M
MrsRoetto
Guest
Hello all,
A little perspective, opinion, help, and a whole lot of prayer would be appreciated here.
A few years ago, my brother brought home a Pentecostal. We really didn’t know much about Pentecostals until it was too late. This woman was totally into my brother, but stand-offish with me and my sister (adults). She kissed my parents’ rears (my dad in particular). And when it came to my younger siblings, well, she was just all sunshine and roses. I should say, too, that my sister and I never did anything but welcome her into our homes and try to make her feel welcome. My brother excused away her actions by saying she was not use to, and overwhelmed by, a large family. Of course this is utter b.s.
At first she said she was fine with him being Catholic and even attended Sunday Masses with us once they were engaged. Of course, he in return started going with her to her services. Her father is the preacher at their “church.” (I’m sorry if I am sarcastic here, but in my opinion how can he possibly lead a group of people with his own interpretation of God’s own Bible?
And worse yet, his son is suppose to be following next in line and he is the biggest porn addict I’ve ever known! How can they be “saved” and not have to work at keeping themselves saved? Ugh, they confuse and horrify me!
) Anyways, unbeknown to my family, this family BAPTIZED my brother! He didn’t tell us until after the marriage! The marriage, by the way, was suppose to be a compromise, they were to be wed by her father and then go have the marriage blessed in the Catholic Church.
This, of course, did not happen, and we have not seen him in our church since. (he was hurt when we had our 5th child and did not ask him to be godfather, as he is to our other 4… sorry, but no way)
Even though we were extremely hurt by all of this, we did not want to alienate him, so we remained friendly and prayed hopefully. His wife has tried to convert at least one of my sisters. Now the gloves are off and my parents are on the warpath because we are tired of being nice and getting slapped in the face. (She has done sooo much more)
The most recent thing to pull us apart has been over my sister. She is 17 yrs old and use to be very close to our brother. She has gone through some emotional issues in the past couple years and has acted out periodically. One thing she has done has been to hurt herself. She has burned herself with a cigarette, and a few other things that were self-destructive. Her situation is acknowledged and is being handled, but my SIL has told my brother (actually yelled it in hearing range of another sibling) that because our sister is hurting herself, she is a sinner and not saved, and he may not have any thing more to do with her!
How un-Christian is that?!?! And to my complete astonishment, my brother is obeying her! He told our other brother today in a text message that he is working on our sister’s birthday and then has church, so he won’t be able to come over. When my younger brother suggested that he come later in the evening, there was no response, and all communication ended. My parents are hurt and furious that he would let this woman come between him and his sister and that he would completely write off his sister at her bequest! Our sister is very hurt and upset, and of course so are the rest of us.
How can I help?
I bought a couple of books for him (101 things all Catholics should know, and another about the rosary) and intend to give him those along with a St. Michael medal and a rosary sometime in secret. I know we lost him because he was not knowledgeable enough to defend his faith to a Pentecostal preacher, so I was hoping to strengthen him a bit. He did admit to my mother recently that he still believes in the Trinity and in the Real Presence, but obviously has a far way to go if he does not see the need to get his butt back to church now! I know his wife has got some strange “hold” over him, its cult-like in my opinion. This is her 4th marriage, and she has children from 2 other men that my brother loves and feels responsible for. (they are all teens, one of whom is quite troubled and angry) She hates for him to have any contact with his family (use to call him a momma’s boy) and if he is at my parents’ house she sends him barrages of angry texts, or yells at him over the phone that he had better not be saying bad things about her to them.
My parents have just this week told him to divorce her, and I fear this may have been too much. How do we break this hold? Honestly, if she were to convert tomorrow I would forgive her and welcome her with open arms, but I cannot accept the way she is right now. She is mean and abusive and I WANT MY BROTHER BACK! :crying:
I’m so sorry this got as long as it has, but please, someone help us!
Thank you
A little perspective, opinion, help, and a whole lot of prayer would be appreciated here.
A few years ago, my brother brought home a Pentecostal. We really didn’t know much about Pentecostals until it was too late. This woman was totally into my brother, but stand-offish with me and my sister (adults). She kissed my parents’ rears (my dad in particular). And when it came to my younger siblings, well, she was just all sunshine and roses. I should say, too, that my sister and I never did anything but welcome her into our homes and try to make her feel welcome. My brother excused away her actions by saying she was not use to, and overwhelmed by, a large family. Of course this is utter b.s.
At first she said she was fine with him being Catholic and even attended Sunday Masses with us once they were engaged. Of course, he in return started going with her to her services. Her father is the preacher at their “church.” (I’m sorry if I am sarcastic here, but in my opinion how can he possibly lead a group of people with his own interpretation of God’s own Bible?
Even though we were extremely hurt by all of this, we did not want to alienate him, so we remained friendly and prayed hopefully. His wife has tried to convert at least one of my sisters. Now the gloves are off and my parents are on the warpath because we are tired of being nice and getting slapped in the face. (She has done sooo much more)
The most recent thing to pull us apart has been over my sister. She is 17 yrs old and use to be very close to our brother. She has gone through some emotional issues in the past couple years and has acted out periodically. One thing she has done has been to hurt herself. She has burned herself with a cigarette, and a few other things that were self-destructive. Her situation is acknowledged and is being handled, but my SIL has told my brother (actually yelled it in hearing range of another sibling) that because our sister is hurting herself, she is a sinner and not saved, and he may not have any thing more to do with her!
How can I help?
I bought a couple of books for him (101 things all Catholics should know, and another about the rosary) and intend to give him those along with a St. Michael medal and a rosary sometime in secret. I know we lost him because he was not knowledgeable enough to defend his faith to a Pentecostal preacher, so I was hoping to strengthen him a bit. He did admit to my mother recently that he still believes in the Trinity and in the Real Presence, but obviously has a far way to go if he does not see the need to get his butt back to church now! I know his wife has got some strange “hold” over him, its cult-like in my opinion. This is her 4th marriage, and she has children from 2 other men that my brother loves and feels responsible for. (they are all teens, one of whom is quite troubled and angry) She hates for him to have any contact with his family (use to call him a momma’s boy) and if he is at my parents’ house she sends him barrages of angry texts, or yells at him over the phone that he had better not be saying bad things about her to them.
My parents have just this week told him to divorce her, and I fear this may have been too much. How do we break this hold? Honestly, if she were to convert tomorrow I would forgive her and welcome her with open arms, but I cannot accept the way she is right now. She is mean and abusive and I WANT MY BROTHER BACK! :crying:
I’m so sorry this got as long as it has, but please, someone help us!
Thank you