C
CatholicSooner
Guest
A little background:
I’m one of four kids. My parents got divorced close to 20 years ago. My mother was a convert to the faith. My father was a cradle catholic. My mom taught SUnday school, rcia,etc. was pretty involved.
Well after the divorce, my mom got remarried and we (my younger brother and sister) moved to a different town. Her new husband (they are no longer married) was nondenominational. Naturally, she and my siblings started going to church with him. I was 14 at the time and still wanted to go to CAtholic church. So they would go with me most of the time but sometimes drop me off. My older brother didn’t move with us and continued his faith as well.
Anyways, my mom and siblings have rarely been in a catholic church since. Only for some Christmas masses, weddings, funerals,etc.
My older brother died 5 years ago and my mom can’t go into the church anymore b/c of the memories that it brings.
My father mean while feels like a failure. He tells me his goal in life was to instill his faith into his children. He hasn’t been a perfect father, but he does have faith and tries his hardest to be a good example. It really bothers him that my siblings have fallen away from the church. He takes blame for it and I know it burdens him. On the flip side, he atleast puts it in perspective “If the worst thing I can say about my kids are that they are Christians, that is pretty good”.
I don’t think there is anyway that my Mom will come back. She is too involved in the other churches.
My brother has recently married and I don’t think there is a good chance that he would ever come back.
My sister would be the “easiest”.
Anyways, does anybody have any recommendation about how to get a dialogue started with these family members? I want them to realize what the church offers. My younger siblings were 11 and 7 when they left the church. But I feel that if I say what I want to say, it will only push them away. They are the kind of people that takes things very personally and would feel like I was judging them with every point I want to make. I have been praying a lot for the holy spirit to give me the right words and methods to confront them with.
Any help would be appreciated.
I’m one of four kids. My parents got divorced close to 20 years ago. My mother was a convert to the faith. My father was a cradle catholic. My mom taught SUnday school, rcia,etc. was pretty involved.
Well after the divorce, my mom got remarried and we (my younger brother and sister) moved to a different town. Her new husband (they are no longer married) was nondenominational. Naturally, she and my siblings started going to church with him. I was 14 at the time and still wanted to go to CAtholic church. So they would go with me most of the time but sometimes drop me off. My older brother didn’t move with us and continued his faith as well.
Anyways, my mom and siblings have rarely been in a catholic church since. Only for some Christmas masses, weddings, funerals,etc.
My older brother died 5 years ago and my mom can’t go into the church anymore b/c of the memories that it brings.
My father mean while feels like a failure. He tells me his goal in life was to instill his faith into his children. He hasn’t been a perfect father, but he does have faith and tries his hardest to be a good example. It really bothers him that my siblings have fallen away from the church. He takes blame for it and I know it burdens him. On the flip side, he atleast puts it in perspective “If the worst thing I can say about my kids are that they are Christians, that is pretty good”.
I don’t think there is anyway that my Mom will come back. She is too involved in the other churches.
My brother has recently married and I don’t think there is a good chance that he would ever come back.
My sister would be the “easiest”.
Anyways, does anybody have any recommendation about how to get a dialogue started with these family members? I want them to realize what the church offers. My younger siblings were 11 and 7 when they left the church. But I feel that if I say what I want to say, it will only push them away. They are the kind of people that takes things very personally and would feel like I was judging them with every point I want to make. I have been praying a lot for the holy spirit to give me the right words and methods to confront them with.
Any help would be appreciated.