A Request for Assistance

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Silvereel

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I don’t know if this is where I should post this, so a moderator can move it if they wish. I’ve already asked in the Ask and Apologist forum, but I really want an answer now. I know I have no patients, but we all have our flaws I suppose!
I suppose I shall begin with a bit about myself. I’m a nearly 14 year old boy, and my parents are Babtist, as were there parents and so on. We really have no church home any more, since we moved away from the one they’d always gone to not long ago. We’ve tried many of them in this area, but none of them feel like ‘home’. One played a version of Sweet Home Alabama changed to ‘Sweet Home Heaven’ for their worship song :eek:! I felt that was disrespectful, as did my parents. A friend, a Fundamentalist, who lived nearby (I’m no longer friends with him, as you will see soon) introduced me to the tracts of Jack Chick. I was apalled, and it was then I realized how much hate their was in alot of these people. Don’t get me wrong. Some of them are good. I uphold my parents are. They are not anti Catholic, like so many others.
It was then I started to feel skitish about going to Babtist services, so I prayed about it, and I started doing research. At first I started looking at Episcopalian churches, since my heart seemed to be guiding me to something more traditional. Then I decided that if I wanted something traditional, why not research Catholicsim? After all, that’s what we all split off of, isn’t it?
So I came to this site and started to read. I decided, after some more prayer, that I wanted to try a Catholic Mass this weekend. I know it may sound kind of crazy, but I really felt a sort of excitment in my chest about it.
So I asked my dad if I could try it. We ended up changing the topic quickly, since I know it was uncomfortable for me, probably more so for him. He wants to stay the way he has always been, as I can understand (his grandfather was a Babtist minister).
I feel like God wants to to attend a Catholic Mass, nonetheless. I’m still praying about it, and hoping He will help. I’ve done studing on all of the doctrines, and they seem to be fine with me, though I’m still a bit skitish about the prayer to saints, though I understand it’s different than to God.
So, is there anyone here who can please give me some advice?
 
Silvereel said:
So, is there anyone here who can please give me some advice?
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Greetings.

You seem to be a very thoughtful 14-year old. You have embarked on a journey that I didn’t take until I was nearly twice your age. I am the great-grandson of a Baptist preacher, and the step-son of a protestant minister. But I didn’t become interested in the Church until long after I had left home.

You are in a difficult position, being a minor in your parent’s home. You are obliged to respect your parents and their best wishes on your behalf. Yet, you have come to doubt if part of the upbringing you have received is really in your best interest.

Young men at your age are often characterized as “rebelling against authority,” and rejecting your somewhat superficial religious upbringing could be simply viewed as your attempt to test these waters (ie, rejection for the sake of rejection, instead of a result of informed opinion).

It would be easy to dismiss your interest as baseless rebellion, instead of genuine interest.

Yet (as I’m sure you’ve noticed) you are at the age when your parents begin to communicate with you in something other than child-like terms. You can participate in “adult” conversations (although this is harder if your are the oldest child, or an only-child).

I suggest you continue to study the Catholic Faith (and I highly recommend Karl Keating’s book, Catholicism and Fundamentalism, which will probably answer most objections you will hear).

Then, it would be very helpful if you had a Catholic fiend that you wished to attend “church” with. Parents are accustomed to the idea that their children will want to do things with their friends. All things considered, going to “church” (even a Catholic church) is probably preferable to going to a party, or shooting pool somewhere.

Once you have done this, it won’t be so hard to do it again - and again, and again. By now, your parents will become somewhat concerned. Now is the time to be the Catholic apologist that you’ve prepared yourself to be. You know your parents, so you should know which vector to take (Biblical, Historical, Philosophical, etc).

You *may *even convert your parents (what a blessing for them AND you!) But, at least, you may convince them to not oppose your participation in the Catholic Church.
 
Hi

Welcome to the Forums

At your age you are still under the requirement to abide by your parents’ wishes to a certain extent but there is nothing to stop you praying about your desire to attend a Catholic Mass and leaving it up to Him to remove any obstacles.

If you go to www.catholicity.com
you can order some CDs and books for free that will give
you good information on Catholic beliefs and teachings.

God bless
 
You are an amazing young person.
I will keep you in my prayers and Masses.
I ask Jesus to keep on leading and helping you.

Where you said you’re uncomfortable about asking saints to pray for us…it’s kind of like me asking you to pray for me, or you asking me to pray for you or your parents. The saints are our sisters and brothers in heaven, and we are sisters and brothers on earth. Our brothers and sister in heaven are holier now than we are, so we want them to pray for us.
 
Thanks for your kind and thoughtful answer. It was really helpful. Sadly, though, I don’t have any Catholic friends right now (I’m a bit low in the friends department right now, since I am homeschooled and have no permentant Church!).
As for being thoughtful, well, thanks :). This isn’t something I’m doing to rebel them. I really feel scenciere. I will continue to research it, as I have most of the day. I will try to pick up the book you mentioned at the library, though I’m sure it may lead to some uncomfortable conversations. It’s kind of a hard topic to talk about, as I guess you know. It was only earlier today I asked about attending Mass, and since then I’ve felt rather uncomfortable, kind of trying to stay by myself. My dad hasn’t said anything else about it, since I’m sure he feels the same way as me, but I can’t help feeling it is on his mind. It’s just hard to me to talk about.
First and foremost, though, I will continue to pray about it. If anything will help, surely that will. And again, thanks for you answers and prayers. I will try and do the same!
 
Silvereel said:
Sadly, though, I don’t have any Catholic friends right now (I’m a bit low in the friends department right now, since I am homeschooled and have no permentant Church!)
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Well, maybe it’s time for you to take that particular matter into your own hands.

My own children are homeschooled, and I’m sure your parents share my concern that our kids are somewhat deprived of social interaction. To some extent, this is good (because, I think, a lot of “social interaction” that kids get is negative). But, parents realize that it’s not good for a child to be “too” isolated.

Most Catholic Parishes have some sort of youth ministry. Try to find out about such programs which may be available in parishes in your area (maybe through parish websites, etc). These groups normally have activities, such as bowling nights, or movie nights, or such. Contact the youth minister for the group and get yourself invited to “hang out” with the group. This is a low-risk type of activity - it is an organized and supervised Christian group in a public venue, so hopefully your parents would have little grounds for objection. Find someone in the group whom you can befriend, and thus increase your association with the Church (and your opportunities to participate in Church activities and services). Thus, you can make friends (of which you now have few) and also explore the Catholic Faith. And you can do this in a way that your parents will probably not find overtly objectionable.

But this is important: you can try to influence events to achieve your goal of a closer association with the Catholic Church, but you must never try to deceive your parents. If they ask you about your ultimate intention, you must be completely honest with them. This is where your ability to explain and defend the teachings of the Church may be put to their first (and perhaps most important) test.
 
Hi, Slivereel!

I come from a strong Baptist background, too. It is the tradition I grew up with, and the one to which my whole family subscribes. My mom is a deacon in a Baptist church and a gospel singer with real talent, a beautiful voice, and verve!

Nevertheless I am called to the Catholic faith, and this has been a problem. Baptist culture has been quite hostile towards Catholicism, to say the least, and my faith is a source of uneasiness amongst my own family. Had I joined a Methodist congregation, or a Presbyterian one, or Lutheran, or, heck, pick one, nobody would have batted an eye. But, CATHOLIC??

Catholics are very much your brothers and sisters in Christ, but such a proposition is indeed a “hump” for Baptist people. I can readily sympathize with your dad. He is probably conflicted about what to do, and this would explain his silence.

I think you are on a good and true course right now. You are being honest and forthright to your father with your feelings, and he seems to be entertaining them (if he wasn’t, he’d have probably quashed the notion). Include him in your prayers and continue with your honest expressions of your feelings.

Continue to talk to your father, who loves you, honestly. That’s what I think you should do, and I hope that’s good advice.

May the Lord be with you, Silvereel!
 
Hang in there, Silvereel! The above posters have given excellent advice, but I would like to add one thing.

I was in a similar situation at around your age. I felt drawn to the Catholic Church (and perhaps even a religious vocation), but I was the child of Protestant missionaries. I let the opportunity pass, and it was not until four years ago, when I was married and had three children, that I actually converted. (My husband and children did, too!) It wasn’t easy even then for my parents, who are still missionaries. They have gotten used to it, but they are not over it.

Just don’t let the call to the Church die out in you! Hang on, even if you are not allowed to go to Mass until you leave your parents’ house. The Catholic Church is Jesus’ gift to us, the Church He left us. Don’t lose it!
 
Hi, I wish you well in your journey. May I suggest you communicate with your family so they can get a sense of where you are heading and don’t feel alone - if this makes any sense. You proably already discuss things with them though. As others have noted if your journey leads you to Catholicism it will be hard for them too. It is good that you have respect for their feelings.

If you need some free resources type ‘Catholic apologetics’ into Google and some great sites will come up. If you want specific information type in for example ‘assumption of Mary Catholic apologetics’ so you’ll I’ll be less likely to get a dodgy site. One often quoted on the boards here is www.scriptruecatholic.com I highly recomend it.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great tool too.

scborromeo.org/ccc.htm - searchable

vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

🙂
 
Silvereel said:
Thanks for your kind and thoughtful answer. It was really helpful. Sadly, though, I don’t have any Catholic friends right now (I’m a bit low in the friends department right now, since I am homeschooled and have no permentant Church!).
As for being thoughtful, well, thanks :). This isn’t something I’m doing to rebel them. I really feel scenciere. I will continue to research it, as I have most of the day. I will try to pick up the book you mentioned at the library, though I’m sure it may lead to some uncomfortable conversations. It’s kind of a hard topic to talk about, as I guess you know. It was only earlier today I asked about attending Mass, and since then I’ve felt rather uncomfortable, kind of trying to stay by myself. My dad hasn’t said anything else about it, since I’m sure he feels the same way as me, but I can’t help feeling it is on his mind. It’s just hard to me to talk about.
First and foremost, though, I will continue to pray about it. If anything will help, surely that will. And again, thanks for you answers and prayers. I will try and do the same!
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God bless you and lead you.

meanwhile you may check this out for more wisdom.
zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~vgg/rc/aplgtc/hahn/m3/4mrko.html
 
Silvereel said:
I will try to pick up the book you mentioned at the library, though I’m sure it may lead to some uncomfortable conversations. It’s kind of a hard topic to talk about, as I guess you know. It was only earlier today I asked about attending Mass, and since then I’ve felt rather uncomfortable, kind of trying to stay by myself. My dad hasn’t said anything else about it, since I’m sure he feels the same way as me, but I can’t help feeling it is on his mind. It’s just hard to me to talk about.
First and foremost, though, I will continue to pray about it. If anything will help, surely that will. And again, thanks for you answers and prayers. I will try and do the same!
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A very wise friend of mine told me not too long ago that the most uncomfortable changes that we go through are uncomfortable because they are a refining process. We have to get rid of all of our mistaken notions (letting go of what we consider comfortable) and look at everything we’ve learned so far as a stepping stone to what we are to seek next. Feel blessed that you come from a good, wholesome family that loved you enough to take you to church. Now take that foundation–that stepping stone–and make the next step. Continue to pray and remember to be respectful of your parents. You will win their support with patience. I was also raised in a Baptist family and I decided when I was 13 that I felt more at home in the Catholic Church when I attended with a friend’s family. I didn’t make the full conversion until I was in my early 20’s and even then I didn’t have the full support of my family but they are coming around. I homeschool my children and there are many homeschool networks out there where you can make friends. Many of them are Catholic homeschool networks. I am in Cincinnati, OH if you are close I can send you some info on our groups.
 
You’ve all been really kind. I’m checking out all of the links, as well as reading around the forum. I would like to clear something up though.
I am not trying to sound like I’m ‘anti Babtist’ or ‘anti Protestant’ above. I am not saying everyone is like that. My parents aren’t, and in fact they dislike the changes that have recently come (such as the music. Apparently no one likes tradition), though obviously since the family has always been Babtist they are attracted to it as well.
After seeing, really seeing, how much seperatiorn and anger there was in these churches, though, I thought: Why would God want us to fight one another? Shouldn’t we be getting along and trying to tell people about God, rather than telling them ‘we’re better than so and so’? I’m just not feeling comfortable any more.
I will continue to keep you updated, and I will talk with my dad about it some more soon.
As for going to some sort of group, I’ve been looking for any sort of group for some time, and I will renew my search. Thanks for the offer Wilson, but I’m waaaay down in GA!
 
Hi Silvereel,

I’m touched by your dilemma and your search for truth. If you have a good relationship with your father, why not just ask him why it would bother him for you to attend a Catholic Mass? I expect that many things would come out that involve false understandings about Catholicism, and you could address those, with respect of course (and we’d be here to help you address them).

I think the best thing you can do is to make it clear to your parents that you’re searching for truth, wherever it may lead you.

Now if it turns out that the issue is still too uncomfortable in your house, then just continue to study and pray and wait until you’re 18 and you can do what you want.

Here’s one online book you may enjoy, from a wonderful convert to the Catholic Church, G.K. Chesterton (see my signature): ewtn.com/library/CHRIST/CONVERSI.TXT

BTW, do you get EWTN on your TV channels? If you do, and if you can watch it discretely, you might enjoy “The Journey Home” programs, among other things they offer.

And one more BTW: since you mentioned music and tradition, you might want to listen to www.choraltreasure.org to hear a sampling of 2000 years of Catholic sacred music.
 
We do get EWTN and I will check it out whenever I get a good chance. I’ve been listening to some of their older radio broadcasts on my MP3 player at night too.
I’ve read some of Chesterton’s Father Brown stories, which I enjoy, so I’m going to be having a look at the book.
Thanks for the music as well, I’ve got plenty to do now! Thank you and all of you for all of your support and prayers!
 
Silvereel said:
We do get EWTN and I will check it out whenever I get a good chance. I’ve been listening to some of their older radio broadcasts on my MP3 player at night too.
I’ve read some of Chesterton’s Father Brown stories, which I enjoy, so I’m going to be having a look at the book.
Thanks for the music as well, I’ve got plenty to do now! Thank you and all of you for all of your support and prayers!
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Good point about the EWTN downloads - you can listen to all the Journey Home shows that way. And 👍 on Father Brown. 🙂

Check back in with us whenever you feel the need.
 
I’ve been reading the Chesterton book and I can say I’m over half way through already!
I do have one more question, though. Do you have any suggestions on how to bring the matter of my desires up in conversation, other than just saying it out of the blue. Apologies if this is a rather foolish thing, or too much, to ask. I’m just trying to think up some sort of idea as to how I could ‘beat around the bush’ to it, if you will.
And David, I understand not to lie or decieve them. That isn’t my intention 🙂
 
I also recommend a couple of other Chesterton books Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man. Chesterton was a convert, too, you see.

Perhaps you could broach the subject by bringing up some of the books you are reading? “Hey, Dad, I was reading this really cool book. It makes a lot of sense to me. You see, I’ve been thinking . . . .” It’s just an idea.

(This is more of a long-term thought, but the next time your Dad has a birthday or something, maybe you could get him a book? You could get him something like The Man Who Was Thursday or something.)

I also understand that you are not “anti-Protestant.” Except for my immediate family, none of the rest of my relatives–including my parents and sisters–are Catholic. My father is a minister is his denomination, and my sister and her husband work in that same mission. They’re not anti-Catholic (though they weren’t thrilled with my conversion :rolleyes: ).

Hang in there, and don’t let go of the Church! 👍
 
Canto said:
If you need some free resources type ‘Catholic apologetics’ into Google and some great sites will come up. If you want specific information type in for example ‘assumption of Mary Catholic apologetics’ so you’ll I’ll be less likely to get a dodgy site. One often quoted on the boards here is www.scriptruecatholic.com I highly recomend it.
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Hi Silvereel, this is a great website that Canto recommended that shows the scriptural basis for the Church’s teachings, and also a lot of writings from the Early Church Fathers. It will be very helpful for you to defend the Catholic faith with your Bible believing family and friends. But there’s a typo in the link so I wanted to make sure get it correctly: www.scripturecatholic.com
 
Silvereel said:
I don’t know if this is where I should post this, so a moderator can move it if they wish. I’ve already asked in the Ask and Apologist forum, but I really want an answer now. I know I have no patients, but we all have our flaws I suppose!
I suppose I shall begin with a bit about myself. I’m a nearly 14 year old boy, and my parents are Babtist, as were there parents and so on. We really have no church home any more, since we moved away from the one they’d always gone to not long ago. We’ve tried many of them in this area, but none of them feel like ‘home’. One played a version of Sweet Home Alabama changed to ‘Sweet Home Heaven’ for their worship song :eek:! I felt that was disrespectful, as did my parents. A friend, a Fundamentalist, who lived nearby (I’m no longer friends with him, as you will see soon) introduced me to the tracts of Jack Chick. I was apalled, and it was then I realized how much hate their was in alot of these people. Don’t get me wrong. Some of them are good. I uphold my parents are. They are not anti Catholic, like so many others.
It was then I started to feel skitish about going to Babtist services, so I prayed about it, and I started doing research. At first I started looking at Episcopalian churches, since my heart seemed to be guiding me to something more traditional. Then I decided that if I wanted something traditional, why not research Catholicsim? After all, that’s what we all split off of, isn’t it?
So I came to this site and started to read. I decided, after some more prayer, that I wanted to try a Catholic Mass this weekend. I know it may sound kind of crazy, but I really felt a sort of excitment in my chest about it.
So I asked my dad if I could try it. We ended up changing the topic quickly, since I know it was uncomfortable for me, probably more so for him. He wants to stay the way he has always been, as I can understand (his grandfather was a Babtist minister).
I feel like God wants to to attend a Catholic Mass, nonetheless. I’m still praying about it, and hoping He will help. I’ve done studing on all of the doctrines, and they seem to be fine with me, though I’m still a bit skitish about the prayer to saints, though I understand it’s different than to God.
So, is there anyone here who can please give me some advice?
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Hey Silvereel! Hang in there and continue to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and support. I don’t want to repeat everything everyone else has already said, but I want to recommend another site that is great and has free Mp3’s and great newsletters. www.biblechristiansociety.com

I will pray for you and your situation.

God Bless,
 
Silvereel said:
I decided, after some more prayer, that I wanted to try a Catholic Mass this weekend. I know it may sound kind of crazy, but I really felt a sort of excitment in my chest about it.
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It doesn’t sound crazy at all! It sounds like you are excited to be trying something God is leading you to. I love going to Mass every week, and I get pretty excited about it, too, even though I’ve been Catholic my whole life. 😃

One thing that I think would be a good reference for you: www.masstimes.org You can get the location and times for Mass for nearly anywhere, and most certainly for several churches in Georgia! Some parishes have Mass on other days of the week as well as on Sunday, but if you want to see what it’s like when it’s full of people I recommend you go on Sunday morning.

Hang in there, Silvereel! Your parents seem to be good, loving people, and I know they care a lot about you. When you do get to talk to them again about the Catholic Church, just have patience and love in your heart for them. I’m praying for you, Silvereel, and I am very proud of you for being so direct and honest with your father about this.
 
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