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[cajunrick]

I have saved several people from New Age to Protestanism.  Pardon me if I seem to boast, as I do not mean to do so but...it is what it is.

You and I have the same objective but different methods, which is fine.  I prefer to think of it as planting seeds, fertilized by others, nurtured by the Holy Spirit, which occasionally God has allowed me to harvest; more often, others reap the fruits of my labors, and that is also fine.  It is all for the glory of God and the advancement of God's pilgrim Kingdom on Earth, the holy Catholic Church.

[Christina]

I don't think this is a topic of who is the strongest Catholic and who has the most credentials. It's good to know, however that you both have studied for a long time, but, I think we are getting off topic. lets refocus on the topic of this forum OK?

[RCWarrior]

Christina, you are the one implying who the stronger Catholic is.  That isn't even an issue here.  Perhaps if there were more Catholics on fire, defenders of the faith, and not afraid to show it in a direct way, we wouldn't have "open season on Jesus" all the time.  We wouldn't have Catholic bashing all the time in which we have.  I refuse to sit back and smell the roses and sugar coat and tip toe through the tulips.  Even the Bible says to stand up for yourself and stand strong and steadfast in your faith.

Look at St. Peter when they were about to take Jesus away, he cut off the Roman soldiers ear!!  Although Jesus said live by the sword, die by the sword, I have that same defense mechanism.  If anyone dares and tries to bash my Lord and Savior in front of me, I will take action.  Action being in words, but I have a way where people just don't know what to say...I sometimes wish I lived in Jesus's era so I could of protected him.  Helped him.  Being Lenten time really changes me.  I constantly think about his Passion, only during this time so strongly, that I find myself crying and prostrating in front of the Eucharist.  (Of course, no one can see me, my church is always open and the time I pray alone is when no one is there.)  I have a deep Passion in my faith and it is because I know that God exists.  I am witness to this.  Last year during this time, I had something happen to me.  Only my priest knows about this, it was two weeks before Lent.  God exists, this is why I am the way I am.

[cajunrick]

I don't think this is a topic of who is the strongest Catholic and who has the most credentials.

I don't think so either.  I think we have reached agreement that our objectives are the same even though we use different methods.

Nor do I think we're off-topic.  The topic of this forum is apologetics, and we are discussing methods.  RCWarrior prefers confrontation, while I prefer to undermine their previous assumptions and let them collapse on their own.  He's a sledge hammer, I'm a nest of termites.  And frankly, the sledge hammer works better on a building undermined by termites, and termites work better if the job is finished by a sledge hammer.

[RCWarrior]

Cajun, I like how you put that.  Please understand why I am the way I am.  I am a kind person, would help any denomination in need, I can promise you that.  It's just that my love for Jesus Christ is so strong, so powerful, that if I weren't my age, I would seek a vocation knowing what I know now.  I give people hope.  They like to hear how I say things.  I have tenacity.  I have spunk.  God knows this, otherwise he wouldn't of chose me. I've had so many Blessings in the last three years, since I was called back to my Catholic faith through Padre Pio.  Jesus called me through Padre Pio.  (that is a story in itself). 
Every week at Mass, when my priest raises the Body and Blood of Our Lord during the Consecration, I ask that he protect my two boys and never take them from me.  I read that when a priest raises the Host and wine, anything you ask will be true if it is in God's Will.  Well, my older boy was in a car accident, other car rolled over and my boy escaped without a scratch.  Do you know when I looked at his totaled car the next day, there was a picture of Jesus as The Divine Mercy picture, right there on the car floor.  I remember I put one in each of my boy's cars.  I thanked him for not taking my son.  I truly believe that was fate and Christ knew that if something happened to my boy, I would be of no use to him anymore.
I also ask that my sins be forgiven when the Body and Blood are risen up during the Consecration.  I love the Holy Mass.  I go early to prepare myself in prayer.  I love the Readings and The gospel.  I feel the holy Spirit works in me to have this much passion for Our Lord and the gift of the Holy Mass.

Cajun, I don't prefer confrontation in a manner you suggest.  It sounds like I am fighting or something.  I prefer which you may misunderstand is the method of telling it like it is.  In layman's terms.  Telling the history, the Early church Fathers, how we got the Bible, the correct Bible.  How Jesus started the faith.  How Jesus could of ran when they captured him but didn't.  Could of disappeared, but didn't.  He saw them coming, the Roman Soldiers, he saw them coming and stayed.  People like this.  I also quote Scripture where it has all the Sacraments, etc...there is so much knowledge, it is impossible to put it all here.  Thanks for listening.

[cajunrick]

if I weren't my age, I would seek a vocation knowing what I know now.[/i]

A priest in my diocese was ordained at 70.  It's never too late...

Thanks for listening.

Thanks for sharing.

[RCWarrior]

Problem being Cajun is, I am a female.  Yes, I have a love for Christ just as Mary Magdalene had at that time.
I also have been told I do not "look the type", as if you have to wear clogs, long dresses and carry a Bible 24/7.  That is another reason why people listen.  I am very attractive and people have said they cannot believe someone like me is so passionate about our Lord.  As if there aren't any "pretty" women who are like this...crazy world we live in.  I'd give it all up and would of become a nun 20 years ago, knowing what I know now, especially the incident last year during Lent.  not only that, but the calling through Padre Pio was witness enough for me, but then something greater happened.

I cannot see how people can live without God.  I know he exists and I give people hope.  Had I known he didn't exist or even had little doubt, I wouldn't be this passionate about it.  So Cajun, in life when you feel down or have little doubt, Remember, ( even Sister Faustina was dry once in a while), just remember me and that I am witness to the Lord, not a witness in a way you think so, but a true witness to God our Father.  The secret of the Saints is "perserverence".  If you persevere in your faith with Christ, you will be ok.  Don't ever let go.  He really does exist.  Thank you for listening.

[cajunrick]

Problem being Cajun is, I am a female.

That's not a problem, it's a blessing!  St. Etheldreda entered the convent after her second husband divorced her; St. Katherine Drexel was founding schools well into her 80's; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton founded an order of nuns after raising her five children; Blessed Teresa of Calcutta was addressing the United Nations and a joint session of Congress in her later years.

It's never too late.

[RCWarrior]

Gee, I didn't know you could enter the convent and be divorced..are you sure?  I thought you had to be as pure as the driven snow to enter the convent.  Mother Teresa is a Saint, there is noone that can ever do what she did.  To Take people out of the gutter and hold and love them without even being infected with leprosy or other illnesses.  Amazing perserverance and love for Jesus.  Seeing Jesus in every person usually helps.  I cannot say I am like that, although I wish I were.  I am a sinner, just as the Saints were.  Look at St. Augustine, he was a womanizer for years, loved sex until St. Monica, his mother prayed 20 years for him.  So noone is perfect.
If God is truly calling me for this, I will go.

Thank you Jesus for showing me the truth in your church.  My Holy Catholic church.

[cajunrick]

Gee, I didn't know you could enter the convent and be divorced..are you sure? 

If the marriage has been annulled, you certainly can enter a convent.  I know at least one nun who has been married, divorced, and had her marriage annulled.  We also have a priest in our diocese who has been married, divorced, and had his marriage annulled.  Neither has children, but as long as the children are not minors dependent on you for support, that is not a problem.

If you have been married only once and divorced, even if the marriage is not annulled, there may be a way.  You would have to check with a religious order or the vocations director of your diocese to see if you meet the requirements.  I know in the past it has been allowed for a husband to become a priest and a wife to become a nun when both take a vow of celibacy and are willing to live apart, but I'm not sure whether that rule is still in effect.

You could ask in the Vocations topic area on this forum, or in "Ask the Deacon".

[JimAroo]

St Etheldreda?  Where have  heard that name before?

[cajunrick]

St Etheldreda?  Where have  heard that name before?

[RCWarrior]

Well, I was married, but not in a church.  It was the Justice of the Peace because our families kept bickering and telling us what to do.  So I was never married in the Catholic church. I don't know if the marraige is any less valid, because every marriage is in the eyes of God, or is it?  This was years ago way before my calling.  Then I lived with someone for 6 years and had my other son.  I had him out of wedlock, although I chose not to have an abortion, I don't think God would condemn me because I wasn't even a Devout Catholic back then, knew nothing about the faith, and I am not perfect.  God forgives us all.

Funny how I am so knowledgeable about my faith, the history, and everything else...strange how everything comes into place.  so I really think I would not be a good candidate for the convent.  But only My Lord can judge me.  Remember, he who casts the first stone...I bet you did some things in your life you realize now, what was I thinking??  Because you've come into a relationship with God.  You found him, or better he found you. 

[RCWarrior]

It also seems like there aren't enough people here that post...what's up with that?

[cajunrick]

Well, I was married, but not in a church.  It was the Justice of the Peace because our families kept bickering and telling us what to do.  So I was never married in the Catholic church.

If you were Catholic before your marriage (even if you were not practicing) then you were obliged to be married in the Church.  A Declaration of Nullity According to Form is easy to obtain.  All you need to do is provide your baptismal certificate (or evidence of when you joined the Church), your marriage certificate, and your divorce papers.  The Declaration will be provided quickly and easily, and then you will be free to be married in the Church or to pursue religious life.

If you were not even a nominal Catholic, the process becomes more complicated but not impossible.  Pursue it, and you will end up free to pursue God's call wherever it might lead you.

If your ex-husband has passed away, you don't even need the Declaration of Nullity, but I assume from your posts that he has not.  Your unmarried relationship is not relevant, and neither is your child (as long as he is no longer a minor).

I assume that you have sought forgiveness for your sins, so any sins you committed in disobeying Church law and in cohabitation are already forgiven.  Bearing your second child was not a sin, although the relationship in which he was conceived probably was. 

Again, the way you profess your faith, I assume you have already confessed and received forgiveness for any sins involved in those relationships, so the only thing left is the formality of having the Church declare your marriage invalid so you can be free to continue your life in whatever way God leads you.

As for why more people don't post, I can't answer that.  My primary posting is at the Coming Home Network forum, but I like to visit here as well from time to time.