How to share the Good News w/dying parent

[opdsgt]

Hi all, first time poster here! :tiphat:

I grew up “areligious”, but am happy to report that I’m going through RCIA (thanks in part to my beloved Catholic wife and a local priest who have both inspired me to new heights). Enough about me though.

My question is, my mom -who is in failing health- is agnostic at best. Aside from prayer, what approach do you think I can use to better help her grasp the importance of accepting Christ? She’s a logical woman, but is a natural born skeptic and eternal pessimist. I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle.

I know faith is a choice and that, if it’s God’s will, she could gain salvation at the final moment of her life if she invites Him into her heart and asks for forgiveness, but as a burgeoning Catholic, I’d like to approach her in, well, a Catholic way. Should I take my priest friend over to her home? Should I buy her a bible? Should I try logic instead of scripture?

Any (name removed by moderator)ut would be appreciated.

 

[Cristiano]

Do not hide your faith and do not try to sell your faith. We share our belief in God by introducing God. He is Love and we must be the witnesses of Love. Your actions and charity will be the word of the Lord, just start with that and the Holy Spirit will guide you.

 

[gardenswithkids]

…My question is, my mom -who is in failing health- is agnostic at best. Aside from prayer, what approach do you think I can use to better help her grasp the importance of accepting Christ? She’s a logical woman, but is a natural born skeptic and eternal pessimist. I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle.

I know faith is a choice and that, if it’s God’s will, she could gain salvation at the final moment of her life if she invites Him into her heart and asks for forgiveness, but as a burgeoning Catholic, I’d like to approach her in, well, a Catholic way. Should I take my priest friend over to her home? Should I buy her a bible? Should I try logic instead of scripture?

You know your mom better than we do. How much have you shared with her about your own faith journey, and what was her reaction? I think the best witness is when one speaks honestly from the heart. Share with her your own personal story from disbelief to belief in Jesus Christ.

I don’t know how much time she has when you say she’s in poor health. Catholics commonly ask priests to pray over people and administer the Sacrament of the sick during serious illness or when death is approaching. Ask her if she’ll allow you to bring a priest in to pray over her, not just for her sake but for your sake. You could be bluntly honest and tell her that while you believe in a loving and merciful God, you’d feel much better if she had the benefit of baptism before she died. ( I assume she’s not baptized.) As you say she is a logical woman and naturally skeptical, maybe try to approach the subject logically and encourage her to be skeptical of disbelief. If we’re wrong about God, baptism won’t hurt anything. Reading the Psalm can also bring comfort so maybe find a booklet with the Psalms to give her.

Oh, another very Catholic thing here: St. Joseph is the patron saint for a happy death. (The Gospels never mention him during Jesus’ eartly ministry, so we presume he died before Jesus began his public ministry. St. Joseph probably died with both Jesus and Mary at his side, so that’s why he’s the patron saint of happy death.) Pray a novena to him for your mom’s converstion before her death. There are lots of different novenas to him, here’s one: ewtn.com/Devotionals/novena/joseph.htm

 

[KathyA]

Oh my…I could have written your message myself. I’ve been agonizing over this same situation for several days now. However, I’ve been Catholic for 23 years! The fact that I have that many years under my belt and STILL don’t know how to handle this problem is probably not comforting. I have been praying on this and will share what insight I’ve been blessed with.

The big “what if” I have is, “What if I share the Good News and my mom totally rejects it?”…much like she rejected my pleadings to quit drinking and smoking. (Now she has throat cancer.) Is ignorance bliss? She can’t reject something she doesn’t know, in which case, I believe Our Lord will treat her with great mercy. BUT, if I share and then she says “I’m not interested” we have a different situation. I will still presume upon Christ’s mercy, but now she’s made a decision that could cost her salvation.

Only you know your mom and how she will react to your attempts to share the faith. I know that my mom would come completely undone if I showed up at her house with a priest in tow! I will need to tread very lightly in the next few days as we await major surgery to remove a tumor, but my plan…as revealed through prayer…is to share a few simple verses of Scripture that she will hopefully find great comfort in. Specifically, see the article here: wau.org/current/article.asp?id=6377 and specifically the heading “An Example” in that article. I hope that will serve as a catalist for further dialog…I’m pretty sure that small step will not be outright rejected. I’ll be praying for the Holy Spirit to guide my words and actions. No one wants souls more that Christ. If we will work with Him, miracles can happen.

I DO feel your pain and will be praying for your situation too.

In Christ,
Kathy

 

[jennyr]

I dont think you should ever not share the good news with someone because they might reject it… I would go in expecting the very best and you will get it.

I would suggest approaching it very carefully, don’t preach but tell her your views. If you do it confidently and with love, SHE will demand more information and will be drawn to learn more. Pray that the holy spirit will be with you and you will receive the words you need. God Bless

 

[opdsgt]

Thank you for your insight, articulate responses, and prayers!

You guys are correct, the last thing I can afford to do is to sit idle, to decide not to try, to presume that the Holy Spirit won’t reach out and run through her. I’m no miracle worker, but as Jesus himself said, all things are possible with God. She may hear God through my message to her.

I love the idea of approaching the matter of disbelief with a logical eye and suggesting that baptism can’t hurt her. Good stuff.

I’m going to do a little homework in preparation, then I’ll be heading over to my mom’s to share the Good News with her.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Jeff

P.S. I’ve been a police officer in a large Midwestern city for almost 18 years. I turn 40 in a couple months. I grow more excited about my baptism and entry into the Catholic Church by the day. And I frequently wonder how I made it this long in life with only a general fear of God (that is to say, no depth of faith, no foundation, no church, retention of original sin, etc). Isn’t faith exciting?