I have a question...

[Guy355]

So there’s this 12 year old boy, who is from an Atheist family, but he felt when he became 12 that the holy spirit was calling him to join the church, but he’s 12 and his parents wont allow him, so he will have to wait until he’s an adult to join the church. So here comes my question… Should this boy, until he reaches adulthood, should he try to live a Catholic life, such as praying before meals, praying the rosary etc. Or until he reaches adulthood, should he just learn about Catholicism like reading a Catholic version of the bible and watching Catholic T.V shows. Thanks.

 

[browebmaster]

I my opinion, he could practice Catholic devotions and even attend Holy Mass (i.e. without receiving communion [until he is fully in communion with the Church]). He should consider how his parent’s might react to this though. He might opt to do things in secret if it would cause such a commotion. I also suggest that he seek advise from a priest (or a good Catholic, but a priest would be better) regarding the matter. Perhaps the priest can also convince the parents or, better yet, convert them.

 

[wilsonbill4]

This is a sad story. It is usually the parent saying “Go to church” and the child saying “I don’t want to” He should practice the Catholic faith as he is able to. Grace before meals, prayer before bed and in the morning. He should go to Mass when ever he is able. Talking to a priest is a great idea but he should also continue to talk to his parents about this. Maybe he can help convert them. By his example they will know he is serious.

 

[ellzeena]

I’m uncertain regarding the legal rights of parents in a case such as this. A parent has the right to refuse a child to do many things, such as marry, be treated by a physician or other health care professional: but, in the latter case, courts often intervene should that treatment be absolutely necessary to save life. Whether or not a parent has the legal right to prevent a child from exercising his constitutional right to practice a religion is more a point of law, I should think.

This child must weigh these two things:

1. His call by the Holy Spirit which is, in itself, very powerful. We can’t know the full extent of the purpose of that call; perhaps the parents’ souls will be saved, eventually; perhaps this child is intended to serve God (maybe as a priest) in some manner that the child will come to better understand as he proceeds in his faith.
2. The commandment to honor your father and your mother.

In the case of article 2: should a parent ask a child to jump from a cliff, disobedience is not an issue when the child refuses. If a parent refuses a child his or her personal spiritual development (other than in occult practices), I believe disobedience does not enter this scenario when the child thinks/knows/feels he is being called toward that spiritual development.

Go to the local Catholic Church and see if you can find an RCIA teacher and discuss this with him/her. Also, the priests should be willing to discuss this fully with you, but again, we’re looking at a point of law about which I know nothing. And not all priests are created equal so some discernment is required.

When God moves in a person’s life, it is quite startling. Jesus said he did not come to “bring peace, but a sword”…so what is happening here He has predicted. Just maintain your growing relationship with Him; speak to Him daily, let Him know your frustrations and even fears. If this is, indeed, the Holy Spirit moving in your life, nothing can stop Him but you.

 

[Catholic1954]

So there’s this 12 year old boy, who is from an Atheist family, but he felt when he became 12 that the holy spirit was calling him to join the church, but he’s 12 and his parents wont allow him, so he will have to wait until he’s an adult to join the church. So here comes my question… Should this boy, until he reaches adulthood, should he try to live a Catholic life, such as praying before meals, praying the rosary etc. Or until he reaches adulthood, should he just learn about Catholicism like reading a Catholic version of the bible and watching Catholic T.V shows. Thanks.

As long as it is within his parents wishes, there is nothing wrong with trying to live a Catholic life and learning as much as one can about the Catholic Church can’t hurt either.

 

[englishredrose]

I would encourage the 12 year old boy to practice his faith quietly whenever he can. He can learn the Lord’s Prayer as that is readily available online. He would have to sneak away from home I take it to get into a church anywhere. Is there a school chaplin available he may be able to talk with at school? He can explain his situation to the chaplin at school and ask for a way forward so that he don’t offend his parents desires and able to practice his faith as fully as he can. Failing school he may be able to make contact with a priest online via email by browsing church websites and find one that will help him a little via email.
Contemplative prayer can be a good way forward as one only needs faith to practice that prayer and sadly I can’t teach it as well as my priest can. My priest taught me about being aware of the Presence of God. It is that simple. A 12 year old boy may find it easier than a lot of adults as adults get too involved in routine and this doesn’t require anything but our hearts. Whatever the boy is doing he can be aware of God’s Presence. God will understand and will know he is restricted by his parents control. It so simple, so easy and many find so hard but so good. He can practice prayer whenever and if his parents question him at all then he simply says he is contemplating or if that is a wrong lanugage for that family, thinking or even day dreaming. He wouldn’t be lie-ing to his parents but he wouldn’t be lie-ing about God either.
He can practice prayer without any objects etc so his parents can’t get annoyed when the discover things because they will not discover what is on his heart to God.

 

[Becca3]

Since the boy has reached the age of reasoning, are there any tracts about that so he can give some to his parents or have it laying around the house?? Or maybe let a priest intervene on his behalf to let him come to Mass??

 

[Margarete_Faust]

This child must weigh these two things:

1. His call by the Holy Spirit which is, in itself, very powerful. We can’t know the full extent of the purpose of that call; perhaps the parents’ souls will be saved, eventually; perhaps this child is intended to serve God (maybe as a priest) in some manner that the child will come to better understand as he proceeds in his faith.
2. The commandment to honor your father and your mother.

In the case of article 2: should a parent ask a child to jump from a cliff, disobedience is not an issue when the child refuses. If a parent refuses a child his or her personal spiritual development (other than in occult practices), I believe disobedience does not enter this scenario when the child thinks/knows/feels he is being called toward that spiritual development.

I have heard numerous people maintain (including priests) maintain that the fourth commandment does not apply when parents violate their responsibility to lead their child in the path to God. The Youcat (Pope Benedict XVI’s version of the cathecism) deals with the family’s place in Creation. While parents must be honored with love and respect, parents must also serve as moral guides. Also, God is more important to the individual than the family unit (item 374 in the Youcat).

I say that whoever the PM is should at least try to inform the child of his options and the consequences of them, positive and negative. He might have to just learn more about the faith in secret, if need be, but also treat his parents with love and understanding when the conflict of interests becomes an issue for both sides.

 

[Becca3]

I think the boy already knows deep in his heart what he has to do is right in God’s eyes. I was just reminded of this scripture I had to search out but I remembered what Jesus said in regards to this topic:

Matthew 10:37
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

 

[Sarcelle]

So there’s this 12 year old boy, who is from an Atheist family, but he felt when he became 12 that the holy spirit was calling him to join the church, but he’s 12 and his parents wont allow him, so he will have to wait until he’s an adult to join the church. So here comes my question… Should this boy, until he reaches adulthood, should he try to live a Catholic life, such as praying before meals, praying the rosary etc. Or until he reaches adulthood, should he just learn about Catholicism like reading a Catholic version of the bible and watching Catholic T.V shows. Thanks.

Oh I remember when I was twelve years old and someone gave me a locket with a picture of Jesus and Mary inside. I wore it everywhere until my atheist parents found out. I was told to surrender it immediately.

However they permitted me to go to Bible classes though.

 

[Becca3]

Oh I remember when I was twelve years old and someone gave me a locket with a picture of Jesus and Mary inside. I wore it everywhere until my atheist parents found out. I was told to surrender it immediately.

However they permitted me to go to Bible classes though.

Wow. It sounds like they were being hypocritical then huh? They allowed you to go to classes but yet won’t let you wear a locket?? Hmm… :tsktsk:

 

[HelenRose]

I strongly disagree with the idea of a child disobeying is parents. My advice is to simply live the life of a Catholic. Obedience and love to your parents is step number one. Do not argue with them but win them over with your love and your obedience. You can pray the Rosary in your room alone. If they ask if your are praying the Rosary, be honest. If they ground you, this will give you more time to pray the Rosary.

At all times be kind and generous with your love for them. Do your chores, do your homework, be a helpful family member. There are hundreds of ways to practice the Catholic faith. If given the opportunity, visit the elderly, in school offer to help children who are challenged in one way or another.

Who knows, in a very short while they will be taking you to Church. Let them see Christ through you.

 

[disneyfan1206]

This is why I know that the devil is behind this whole “new atheist” movement. Atheism has become like this “religion” in which you can and cant do certain things. I think if the parents were atheists they shouldn’t care what their kids do since it doesn’t matter in the end(to them).

I have heard and believed that the Fourth commandment doesn’t hold when your parents order you to do something immoral. For example if my parents tell me i cant go to mass this Sunday i still will go since I would think honoring God’s wishes would take president over honoring my parents wishes. So i believe it wouldn’t be sinful for him to go behind his parents back and officially join the church. That being said I do think i still would be best to consult a priest on this matter. Even though it may not be sinful, it might not be the right thing to do. I’m sure God will protect him from harm if he has such a strong calling from the Holy Spirit.

 

[CrispSnowflake]

Tell the boy to pray to God in secret. Tell him to tell the Lord that he really wants to go to Mass. He will answer your prayers! It worked for me. I prayed to God for about a month, and one day my mom said, out of the blue, if I wanted to join the Youth Group at my parish and I was super happy! (Of course, I said yes). The boy can also read the Bible on the internet, if his parents won’t allow him to have a Bible. He can learn about the Catholic faith through various Catholic websites. Of course, he can pray before meals (just in the silence of his heart, so no one notices; so it’s between him and God). He can also download some Catholic prayers onto his phone/ipod through Youtube: youtube.com/user/CatholicDevotions?feature=watch
Again, this is all between Him and God. When he’s 18 he can legally do whatever he wants (morally of course). Good luck to your little friend!

And yay, this is my first post!

 

[disneyfan1206]

The boy can also read the Bible on the internet, if his parents won’t allow him to have a Bible.

He can also pray the divine office too at divineoffice.org since it goes along with the mass it would be a good way to get involved with the liturgy. He can also watch the mass on EWTN (if he has his own tv).

 

[HelenRose]

He can also pray the divine office too at divineoffice.org since it goes along with the mass it would be a good way to get involved with the liturgy. He can also watch the mass on EWTN (if he has his own tv).

However a child learns the Catholic faith, he or she must first, love and respect his or her parents. To encourage a child disobedience to those who are in authority is not a good idea. Talking to an understanding priest is a good idea.

 

[Gidge]

My parents became protestant for a 20 year period (They’re Catholic now, thankfully) and forced my younger siblings to attend Protestant services.

One of my brothers, wanting to come home to the Church, went to confession around age 15 and confessed having missed Mass for many years, due to the above scenario. The priest admonished him to never willfully miss Mass, and told him to start attending Sunday Mass immediately.

I would offer the same advice to this young man (and help guide him to a traditionally-minded priest/parish).

 

[Zekariya]

There are many children martyrs out there. Since he has reached the age of reasoning, he should seek to obey God in all that he can do. We are not called to honor our parents’ command to sin against God. He should be strategic (not reckless) in his action but, he should definitely obey God as the Church is filled with Saints that obeyed God rather then man.

 

[Becca3]

There are many children martyrs out there. Since he has reached the age of reasoning, he should seek to obey God in all that he can do. We are not called to honor our parents’ command to sin against God. He should be strategic (not reckless) in his action but, he should definitely obey God as the Church is filled with Saints that obeyed God rather then man.

Like I said in an earlier post, we should love God more than our father or mother, more than our spouse, more than our kids, and so on.

 

[severus68]

So there’s this 12 year old boy, who is from an Atheist family, but he felt when he became 12 that the holy spirit was calling him to join the church, but he’s 12 and his parents wont allow him, so he will have to wait until he’s an adult to join the church. So here comes my question… Should this boy, until he reaches adulthood, should he try to live a Catholic life, such as praying before meals, praying the rosary etc. Or until he reaches adulthood, should he just learn about Catholicism like reading a Catholic version of the bible and watching Catholic T.V shows. Thanks.

I think the boy should speak respectfully to his parents about this. Lying to your parents and being deceitful, is not what being a Christian is about. If his parents forbid him going to mass etc, he can still say his prayers, read the Bible in private. It will not be long before he is old enough to do what he wants. He could speak to a priest if he wants but he is 12 and it is not for strangers and others (well meaning or not) to try to undermine his parents’ authority. It certainly would be a sure way to make them anti Church.