K
KayBee248
Guest
Okay, so I am entirely new this site. Not only that, but new to catholicism. Hello all!
So here goes. I have been dating a young man for a year now. He was catholic when we met and his father is the Deacon of the Church we both attend now. I was raised Baptist. Once my mother found out I was dating someone Catholic, she didn’t like him anymore. When she was younger, my grandmother told her she was never allowed to see a guy she liked because he was Catholic and so my mother hurt him pretty bad. Well as that goes, my mother gave me a choice between her and him. However, even though him and I were only 6 months into dating, we were falling hard for each other. I did not want to choose. I loved them both. Why couldn’t she accept him, I wondered. Her reason was he was a nice guy but not right for me. There were times she would smile and pretend she liked him even though I really knew how she felt. She said she wanted to bring him into the house to talk to him. Her first words in the conversation were, “Well I just wanted to clear up a few things. You know how we feel about you being Catholic and not being saved. Could you clear that up for us?” He was caught off guard but we both knew in our hearts it would come to this. He told her he did not come to argue about philosophy and religion but explained the concept of being saved to her and how you admit to one baptism for your sins when you are born. She took a strong disliking to that and after that conversation, things changed. I had a strict curfew or things I had to do instead of going out that night like cleaning the house. Pretty soon, things got out of hand. She was bringing him up in every conversation relating everything to religion. We couldn’t go one day without arguing because she could relate even drinking water to our differences in religion. I admit to knowing what I was getting into. I was curious of his faith from the beginning which was something I lacked. My mother and step father would attend church but only for a few weeks before they didn’t like it anymore. I was never truly getting any message out of it. My mother started threatening things like kicking me out because we did not end things and I was going to ruin my life if I had to convert. See that? She goes on about me “having” to convert. What she fails to miss is that I don’t see it that way. I now want to convert. Everything came to a head when she stood before me screaming that I was the first child she had had that didn’t have her same beliefs and she couldn’t deal with it so I politely told her that I would go live with my father while I figured things out. She was angry and kicked me out permanently. In the end it wasn’t a matter of choosing between her and him. I had always been curious about Catholicism. My best friend growing up was Catholic but my mother would always tell me things that I naively believed. I never wanted it this way. I never thought I’d end up losing my mother not to mention she doesn’t let me see my little 10 year old sister anymore. I wear the crucifix on my necklace and my sister quietly asked me why I was wearing it because mommy told her only Priests wear them. My boyfriend did not initiate me into a cult like she thinks. He exposed me to a new way of life. I had struggled with faith all this year believing that if I convert, I renounce my faith of Baptist and go to Hell. She told me he would be there too. I am now seeing things so much differently and my father is accepting. I’ve never been through so many trials in my life and I’m only 19. When I attend Mass, I feel home. Like it is where I should be. His family is very accepting of me and this journey is very spiritual and emotional. I have not entered the RCIA program yet but am about to schedule my appointment for the inquiry stage. I am nervous. I guess I am just asking about any advice, opinions or statements anyone would like to make. Half of me is trying to still get out of the mindset that I’m going to Hell and I am so concerned about my soul. None of my family is Catholic (if they attend church at all) but my grandfather was Lutheran. Going to Church I have finally found peace within myself after this year. I am doing this for me and my walk with God. I am trying to see if there is anyone else out there going through something like this or if someone could help. Thanks so much everyone! Best of wishes! 
