Day 19...I do believe!

Day 19 → What do you think of religion?

I am a cradle Catholic. Born and raised and have never really strayed. I am committed to Catholicism and have no desire to change. I fully believe in the God, Jesus Christ, his Son, and the Holy Spirit. I fully believe he IS present in Communion which I receive weekly with hardly any excpetions.

I was married in the Catholic church to a non-Catholic Christian who does not practice any faith reguarly. I am raising my daughter Catholic with Hub's support. We say Grace before meals when we sit to eat them.

I believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and my sins...personally. I was VERY fortunate in high school to be involved in an amazing retreat program called Search. I met my longest bestest friend there, but that's another blog. I truly think this retreat program cemented my own personal faith, separate from how I was raised or aside from what was expected of me by parents.

Some areas I continue to struggle...birth control. I use it. I can not imagine suffering through pregnancy again. I know Jesus suffered much worse on the Cross. I have risk factors that scare me in regards to future pregnancies...i.e., my body could kill the baby. I have a healthy girl who I wanted with all my heart. Hub doesn't want any more kids and if I stopped using birth control he will absolutely have a vascetomy and I am not ready to take such drastic measures. Birth control is a big NO NO in the Catholic Church. I struggle with this.

The Catholic Church is against Gay Marriage and Gay men becoming priests. I understand in my head why this is so, but....

As mentioned in the previous post, The Church does not believe in pre-marital sex OR sex outside of the conception of children. Gay sex is both. In my heart I struggle with how a loving God who make people Gay and give them such a tough road to travel. I am not Gay, so personally it is not my struggle, however, I live in the world and with Gay teens committing suicide at an alarming rate, I am deeply troubled.

My dear friend has a son, my Godson. He is idenifying as Gay at age 15. He has ALWAYS wanted to be a priest since he was a young boy of 4. He went to a pre-seminary summer camp and was kicked out when he shared that he had "gay feelings". He didn't want to act on them...just as a normal healthy teen male, he has them. He was kicked out of the program and in further discussions with her priest my friend learned that since the child molestation crisis, Gay men are no longer welcomed into the priesthood.

Any man who becomes a Roman Catholic priest takes a VOW of CELEBACY! Doesn't matter what your sexual orientation. You are not permitted to have any sex according to church doctrine or laws or whatever. Who cares who you were attracted to prior to taking that vow? I am struggling with this.

I am truly of the belief that as a sinner, and I am...I have no right to cast stones. My relationship with God is MY relationship. He knows I struggle. He accepts me, loves me and forgives me. I feel peace when I am in his house and therefore his presence. I want that for Bug.

My prayer is that each of you reading be blessed. Amen.