Q. Although I truly am thankful for what you write each month, I sometimes feel that I am not scrupulous enough to apply your direction. It seems like a way out, getting off the hook. I wonder, am I scrupulous enough to apply your direction to my life?
A. Believe me, you are scrupulous enough. Only a scrupulous person could ask this question. A person who does not suffer from scrupulosity would not be able to ask it. Apply what I have directed to learn how to manage your scrupulosity. It is not the easy way out. Managing your focus and commitment demands real attention and discipline.
Q. I cannot find a Catholic therapist who can help me. I did find one therapist who said she was a Catholic, but she was not a practicing Catholic, so I canceled my appointment. What should I do? This is very frustrating.
A. If you think I am going to give you a gold star, you are mistaken. This is not virtue; this is sabotage. You do not need a Catholic therapist. You need a therapist who is skilled in OCD and who understands that you use the language of religion, specifically the Roman Catholic language of sin, to describe how you are feeling and what you fear. Scrupulosity is a mental disorder that uses the language of sin. It is not primarily a spiritual disorder, although it does have necessary spiritual components that are best addressed by your spiritual director and/or confessor.