Is it a good idea to not ivite a family member to my first mass?

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Christmysavor

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i will be going through my parish 's RCIA program again in September so I will be comformed into the church Easter of '18-'19(?) not sure but is it a good idea to not invite to my first mass because they don’t understand why I answered Father’s call to become Catholic.

answers would be helpful to me

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Hopefully you’re not talking about your FIRST Mass – since I hope that over the next year you’ll attend MANY Masses! – but the Mass where you will be received into the Catholic Church.

You certainly MAY invite family and friends to join you at Mass on this joyous occasion. Even if they are not Catholic or don’t understand why you would want to become Catholic, they can share your happiness. Perhaps they will even come to a better understanding of why you have taken this step.
 
First of all - - welcome and all good wishes to you, planning to join the Catholic Church! 🙂

I totally understand your not wanting to have your family come to the Easter Vigil, if they are disapproving, or downright hostile. Sometimes I think cradle Catholics don’t understand how anti-Catholic many Protestants are!

I would just advise you to see how things go, see if your family members are supportive or not. If you feel like they would just be there to be negative, I would probably not invite them.

FYI - - If you use the term “my first Mass”, that sounds like a priest who celebrates his first Mass after ordination. You may want to call it the Easter Vigil (when new Catholics are brought into the Church).

Good luck and God bless you!
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
Hopefully you’re not talking about your FIRST Mass – since I hope that over the next year you’ll attend MANY Masses! – but the Mass where you will be received into the Catholic Church.

You certainly MAY invite family and friends to join you at Mass on this joyous occasion. Even if they are not Catholic or don’t understand why you would want to become Catholic, they can share your happiness. Perhaps they will even come to a better understanding of why you have taken this step.
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I am talking about Easter vigil to be received into the church . I hope that my family will understand and support me in following Father’s call. i pray that they will understand why I answered Father’s call at Easter vigil.
 
If your reception into the Catholic Church is a year away, you will have plenty of time to discuss the Faith with your family and friends. You may be the only Catholic friend/family that some of them have. Think of what an opportunity you have to humbly witness to others.
 
Invite them. Convert that this is a joyous event for you and their presence would be meaningful for you. If the decline, well that’s on them.
 
First, welcome home. You are on an adventure of heart and soul and spirit. The Lord has called you home to the fullness of faith. There are many here who understand why you are converting. It is a joyful thing. Next, you will likely receive many answers encouraging you to invite your family to the Easter Vigil when you are received into the Church.

I want to speak from experience. I invited a family member to my Confirmation – more out of “political correctness” than anything else (i.e., because that is what you are supposed to do – invite family). I had previously received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and First Communion as a child, but had never been confirmed in the Catholic Church.

At first he said “No, he had other commitments and could not come.” I truly wish it had been left at that. Then his wife got involved and twisted his arm and basically forced him to come. He did not want to be there. It was a disaster. He was so filled with hatred for all things Catholic that he did everything he could do to try and ruin a happy and joyful event.

I do not know your family. My experience may not be your experience; I give a different perspective. I encourage you to pray, seek God’s guidance and then follow whatever the Holy Spirit shows you to do. It is not always the best thing to invite family – especially if they are so negative/ adverse that they cannot understand and share in your joy.
 
We here, of course could not possibly know the dynamics of your particular situation, so if you don’t feel comfortable having them there, you are under no obligation to invite them. I can’t see anyone not understanding your choice not to if that is your wish.

It is a wonderful thing to have them there if they would be supportive. This is the one period that you get to be selfish. This is the most important thing you have ever done for yourself! Enjoy your journey!
 
my situation is this . my family feels I’m making a mistake but I feel I’m not I’m just following HIS call to become Catholic . also I know about some of our history as a church and I don’t agree with some of what the church did in the past pre Vatican II and I know about the sex scandals that went on and I don’t condone such behaver but that is in the past and they also feel (family) that the church doesn’t help the poor as much as she should (give some of their wealth to the poor) they think that they are just rich and greedy . I don’t think this I feel they could help more so why don’t they?
 
My family have an anti-Catholic background although it has gotten better. They certainly didn’t, and probably still don’t, understand why exactly I converted. Some came, some didn’t. Of those who did came, they all came to support me in something that I thought was important. I was glad they were there. Given that I knew what my family thought of Catholicism I was very clear to phase the invite so that they knew they could refuse. I actually expected no one to show up.

Those who felt I was absolutely wrong to enter the Church choose not to come. Mainly one brother and my father. My sister in law was worried I would take offence (she was very firm with my brother that whilst he wasn’t going, she was) but I truly didn’t. Given their view of Catholicism as leading away from God, they would have been wrong to show support by coming.

I would encourage you to invite them. Let them know it is optional but it would mean a lot to you. If they refuse, then don’t take offence. If they come, you might shatter some views about Catholicism. I know I was shocked at my first mass that it wasn’t all Mary worship.
 
Christmysavor said:
i will be going through my parish 's RCIA program again in September so I will be comformed into the church Easter of '18-'19(?) not sure but is it a good idea to not invite to my first mass because they don’t understand why I answered Father’s call to become Catholic.

answers would be helpful to me

🙂
Click to expand...
Dear friend, its WAY too early to make such a cll:)

Please see my private message to you

God Bless

Patrick [PJM]
 
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