Why stay catholic

College was a big change for me. They seemed quite willing to openly mock or question the Church and any who were Catholic. The funny thing is, this ended up being a gift, as it compelled me to read. I learned as much of the faith as I could in order to defend it well and, in doing so, I fell more deeply in love with the Church.

My sticking point always came with those times in our history when we acted sinfully. How could such good theology produce leaders who sometimes acted evilly? How could a Church that has done so many beautiful and amazing things also be the Church that did these bad things?

How could the Church I knew in my heart was called by Christ also be the Church that made such horrible mistakes? My experience in seminary sharpened this idea, which began in college, that the Church was called to an extraordinary mission.

Surrounded by men and women who loved God in such profound and thoughtful ways intensified my belief that our Catholic faith is a gift from God. The history classes put perspective on some of our sins from the past, and the active sacramental life of the seminary provided me with the strength I needed to heal from some wounds and grow in my love for the faith. And pain, from whatever physical discomfort your soul experiences in Purgatory; or just from that intense longing you feel there to be with our Creator.

We have a powerful tool to shorten our time in Purgatory: having prayers and Masses said for us on our behalf! To sum up: almost years ago, God became man to die for our, and your , redemption and Eternal Happiness with Him in heaven. Before His Passion at Calvary he founded a church that Satan and his demonic minions from the gates of hell would try mightily to destroy but would not succeed!

That Catholic which just means "universal" church makes up His Mystical body and you are very much meant to be a part of that as well. It can equal 5, 7, 8. The Sanctifying Grace you received at your Baptism into the Catholic church is something quite special!

Remember, in the midst of the darkness around us, that God is still in charge and He has created you and each one of us, for that matter, with a mission and purpose in mind. As St. Therese of Lisieux noted, each one of us can achieve holiness just in serving God with obedience to His commandments, His laws of love.

Christ's church with its rich tradition from its sacraments, saints, devotions, and prayers provide the fullest and best opportunities to be that person He meant you to be. God will prevail in the end and He is still in charge. Just because He allows evil, in the name of giving us free will, doesn't mean that evil gets the last word!

Let the internet help you find them if need be. And let Christ work in you so that He may shine forth through you as well! I hope that these links below can shed some more light and clarity about our wonderful faith! November is an especially good time to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory as they undergo both great suffering and joy in being cleansed for heaven. Are you feeling somewhat shaky these days? Let Jesus help you find, and hold, your ground in these turbulent times! Michael's famous cry against Lucifer before winning the battle against him is quite timely these days when God has been cast aside by so many of us!

Are you surrounded by negativity? Struggling with temptations? Fight back with the Saint Michael prayer! These prayers in this devotion pay tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary for all the sufferings she endured with her Divine Son for our salvation.

Mary of Agreda's private revelations provide moving insights for meditation on the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven! Read More. Have you ever wanted to have some fresh insights on the Assumption of Mary for this special feast day? These selections provide moving food for thought! We can see the great holiness of St. Jean Marie Vianney, also known as the Cure of Ars, from these excerpts from a couple of his sermons on prayer. Praying to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a great way to find refuge and strength from our Lord, now more than ever!

This Litany to the Holy Spirit can help the third person of the Trinity help us as we strive for salvation and Eternal Life.

The Five First Saturdays is a loving devotion that is essential in these turbulent times! God Bless, Christopher Castagnoli for www.

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We understand the need for artistic expression, and the relationship of beauty to worship. We are very big on education, from grade school to university. We also write great literature. From the monks of the Middle Ages who preserved the written word for posterity, to the great Catholic theologians like St. We also know how to create, and how to educate. Number 8: We follow ancient and time-honored ritual better than anyone. The Mass every day is our best example, but we are known for the reverence with which we perform our rites.

The sign of the cross, the Rosary, the Stations, the music of our services, the architecture of our churches: all are rich in symbolism. And because the Mass is the same the world over, a Catholic has a home no matter where he or she roams. We know how to preserve tradition. The priest may represent Christ, but we are still spilling our deepest guts to a fellow human. We know how to suffer. Number 6: We totally get the idea of marriage. In spite of current controversy and debate over civil marriage rights, we understand the spiritual aspect of marriage, of discovering the sacred within our commitment, of the organic reality of two becoming one.

We get that every marriage is, within itself, a community of believers. We know how to couple. Number 5: We put on an excellent funeral. We know how to suffer and party at the same time.

Number 4: We have the proven capacity to change and grow: remember when bishops used to be married? Probably not — centuries ago Remember covering our female heads with lace? We even change our minds about a previously condemned heresy and apologize, although it may take centuries.

Sorry, Galileo. We know how to transform. We know how to share. We respect the gift of life, and insist on the dignity of the person. We are consistently counter-cultural, and regularly politically incorrect. We know how to agitate. When all is said and done, no matter how deeply the human face of the church may disappoint us, we believe passionately in the power of the Eucharist that nourishes us each time we receive it.

Steeped in incarnate mystery, we know how to sustain ourselves in faith. An incomplete list, no doubt, but rereading it comforts me. May it be a source of hope and help to anyone else with a wavering heart. Valerie Schultz , of Tehachapi, Calif. She coauthored this post with Msgr. Robert McNamara , pastor of St. Bernardine of Siena parish in Woodland Hills, Calif. Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more. In All Things. Valerie Schultz June 09, Valerie Schultz vsschultz1.

Show Comments Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more. Bravo, Father Mac for writing this, and Brava Ms.

Schultz for sharing this. I WAS going to expound a bit This wonderful list stands on its own, certainly without my help. Thank you for reminding us. I have resolved my own struggle by becoming an Episcopalian. This list does not make me want to return. With some nuances, the Episcopal Church has all 10 things on this list.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! And we do have a sense of humor, a lot of it too! A great list but one lack on the part of Catholics - we won't sing, I mean really sing out at Mass, and Protestants certainly do.

To confuse anglican singing with gospel joy is naive. Norma, we might have a sense of humor but it's usually outside church doors. Fr Mac, " a wee bit of pride" is understatement. Many of those attributes of catholicism especially 5,4 and 3 can be explained by our courtesan nature. We put on a great show that removes people from reality for a while. What about those who are most in need of God's mercy? Those who reject it If you don't sign up you can't get in seems to be the message.

Most of our virtues speak of whoredom. Galileo was vindicated by history not by the Church. Taking in James Joyce is like Reagan quoting Stalin. Joyce lived in an Ireland which saw all of the begorrah manipulation of catholicism. His most vivid scene in Ulysses is defiantly anti-catholic. Masturbation linked to the veneration of the Body of Christ. Number 8 and 4 contradict themselves. It seems that Catholicism is all about expediency.