Feeling Really Discouraged

[JaneFrances]

Hey there, you are not alone. When my husband entered the Church, his parents did not attend the vigil. This was hurtful, to be sure, but it truly helped to make this decision that much more personal and important. And since that time, several years later, they have come to comment on the strength of his faith and his good Christian example. To my knowledge he has never had a “theological” conversation with them. His brother is a Baptist pastor and his family is all Protestant, yet through conversations with my husbands parents I have become aware of their growing admiration for the Catholic Church and my husband’s faith simply by the witness of his life in action. Your faith and example now are planting seeds. May the Holy Spirit guide you and be your consolation. And welcome home!

 

[Writer]

I am feeling really discouraged. I really need some support. Below is a link to my previous thread. My parents aren’t supporting me at all about my choice to become Catholic. I truely, honestly feel that I am doing the right thing. My parents (My mom is the only one saying that I’m making the wrong choice) don’t think I have researched enough. As it gets closer to Easter it is just getting worse. Everytime I eat lunch with my Mom she brings it up and makes it sound like I am doing the wrong thing. She is trying to send me on a guilt trip about how I won’t be with her at HER church on Easter. They aren’t even going to be coming to the Easter Vigil for me. I have to be at the Easter Vigil which is Saturday night, so I will be able to go with her but I think its wrong for her to try to make me feel bad. I’m 23 so its not like I’m 16 and going against what they are saying.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=134336

You’re doing the right thing. Try to persevere and stand firm. My family went through some hardhship when we joined, as well. I am running short on time, but I’d be glad to try to help in some small way–if you contact me off the board. You might want to take a look at our conversion story which appeared in This Rock earlier in the year. As an altnernative, I might also be able to share my presentation notes concerning the talks my wife and I give concerning our conversion. It’s not an easy path, you’ve chosen, but it’s the right path. God bless!

 

[MilesXpisti]

I am feeling really discouraged. I really need some support. Below is a link to my previous thread. My parents aren’t supporting me at all about my choice to become Catholic. I truely, honestly feel that I am doing the right thing. My parents (My mom is the only one saying that I’m making the wrong choice) don’t think I have researched enough. As it gets closer to Easter it is just getting worse. Everytime I eat lunch with my Mom she brings it up and makes it sound like I am doing the wrong thing. She is trying to send me on a guilt trip about how I won’t be with her at HER church on Easter. They aren’t even going to be coming to the Easter Vigil for me. I have to be at the Easter Vigil which is Saturday night, so I will be able to go with her but I think its wrong for her to try to make me feel bad. I’m 23 so its not like I’m 16 and going against what they are saying.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=134336

Oh, my poor girl…I know exactly what you’re going through. When I entered the Church, I experienced great negativity, even outright derision, from my family for what they felt was treason to the faith. My aunt (father’s twin), even asked me, “Could you maybe try being Baptist?”, as though I had just told her that I was coming out of the closet. The situation caused a lot of anger and bad blood on both sides that I don’t think has ever fully healed and for most of them I have little respect. Only my wondeful grandfather (himself a retired Bishop of a Church of God congregation) told me that it was my life.

The only thing that I can tell you is that this is life. The cost of doing the right thing sometimes costs you friends and even family. But cling to Christ and His Church. Your sorrow will be swallowed by your joy, I promise you.

 

[franksv]

Nicene Creed

We believe in God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

The foundation & focus of the Catholic Church is CHRIST. Don’t allow anyone to fill your head with misconceptions. If your looking for Scripture backed up by Sacred Tradition,to double check what may be thrown at you, try here.

scripturecatholic.com/index.html

Also don’t forget to check any Scripture n-C’s throw at you in your Catholic Bible and read the footnotes. You will find very different meaning at times. Also read the whole chp with footnotes when a n-C throws Scripture at you with a claim that he/she has found some dirty little secret about our most Holy Faith.

If you need help on the authority of the Catholic Church, look here.

catholic.com/library/scripture_tradition.asp

and here.

catholic.com/library/church_papacy.asp

But most important, don’t trust us or your Mom, Pray to the Holy Spirit for direction. I am still a pretty green Catholic myself, I was Confirmed last Easter at the vigil. I also had a family member that seemed bent on trying to topple my new found Faith. PM me if you need help and I’ll do my best, or I 'll get you help from friends on this very forum that helped me.

God Bless

You will be in my Prayers.

Frank

 

[Linkowski]

And yet scripture says the word is sown in our hearts.

So, you are saying I do not need to read the Bible…If some teachings in the do not match up with scripture, there is where you have a problem.

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

So, you are saying I do not need to read the Bible…If some teachings in the do not match up with scripture, there is where you have a problem.

As weird as it may sound to you, as a protestant, we don’t. It is the Church not the Bible that’s the bulwark and the pillar of truth. However don’t get me wrong. We SHOULD read the Bible. It’s just that we don’t have to.

CCC 133 The Church "forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful. . . to learn the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.

 

[Linkowski]

As weird as it may sound to you, as a protestant, we don’t. It is the Church not the Bible that’s the bulwark and the pillar of truth. However don’t get me wrong. We SHOULD read the Bible. It’s just that we don’t have to.

So, the Church can say whatever they want over and above the Word of God - and basically make it null and void.

 

[DanteAlighieri]

Keri,

I’m sure by now you’ve read the responses above and mulled them over, but I wanted to throw in my two cents, because (with all due respect to the others who’ve responded) I do not see many posts that offer solutions or alternatives.

You and your family have common ground in your faith in Christ and your love for one another. Your mother no doubt feels betrayed, or that she’s failed as a parent. Don’t let this drive you apart, and don’t let her “guilt trip” elicit a rash response from you.

It’s entirely possible that she’s laying it on extra thick because she senses that you haven’t “crossed over”, as it were; she may still feel there’s time to rescue you before you “drink the Kool-Aid”. Don’t give up hope, as she may let up after Easter.

By the way, I mean no disrespect in my attempts at humor; I’m just trying to bring a smile to your face.

I’ll pray for you, too.

Peace,

Dante

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

So, the Church can say whatever they want over and above the Word of God - and basically make it null and void.

Are you asking whether the Church, that Jesus Christ himself established to safeguard the Truth, can say whatever she wants and above the Word of God?

 

[Michael_Francis]

This is a thread of encouragement and counsel, not debate.

Posts that were off-topic and argumentative have been deleted.

If you wish to debate some issue that is inspired by a post in this thread, quote it as normal and then make that the opening post of a new thread, but under no circumstances hijack or derail this one.
MF

 

[apruett]

Keri,

I was where you are now once, and I know how difficult it can be, especially with family traditions and the emotional ties that accompany them. At this point, I don’t think it serves any good purpose to try and arm you with debate points to score against your mother. Rather, I would just ask them to respect that you, as an adult, are on your own spiritual journey, and feel your being led by God in these things. And you must follow your conscience.

You are being educated, and there is alot to unlearn as well as learn. It will take some time, so give yourself the time you need to learn the Catholic faith, and get your questions answered.

Numbers don’t mean everything, but here is a fact that may interest you. At the peak of the Roman Empire, there was a total population of about 55 million people. Christianity started with Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, and the testimony of the disciples, as an outlaw religion. Today, the Roman Empire is no more. World population is about 6 billion, and about 1.3 billion of these are Catholic. So you have the Church at Rome, now 2,000 years old, larger and longer lived than the Roman Empire. It is the most common form of Christianity practiced on earth. I think you would agree that the Providence of God has been with His Church, without which, no one in the west would know Christianity, and thus preserved the knowlege of the truth.

Hang in there!
apruett

 

[reneeville]

Dear Keri~
Though we love our parents dearly, we are only on “loan” to them for a little while. We are the sons and daughters of God and He has left the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort us as we go through any ordeal. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to pray for you about this situation. Of course I will pray too for your dear mother. I imagine she is just trying to defend her offspring; sad, but as happens more often than not is that which we don’t understand is what we are most adamant against in defense. Rest assured that the Holy Spirit is your guide… and welcome Home!!
Renée

“An Adult faith does not follow the waves of fashion and the latest novelties.”

• Pope Benedict XVI -

 

[keri6789]

Thank you everyone for giving me the encouragement I really needed right now. It makes me feel alot better knowing that there are so many people that have walked this down this tunnel and came out the other side. I really appericate all the prayers! Please keep me in them…I have a feeling that once it gets closer and closer to Easter its going to go worse before it gets better.

 

[franksv]

This is a thread of encouragement and counsel, not debate.

Posts that were off-topic and argumentative have been deleted.

If you wish to debate some issue that is inspired by a post in this thread, quote it as normal and then make that the opening post of a new thread, but under no circumstances hijack or derail this one.
MF

I am sorry,if my post came off in the least this way.I was’nt trying to give you a way to win arguments.What I have found is that if you can give a decent account of what lead you to the Catholic Church,these things can eventually be put to rest.

For a year I did’nt speak with a fundamentalist cousin after coming home to the Church.At first he really bullied me and I could not answer many of his challenges.As time went on and I grew in my Faith,it was I that remained calm during these talks and my cousin who would lose his temper when I was able to answer his challenges.

Now I am full fledged Catholic and he is still a Bible Christian and we have a good relationship where we agree to disagree.The Catholic vs Non-Catholic issue does not even come up very often anymore.

These things can be worked out.The key is to give your Mom’s Faith respect,while also having that respect being returned.

Its a long hard road,but well worth it.Learn all you can about our Faith and speak the Truth in a gentle,loving manner when your Mom brings it up.Remember to live your Faith,if you do this the need for words will be less.

Welcome Home

Frank

 

[Writer]

Two quick suggestions for you this morning. Emphasize enrichment over conversion; you knew Jesus before, but you just know Him better now. Stress Christian unity–e.g. I Corinthians verses and elsewhere. Just a few suggestions from a former “Fundamentalist”.