Trying to reaffirm the dignity of being a child of God...
Not lapsed, just searching, trying to look at my Catholic faith
objectively. It was handed down, not a choice. I wanted to be given the
chance to choose. Had attended a Catholicism class taught by a Baptist
(1689 confession of faith) once a week for 4 months incognito. I felt
every guffaw, every negative remark against my faith even though the
pastor-lecturer said early on that the class, composed of
Baptists/Evangelicals except maybe for me, should be convincing in their
kindness. That experience was so hurting, humiliating and humbling that
I was depressed for weeks even after classes had been over, because I
had been a Catholic since my baptism more than 45 years ago, had
attended Catholic schools from Kinder to 4th year College but there was
I, clueless and helpless as to how I could defend my faith. Years of
Catholic teachings, aside from attending Masses regularly, retreats,
recollections, membership in church organizations, did not prepare me
for questions that the Baptists would raise about Catholicism.
I realized from my subsequent readings that maybe the Baptists have a point, and that Catholics, including me, should heed the warnings of Benedict Heron, OSB in his book I Saw Satan Fall:
"...We are protected from the attacks of the devil and misfortunes, not by a relic, a crucifix, a holy picture, a medal, a scapular, a particular prayer, but by Jesus himself. He may choose to work through an angel or in answer to the prayers of his mother or the saints, or through pious objects, but it is Jesus himself who saves and protects. There can be a danger of superstition as also of a magic mentality if we put our trust in holy things rather than in the Holy One."
Second warning is "...there can be a danger of some Catholics getting smothered by a multitude of private devotions, special prayers, novenas, holy pictures, scapulars, medals and such things, so that the centrality of the Mass and the basic simplicity of the spiritual life become obscured," and that " we shall not be protected from the attacks of the devil because of the vast number of pious objects around us, or because of endless private devotions."
Personally, I think that the errors spoken against by Benedict Heron may also be the reason why some or many (don't have the actual number) are getting out of the Catholic fold.
I realized from my subsequent readings that maybe the Baptists have a point, and that Catholics, including me, should heed the warnings of Benedict Heron, OSB in his book I Saw Satan Fall:
"...We are protected from the attacks of the devil and misfortunes, not by a relic, a crucifix, a holy picture, a medal, a scapular, a particular prayer, but by Jesus himself. He may choose to work through an angel or in answer to the prayers of his mother or the saints, or through pious objects, but it is Jesus himself who saves and protects. There can be a danger of superstition as also of a magic mentality if we put our trust in holy things rather than in the Holy One."
Second warning is "...there can be a danger of some Catholics getting smothered by a multitude of private devotions, special prayers, novenas, holy pictures, scapulars, medals and such things, so that the centrality of the Mass and the basic simplicity of the spiritual life become obscured," and that " we shall not be protected from the attacks of the devil because of the vast number of pious objects around us, or because of endless private devotions."
Personally, I think that the errors spoken against by Benedict Heron may also be the reason why some or many (don't have the actual number) are getting out of the Catholic fold.
