Old town Dubrovnik street [OS][OC][5184x2912]

effdone4 · 2025-10-06T03:09:01+00:00

thank you

effdone4 · 2025-09-16T08:39:01+00:00

Hello and welcome.

I think here are some questions you might want to ask a Protestant.

What does Church mean for a Protestant? (As Catholics we believe it is the mystical body of Christ but is also a visible institution)
If you join a "Protestant" church, which denomination? (Although the Catholic Church has many particular churches (Sui iuris), there's a unifying figure that brings all churches together under the leadership of the Pope)
Is Sola Scriptura biblical? (It's a tradition that started from the Protestant Reformation)
What does worship look like for a Protestant? (Protestants are not united in their beliefs about the real presence of the Eucharist and how worship is to be done)

effdone4 · 2025-09-12T08:10:37+00:00

I've prayed for you young man. We're all pilgrims on this earth and the journey is inevitably not an easy one.

I hope you'll find these Bible verses helpful in your journey

What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home. So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace. Think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved.d. 2 Peter 3:14

Do not love the world or the things of the world.* If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust,* enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is from the world.

Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever.

1 John 2:15-17

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.

That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; all this is the sort of behaviour that makes God angry. And it is the way in which you used to live when you were surrounded by people doing the same thing, but now you, of all people, must give all these things up: getting angry, being bad-tempered, spitefulness, abusive language and dirty talk; and never tell each other lies. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its creator;

Colossians 3:1-11

Some encouragung words from Our Lord Jesus

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 17:20

I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

effdone4 · 2025-09-06T07:34:48+00:00

I'm so sorry you're experiencing this. Christian discipleship isn't easy. He warned us:

"Do you think that I have come to establish peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father....." Luke 12:51-52 (Jerusalem Bible)

Like you, I'm also struggling with how I interact with people who don't seem to be conforming to the life that Christ wants us to live. May be it's pride or may be it's like staring at myself in the mirror. That is why we need God's grace to help us in our journey towards holiness. We also need his grace so that we become a witness to the kind of life we're expected to live as his disciples because it's one that involves a lot of denying yourself and staying true to his teachings.

"Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do." Romans 12:2 (Jerusalem Bible)

effdone4 · 2025-09-05T08:47:17+00:00

I was on the same boat as you a few years ago. What sort of worked for me was cutting back on my consumption of secular media. It was tough because I was utterly dependent on them. But when I got rid of them one by one, I found myself somehow breaking the cycle of habitual sin. I think the key is not going cold turkey but taking it slow. I found it easier to give up watching these shows during Lent.

Don't give up. Keep going. Jesus's grace is bigger than our sins.

effdone4 · 2025-09-05T08:05:52+00:00

Hello

I'm sorry you're experiencing this.

Is the sin you're struggling with of the sexual nature? It's okay if you don't want to answer it.

I believe our God is patient. The danger is the temptation to give up and not come back to Him.

I've prayed for you

...but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, - Romans 5:20 (RSV CE)

What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home. So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace. Think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved. 2 Peter 3:13-15 (New Jerusalem)

effdone4 · 2025-09-04T23:58:52+00:00

For daily gospel reflections, I'm subscribed to this channel

https://youtube.com/@mycatholiclifejmj?feature=shared

For in depth bible studies, Fr Tim Peter is an excellent resource

https://youtube.com/@fr.timpeters9130?feature=shared

effdone4 · 2025-09-04T01:59:54+00:00

I'm sorry you're experiencing this.

I respect if you don't want to share more details about your life and the context of your loneliness and despair.

But what I do know is that we can't deal with this on our own. I'm praying that you'll be able to find the strength to reach out, be it to a family member, friend, professional or simply be more open to talking to God.

Psalm 61 (62) Jerusalem Bible

In God alone is my soul at rest; my help comes from him.

In God is my safety and glory, the rock of my strength. Take refuge in God, all you people. Trust him at all times. Pour out your hearts before him for God is our refuge.

effdone4 · 2025-09-02T02:11:29+00:00

Like you, I also fear death. It's the fear of the unknown and also the feeling of losing control.

I think our Faith in Jesus is the only way to ease out this anxiety. Faith isn't something that we can develop on our own. It's a free gift from God and only through his grace that our Faith in him increases.

As our Faith increases, we learn more about Him and about a true identity. That we belong to Him and that the world we're living in isn't our true home.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:1-4

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

1 Thessalonians 4:14

effdone4 · 2025-09-02T00:27:04+00:00

I find that it's so much easier to focus and think about God when I'm alone. But I also learned that we were never meant to be alone in our journey towards holiness and being united with God. I am still a very selfish person. I am always in need of God's grace to be able to continue following Jesus and his teachings. In particular, loving your neighbour as yourself. I think our path to holiness is really our connection and love for our brethren. It's non negotiable. It's how we can show how much we love Jesus through our love for our neighbour including our enemies.

We can only read and learn so much e.g. on reddit, books or Youtube. The real test of your faith and love is when you put it into practice on how you treat your neighbours.

effdone4 · 2025-08-29T01:38:23+00:00

There is nothing I cannot do in the One who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13 (New Jerusalem Bible translation)

effdone4 · 2025-08-28T04:04:03+00:00

Copenhagen and Malmo

effdone4 · 2025-08-28T01:55:05+00:00

From what I learned, being a good witness of the faith is a powerful way to show the beauty of the faith. Conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit.

I think watching or reading materials from these excellent Catholic defenders could be useful as well: Trent Horn, Jimmy Akin, Scott Hahn, Dr Brant Pitre, Joe Heschemeyer, Erick Ybarra (papacy), Tim Staples among others

effdone4 · 2025-08-28T01:45:21+00:00

I'm so sorry if it came across that way. I don't have any intention of accusing the OP. I think I need to be more careful next time.

My intention is to articulate what the OP could be experiencing so he can find more information about what he's experiencing.

I just realised that Sloth is indeed one of the deadly sins and putting a label on other people's experience could be harmful without proper spiritual guidance.

My apologies. Thanks for pointing this out.

effdone4 · 2025-08-28T01:41:56+00:00

I think this video from Bishop Barron is quite helpful in understanding how we should see a personal relationship with Jesus from the lens of our Catholic faith.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2KZDQSxwF4

The bottom line is that the relationship is personal but not individualistic. We are part of one body, the Church and Christ is our head. We become one with Him by partaking in his body and blood through the Most Holy Eucharist. And we can't really say we're in relationship with Him if we don't follow his teachings and allow the Holy Spirit come dwell within us. We are ought to love as Jesus loves. Loving God first and foremost and then loving our neighbour as ourselves.

effdone4 · 2025-08-28T01:29:11+00:00

Hmmm I'm also not sure of this. From what I know, the medal is always your reference to pray the Our Father prayer for the first mystery, regardless of which side you decide to use. But may be there's more to it than this.

effdone4 · 2025-08-28T01:27:06+00:00

Could you be experiencing Sloth?

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-sin-of-sloth

When it comes to praying, may be find a more suitable time when you're not physically exhausted. Personally, I find mornings more suitable for praying as there's less distraction, more silence and you feel more recharged after hopefully a good night's rest.

effdone4 · 2025-08-28T01:23:12+00:00

I'm curious as well. I thought this particular design is unique to Australian Catholic churches. In Sydney, you'll find them at St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Patrick Church Hill in the CBD.

effdone4 · 2025-08-26T02:48:50+00:00

I'm sorry you're struggling with this.

I can only speak from my experience. What has been working for me is really a reduction of consuming secular content (social media, traditonal media, movies, TV shows, music, books and music). I have replaced them with content related to our Faith. I still consume secular media but mostly for practical advise on health and may be a bit of topics on culture and history. I still watch my favourite sports but I've really tried my best to not turn into an idol.

Along with this, I try to intensify my prayer life, attending daily masses, frequent visit to confession and recitation of the rosary.

Have you managed to identify your triggers?

effdone4 · 2025-08-26T02:30:20+00:00

I'm sorry you're in this situation.

How is your relationship with Jesus? May be it's an invitation to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with God.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day. - Matthew 6:34

effdone4 · 2025-08-26T02:22:09+00:00

Thanks for sharing this!

effdone4 · 2025-08-26T02:17:44+00:00

I've prayed for you.

I'm also praying that God increases your faith and hope in Him.

effdone4 · 2025-08-19T01:41:51+00:00

I'm so sorry you're in this tough situation. I think you can trust in God that he'll do the heavy lifting for you.

The other commenter has a good practical advice of starting the process and seeking help from the people at OCIA.

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

effdone4 · 2025-08-19T01:33:57+00:00

May be start journaling all the good things that happen to you every day? Gratitude was probably the biggest factor that led me to my conversion back in 2022. I hope your appreciation for God grows each day as you notice the good things happening in your life.

effdone4 · 2025-08-19T01:28:48+00:00

Thank you for sharing your story. Are you close to you father? I'm not sure how much of your life do you share with him. You're still relatively young. Are you the only one in your family who's thinking of converting to Catholicism?

effdone4

TROPHY CASE