How I overcame my Irish Catholic guilt

I was from the old school of being raised in the RC faith. Lived in the Cambridge Ma with the birth of my fist son. I now know that it was a very good thing. I still following not only my heart but my faith my husband and I are very active in the church and my husband is a Knight withe the Kof C. Past Grandknight and now a District Officer . he also was raised in Maine as the same

I always wonder why all the great writers and artists thought religion to be quite intellectually wanting. Did Joyce ever have anything good to say about Irish Catholicism. It has changed during every decade since its inception. There are elements of all christian faiths which give comfort in death. The guilt I experienced as a child in confession casts a shadow on the catholic faith for me. Its the early years of this confession of sins thats creates the guilt as far as I am concerned.

Not all priests are perverts; some are! I look at Mega Church preachers and see their expensive suits and read of all the property and cars they own and have to wonder if they do what they do for the love of God or for their wallets. Those huge stark halls they call churches do not ecourage any spiritual feelings in me. (personal choice) The Catholic Church where I live is like that, so I do not go, but I am Catholic in my heart and sould and always will be. I hope the Church does a redo but doesn't throw the child out with the bath water as it has done in the past. Take a look at a society that has lost much of its moral values; are we really better off?

know all about Irish Catholic guilt, but I know that I could never be anything but Catholic. I participate at Mass and live my life the best I can. I have belonged to parishes that raised us to the heights with the music and worship..charismatic services. Would that all the Catholic churches could inspire people to want to attend Mass. I think you are on the right track praying to Our Blessed Mother to help you understand and to develop a relationship with Jesus. It does also help to read the New Testament and you will fall in love with Jesus. Don't think about things so much, Mike. It seems as though you are too scrupulous about your soul. Just do your best and know that God loves us.

I know all about Irish Catholic guilt, but I know that I could never be anything but Catholic. I participate at Mass and live my life the best I can. I have belonged to parishes that raised us to the heights with the music and worship..charismatic services. Would that all the Catholic churches could inspire people to want to attend Mass. I think you are on the right track praying to Our Blessed Mother to help you understand and to develop a relationship with Jesus. It does also help to read the New Testament and you will fall in love with Jesus.

Mike, I thought your article was heartfelt and interesting. I feel the same way sometimes, only I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I was christened Catholic, but raised by parents that didn't go to church (and later, divorced). I always thought I was supposed to be Catholic, although I never recived any other sacraments. I felt guilty when I didn't pray every night, when I said the Lord's name in vain, when I had lustful thoughts. My father has since converted to the Baptist faith. He was upset when I wanted to attend Catholic services, so I stopped going to mass and tried to become a part of his church. I was invigorated to have a better relationship with God--I felt comfortable, and happy, and proud of myself, even my shortcomings--after all, Jesus would have died in vain if we were all perfect. One day, his church printed a pamphlet saying that we shouldn't give to the Salvation Army because they allow gays to hold positions in their organization, and the dream died. These people wanted to deny aid to the less fortunate because of their own feelings about sexuality, and that is not at all what I think Christ would have done. Now I am left with guilt for not being perfect, for not being Catholic, for not being a part of any religion. But I have, for a long time, taken comfort in the same song you have: "In my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be." I think your daughter is lucky to have a father like you; one who wants her to know God, yet also experiences doubt. God gave us free will, didn't He?

Obviously if one is "drilling" his daughter on religious dogma and such then he hasn't quite overcome his "Catholic guilt" enough to grasp that the entire judo christless sham that passes for organized religion and might I add global crusades and slaughter is little more than superstitious clap trap to keep the peasants from storming the twin castles of state and church. But dream on and hopefully there will be lemonade on the day to go with all that pie in the sky. Would that humans could be tolerant of each others's foibles and curious habits without all the nasty bigots in funny hats with their chosen people palaver and supremacist cant. But it seems the more religious these weirdos are the more inhumane and dangerous. Fundamentally wrong and bigotted US of A provides the best possible example, followed by the "religious" of apartheid occupied Palestine, the infamous "Holy Land" where the dangerous triple theories of divinity intersect in the insane mix of Koran, Bible and Talmud. So much for organized religions' versions of God!

Many of these bloggers are long on judgment and short on compassion to someone genuinely conflicted about his faith. Interesting to note that a prayer hasn't been offered so far... sad yet not terribly surprising. Judge not lest you be judged...

IMHO religion is NOT what it is all about, but rather a relationship with God. You can see how many have preverted the simple story to suit their own needs and lust for power. Hence the sense of guilt we were raised with, as Martin Luther King said "Free at last! Great God almighty I am free at last1" The Bible says the truth will set you free, thank you Jesus I'm free at last! Kindest regards

Funny how Mike still says the Rosary, but seems to have forgotten (conveniently?) the Blessed Mother's pronouncement at Fatima that most souls in Hell are there for sins of impurity. Time for another post-coital cigarette, Mike?

Good article. Much of my own personal faith journey articulated in this. Even after living for nearly 50 years within the bounds of "Mother Church" I'm happy to say that the guilt is gone, and only love remains!!

So where is the the joy in your religion that you learned about ?

To Sirpeter and Kevin: great minds think alike! The purpose of me writing this IS the declaration that I am living life as best I can and moving on from the guilt. This article is NOT a letter of goodbye to Catholicism. It is also not so idiotic to the scores of Catholics unsure of this institution in light of its criminal mismanagement and cover-ups. Just sayin'.

Live your life to the best of your ability and move on. Thinking about it too much will just depress you.

What guilt?I don't feel guilty for being raised a catholic.If there's any guilt to be attributed to catholics it should be attributed to the Irish catholic priests here.