#catholicism

[fuckyeahreligionpigeon]

[granolagaeilgeoir]

[momentsbeforemass]

I don’t feel God any more

“I don’t feel God any more…”

It may not start like this. But this is at the heart of countless conversations I’ve had with people about God. And their relationship with God.

I’m humbled by their trust. And I’m impressed by the courage that it takes to talk about it with somebody in a clergy collar.

For most of us, a moment like this comes from two places – kind of at the same time. Something traumatic. Whether it happened to us or we did it doesn’t make much difference. Plus our feelings about it.

Fueled by our memories of whatever it was, if we’re not careful (and sometimes even if we are) our feelings can grow until they come between us and others. Blocking our connections with others. Making us feel cut off from even our closest relationships. Including God.

When this happens to us, we need two things. Help dealing with whatever is at the source of our feelings that are cutting us off. And assurance that no permanent damage has been done. That someone is still there for us.

Which is why today’s Gospel is so important. No one who comes to God can be separated from God. Even by the worst things in life. Whether it happened to us. Or we did it ourselves.

As Jesus puts it, “No one can take them out of my hand.”

And that includes us. We can’t do it either. Which means that our relationship with God doesn’t depend on how we feel.

God loves us too much to let the worst things in life – or our feelings about them – get in the way.

If you think about it, this shouldn’t surprise us. Because the best relationships in our lives are like that.

As with real friends, healthy marriages, there’s more there than just feelings.

Why would it be any different with God? I mean, where do you think we got it from?

If this is where you find yourself (and we all do at one point or another, if we’re honest), don’t try to go it alone. And don’t beat yourself up.

Get the help you need. And know that God will always be there for you.

No matter how you feel.

Today’s Readings

[luimnigh]

The more I learn about Catholicism, the more I realise everyone who raised me Catholic absolutely half-assed it. Including the Church.

Like, what do you mean I was supposed to study a Saint and emulate them before Confirmation? I was just told to pick a Saint's name and add it to my own.

I'm starting to think me becoming an atheist at 13 was less being really into science/teenage rebellion, and more that they kept asking an autistic kid to do things without ever explaining shit.

[transsexualjoanofarc]

[prokopetz]

It's that time of year when Tumblr celebrates Easter by posting pictures of crucified anime characters, and inevitably somebody in the notes will pop up to helpfully explain that crucifixion imagery has no cultural significance in Japanese media because Japan is only about 1% Christian, which bugs me because it's completely wrong.

It's true that in the majority of cases, crucifixion in Japanese cartoons isn't meant to be conveying any specific theological message, but something Western audiences are likely to miss is that a large portion of those random crucifixion scenes are referencing Ultraman.

Ultraman's creator was a devout Roman Catholic who explicitly intended the titular hero to read as a Christ figure, and consequently, various Ultramen have been crucified on multiple unconnected occasions throughout the franchise's history. Crucifixion scenes in Japanese cartoons are often directly name-checking particular crucifixion incidents from Ultraman, right down to emulating the compositions and camera angles of specific shots. It's like an especially morbid version of the Akira slide.

The upshot is that, while it's true that the inclusion of gratuitous crucifixion scenes in Japanese cartoons typically has no (intentional) theological message, stating that they have no cultural significance is incorrect. A large chunk of the Japanese viewing audience are going to see them and immediately go "hey, that's an Ultraman reference".

Anyway, as an image tax, have a shot of four crucified Ultramen miraculously resurrecting a fifth Ultraman by shooting laser beams out of their hearts:

[apenitentialprayer]

Okay, I hate job searching, but I do love applying to Catholic institutions

Where else are you going to see this?

[animentality]

[fuckyeahreligionpigeon]

[kermit-the-hag]

Israel just bombed next to a Catholic church. During Mass. On All Saints Day. This is not and never has been an issue regarding religion. This is a genocide of ALL Palestinians. They are bombing indiscriminately under the guise of fighting terrorism, when they are the real terrorists.

[stjohnstarling]

you finally confess your attraction to the hot priest and he's like "oh darling, I thought you'd never ask" and proceeds to bite your neck and turn you into another catholic priest

[sagradofemenin0]

Jean-Jacques Feuchère (1807-1852), Satan - 1835

[texaschainsawmascara]

Sinéad O’Connor / ‘96 Tori Amos tour merch

[mendely]

catholic priest running late to mass with the sacramental bread in his mouth