Attn Converts with converted children - need advice

[slh3016]

We have raised our children Protestant since birth (ages 11, 7, 7) and we are on our path toward the Catholic Church. Children will be baptized in our Protestant church (already posted about this on another thread) this coming Sunday since we can’t start RCIA until this coming fall. However, we do plan on attending Mass more frequently with our children (we’ve been trying to do this without them as to not confuse them plus not give them info to pass on to the in-laws just yet ).

However, I want to start slowly acclimating them to Catholic teaching, especially in areas where there are significant differences in theology, as well as explain to them (in words they can understand) why my husband and I feel that this path is the correct one for our family, in contrast to the faith of the rest of our families. I want them to maintain a tremendous respect for our Protestant family and friends (IOW, I don’t want them suddenly telling everyone how wrong they are and how right we now are ) I also want them to understand enough about the Catholic faith so that they are not manipulated by well-meaning grandparents. I guess, basically, I want my children to experience the best of both worlds. Is that even possible (i.e., making an effort to attend Protestant services such as Christmas Eve service with the inlaws which has been our family tradition since the beginning of our marriage, infrequently attend services with them, etc.)? On the other hand, by doing the aforementioned, I want (and will demand, if necessary) that our families be respectful of Catholic teaching and our beliefs and that any action to the contrary will NOT be tolerated (i.e., Mass is NOT optional, etc.).

I want to do this gently and methodically without too much thrown at them at any one time and would love (name removed by moderator)ut from other converts with children on how they approached this with their children and how they dealt with these in-law issues.

I also would like to know how you now present heroes of the Protestant faith (Nate Saint, Amy Carmichael, etc.) to your children if they had been exposed to them before. We homeschool and this is a big issue for me. We have spent a great deal of time in the past studying/reading about Protestant missionaries and I do NOT want to now present them in a bad light or have my children believe that these people are not people to be looked up to. However, I will caveat this with the fact that we NEVER read or discussed missionaries whose mission was to convert Catholic countries. (Ironically, this exact dilemma is what got the cogs in my brain turning actually in favor of the Catholic Church )

Sorry for the many questions Thank you!

 

[Regina7]

I’d keep it simple. I’m guessing the 11 year old will ask more questions. You can say that you have learned that the Catholic Church has the fullness of the faith, that while Protestant Churches have some (the Bible, baptism, etc) none have them all (like the Eucharist). I assume that most Protestants are simply ignorant of what the Catholic Church offers, so instead of saying Protestants are bad, you can say they just don’t understand.

When homeschooling, I’d simply start teaching about the saints. Your kids may not ask you about the shift because they may not see it (they may only see stories of holy people).
If a child specifically asks, you can say that the missionary went on a mission for God but perhaps missed a few things. Then show how the saints fulfilled their missions.

I guess I’m saying not to sit down with a long lecture planned. As your kids start learning more about the faith, “they’ll get it.” Explain as you go along and at their level. Don’t juxtapose everything Catholic with how it’s different from Protestantism- just highlight the Catholic.

Perhaps as your kids get older you may have to have an in-depth conversation why you converted, but at this point, you can simply say that _________ (Eucharist, the fact that Jesus found it, etc) led you to the Catholic Church.

Good luck and welcome!

 

[Jimdandy]

Why don’t you try to baptize your children in the Catholic Church and study the faith and attend Mass as a family now -nothing to HIDE from family.

Welcome Home!

 

[Selah_KY]

However, I want to start slowly acclimating them to Catholic teaching, especially in areas where there are significant differences in theology, as well as explain to them (in words they can understand) why my husband and I feel that this path is the correct one for our family, in contrast to the faith of the rest of our families. I want them to maintain a tremendous respect for our Protestant family and friends (IOW, I don’t want them suddenly telling everyone how wrong they are and how right we now are ) I also want them to understand enough about the Catholic faith so that they are not manipulated by well-meaning grandparents. I guess, basically, I want my children to experience the best of both worlds. Is that even possible (i.e., making an effort to attend Protestant services such as Christmas Eve service with the inlaws which has been our family tradition since the beginning of our marriage, infrequently attend services with them, etc.)? On the other hand, by doing the aforementioned, I want (and will demand, if necessary) that our families be respectful of Catholic teaching and our beliefs and that any action to the contrary will NOT be tolerated (i.e., Mass is NOT optional, etc.).

That’s quite a task, speaking from experience. But I have to say that I admire your willingness to do this!

I want to do this gently and methodically without too much thrown at them at any one time and would love (name removed by moderator)ut from other converts with children on how they approached this with their children and how they dealt with these in-law issues.

We read through the book Saint of the Day: Lives, Lessons, & Feasts every year. This is just the one we use, there are also online resources and other books. We’ve always read the day’s readings from the Lectionary (we were Lutheran), too.

I also would like to know how you now present heroes of the Protestant faith (Nate Saint, Amy Carmichael, etc.) to your children if they had been exposed to them before. We homeschool and this is a big issue for me. We have spent a great deal of time in the past studying/reading about Protestant missionaries and I do NOT want to now present them in a bad light or have my children believe that these people are not people to be looked up to. However, I will caveat this with the fact that we NEVER read or discussed missionaries whose mission was to convert Catholic countries. (Ironically, this exact dilemma is what got the cogs in my brain turning actually in favor of the Catholic Church )

Me, too!

I have to run. I’ll write more later. Feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions!