{"id":7664,"date":"2004-03-20T00:14:49","date_gmt":"2004-03-20T00:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/viamedia\/2004\/03\/if_you_are_discouraged.html"},"modified":"2004-03-20T00:14:49","modified_gmt":"2004-03-20T00:14:49","slug":"if_you_are_discouraged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/viamedia\/2004\/03\/if_you_are_discouraged.html","title":{"rendered":"If you are discouraged…"},"content":{"rendered":"

…about the state of the Church at any level, here are my suggestions:<\/p>\n

(Besides the assumed pray more, seriously open yourself to Christ in the liturgy no matter how the externals bug you, study some history, etc)<\/p>\n

1) Get a spiritual director and submit yourself to direction. If you are seriously discouraged in your faith, and if you can’t be bothered to do this – don’t talk to me. Don’t even.<\/p>\n

2) Go to daily Mass. Often. Perhaps even strike up a conversation with some of your fellow Mass-goers, if you don’t have to rush off to work. You will probably find kindred souls.<\/p>\n

3) Involve yourself in a corporeal work of mercy or two. With others. There is no lack of need. It’s what Jesus calls you too – showing mercy – not judging.<\/p>\n

4) If your parish liturgy is beyond hope for you, find another parish. It’s okay. If you want more solemnity and less chit-chat and no Latin Rite parish is amenable, find a monastery, a cloistered convent (this does not work if you have toddlers, unfortunately) or an Eastern Rite parish. That, too, is allowed. <\/p>\n

I will open up comments for your suggestions – what has helped you, preferably – in the morning. ‘Night.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and give Your angels and saints charge over those who sleep. Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ. Rest Your weary ones. Bless Your dying ones. Soothe Your suffering ones. Pity Your afflicted ones. Shield Your joyous ones, and all for Your love’s sake. Amen. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

St. Augustine of Hippo<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

…about the state of the Church at any level, here are my suggestions: (Besides the assumed pray more, seriously open yourself to Christ in the liturgy no matter how the externals bug you, study some history, etc) 1) Get a spiritual director and submit yourself to direction. 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The Catholicism comes from her side. Amy grew up in a number of places - Indiana - Washington, DC - Lubbock Texas - Arlington, Virginia - DeKalb, Illinois - Lawrence, Kansas - and Knoxville, Tennessee, where the family settled in 1973. She attended Knoxville Catholic High School, then the University of Tennessee where she majored in history. She received an MA in Church History from Vanderbilt University, where she wrote a thesis on the changing role of women in 19th century American Protestantism, and the ways Scripture was used to justify those changes. She worked as as a teacher in Catholic high schools and a Parish Director of Religious Education and started writing for the diocesan press - the Florida Catholic - in 1988. Amy has written columns for Our Sunday Visitor and Catholic News Service at times over the past twenty years. Her articles have been published in venues ranging from Our Sunday Visitor to the New York Times to Commonweal. She has written 17 books. 18, if you included the as yet tragically unpublished novel. Amy has five children, ranging in age from 26 to 4 and was married to Michael Dubruiel, who died unexpectedly in February 2009. 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