Catholic Guilt

[catheotimus]

Does anyone have something to say to this subject? Is the problem itself invented by guilty Cathoics or is it promulgated by some other sinister group? If I think I am a victim of this malady, is it of my own making?

 

In my brief tenure working with a chiropractor, there was a female patient whom the doctor helped "release from the prison of her Catholic Guilt". How that disturbed me! Especially, since the good doctor was a Temple Mormon. (the major reason for my brief tenure )

 

Yet, I find myself a rather tortured soul. I suppose the response to this will be "aren't we all?"  I just so often find myself an isolated sinner.

 

Surely this "cliché" has it's history?

Do tell,

-Robin

[QuisUtDeus]

It is a primarily Protestant misrepresentation to mock the concept of penance.

 

If, as Luther says, you can murder a man a thousand times a day and still remain justified in Christ, there is nothing to be guilty about.

 

In a Catholic sense, guilt is part of the temporal penance, and is a necessary part of being sorry.  Too much guilt, though, goes to scruples.  We shouldn't become non-functional by our guilt because then we are denying that Christ fully forgives us in a sense.

 

Balance is the key, as always.

 

[Marty]

Back in the days of me and the Opies (Opus Dei), the Guilt on me in regards to wanting the traditional faith was massive.

'You cant be like them, Rome doesn't want that' blah blah blah. Then there was my now 'infamous case' of 'box talk' all in the name of spiritual direction...if that doesn't get anyone to feel guilty about anything I don't know what will!

Opies strive for perfectness, which is why they come across as a pain in the arse, so any little human imperfection is well and truly frowned upon, and guilt is a major factor in corporal mortification that the Numaries do too. I think that there is a fine line between being sorry for ones sins and doing penance for them and a massive guilt complex being used as a means of control, spiritually, mentally, and physically.

[InquisitorGeneralis]

Frankly, I think the problem today is that most people don't feel enough guilt.
 

[CampeadorShin]

Catholic guilt?  Sounds oxymoronic.  A good practicing Catholic has little to be guilty of.

Catholic, with a big C has little to be guilty of, but all humans have catholic guilt, with a small c.

All humans share the guilt of having sins that put Christ on the cross.  All humans also share in having been born with Original Sin.

Or at least this is what I've been able to figure out, I've only been at this for less than a year.