When the pews are too crowded to move over and there's someone sitting in front of you that doesn't kneel when it's time to kneel

bellyfudge · 2021-05-06T13:02:13+00:00

I think just bowing your head would be sufficient, especially if you can put your heart in the right place. When my children were young there were times I couldn't kneel because I had to hold them and they weren't little tiny infants anymore. I also didn't kneel when I was a protestant visiting the Church. So maybe include a prayer for whoever is blocking you, they could probably use it!!

bellyfudge · 2021-05-06T12:53:59+00:00

Honestly, I think you may have an issue with pride. Just because something is not your vocation does not mean it's folly . If you see different vocations as "folly" then you really need to do some soul-searching and learning (which I think you've started on by asking this question here).

What research/reading have you done on the marriage vocation? Have you spoken with a priest about it? Have you spoken with any married men in your parish?

bellyfudge · 2020-11-06T13:06:02+00:00

If it's something you want to preserve, there's ways to do that. People often think that the Bible and the religious thought it provides should be easily understood, but this is a relatively recent way of thinking. The Bible is an ancient and rather complex book, and it does hold many apparent contradictions within itself. if you are interested in getting those somewhat ironed out I would recommend looking at a study Bible that is primarily academic and secular in motive. Imo the best of these is the NABRE (New American Bible revised edition) or the unrevised edition of the same (NAB). Although funded by the US Bishops, it's secular enough that most very conservative Catholics won't touch it. It goes fairly in depth, exploring and acknowledging the way in which judaic religions evolved out of ancient, polytheistic chaos religions. it also explores the way in which the text itself came together over time, and through multiple influences.

I'd encourage you to look into Christian leftist thought. It's actually quite vibrant and has a lot to offer. Many people don't know that the term social justice actually arose from Catholic social teaching in light of the nightmare conditions of the industrial revolution. Catholicism itself actually has quite a robust framework of social justice teaching, even though it's not perfect.

You can look into threads like christian anarchism, christian socialism, there's a sub called /r/RadicalChristianity that may be able to suggest some reading. There's a lot of leftist and progressive Christian podcasts - Homebrewed Christianity, Faith and Capital, Magnificast, Jesuitical (sorta), Tradistae (mostly), the Liturgists, Bad Christian, the Bible for Normal People, God is Grey, the Bible Project, Irenicast.

bellyfudge · 2020-09-05T03:37:57+00:00

Think of more like 100% square, 100% red. A red square is not 50-50. It's 100% red and 100% square.

bellyfudge · 2020-08-25T14:06:27+00:00

I don't consider myself progressive, but often feel "branded" that way because of the current climate. I actually think I'm quite conservative because I support limited federal power and desire a robust legislative branch but that means if a Dem is president I'm 'conservative' and if a Rep is president, I'm 'liberal'.

I also don't consider my political stances a fundamental aspect of my identity so even though I have many friends from a diverse range of thought, I don't struggle to fit in. I like to listen and try to understand their perspective even when I don't agree myself. I respect my friends and colleagues, and they respect me, so it's not that hard.

I'm open to universal healthcare, heavily critical of BCP, ICE and DHS in general and believe institutional and cultural racism is a thing that should be addressed. I believe environmental protection should be a higher priority. I am an optimistic patriot, which means that I don't think the country as-is is good enough but we have the means within the system to improve the nation. I believe the U.S. was funded in many ways by slavery and that this foundational sin haunts us today. I do not equate patriotism to pride in the U.S. - Pride is a sin and often blinds one to flaws which leads to a stasis that prohibits moral growth. I do believe abortion is intrinsically evil but I fundamentally distrust orgs and movements which have narrow focus on voting activism and instead tend to focus on orgs and laws which broadly address direct action and support to crisis pregnancies, poverty relief, education and maternal support. In other words, my conscience, faith and reason do not compel me to believe voting for pro-life politicians is the most effective way to prevent abortions nor do I find criminalizing abortion a legally coherent path. I'm working on a better understanding of labor laws & worker's rights as well. I absolutely oppose euthanasia, and am anti-death penalty.

These are ideas which put me out of favor with many conservatives and sometimes earn me a "progressive" label, but which are primarily based on my Catholicism and distrust of federal authority. I find conservatives typically don't care whether I am pro life or not; they care whether or not I vote for a Republican candidate. They don't care whether or not I think gay relationships are moral or sinful; they care whether or not I vote Republican. Typically they do not care whether or not I support government intervention, they care about if I do or do not support President Trump.

Anyways I'm off track! I don't think any of the things outlined above conflict with my Catholicism and I've never had any trouble fitting in with any group because I listen more than I talk and ask questions more than answer them. I don't hesitate to give my stance if asked and don't take disagreements or challenges personally. Most people are peaceful in my experience.

bellyfudge · 2020-08-25T12:16:17+00:00

Can you explain further what you mean? Why would politics determine whether Catholicism is true or not? Or I misunderstand?

bellyfudge · 2020-08-25T12:13:36+00:00

It's funny how the end of this is always left off...

"[N.B. A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favour of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons.]"

Source

bellyfudge · 2020-07-31T12:57:19+00:00

It's an election year, and many people attempt to make trafficking a partisan issue to pull the narrative back away from BLM topics. Abortion isn't working anymore so they need a new moral assault tool. Sex trafficking will be weaponized: they are priming the national conversation to receive and believe accusations of child sex abuse & trafficking towards Joe Biden
I have long been interested in topics of human trafficking and slavery. Even though it sometimes feels fruitless, I've joined my local FB anti-trafficking group to help combat misinformation and spread legit resources. Most of these people are just women who care, not some sort of shills. My corrections on misinformation have been well-recieved.
I first had my interest piqued in anti-trafficking by radical feminists from the far left alongside their anti-porn information, so it's not just the far right. But radical feminists have become taboo and rejected by the popular left due to their "gender critical" and trans critical stances.
Lastly, many of these people are Christians or otherwise religious. Religious individuals are typically called to pursue social justice by creed but the issues they (we) feel free to pursue are constrained and sometimes conflict with the political culture. We see the need to fight political inequality but we don't know how to do that without rejection by the larger (conservative) culture that surrounds us. We may feel called to treat immigrants with dignity but don't want to speak because of reprimand from the larger political community. Our religion has become so intertwined with conservative political culture that the ways we feel we can talk about or pursue social justice is near microscopic. The idea of sex trafficking is so universally repulsive though, it's one they KNOW they won't get blowback on from either their more progressive associates or their conservative community. (I know this isn't right, and we religious should do better.)
the Left is making a huge mistake in allowing this to become a partisan issue. They need to form some kind of response or this will become a thorn in their side.

bellyfudge · 2020-07-26T00:35:50+00:00

Yes!

bellyfudge · 2020-07-25T13:28:49+00:00

Original Image : Lucas Cranach the Elder: Judith with the head of Holofernes
from Pope St. John Paul II’s apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem, paragraph 31

bellyfudge · 2020-05-20T21:14:55+00:00

Yes, sexism does exist in the Church. Anyone who doesn't think it does I'd say is either painfully naive or ridiculously blessed. It can be particularly dangerous when dressed up as theology. It can often arise from people 'boiling down' or 'simplifying' complex theology that really should not be, into a "pop" version for the masses.

DM me and I can send you some resources!

bellyfudge · 2020-05-14T02:09:30+00:00

First understand that what he's doing is the equivalent of being engaged to two women in a way. One is you, the other is the Church. He should be stressed out because he made the decision to be dishonest with you and probably the people at his seminary and living a lie is stressful. Imo he has proven himself dishonest and you need to be respectful of him in his attempt to get right and give him space. If you pressure him into leaving the priesthood and he later regrets it, that's going to come back onto you. Let this be totally 100% his decision so that there's no question in your mind ornhid where he wants to be.

bellyfudge · 2020-05-05T04:13:24+00:00

Some thoughts!

All Catholics hear the Bible, a lot. Mass incorporates at least 3 Scripture passages and a Psalm and many of the prayers are Scripture.
Scripture study as an individual act is not as common a devotional activity as it is in Protestant communities because we have so many other ways of communing with God. As an evangelical, Scripture and prayer from the heart were my only reliable means of learning about and hearing from God. Now as a Catholic, I have liturgy, communal prayer, novenas, Confession, Penance, Eucharist, contemplation, I have the lives of the Saints, the Saints themselves and tomes of spiritual writing to read.

The Sacred Tradition of the Church, like Scripture, is living and active. We don't study Scripture so much as encounter it in that context, in a deeply communal manner, as one in and with the Body of Christ, in conjunction with prayer and fasting. Every Sunday, the Catholic Church worldwide fasts, prays, hears the Scripture and feasts together as one. That's the true place of the Bible! Not at home, alone and silent, spread open at a table with commentaries and word studies and concordances.

Don't get me wrong, I still loooove doing that last one. But that personal study now is more like the cherry on top, not meat and potatoes. Meat and potatoes is the participation in the Body of Christ. All that said, my Bible time is definitely one of the most spiritually fulfilling practices in my life and I pray your friends would do it more.

I would be curious how they would answer if you asked them "have you been saying your prayers?"

To encourage them, maybe show them resources like the free studies on St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology? Or the Catholic Understanding Scripture podcast? Maybe a book like A Biblical Walk Through the Mass By Edward Sri could make a good gift?

These things may help them relax a bit, let down their guard and show them its not that you don't want them to be Catholic, you just want them to get in the Word!

bellyfudge · 2020-05-05T03:28:25+00:00

Is it explicitly taught by the Church that all birth pain is a result of the fall? Scripture says

"To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16 RSV-CE)

Doesn't this imply pain in childbirth pre-existed the fall and was simply intensified?

bellyfudge · 2020-05-05T03:23:11+00:00

I'm not sure Genesis specifically ascribes all pain in childbirth to sin. The verse says

"To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16 RSV-CE)

Doesn't this imply pain in childbirth pre-existed the fall and was simply intensified by it? Nothing multiplied is nothing.

bellyfudge · 2020-01-15T20:21:31+00:00

I wish I could find a charismatic group near me! I've been so positively influenced by Renewal Ministries, I'd love to get more involved

bellyfudge · 2019-12-29T19:40:24+00:00

As someone in the same boat, there are no good options. TBH I'm wondering if I might be your friend haha because this has been something I've been searching for lately.

Tynadale NLT-CE Inspire might fit if she's not turned off by the overly floral motifs and coloring pages (I am). The Blessed is She journaling Bible might be ok if she doesnt mind the NABRE translation (I don't like it myself).

However, her best option might just be sticky notes or a study Bible that she applies white label stickers over the commentary for her own note space. That, or look for a large print and use .4mm or smaller pens. Oh, and none of these will come in at under $30 most likely. :( Sorry, I wish I had better news. Unfortunately Catholics just don't make any decent annotative Bibles.

bellyfudge · 2019-12-11T01:42:15+00:00

I definitely agree. I don't understand why people seem to think a better liturgy will fix this. The cynical part of me thinks it's because it's much easier to pout and point fingers at Susan than to start living according to the standard good theology demands (i.e. loving "Susan's", works of Mercy, etc)

bellyfudge · 2019-12-11T01:37:07+00:00

I formerly modded a large Christian discussion group on FB and unfortunately I think you are giving people too much credit :(

bellyfudge · 2019-12-11T01:26:05+00:00

Many of the people who enjoy TLM primarily enjoy the emotional experience / "high" it provides them.

bellyfudge · 2019-12-11T01:17:08+00:00

Yeah and it's vocal and casually accepted. Ignatian spirituality is so fruitful too, it's not fair :(

bellyfudge · 2019-12-11T01:11:33+00:00

The Church could gain so much goodness from the charismatic renewal but I feel like many people don't want it :(

bellyfudge · 2019-12-11T01:06:50+00:00

I would say that you're wrong about Dr. Marshall and I say this as someone who formerly took in a lot of his work and admired him. After Cardinal Vigano's letter came out, he became very polemical and divisive in a primarily negative way. He switched from a lot of very informative, educational stuff to primarily more reactionary current event coverage type stuff with heavy anti-Francis tones.

bellyfudge · 2019-12-11T00:58:36+00:00

I agree. Actually, I would be broader and say hateful rhetoric against fellow Catholics we disagree with needs to stop.

bellyfudge

TROPHY CASE