how can i be a better catholic?

Question

i go to a catholic school, but i do not go to church every sunday, probably only 1 a month, and on top of that i feel bad because i do stuff i shouldnt but its hard to stop(not drugs or alchohal) and i fell disgraced every time i pray! wat do i do?

Answer 1

For starters, you can begin attending mass every Sunday.

Of course you feel bad when you sin. You're supposed to feel bad when you do things that offend God. That's why the Church offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up over your sins. Don't do that. Definitively go to Confession, talk to the priest and you may find out your sins are not as severe or "out of the ordinary" as you might think they are.

You needn't feel disgraced when you pray. I understand how you might feel hypocritical, commiting a sin and then praying immediately afterwards. Hey, that's better than not praying at all.

in fact, you might want to get into the habit of saying a prayer when you find yourself tempted to sin, rather than or in addition to praying after the sin.

Answer 2

First of all, God forgives. You don't have to feel disgraced when you pray, especially if you are trying hard to do and be better.

If you want to go to church more, figure out what it is that is stopping you. Sometimes the tone of a particular mass time doesn't fit with how you like to pray. Some people want choirs and organs, some want praise music, some want modern, some want tradition... find something that clicks for you.

As for the stuff you do, pick one thing at a time to work on. It's okay to try and fail, as long as you were honestly trying and you get up, dust yourself off, and keep trying.

Is there a youth group you can join? They can be great places to have fun and share faith.

Answer 3

If you can, start going to Mass more often. (You said you go to a Catholic school- don't you do a weekly school Mass, or do Catholic schools not do that anymore?) It's good that you feel guilty, as it shows that you recognize the things you do that are wrong or sinful. With this in mind, I strongly suggest that you go to Confession; it will make you a better Catholic and also ease your guilt. If you feel bad when you pray, try praying in a different way. Try praying the Rosary or just talking to God in normal language (as opposed to the prayers you're taught in school) and see if that makes a difference.

Answer 4

Read the works of the Early Church fathers, go to Mass every sunday, go to confession when necessary, and get involved in the youth group at your parish.

Answer 5

im kinda having the same trouble, too. i go to church every week, but i still feel sort of disconnected. if you have a youth group, you can join that. your school probably goes on religious retreats, and i hear some are life-changing. prayer and reading the bible may be good, too.
sometimes i watch joel osteen who isnt catholic but has great messages about God in general, and it isnt boring either. umm you could also listen to contemporary christian music but lol im not really into that.

it's a lot of work to get closer to God, but just keep on working at it and try to keep him in the center of your life. im sure he must be soo happy that you are at least trying to be a better catholic =]
feel free to email me anytime and God bless <3

Answer 6

Just try to make it to Mass more often and pray everytime temptation to do something wrong enters your mind and heart. Keep trying. You'll get there. Don't Give up. God Bless You

Answer 7

Shame is just the fear that someone will discover what you really are. If you want to be better, you will need to discover benefits to behaving other than the way you are now.

Just remember, your central problem is that you want people to think of you in a certain way and that way isn't the way you really are.

Answer 8

You should go to confession to pray for your sins, but if you are unconformable with that, no matter what, God will ALWAYS forgive you.

Peace

Answer 9

Awwww you didn't say sex wasn't one of those things!!!

Anyway, that's the POINT of feeling guilty...because you sin! You sin because you want to, you want to because it's human nature to do so.

All you can do is try to avoid it, but when you can't, you just have to ask for forgiveness.

Answer 10

Receiving the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist:

1. union, by love, with Christ

2. an increase in sanctifying grace in the soul when received by a "living member of the Church" (i.e., one who is in a state of grace)

3. the blotting out venial sin and preserving the soul from mortal sin, in proportion to the communicant's devotion

4. the rewards promised by Christ in His words, "He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up on the last day."

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Attend Mass each Sunday and every other Holy Day of Obligation.

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Also read the Scripture by meditating and praying over its meaning .

Lectio Divina means "Divine Reading" and refers specifically to a method of Scripture reading practiced by monastics since the beginning of the Church.

statio (position)

lectio (reading)

meditatio (meditation)

oratio (prayer)

contemplatio (contemplation)

collatio (discussion)

actio (action)

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My daughters joined the Church youth group. They did alot of activities (which helped strenghtened their faith) with those of their age group.


Check with your parish and just try it out.