Anxious Godmother looking for advice for athiest Godson

[JMJ_Theresa]

I posted a thread in popular media looking for media to give my Godson who has declared himself an atheist. He is nineteen. He, until this year, has gone to Sunday Mass every week. He has some CCD at a liberal parish. I spent a couple of months working with him on catechism when he was 13, but I had to abandon it since I had so many demands with my young kids. His mom is in an invalid marriage, but still attends Mass.

One thing I’ve always done is try to give him Catholic resources like a Bible (a cartoon one, believe it or not), magazines, DVDs, audio sets. He has dyslexia, so he doesn’t read well. Also, he is not a deep thinker. I’d say his maturity is more like 14 or 15.

I was thinking of giving him *An Exorcist tells His Story * on audiotape to shake him up a little. But, I was discouraged by the posters on the media forum.

I’ve asked him why he has no belief, and he cannot articulate a reason. One thing he has said is that he figures there is so many religions–who is he to say who is right. Before you ask, I can’t really spend time with him–my brood and my dh’s erratic work schedule precludes it.

So giving him Catholic resources–waste of time? Ineffective? Bad idea? If not, what to give him?

 

[undeserving]

Pray. Thats the only and the most importent thing you can do. Pray for him everyday, ask our Lady to guide him and bring him back. Prayer works, even on the most hardest of hearts. I know this from personal experience.

 

[stbruno]

Look at how long St.Monica pray for St.Augustine…40years. I know you have already started but keep praying for him and let him know that you are praying for him as well.

 

[BlestOne]

I have to agree that prayer is the most important thing to do. I think I would also challenge him to come up with a better reason than he gave you. Be frank, tell him that his excuse is an overused cop out. My middle child started making statements like that and I challenged him to find the answers. He is ADHD and possibly dyslexic too. What we did was encourage him to tell us his “complaints” and helped him find the answers he was really looking for.When it came down to it, my son thought some of the responses during mass were too stiff and forced and not from the heart…his example was when we respond “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, …” He is right, many folks just say the words and they don’t sink in. I had him explain to me what he thought a better response would be…he couldn’t come up with one so I explained that it isn’t what other people sound like at mass that is important, he should just understand that we aren’t worthy but Jesus gave us his body and blood for our salvation anyway. After that he got interested in the whole end times stuff…Great! So we read Revelations together and I had to consult many sources to understand it myself, including my pastor, and so we dispelled the whole End Times thing. Shortly after all this, I started the Great Adventure bible study and made a point of discussing it with my husband with all the children present and encourage the whole family in discussions. It really seems to have helped because he hasn’t complained about mass or Catholicism in about a year. He also doesn’t drag on Sunday mornings when we are all getting ready for Church, often being ready before anyone else, and even dressing appropriately…that being another fight we had about the same time too.