Converting...how to tell family?

[Nicea325]

Thanks for the advice and support everyone

I haven’t exaclty told my mom…yet…that I’m planning on becoming Catholic. She knows I’m going to a Catholic college, and has told me she would be “dissapointed” in me if I went to mass. She’s never really told me why she left the Chruch…when I ask she just says that she didn’t agree with its doctrine. So I grew up believing that Catholics never read or obeyed the bible, and that all of their traditions etc. were created by man. It wasn’t until I attened mass with a friend that I thought, "wait…theres nothing wrong with this…theres nothing against this in the bible…"

Your mother would be disappointed,if you went to Mass? Why? Sounds as though she feels threathened by the truth? Well tell your mother the early Christians went to Mass,not a Baptist service.Your mother also needs to learn a few things as well,especially how the early Christians worshiped. She didn’t agree with its doctrines? And what doctrines were those she disagreed with? The Trinity? The Incarnation? As for Catholics following Traditions? That is right,they are called Apostolic Traditions which were used to interpret Scripture.Scripture is Apostolic Traditions simply penned. Tell your mother she is the one following a man-made tradition called the Baptist Church. No where does scripture teach Chrisitanity is a religion of the book,but of the person: Jesus Christ. Catholics obey to Apostolic Tradition,Scripture and the Church.

**Thanks for the great link! That sort of brings up another problem I’m facing…my Pastor. He loves the lord and prides himself in knowing his bible. But he’s very set in his ways…and his ways are very anti-Catholic. I’m afraid that if I tell him he will put me on our Chrurches prayer list, or mention my name in service. He’s already “hurt” that I would go to a Catholic college…much less become one. **

No offense,but he is just as ignorant about the Catholic Faith as the next anti-Catholic. The fact he is ignorant of the faith does not make him correct about his perceptions.

I** guess my main problem here is I don’t want to hurt anyone. I know its my life and I need to serve God in the way he calls me. I know that - even if things are a little rocky at first - my family will still love and accept me. I guess I’ll keep praying and bring it up when the time is right. **

Hurt anyone? Apparently the one’s closest to you seem to be the one’s doing the hurting. You go with what God wills and not what some anti-Catholic Baptist pastor ‘feels’ or ‘thinks’ what is best for you.

Regardless of what your Baptist pastor believes about Catholicism,he has no idea what historical Christianity consists of and I can tell you this much dear, Christianity was not rediscovered with the Reformation,but divided and splintered into thousands of different sects.

 

[Matthew_P_Muehl]

Nicea325:
Hurt anyone? Apparently the one’s closest to you seem to be the one’s doing the hurting. You go with what God wills and not what some anti-Catholic Baptist pastor ‘feels’ or ‘thinks’ what is best for you.

Regardless of what your Baptist pastor believes about Catholicism,he has no idea what historical Christianity consists of and I can tell you this much dear, Christianity was not rediscovered with the Reformation,but divided and splintered into thousands of different sects.

Anti-catholic baptist pastors for the most part view the catholic church as a threat in the first place. These people make themselves their own pope and authority!
It’s always best to be prepared to defend yourself dealing with people like this.
I encourage catholics to learn all they can about the whole truth given to the catholic church by our lord.

Matthew

 

[beegirl]

I guess I should clarify my reference to the “prayer list”. Obviously we use it to pray for the sick, elderly, those with specific needs etc, and its placed in our bulletins every Sunday.

However, our pastor might put someone who is converting to Catholicism on the prayer list and write above their name: backsliding. He feels I’m growing away from God, when the truth is I’m growing closer.

And again, thanks for all the support

 

[The_Geographer]

I guess I should clarify my reference to the “prayer list”. Obviously we use it to pray for the sick, elderly, those with specific needs etc, and its placed in our bulletins every Sunday.

However, our pastor might put someone who is converting to Catholicism on the prayer list and write above their name: backsliding. He feels I’m growing away from God, when the truth is I’m growing closer.

And again, thanks for all the support

Church of Christ to Catholic
This is a site filled with converts from the Church of Christ that converted or are thinking about converting to Catholicism. Many of us have a Baptist background as well since we’ve been searching for truth most all of our life. I’d like to invite you and tell you that a a few of the members are former ministers. Most all of us know our bibles a bit too well, joking. And Bruce Sullivan, is a member by avoids posting for personal reasons, time and family. If you know anything about him, he was interviewed multiple times by Marcus Grodi. Bruce is a good man. He called me one day clowning around with me and told me he was Catholic Answers and asked me what my question was. At first he threw me off and I knew there was something wrong. I figured out that this was a prank phone call and then he finally fessed up.

Bruce was working towards becoming a Baptist preacher before becoming a Church of Christ preacher. And my point in that is several of us also have a baptist background or are currently still dealing with not only Church of Christ family but Baptist family. There are young people your age who have made the step or are planning on making the step once they are out of their parents home. There is also a teen group designed for youth like you to help you make steps and identify with other teens like you. When you get to the site, just ask about it and we’ll know. I’m kind of tied up right now and would need to research it a bit on Marcus Grodi’s website. There may be a link on CAF as well.

Pax, And welcome home on your journey.

 

[beegirl]

Thanks for the link!

 

[The_Geographer]

I’ll be looking for you. Good luck.

 

[EestiElizabeth]

“I guess my main problem here is I don’t want to hurt anyone”

I know this is an old forum, but this is me right now. I am 18 and I have, after much study and prayer, decided to become Catholic. But I go to a Protestant college, all my friends are protestant, and my family is protestant. I know my parents trust my choices, they are fine with this, but the church I’ve gone to my whole life, and my protestant friends, I just don’t want to hurt them. I don’t know how to even bring it up. Please, how did your story end up? What happened?

Thanks for this forum and for going on before me,

Liz

 

[rcwitness]

My first question would be this…when the time comes, how should I tell my family that I’ve chosen to convert? They mean well and love me very much, but my mother especially is very adamant that I remain Baptist. Any advice/suggestions?

Thanks

I converted to the Catholic Church after being raised Evangelical Free. No one in the family was Catholic except my grandpa who did not practice.

Take one thing at a time. Try never to get into many different topics at one sitting. Anxiety can throw everything into misunderstanding. Show them the simple and possitive virtues of the faith that have compelled you.

Then, invite them (who have not opposed this conversion) to your Confirmation, first Communion. But even if your mother has opposed you, invite her. Your immediate family should always be given special respect, and whoever you are inspired to invite.

 

[therese14]

Tell her that you love that holy mass and sacrament of penance