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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Re: Discouraged and Defeated	Janet	Monday, November 19, 2007
Question: Bro. Ignatius, I very much enjoy your website and regularly read all the questions and answers. I am commenting on your answer to "discouraged and defeated". I applaud how you get right to the point and tell the truth. I can certainly identify with Cordelia in many ways. My marriage was a mess and my ex-husband (who was not Catholic) made fun of the church also. We were married in the Catholic church, and I promised God to raise my children in the faith. Sadly, my marriage fell apart and it was difficult to keep my kids in the faith. They were baptized and received the sacraments of communion and reconciliation, but after reaching the age of 15 or so, they both lost interest. It is hard to keep things going when the other parent is agnostic and makes fun of Catholics. I will never forget the day my 8-year old daughter asked me exactly what the word "bastard" meant. Her stepmother told her that is what she was because I, her real mother, was Catholic and getting an annulment! I am a faithful and obedient Catholic, and am active in my church in many ways, but it saddens me that my children have no interest in it. I have had a lot of disappointment and discouragement in other areas of my life since then, and when problems and challenges continue to arise with my family I am often prone to lose my faith and stop my active participation in my parish. Although I have never gotten to the point of no longer attending mass and receiving our Lord, I have somehow lost all zeal for stewardship and ministries that I was once so active in. My point is that your simple and direct answer to Cordelia has made me think twice about my decision to drop out of ministries (lector, EMC, ministry of consolation, etc.). You are so right, why should I let myself get down and dull my closeness with our Lord and the beauty of his church just because my children choose to live their lives otherwise? I am done beating myself up over other people's decisions that have nothing to do with me -- I did my best and I can only pray for them. I praise God for the little ways he speaks to me, and I feel he has through you. I have prayed the hedge prayers and prayers for wayward children, and will continue to do so. God bless you Brother Ignatius!
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Janet: Thank you for your kind words about our apostolate. I praise God that this ministry was helpful to you in not giving up and falling into the pride of self-pity. Remember St. Monica and pray to her. She is the patroness of Wayward Children. God bless you and we will keep you and your family in our prayers. Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Re: Discouraged and Defeated

Janet

Monday, November 19, 2007

Question:

Bro. Ignatius,

I very much enjoy your website and regularly read all the questions and answers. I am commenting on your answer to "discouraged and defeated".

I applaud how you get right to the point and tell the truth. I can certainly identify with Cordelia in many ways. My marriage was a mess and my ex-husband (who was not Catholic) made fun of the church also. We were married in the Catholic church, and I promised God to raise my children in the faith. Sadly, my marriage fell apart and it was difficult to keep my kids in the faith. They were baptized and received the sacraments of communion and reconciliation, but after reaching the age of 15 or so, they both lost interest. It is hard to keep things going when the other parent is agnostic and makes fun of Catholics.

I will never forget the day my 8-year old daughter asked me exactly what the word "bastard" meant. Her stepmother told her that is what she was because I, her real mother, was Catholic and getting an annulment!

I am a faithful and obedient Catholic, and am active in my church in many ways, but it saddens me that my children have no interest in it. I have had a lot of disappointment and discouragement in other areas of my life since then, and when problems and challenges continue to arise with my family I am often prone to lose my faith and stop my active participation in my parish. Although I have never gotten to the point of no longer attending mass and receiving our Lord, I have somehow lost all zeal for stewardship and ministries that I was once so active in.

My point is that your simple and direct answer to Cordelia has made me think twice about my decision to drop out of ministries (lector, EMC, ministry of consolation, etc.). You are so right, why should I let myself get down and dull my closeness with our Lord and the beauty of his church just because my children choose to live their lives otherwise? I am done beating myself up over other people's decisions that have nothing to do with me -- I did my best and I can only pray for them. I praise God for the little ways he speaks to me, and I feel he has through you.

I have prayed the hedge prayers and prayers for wayward children, and will continue to do so.

God bless you Brother Ignatius!

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Janet:

Thank you for your kind words about our apostolate. I praise God that this ministry was helpful to you in not giving up and falling into the pride of self-pity.

Remember St. Monica and pray to her. She is the patroness of Wayward Children.

God bless you and we will keep you and your family in our prayers.

Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.