give us more persecution, if there is schism in the Church we will be on the right side. If the economy of the world should fail we will survive, maybe we will become stronger and better as a result.

And when the brimstone falls from the sky we will be prepared.

You see? These are great times in which to be a member of Christ's one and only true Church.

Easy to be a Catholic when we are all well fed and nothing threatens your existence.

But when times are hard we come into our own....we are one, we are holy, we are apostolic....................we are CATHOLIC!

Is St Peter the patron saint of apostasy?

As Catholics we believe in St Peter just as Christ must have believed in him when he saw through his human frailty and appointed him as Head of the Church.

We see him as a man who, whilst headstrong, nevertheless had the ability to see Our Lord for what He was:

"You are the Christ, Son of the living God"

Yet, in almost the same breath he denied Him. What a contradiction of a man. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, in one of his Good Friday sermons, speaks of Peter and gives us an insight into his character that is somewhat in contrast to the "Rock" image.

Archbishop Sheen believed that Christ was being ironic when he called Peter a rock. He was far from deserving of such an epithet and had shown signs of just not comprehending Christ's mission on earth,  lacking humility at the washing of the feet and challenging Our Lord. His weakness was recognised by Christ who, addressing Peter, told him: "You are clean now; only, not all of you". The "not all of you" meaning that He recognised the fickle strength of Peter's faith.

The rock title, according to the Archbishop, was bestowed in the same way that today, a large man might be dubbed "Tiny" or a fat man "Slim".

Balance that with Peter's statement regarding Christ's divinity and you end up with a man of fluctuating faith. One who, one instant is fearful for the future and the next is drawing a sword from its sheath ready to do battle at Gethsemane. Who one minute follows Christ onto the waters of the lake and then, as his faith wanes, so he sinks.

What  wonderful images those accounts paint and the same peaks and troughs of belief could be applied to many if not all of us. One second sincere and strong and the next fleeing for dear life!

St Peter - became a "rock"

I find it easy to comprehend Peter's denials. So many times in the public arena I have held my tongue when a religious issue is raised, tried to keep a low profile and hope that controversy will not erupt. In later life I have been less concerned as my faith has matured and the fruits of Confirmation have given me the courage to put my head above the parapet; but, as a young person it can be hard.

Apostasy is an ugly word but there is no shrinking from it and the fact that many, many young people are lost to the faith within a few months of leaving home (if not before). I once challenged our PP with regard to catechising older children.

Did he, I asked, ever venture into the secondary schools in town (as the Baptists did) to give lessons to the Catholic children?

"What's the point?" he responded "They are only going to lose the faith anyway"

Even more tragic are those adults who, after 30 or 40 years as a practising Catholic suddenly drop away. What a waste of a life! How could they turn their backs on eternal life? Reject the Mystical Body of Christ, His Church?

In the run up to Christmas last year, Bishop Tobin issued his now famous letter to *lapsed Catholics. It carries a wonderful message of love and forgiveness and reconciliation:

* Bishop Tobin calls them "inactive Catholics"

                      'Letter to Inactive Catholics'
My dear Brother or Sister: In the spirit of the Advent and Christmas Season, and as the Diocese of Providence nears the end of its "Year of Evangelization," I'm writing this letter to inactive Catholics of our Diocese - perhaps you're in that category - to let you know that we miss you, we love you and we want you to come home to the Church.
The first dilemma I faced in writing this letter was how to describe you - an "inactive Catholic," a "fallen-away Catholic" or a "former-Catholic." I chose the first option.
I decided against "fallen-away Catholic" for it suggests someone falling off a fence or out of a tree. The image isn't helpful.
And there's really no such thing as a "former Catholic." If you were baptized a Catholic, you're a Catholic for life - even if you haven't been to Mass for years, even if you've renounced the title and joined another Church. Your baptism infused your soul with Catholic DNA - it defines who and what you are.
Thus, I've chosen the title, "inactive Catholic," because even though you haven't been "active" in the Catholic community for awhile, especially by attending Sunday Mass, receiving the sacraments and otherwise participating in the life of the Church, you're still a Catholic. Sorry . . . you're stuck with us!
Perhaps the exact name isn't very important though. What's more important is why you drifted away from the Church, why you stopped coming to Mass, and what we can do about it.
Did you leave the Church because you disagree with some of the Church's teachings and practices; or because you found it boring and "didn't get anything out of it"; or because someone in the Church offended you or disappointed you; or because you just got a little complacent, spiritually lazy, in the fulfillment of your obligations? Let's look at each of these reasons.
If you left the Church because you disagree with the fundamental teachings of the Church I'm afraid there's not much I can do to help you. The essential teachings of the Church on matters of faith and morals aren't negotiable - they weren't made up arbitrarily by human beings but, in fact, were given to us by Christ. They can't be changed, even if they're unpopular or difficult to live with. I hope that you'll take some time to really understand what the Church teaches and why. Sometimes, we find, good folks get bad information and that leads to confusion and then alienation.
If you left the Church because you found it to be boring and "didn't get anything out of it," well, I understand. Sometimes, it's true, leaders of the Church haven't fed the flock very well - sometimes we haven't provided sound and challenging teaching and preaching, and sometimes our worship has been banal and bland. Perhaps we haven't been very kind or welcoming. I apologize for that; we can and should do better.
On the other hand, when you attend Mass it shouldn't be all about you - the focus is God! You should attend Mass to give, as well as receive - to worship the Lord, to ask forgiveness of your sins, to thank Him for His gifts and to pray for others. And for Catholics the most important reason to attend Mass is to receive the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ, the Bread of Life. You can't do that anywhere else!
If you left the Church because another member of the Church offended or disappointed you, I'm truly sorry for that offense and in the name of the Church I sincerely apologize. I hope you'll forgive us and give us another chance. Members of the Church - including priests and bishops - are completely human. Sometimes we say things and do things that are totally unacceptable, even immoral. But let's face it - we belong to a community of sinners - that's why we begin every Mass by calling to mind our sins and asking for God's forgiveness. The virtue of forgiveness is an essential part of the Christian life - we all need to seek and grant forgiveness now and then.
Finally, if you left the Church because of your own spiritual laziness - complacency - I guess the ball's in your court. I can only encourage you to start over - to think about your relationship with God and try to understand how important the Church is in helping you fulfill your God-given potential and, more importantly, helping you achieve eternal life.
You see, the Church isn't just another human organization, some sort of social club. We believe that the Church has divine elements - that it was founded by Christ and is guided by the Holy Spirit. You need the Church - you need the teachings of the Church, the life-giving sacraments of the Church, and the support of a community that shares your faith and values. But the Church also needs you - we need the gifts of your time and talent, your faith and commitment. The Church has an awful lot to offer you, but if in fact we've been imperfect fulfilling our mission, in serving the Lord and caring for one another, perhaps you can help us to do better.
The irony of this letter, of course, is that if you've been an inactive Catholic, you might not see it. But I'm counting on a Catholic member of your family, or a friend, neighbor or co-worker, to see it and share it.
The Christmas Season is a wonderful, grace-filled time, a time when we remember that the Word of God became flesh and that Jesus is "Emmanuel" - God with us. God came to earth to search for us, to embrace us, to lift us up, and to take us with Him to eternal life. He came to invite you to be His friend and companion along the way.
Dear brother or sister, if you've been away from the Church for awhile, it's time to come home. If there's an issue or a problem we can help you with, please contact your local parish, or contact me here at the Diocese of Providence. I might not be able to solve every problem and meet every need, but I'll try. Please know, however, that we miss you, we love you and we hope to see you soon.

Your brother in Christ,


Bishop Tobin

There are echoes of St Peter in that letter. Having turned his back on Our Lord, in the full knowledge that He was the Son of God, how could he possibly creep back, say "sorry" and resume as if nothing had happened?
He did and was able to do so because of the unlimited forgiveness of the Lord.
Peter's key element is his sorrow, an acknowledgment that he had done wrong; Our Lord's is not just His forgiveness but also His love and welcome and that applies to all of us.

                                         PRAYER TO ST PETER


O Glorious Saint Peter, because of your vibrant and generous faith, sincere humility and flaming love our Lord honored you with singular privileges and especially leadership of the whole Church. Obtain for us the grace of a living faith, a sincere loyalty to the Church, acceptance of all her teaching, and obedience to all her precepts. Let us thus enjoy an undisturbed peace on earth and everlasting happiness in heaven.

7 Bad reasons for leaving the Faith

I come from a large family and most of my siblings, including their children, have left the Faith or are CINOs (Catholics In Name Only).
What has caused this apostasy? Why did my siblings who grew up as "Traditional" Catholics and who were critical of liberal Catholicism, change?

Here are some of the reasons (I assume):-

1. "I just can't be bothered"
Apathy must rank as the prime reason for the drift into oblivion. The gradual relaxation of the Sunday discipline of Mass has led to an eventual total blockage. The causes of apathy are legion but laziness is at the heart of it.

2. "I don't agree with some of the teachings of the Church"
What! You know better than the Pope and the Holy Doctors of the Church? I am quoting Fr Corapi here but it's a good point. If you have several post graduate qualifications in theology and philosophy, spent 30 or so years studying the Bible, and all things theological, can translate Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin and Ancient Greek, I might have some respect (minimal) for your view...but, if not you score nul points!

3. "I want our children free to make up their own minds when they are older"
So you allow them to eat as they will, without a knife and fork, at the table or on the floor - you allow them the freedom to play in a busy street without supervision?
Children need and demand guidance (and discipline). Cut them off from the Faith in their formative years and those souls will be lost forever, or, at the very least, it will be most unlikely that they will ever become Catholics or anything, for that matter.

4. "I cannot accept that the Pope is in charge and is infallible?"
We have to accept discipline and obedience when we become Catholics. Christ left His Church (His Mystical Body) in the hands of Peter. He did not appoint just St Peter, that would have been too limiting, He made the appointment of Father or Head of the Faith (Pope) under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I have never had a problem with infallibility; the office of Pope carries infallibility with it when teaching on issues of Doctrine or when guiding Doctrinal issues with relation to developments within the social and political structure of the world. The Pope is not infallible when it comes to forecasting the weather or horse races, just the unchanging truths of the Catholic Faith.

5. "The Church is wrong on matters of contraception, IVF and AI"
What is meant is that they practice birth control and their friends are recipients of IVF services. When the conscience knows that it is wrong it is much simpler to walk away from something rather than face up to it. Again, obedience clicks in here. The Church teaches these things are wrong based on extensive researches and consultations, by expert religious and secular authorities.

6. "I don't need to go to Church and/or I don't need a formal religion to be holy, I believe in God and that is all that matters"
That is a cop out. We need the strength of a religious community around us (not essential but definitely very helpful). If someone gave up his life for you but, in so doing, requested that you remembered him by spending 45 minutes on your knees every Sunday, would you not do so? Remember, the Catholic Church is the actual Body of Christ Himself, by taking part in the Mass we fully embrace Our Lord as He wishes. It is also a  mortal sin to wilfully miss Sunday Mass.
Belief in God is fine but you also must also have belief in His Son, Jesus Christ.

7. "All of my Catholic friends and family feel the same way"
In Chesterton's words: "Dead bodies float downstream, only live ones swim against it". Just because the majority believes something is right does not make it so, in fact, the reverse is invariably the case. Think for yourself, read the Catechism and some recent works on the subject of Faith. Do not be swayed by those around you who advocate heresy. Have the backbone to hold to what you know is the right course.

And it is worth noting the penalty for apostasy; if we wilfully and knowingly refuse the Mass, the Sacraments (especially, of course, our Easter duty) and the teachings of Christ....what can we expect in return?
Probably, *Hell and its torments for the rest of time, not worth the gamble in my book!

It is also worth remembering Fr Corapi's words: "No one ever gave up the Faith for a higher ideal"
It might be worth visiting St Faustina's vision of Hell - here it is:-

Click!