How can a mom stop a teenage girl from becoming a Wiccan?

[laurie_francis]

I have a friend who’s 16-year-old daughter has turned her back on Christianity and is learning about becoming a Wiccan. My friend is not Catholic, but is Christian and searching her path and attends Sunday liturgy in a Catholic church at present. She was not raised with any particular church affiliation other than being baptized in a non-Catholic church.

She doesn’t know what to do with her daughter and, until I talked to her about how dangerous the occult is, she didn’t realize how serious this could be for her daughter. She has a good heart and prays every day for guidance in her life. I think she may eventually convert to Catholicism. Her ex-husband’s mom and his sister-in-law, and perhaps a niece, are the people who are involved in Wicca. Can you give me any information and guidance for her and her daughter? I am very concerned for them.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

What this mom is able to do will depend on her relationship with her ex-husband and the particular custody arrangements in place for their daughter. If she can either persuade her ex-husband of the necessity or has the legal power to do so on her own, she should immediately separate her daughter from the Wiccan relatives’ influence – to the extent of relocating if at all possible. One thing about Wicca that will be to her advantage is that many Wiccans discourage proselytizing others into Wicca, particularly minors. If she is not able to remove her daughter from the Wiccan relatives’ influence, she can at least prevail upon them to abide by their own code of ethics and stop proselytizing her minor daughter. And, if nothing else is possible, she should at least forbid her daughter from engaging in occult practices in her home.

But rather than just forbidding her daughter from engaging in Wicca and seeking to limit the influence of Wiccan relatives in her daughter’s life, this mother should also take positive steps to influence her daughter’s spiritual quest. Since this mother is also on a spiritual quest, she should invite her daughter to explore along with her. Encourage this mother to invite her daughter to Mass with her. If there is a solidly orthodox Catholic retreat house in their area, suggest that they make a retreat together. If you or someone you know is able to give instruction in the Catholic faith, suggest that they consider home study of the Catholic faith. If the daughter is resistant, her mom should assure her that she can make her objections to Christianity known, so long as she does so in a polite manner and is willing to listen attentively to responses.

The point is that your friend should be careful not to turn over her daughter’s spiritual formation to pagans, either overtly or passively. If she is concerned about her daughter’s spiritual welfare, then she needs to demonstrate that concern by taking positive steps to influence her daughter’s spiritual journey. For more information, I recommend that she consult with the Pastoral Solutions Institute, a Catholic counseling apostolate.

Recommended reading:

Witchcraft 101 by Michelle Arnold
Wicca’s Charm by Catherine Edwards Sanders
Girls’ Night Out by Michaelann Martin and MariAnna Martin