- White Pilled (hopeful)
- Black Pilled (doom & gloom)
- Unsure/Neither
0
voters
I am Gray Pilled.
On one hand, most men answering God’s call to to the Priesthood since 2002 are doing it for good reasons. This gives me hope.
On the other hand, we see some previously ordained clergy trying to make the Church in their own image or some sort of democracy (where whatever modern culture desires or calls “good,” they think the Church ought to follow).
This is why we need more young men to step up and protect that which is truly good & beautiful; not push the inversion of it. We need to bring back the reverence and awe of God.
Lord, thank you for the great Priests you have gifted us during this moment in time. Give all faithful Priests whom you are well-pleased a big spiritual hug and let them know how much You love them. I also Pray for all the not-so-good Priests who, though their hearts might be in a good place, their disregard for Your apostolic teachings are actually doing more damage than good. We need both Your truth and grace. Amen â™±
1 Like
I am pessimistic. The number of faithful Catholics is dwindling, and the degradation of the culture is increasing.
1 Like
I’m hopeful, many teenagers like me are returning to the faith. In my Christian club at school there are many kids at the meetings. I’m not sure what they do for their prayer life and stuff, but it’s happening.
On the other hand, I just find myself worried about progressive/liberal views invading the church now that modern times are so… You get it. And religion is hated SO much now! I can’t browse the internet anywhere without see religious hate. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence come to mind, which was disgusting. And everyone just doesn’t care! The media is filled with anti-Christian views too.
But I choose to stay hopeful and pray.
5 Likes
I feel bad for your generation. When I was your age, we didn’t really pay much attention to the News and Politics. Everything has become political these days and the youth are being used. My advice is hang out with your friends and be the light in the world that you want to see in this world. You don’t have to get drunk or drugged-up to have fun. Try not to be influenced by the influencers, but rather to influence others to love as Christ loves us.
When I met the girl that would become my Wife, she was very active in her Youth Group. And I loved how they would do things together outside of Youth Group. They were genuine friends.
It helps to walk this journey with others who love the Lord. And life is more fun when we live it in person than behind a screen. I am guilty of spending way too much time on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, when I could be spending time with Family, Friends, and with God. Forums like this, however, are a better use of our time than on TikTok or other clout-chasing platforms.
Tonight I have my weekly Bible study/Prayer group. The hardest part sometimes is showing up, especially when it is cold outside. But, every time I go, I am so glad I did. I also do a Bible study with someone I work with through the YouVersion Bible App. I get to share my Catholic Faith with her and she gets to share her brand of Christianity with me. Who knows, maybe one day she will become Catholic, the original Christian Church, founded by Christ our savior.
You will have plenty of time for politics, but always make time for God and others. Many who do not have a relationship with Christ, tend to make politics their Religion. And people tend to mock that which they do not understand. In John 15:18, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.” God Bless.
1 Like
The amount of bishops standing up to Francis gives me immediate hope that we won’t end up with Francis 2.0 at the next conclave.
In the long term, I’m supremely optimistic because the Church is the bride and body of Christ.
Also, the amount of young families flocking to the TLM lets me know that people are still drawn to traditional Catholic teaching.
2 Likes
If I’m being completely honest, I have no idea. On the one hand, this Church loves their secrets. I don’t see them releasing any literature or anything they have stored in the Vatican Secret Archives. Basically, what it boils down to is, do you have enough faith in the Church to where, if they are hiding things from the public that they have a good reason as to why they do that? Because I’m sorry but Catholicism has holes in it. There’s too much being left to the imagination and not thoroughly explained. For me, the question is very basic and that is, if Catholicism/Christianity is the real deal , and is the true religion of Jesus Christ, then what is there to hide? If this religion is truthful, then release all the information to the public that you’re keeping. I have good suspicion, not just what it is I research but what I know, that this Church is gatekeeping way too much. All I’m asking is for transparency, that’s literally it. I’m not asking for a free ticket to Heaven, I’m not asking for the stars and the moon, none of that. Just be upfront and honest with me. Don’t tiptoe around the questions I ask, just be true and real to me. Look…anytime I’m trying to figure out if something is true or not, I try to educate myself as much as I can on both sides of the issue. If the Church is hiding stuff from us (and I have on good authority that they are), it does not make sense to withhold information that is true, and I have a feeling that’s exactly what they’re doing, and that’s VERY DISHONEST!!!
But on the other hand, I do see that more and more people are starting to figure out that there’s a big problem with the way the world operates. So, I’m hopeful in the sense that eventually the people will want answers and the Church has no choice but to release the information that’s been withheld from us.
But, who knows? All I know is, the more they omit from the public, the more they are dividing us. Whether or not that’s their intention is one thing, but this Church needs reform and it needs it desperately. I’m hopeful that eventually Catholicism will have to release certain pieces of information just to remain relevant. Now is not the time for the Church to slack.
I hope you’re right, because the more research I do, I am like 110% convinced that the Church knows exactly what they’re doing. They’re hiding stuff from us, and they don’t want us to know, and that’s just a fact. I mean, the fact that they consider us like that of sheep is enough for me to conclude that they think we’re stupid. They think we’re stupid and that we’re in need of guidance.
We are not sheep! We are lions, and you don’t mess with a lion. Only fools mess with lions, and man are they playing with fire. We will not stand for this. Give us the full truth and nothing but the truth so HELP US GOD!
1 Like
Well we need to write a lovely letter to Pope Leo and say to call you so you can meet up with him and straighten out what needs to be straightened out Stephen! I’m willing to go down there too with you!
1 Like
Well…you tell me what we need to do yet, and I’ll do it. Cause all we’re doing is wasting years of the precious time we as huemans have down here. Not a moment more to lose. Let’s set the record straight Stephen!
I love you! I am so glad you’re my friend Stephen. Let’s take a trip to the Vatican and meet with the Pope!
1 Like
“Do you have hope for The Church?”
Catholicism was a generational force in the world for many many centuries. It was a widespread fundamental and key aspect of a Catholic family’s life. It was the “lens” that people saw everything from/through. The number of people who live a Catholic life like that is far fewer than in the past.
Within the next ten years or so, the faithful old people who still shuffle to morning Mass will be dead. Their kids, if they do still go to church, only do so on Sunday and maybe on Holy Days. Their kids, even less if at all.
@EarthsStudent mentions The Church keeping information from people. I have to wonder what the actual Church numbers in the U.S. are and if those numbers are being reported accurately. People that show up to Christmas Mass once every few years but who may still be on the parish roster; are they being counted as practicing Catholics? That would skew the actual number of practicing Catholics.
My dad, a faithful practicing Catholic, believes The Church will revert to being a remnant in the future, perhaps much like it was in the early days of its formation (e.g. small groups having Mass in homes, etc). Perhaps before that, the RCC will reduce to the size of other Christian denominations.
I don’t think it will go away completely, but I also do not believe there will be some sort of unprecedented spontaneous surge of new members that will bring things back to the numbers when it was at its peak. It appears to be a fact that the more that Science advances, religious beliefs inversely decrease.
1 Like
I want you and everyone to know, it is not my desire nor do I think it would be ok for the Church to just cease to exist. I might have a lot of beef with the Church and how it runs things, but I innerstand the value of having religion. If that’s one thing I’ve learned in this 3rd Dimension is that everything has a place here on this Earth (and that unfortunately includes the bad things that happen on this Earth). Religion serves a good purpose, but I fear that as the years go by that people are trying to get rid of God and that’s not a good thing either. That’s a very scary thing….
1 Like
Stephen, we need to get a plane ticket.
Yes, I have hope for the church. I think that it needs to grow a lot in holiness and being one, but I am hopeful that it will. One anecdote: outside the busiest abortion clinic in Philadelphia, sometimes there is a crowd of people trying to drown out those who are praying and offering help to women, and that crowd shouts insults at us and sometimes plays loud, lewd music and dances to it. The first time I was there for that experience, I was thinking, “Here we are at the gates of hell, and it doesn’t look as if we are prevailing.” But the Sisters of Life (most of them young) were there too. Afterwards, they smiled at the rest of us, and I thought, “With them on our side, we can’t lose.”
I have hope for the Church but I’m also worried as I see many people following false teachings that are in direct contradiction to the teachings of the RCC. Mainly these beliefs that Mary is equal to God and can save us. The Church has never taught such heresies ever, they have addressed these erroneous teachings very recently yet people still continue in their false non Catholic beliefs inventing their own things being guided by the evil one away from God
I have never met a Catholic who believes this. I do think that some are a bit too fervent in their honor of Mary, but I know not one who believes Mary is “equal to” God.
I know Catholic trads who troll Protestants on Twitter by making it sound like they believe as you say, but this is simply to get a rise out of them, who already spew nonsense about Catholic Christians. Twitter is not real life. Most are doing this as a form of entertainment, which the Bible does warn that we should avoid such behavior, but I admit, it is entertaining to watch (if you are in on the joke).
I would caution you on becoming anti-Mary in response to some who do give Mary a bit more honor than you or I are comfortable with. It isn’t Mary’s fault. She points to her Son, our Savior and wills for all to know Him, love Him, and serve Him, which should be our Prayer as well.
There are many on this forum who believe this. Have a look at my thread titled “Mary co redeemer and co mediator” and read what people wrote on there
“a bit more honor than you or I are comfortable with”
I heard a priest say in a sermon that if you want a relationship with Jesus, first you have to have a relationship with Mary. I have heard this elsewhere too. And lots of Catholics call Mary “our life” in singing or praying “Hail Holy Queen.” I don’t. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life: the life, not a life.
1 Like
I agree with everything you have said here. Mary would tell you that she is not the way and that her Son is The Way.
I disagree that one has to have a relationship with Mary before they can have a relationship with Jesus.
A popular devotional inspired by St. Louis Marie de Montfort is “Total Consecrate to Jesus, through Mary.” It is a 33-Day Devotional to dedicate your life to Christ Jesus and letting Mary lead you to her Son.
Side Note: 33 is an interesting number and conspiracy “theorists” know why that is ; )
I too feel uncomfortable with medieval Prayers and lyrics honoring our Blessed Mother, but I don’t care too much for King James translation of the bible either. I think it has to do with this idea of Kings and Queens. It is foreign to me.
We know that Christ is King. Mary is His Mother, which makes her a Queen. We read in the Old Testament about Kings and Queen Mothers and a lot of these Prayers are within that framework. The Book of Revelation mentions a Queen Mother and Christians debate if that is Mary, the church, neither, or both.
I suspect that how one interprets the Queen in Revelation depends heavily on how one views our Blessed Mother. Many anti-Catholic Christians would likely claim that this woman is “absolutely” not referring to Mary. While someone with great devotion to Mary might say, “of course” it is referring to Mary. And others may say it could be referring to Mary and also the church, as Mary is a sign of the church.
Another contributing factor in all of this is that some Bible translations refer to “the woman” in Genesis and in Revelation as being the one who crushes the head of the serpent/dragon, while other translations refer to “the seed of the woman” (Jesus) as being the one who crushes the head of the serpent/dragon. This is why many statues of Mary depict her crushing a snake under he foot.
The reality is that Mary played a part (she is a handmaid of the Lord). She is the “New Eve.” And her seed (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 20:2), Jesus, did/does/will conquer the the serpent/dragon. Thanks be to God! ♱