Godson and his mother in danger of leaving the Church

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DavidJoseph

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I have a close friend who returned to the Church a few years ago (she’d been a Catholic in name only for many, many years), and when she had her son baptized, she invited me to be her son’s godfather, which I accepted (he was 4 at the time).

Recently she informed me that she and her son, who is about 10 years old now, have been attending a Methodist church. She says she has no plans to leave the Catholic Church and understands that non-Catholic churches don’t fulfill her Sunday obligation. However, she says that she’s made so many friends there and that the folks there are so friendly. She says that at no Catholic parish she’s ever attended have people been friendly – including the one she’d been attending until she switched to the Methodist church. Even worse, her son (my godson) says he LOVES this new church! Just for the record, I discovered at the same time he hasn’t made his First Penance or Holy Communion! I guess it’s because even after his mom’s reversion, she still experienced crises of faith at times and didn’t attend Mass for long periods of time. And then finally she’d go back to confession, start attending Mass again, fall away again for a while, etc. And so when she didn’t go to Mass, he wasn’t going either.

What do I say or do in this situation – to my godson and/or his mother? I don’t live close enough to take my godson to Mass with me.
 
I think you should gently, charitably tell the mother your opinion, but be prepared for her to disagree. If she perceives that you’re too “pushy,” you might not have any contact with your godson again. Of course, you would prefer that your godson attend mass at a Catholic parish regularly, but if that’s not going to be an option because of his mother, I think you should be glad that he’s attending a Methodist church. You say he really loves to worship there, so that’s a good thing. Best not to burn any bridges with the kid. JMHO.
 
She knows my opinion, though. We’ve talked about it, and I’ve been gentle. Should I tell the kid that he should be going to Mass and that he should get his mom to go there too? Stupid question, I know – he’s not in a position where he could understand anyway, so surely the answer to the above would be negative.
 
DavidJoseph said:
She knows my opinion, though. We’ve talked about it, and I’ve been gentle. Should I tell the kid that he should be going to Mass and that he should get his mom to go there too? Stupid question, I know – he’s not in a position where he could understand anyway, so surely the answer to the above would be negative.
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Yeah, I suppose it would be. Have you been seeing much of your godson lately? I think it would matter a lot if you’re there to be a good role model for him.
 
He’s 10, and I’m afraid I haven’t seen much of him at all. The last time I saw him was at his baptism. We’ve talked on the phone several times since then though.
 
Learning about the Faith will help her grow in Faith.

Catholic Radio is a huge blessing, any chance she has satellite radio? Online one can listen to EWTN or Ave Maria radio.

Send her books, CDs, DVDs - things to help build her Faith. Matthew Kelly’s “Rediscovering Catholicism”, George Weigel’s “The Truth of Catholicism” are two that I’d get in her hands ASAP.

You might go on line to www.masstimes.org and see if her parish or one nearby has good studies and fellowship opportunities.

BTW, where is the boy’s dad?
 
kage_ar said:
Learning about the Faith will help her grow in Faith.

Catholic Radio is a huge blessing, any chance she has satellite radio? Online one can listen to EWTN or Ave Maria radio.

Send her books, CDs, DVDs - things to help build her Faith. Matthew Kelly’s “Rediscovering Catholicism”, George Weigel’s “The Truth of Catholicism” are two that I’d get in her hands ASAP.

You might go on line to www.masstimes.org and see if her parish or one nearby has good studies and fellowship opportunities.

BTW, where is the boy’s dad?
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Unfortunately, she has EWTN and has read lots about the faith. Her reasons for attending a Protestant church have nothing to do with doctrine and everything to do with fellowship.

The boy’s dad, her husband, isn’t Catholic and doesn’t go to any church.
 
DavidJoseph said:
I have a close friend who returned to the Church a few years ago (she’d been a Catholic in name only for many, many years), and when she had her son baptized, she invited me to be her son’s godfather, which I accepted (he was 4 at the time).

Recently she informed me that she and her son, who is about 10 years old now, have been attending a Methodist church. She says she has no plans to leave the Catholic Church and understands that non-Catholic churches don’t fulfill her Sunday obligation. However, she says that she’s made so many friends there and that the folks there are so friendly. She says that at no Catholic parish she’s ever attended have people been friendly – including the one she’d been attending until she switched to the Methodist church. Even worse, her son (my godson) says he LOVES this new church! Just for the record, I discovered at the same time he hasn’t made his First Penance or Holy Communion! I guess it’s because even after his mom’s reversion, she still experienced crises of faith at times and didn’t attend Mass for long periods of time. And then finally she’d go back to confession, start attending Mass again, fall away again for a while, etc. And so when she didn’t go to Mass, he wasn’t going either.

What do I say or do in this situation – to my godson and/or his mother? I don’t live close enough to take my godson to Mass with me.
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A few things come to my mind:

(1) Remind her that the Methodist Church does not have the Blessed Sacrament (does she understand the Real Presence in the RCC?).

(2) Could/Would she go to a Saturday night vigil Mass and still attend the Sunday services at the Methodist Church (if she’s deadset on staying there)?

(3) She reminds me of the Parable of the Sower … her seed appears to have been sown on rocky ground instead of good soil. I’m not sure how one changes that.
 
It can be very sad and lonely to be in a marriage with someone who does not share your faith. Could you suggest your friend seek spiritual direction?
 
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