B
BostonMyrtleBea
Guest
Hi there. I’m looking for some advice on helping one of my Godsons (also my nephew) along.
I was very much involved in my newphew’s life when he was a child (my sister had him at 18 and never married her boyfriend though both share custody, etc…). My sister needed help and I was able to help by taking him to and from school, having him over my house on weekends, etc… He went to Mass with me regularly and my sister wanted to (finally) get him baptised when he was about 6 years old. A short time later, I moved about 1000 miles away. He is now 14 years old.
My sister doesn’t take him to Mass (okay, maybe rarely), doesn’t send him to CCD, etc… I even mentioned helping him go to a Catholic school (literally steps from her house) but nothing works. I know she struggles (she works three jobs to keep things afloat), but I feel he should be getting a better religious education. I am between a rock and a hard place b/c I am not his parent, so I just encourage as much as I can.
My mother lives with my sister and my mother converted back to Episcopalian, though not practicing, after my parents ended their 20+ year marriage some 15 years ago. She has given him the St. James (?) Bible and has been telling him strange things like “sex (even when married) is a sin according to the Catholic Church, etc…” Though I’m glad he is getting involved a bit on the religious side, my mother’s sick view on marriage and sex is not healthy (she was sexually abused as a child and has some real problems).
I talk openly with my nephew about Mass, Catholocism, the Saints, etc… and even hoped I could get them all to go with me when they came last week for vacation. Nothing. My sister was no help.
I told him I would send some things to him that are appropriate for his age group and he seemed interested. Are there teen-related versions of the Catechism, the Bible, etc…??? Any other advice for helping? I feel like with this brief open window from him, I should feed his curiosity as much as possible!!!
I was very much involved in my newphew’s life when he was a child (my sister had him at 18 and never married her boyfriend though both share custody, etc…). My sister needed help and I was able to help by taking him to and from school, having him over my house on weekends, etc… He went to Mass with me regularly and my sister wanted to (finally) get him baptised when he was about 6 years old. A short time later, I moved about 1000 miles away. He is now 14 years old.
My sister doesn’t take him to Mass (okay, maybe rarely), doesn’t send him to CCD, etc… I even mentioned helping him go to a Catholic school (literally steps from her house) but nothing works. I know she struggles (she works three jobs to keep things afloat), but I feel he should be getting a better religious education. I am between a rock and a hard place b/c I am not his parent, so I just encourage as much as I can.
My mother lives with my sister and my mother converted back to Episcopalian, though not practicing, after my parents ended their 20+ year marriage some 15 years ago. She has given him the St. James (?) Bible and has been telling him strange things like “sex (even when married) is a sin according to the Catholic Church, etc…” Though I’m glad he is getting involved a bit on the religious side, my mother’s sick view on marriage and sex is not healthy (she was sexually abused as a child and has some real problems).
I talk openly with my nephew about Mass, Catholocism, the Saints, etc… and even hoped I could get them all to go with me when they came last week for vacation. Nothing. My sister was no help.
I told him I would send some things to him that are appropriate for his age group and he seemed interested. Are there teen-related versions of the Catechism, the Bible, etc…??? Any other advice for helping? I feel like with this brief open window from him, I should feed his curiosity as much as possible!!!
