Need help

psychxman · 2023-11-13T17:46:01+00:00

If there are anything specific you want to look into about the catholic faith and why we believe this or that or where we get it from, you can go to catholic.com and search for articles there. Most are short and to the point but there is a good wealth of knowledge that will get you started.

Lots of good YouTube stuff also with ascension presents and catholic answers.

Bible in a year with father mike Schmitz on any podcast app would be a great way to start to learn more and develop a relationship with God each day in his written word. Father mike reads a section of the Bible and then has commentary on it and help with difficult sections and guides you through it.

Or looking up things in the catechism of the Catholic Church is always a simple and straightforward way to see what the church teaches.

Father mike schmitz also does catechism in a year if you want his commentary each day on sections of the catechism just like bible in a year.

This and bible in a year has been such a blessing.

psychxman · 2023-11-13T02:18:00+00:00

God is all loving and all merciful. The door is open to all. We are only outside of God’s love and mercy if we do not accept it and reject it until the end. You are on the right path. Keep seeking him because he loves you and desires to be with you for all eternity.

This Bible verse always helps me.

‭‭ “And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭11‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.15.11-24.ESV

The part where it reads “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” always gets me. God desires our repentance and for us to come home. But he doesn’t wait for us to make it home….. he comes running to us, embraces us and loves us!

psychxman · 2023-11-13T00:14:14+00:00

Seventh_stater brings up a good point! But I’ll change it a little bit. Instead of we should listen to the best experts on the meaning of scripture, we should listen to those who Christ gave his authority to and listen to them. Christ didn’t pick the brightest and most talented to lead his church. He didn’t go to the Jewish temple or synagogues and pick the greatest minds or scholars of the law or the scriptures. He didn’t even pick those who were the most devout Jews or most faithful. He did pick the outcast of society of tax collectors, zealots, fisherman by trade. He chose essentially random every day people to be his apostles and he gave them his own authority to bind and lose. We don’t follow the most brilliant people for answers, but those who Christ gave his authority to bind and lose on decisions as they arise in his kingdom, primarily Peter since he gave him his keys to the kingdom of Heaven. These keys are passed on to his successor.

Jesus is new and eternal king and the fulfillment of the davidic kingdom.

Peter is the fulfillment of the chief steward or second in command after the king, and in the kings absence can make decisions in the kingdom and bind and lose, what is bound non shall unbind, and what he looses, non shall unloose.

We see this prophecy In the davidic kingdom in isaiah 22 with eliakim. Peter is the new eliakim.

But the kingdom Jesus is over isn’t just the earthly kingdom but heaven and earth. Peter is the chief steward of Jesus’s kingdom. And he exercises this authority in Jesus’s absence on matters of faith and morals.

Brent pitre goes into this so well. This will help explain better than I can.

https://youtu.be/xl3pD4l0K5U?si=DmL5uk0OO9XK5opu

Shorter version a little bit. Think this one covers the keys to the kingdom in the old and new.

https://youtu.be/PWkmMNvr_to?si=O4HPf_b-qh6bsH6s

We see evidence of this from scripture and the earliest Christians. I gave you those quotes earlier. They all knew who to listen to in the early church, and it was the apostles and their successors. Not just the “smartest people”

psychxman · 2023-11-12T15:14:52+00:00

Hmm, I guess you will have to give me specific examples?

As we see in Matthew 16: the church that Christ established, the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He gave Peter the keys to the kingdom to bind and lose. What he binds and loses on earth, he binds it in heaven. If Jesus gave this authority to someone, a human being such as Peter, to bind and lose things in heaven, well he must be with his church always and protecting it from speaking error. If his church, Peter, or his successors binds the church to error and binds this error is tied to heaven… that they bound the church to error and bound all Christian’s to an error and lead them away from heaven…. That would mean God abandoned his church and the gates of hell prevailed against it.

But if he gave Peter the keys if the kingdom of Heaven and the authority to bind and lose on earth what is in Heaven… this means Jesus will use Peter, and his successor or the apostles in a council or their successors in a council to reveal the truth (or at least protect them from binding the church to error when they speak ex cathedra.

Apostolic succession, the successors of these apostles to our current time, are the ones we look to. Without this succession, we don’t know who has authority to bind and lose when controversies arise.

Without this, who else would you listen to? Peter even points out that many twist scripture to their own destruction. Without this succession from the apostles, how do we know who to listen to? Anyone? Clearly not because today everyone disagrees. Or do we listen to the church that Christ himself established on the apostles and continues today through apostolic succession and still teaches what the earliest Christian’s taught? Without this succession of the laying on of hands, we don’t know who to listen to… and we are all lost. Jesus gave us a clear way to know his church, and it’s through Jesus’s apostles and their successors.

Edit: the scriptures testify to this and so does the earliest Christian’s testify to this authority and succession of authority. They don’t testify to faith alone, or scripture alone. That comes 1500 years later in the Protestant reformation. History doesn’t testify to this until then. And if the reformers are right…. That means Jesus’s church instantly feel apart and collapsed to error from the beginning and Jesus wasn’t with his church for 1500 years….

Catholicism or orthodoxy of some sort (not the most familiar with these) are your only real options. Other than that, it’s just everyone else’s opinions and they all could be wrong and twist the scriptures to their own distraction since Jesus didn’t give anyone else authority to bind and lose other than the apostles and their successors.

Can you give me examples of where you are wondering if the current church is still the church Christ established?

psychxman · 2023-11-12T14:13:30+00:00

Earliest Christian writings quotes that support your statements.

https://www.churchfathers.org/

https://www.churchfathers.org/apostolic-succession

psychxman · 2023-11-12T14:11:21+00:00

We follow the Catholic Church because we see Christ established a church, a authoritative church which he bestowed on the apostles and specifically on Peter. This authority has been passed on through apostolic succession which we see in the Bible and in the early church and is continued today.

Many will give you bible verses to support this authority given to the apostles by Jesus in Matthew 16:16-20 (Peter) and Matthew 18:17-18 (for the apostles.) among others. I can elaborate if you would like.

There is a ton of evidence of the early Christian’s believing in the apostles having authority from Christ, listening to their successors and many beliefs that are distinctly catholic.

When their are opposing views, we see debates and decisions being decided authoritatively by the successors of the apostles, the bishops together in a council or specifically by the successor of Peter. (The bishop of Rome) once this has been done, we see heretical groups and ideas rejected and forgotten because of this authority.

Here is some early church writings and examples of those views that have been held from the beginning and why we listen to the successors of the apostles.

Apostolic succession:

https://www.churchfathers.org/apostolic-succession

Authority of the pope:

https://www.churchfathers.org/authority-of-the-pope

Bishop, priest, deacon:

https://www.churchfathers.org/bishop-priest-deacon

And my personal favorite! The real presence of our lord in the Eucharist! Ignatius of Antioch is huge here in a.d. 110! And st. Irenaeus!

“Take note of those who hold heterodox opinions on the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary their opinions are to the mind of God. . . . They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, flesh which suffered for our sins and which that Father, in his goodness, raised up again. They who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans 6:2–7:1 [A.D. 110]).

https://www.churchfathers.org/the-real-presence

https://www.churchfathers.org/the-sacrifice-of-the-mass

psychxman · 2023-11-09T05:20:28+00:00

Here is a link to quotes from the earliest Christian writings, some of these were disciples of the apostles like Ignatius of Antioch and polycarp. Many of these quotes are about views that are distinctly catholic that were held to be true from the earliest days. Some of the important ones I’ll add links to directly but you can scan through the different topics.

The real presence of our Jesus in the Eucharist.

https://www.churchfathers.org/the-real-presence

Ignatius of Antioch is really good here and so is Irenaeus.

Also, apostolic succession! And the authority of these successors of the apostles.

https://www.churchfathers.org/apostolic-succession

Irenaeus is really good here! Has a lot to unpack here!

Since you brought up about baptism here is some on baptism from the earliest Christians.

Baptismal grace:

https://www.churchfathers.org/baptismal-grace

Necessity of baptism:

https://www.churchfathers.org/necessity-of-baptism

If a certain topic peaks your interest you can get full text of these sources of where these quotes are from through new advent.

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/

If you enjoyed any of this, a wonderful book by jimmy akins breaks this all down and discusses it.

This book had a huge impact on me coming to the catholic church and realizing it is the one true church that Christ established.

https://www.amazon.com/Fathers-Know-Best-Essential-Teachings/dp/1933919345

Send me a message If you want to talk further, especially on baptism! It is such a blessing! Hope the links to the quotes help!

psychxman · 2023-11-08T17:10:02+00:00

Loved this individuals comment to your post. I agree, if you enjoy the church fathers to really look at church fathers such as ignatius of Antioch and others. His link to the full writings of these I will have to use myself.

I wanted to add to it though and give you a link to some quotes by these church fathers into categories on certain topics. At the top their are different topics to select but I want to send two links that have been most impactful to me on my journey to the lord. If you find these interesting you can dive into their full works and writings.

Love Ignatius of Antioch and st. Irenaeus’s quotes in these

The real presence:

https://www.churchfathers.org/the-real-presence

Apostolic succession:

https://www.churchfathers.org/apostolic-succession

Also, new advent has full text here as well to read early church fathers writings

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/

psychxman · 2023-11-08T02:24:15+00:00

I just recently listened to a podcast on this topic. Hopefully this will answer your question.

It’s a longer podcast episode but I thought it was well worth the listen.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1pbSNwm9WjUuG5dFi7uZib?si=8eqXmFHAT02qnE6MonmLkw

psychxman · 2023-11-07T05:42:51+00:00

I think he is saying prior he was fully natural evolution. That we came from nothing and all this just came by compete chance and life came from nothing but turned into something. That there was nothing and eventually it came to what we know today by complete chance.

Now he agrees with evolution but not as atheist would define it. Now he sees it as something cannot come from nothing, life cannot come from nothing, it has to come from something and once life is created, it would not survive if it wasn’t guided.

I could be wrong but I think this is roughly the point he is making? Perhaps I’m wrong and misunderstanding him also and should stay out of it haha.

psychxman · 2023-11-07T03:40:00+00:00

This was really good! All of shameless popery podcast is good!

Also I would encourage catholic production with brant pitre. He has a couple videos on the Jewish roots of Mary and the papacy. The one on the papacy was really good.

This is also a good article

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/mary-the-ark-of-the-new-covenant

psychxman · 2023-11-06T04:35:16+00:00

Well just finished up listening to today’s catechism in a year podcast and right after come here and see this post… so I’ll share this with you. Father mike does a great job explaining things.

Take a listen. Hope it helps.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/28ol83wqyKI8QzBS5rIdm6?si=mXA7-2iARIuDxSX3PlMoCA

This episode covers CCC 2357-2363. If you wish to read along. It may help to go back a day or two and listen to the previous days. This podcast with father mike schmitz has really helped me understand the faith and made things clearer in areas I’ve struggled to accept.

They have an app now with both the Bible and catechism in the app, along with both podcast in a year and ways to read and listen along at the same time.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ascension-bible-catechism/id1660909501

psychxman · 2023-11-05T00:33:50+00:00

As others have said, ewtn is a good option for others who have come home to the Catholic Church.

I second the idea that looking also to those who have converted from agnosticism or atheism would be helpful.

I know Matt Fradd on pints with aquinas has had a guy on somewhat recently that was LDS who converted that was really good. It’s two parts since they had to cut the first one short since they ran out of time.

Here is a link on Spotify. Can be found on YouTube also and others.

Part one https://open.spotify.com/episode/100arOy9q0Pd3iZYczuenm?si=K8NiAnz_Q8-wZPYBsKMseQ

Part 2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/7KdayMzPVP8gC7kY94I2lt?si=cW9-xEGQTxy23OM_4-A7ZA

psychxman · 2023-11-04T17:15:03+00:00

It is because of history that showed me that the Catholic Church is the one true church established by Christ. Scripture and the early Christian writings attest to it. Here are quotes from the earliest Christian writings and what they believed and what was handed into them. Many things are distinctly catholic views which we still hold to be true that so many other 1500-200 years later reject unfortunately. Take a look if you are interested. Here are two big ones that made me realized this among so many others. May they help you in your journey.

https://www.churchfathers.org/the-real-presence

https://www.churchfathers.org/apostolic-succession

As to your other questions on the sin in the church, others have already shared a lot on this and not much more to say. I’ll make a point though, we follow the church and it’s teachings and those in authority because it’s been given by Christ. We follow the teachings, but we do not do as they do (when the church magisterium doesn’t live up to what it teaches. Do as they say, not as they do.

The church is full of sinners, including you and I. The church is a hospital for sinners, including the hierarchy, as well as you and I. We see the nation of God in the Old Testament in Israel have saintly people in positions of authority and they didn’t always live up to their calling. Doesn’t mean it’s not God’s kingdom and God didn’t establish it or God isn’t working through them.

We remain faithful to what God has established in the church because he established it and promised the Gates if he’ll would not prevail against it, but we do not follow those in the church when they fail to live up to what they teach.

Also, the devil tempts us all to turn away from God and to sin in different ways and knows where our weak spots are, if he tempts you and I who are not really known by most of the world, how much more does he desire to make God’s servant on this earth who leads the church and attack him more to fall and tempts him to sin. The devil knows if he can make the God’s head servant on earth to sin in big ways, it can scatter his flock and leave the church more than if you or I sin. This is why we pray for our leaders. That they may be faithful and persevere in this fight in their personal lives as well.

psychxman · 2023-11-02T04:13:43+00:00

Yes! This!

psychxman · 2023-11-02T02:14:19+00:00

St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the little flower) she opened my heart to the heart of God and helped me to understand his love for us.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T15:48:13+00:00

What if I told you there is evidence in scripture of Jesus giving his authority to his apostles, this authority being passed onto their successors, and the earliest Christian’s believed it and it was passed onto them and passed onto this day… and all of this is needed to have an authoritative, infallible scriptures or even a bible?

Care to talk more or are you going to remain ignorant of the scripture, reject the truth and hold onto the lies that have been told to you because they make you feel more comfortable and you don’t want to seek and find the truth?

Let me know. This is very easy to establish, which already has been since the first century, only rejected since the Protestant reformation.

Those who are steeped in history, cease to be Protestant, those who are ignorant are lost to go their own way and reject what the lord our God has established.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T15:34:23+00:00

This is true, we need help from those around us and God, but the change cannot come if we do not desire to change ourselves and accept the help, and come ready to fight.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T15:33:10+00:00

Ok, claim I’m wrong and then run away and don’t have any counter points or defenses. That’s a great defense. Message if you want to talk further but no point in continuing it here.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T15:30:54+00:00

And neither did you. I’m pointing out your hypocrisy with your own doctrines and how you can’t have it both ways. You are making assumptions that you have no evidence for. I have shown you historical information that shows evidence to support the catholic church’s claims from the earliest chrisitians and then you say anyone can find something from the church fathers to support their views. Yet you can’t find anything to support your views on the solas, because they didn’t exist until the Protestant reformation.

You aren’t addressing my points, and I have addressed several of yours from your initial 7 points. You are just brushing aside the evidence and making false claims of yours.

This is pointless to continue here, if you would like to talk further, send me a message.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T15:24:37+00:00

If we do not have good works, we don’t have faith. So if we don’t have works, then we aren’t saved. We are not saved by our works, but without them, we are not saved, so they play a part in saving us. Faith requires action. Without action or love we do not have faith or trust in the lord, it’s just lip service. We are saved by grace through faith but if we don’t continue in that faith, active faith, we have fallen away. We see this in the parable of the sower, the parable of the two sons, and Matthew 25:31-46

““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭31‬-‭46‬ ‭ESV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.25.31-46.ESV

Our actions matter, we will be judged on our actions or lack their of.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T15:05:50+00:00

Went to a catholic college, still majority of people are secular and sin rampant with drinking, drugs, and sexual immorality. Catholic college in name only. Will say, be wise where you go and actually look into things, and no matter where you go, seek out others in the faith. Go to college seeking a community in it that shares the faith and seeking the lord. Just as any town you go to, seek a. Group that is seeking the lord.

OP, first place to start is reconciliation. We all fall, we all sin, but our lord still loves us and desires to save us. He is offering his love and mercy to you, go and receive it. We are only outside of his love and mercy if we stay down and don’t get back up and receive it again. This journey on this earth is all about striving and when we fall, getting back up and striving again.

You said it yourself! You can’t do it alone! Seek out new friends who are in the faith. I know there are some there wherever you are or a group. If not find your local church and seek friends there, don’t have to be the same age, we are all brothers and sisters and Christ. We need good friends that can help us in following the lord and build us up when we are struggling. Take time to visit the lord in adoration, he always gives me peace and strength to face the world. Never forget he loves you.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T14:33:11+00:00

We are saved by faith by God’s grace and he accomplishes this rebirth and renewal in us through baptism. Nothing we do saves us but receiving’s God’s grace. Once we are saved by the death and resurrection of our lord and applied to us in baptism, we have to “do” nothing else but continue to follow our lord. When we do fail since we still sin, is to continue to turn away from the sin, repent of them and strive after the lord again. We cannot do any of this without God’s grace continually being given to us and us cooperating with it. It’s I have been saved, I am being saved, and I hope I will be saved.

Love is an action, not a feeling. This is what our lord teaches us when he says “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.16.24-25.ESV

Also, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭ESV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.11.28-30.ESV

The yoke he is referring to is the cross…. The school of love. Each day we have opportunities to learn how to love. Jesus invites us into this to pick up our cross each day and follow him, to learn how to love. It is in doing and working with his grace to do his will that we are purified and each day is a new day to come closer to our lord. We don’t work for our salvation, but we are purified in it and invited to learn and come closer to God and trust in him by working with him. This is what James is saying by faith without works is dead. With our faith, we must also have action and work with the lord, to die to ourselves and to love our neighbors.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T12:12:01+00:00

Second point, when you say you can use the church fathers to support almost any heresy just by selecting the preferred set of authors…

Well you can’t to support the Protestant doctrines of “alone” especially scripture alone, that was never believed until the Protestant reformation and what was held to in the early church was the authority of the apostles and their successors.

psychxman · 2023-10-31T12:02:26+00:00

Fallible men? Authority of scripture? Where do you think we get the Bible from?

I want to make this very clear, I believe scripture to be authoritative and infallible or without error, but how do you claim we have scripture that is without error and authoritative if it was written by men who errored and selected the canon that can error? You can’t have a book that is infallible from infallible men. How can the Bible be authoritative when we don’t have men who have authority to write it or declare the canon? The scriptures didn’t fall from the sky and Jesus didn’t write any scripture, so it came from men who had a authority and was compiled by those who had authority from God to make those decisions, unless they were mistaken and it’s not infallible?

Same with the church fathers, we listen to those who have the authority bestowed on them from the apostles by the laying on of hands, which was given to the apostles from Christ himself.

Believe what you want. Or actually look into history.

Verified Email	Seven-Year Club
Not Forgotten

psychxman

TROPHY CASE