Mary's 3 Year old Appologist

[MDomashinski]

My DD turned 3 this Easter. It was my pregnancy with her in combination with a humble act of consecration (before I even knew what an act of consecration was) to the BVM that re-converted me and ignighted the fire of the Spirit w/i. This Easter I made another consecration to the BVM of my DD to her. This past Friday, DD and I were praying the Rosary in the car and during the 3rd mystery (Jesus’ Agony), my DD looks up from the image she’s holding and lets me know that “Mary isn’t perfect, Just Jesus.” Her babysitter is a self-professed Born Again Christian. Immediately my blood boiled with anger. I prayed for a level head and asked my daughter where she heard that? “Mommy Mary C…” (when she was learning to talk she started referring to her baby sitter as “Mommy” which eventually became “Mommy Mary C…” not to be confused w/ Jesus’ Mommy, “Mommy Mary in Heaven” I explained to my DD that “MMC” is a Christian but not a Catholic and that she doesn’t know MMH and the Bible the way we do. We need to pray for her to come to know MMH in the loving way we know her.

This morning I told “Mommy Mary C…” that DD said the funniest thing…

I told her I respected her faith and love of Sacred Scripture and that out of a respect for my faith to not speak about the Blessed Mother of Our Lord in front of my children.

Then the story of how this came to pass… My DD was talking about BVM to her children. I aske MMC that in the future she just separate our children and explain to her children her faith/explaination and leave my children out of it. Occaisionally after arriving at MMC’s house, DD wants to hold on to her Rosary or Devotional Book w/ pics. This is what ignighted this. She had her Rosary book in hand and was sharing it with MMC’s children. I don’t think she’s really old enough to understand this all yet. I think I’m going to just make sure these items don’t end up in MMC’s house again. When DD is old enough to defend her Faith, then I’ll let her trapse around proudly sharing…

right?

 

[TimothyH]

The DDs and MMC’s are a bit confusing, and I work in the computer industry! I get the BVM part.

This is is a great example of how we have to be so careful. Here in the deep south, my children get invited to Awana or Vacaiton Bible School at Baptist Churches all the time. There is no way my kids will go. .

So in an effort to protect your daughter against error, your daughter can’t exercise her faith? Sounds to me like you need a Catholic MMC. Even an agnostic would be better in this situation.

-Tim-

 

[Barbkw]

Sounds to me like you need a Catholic MMC.

MDomashinski,

I agree with Tim. To protect your child’s Catholic faith, a faithful Catholic babysitter would be best.

My employee is a nonpracticing divorced Catholic (he didn’t marry in the Church) either. His son is 5 now and very interested in the 5Ws about Jesus. His Mom is a non practicing Lutheran.

When he was 4, I’d babysit him every once in awhile and he’d attend Mass with me on Saturday. I took him around the Church and showed him Jesus in the Tabernacle and in the unconsecrated hosts that were in a bowl. I told him that Jesus appears to us in the Bread, and we’re able to take Jesus into our body.

A few weeks went by, and the next time I saw him, (he was 4 at the time) he looked up at me and the first thing he said to me was, “My Mom said that Eucharist is gross.”

 

[valentino]

thats very wise advise.

 

[Gene_Church]

I would look for an alternative for child care.

 

[Apryl]

My DD turned 3 this Easter. It was my pregnancy with her in combination with a humble act of consecration (before I even knew what an act of consecration was) to the BVM that re-converted me and ignighted the fire of the Spirit w/i. This Easter I made another consecration to the BVM of my DD to her. This past Friday, DD and I were praying the Rosary in the car and during the 3rd mystery (Jesus’ Agony), my DD looks up from the image she’s holding and lets me know that “Mary isn’t perfect, Just Jesus.”

I know the whole BVM situation is very odd esp when dealing with non-Catholics.

What I don’t get is why it was wrong for the child to say, **“Mary isn’t perfect, Just Jesus.” **

Mary isn’t perfect. She is a perfect example of a Love for God and submission, humility… loads of other great things, but Mary is the Mother of God… NOT God.

Why is this causing so many problems?

And yes, I say that children should be taught by Catholics if you are raising them in a Catholic household… .and it’s also important that we as Catholics know our faith.

Mary is the Mother of God. God is the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are called to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect… but still, no one of us is human. That includes the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Sinless, yes. Perfect? No.

 

[Barbkw]

In simplistic terms - Mary is as perfect as any human will ever be - because God graced her without original sin (as Adam and Eve had also originally been created). By controlling her free will (unlike our first parents) Mary remained sinless throughout her life.

This is a doctrine of Catholic faith that many protestant denominations don’t believe in.

Mary, to them, is a woman who gave birth to Jesus. She is Mother of God but she holds no more theological importance than that, to them. Many protestant denominations do not believe that Mary was born without original sin.

 

[MDomashinski]

Thank you all for the replies… I really don’t think that God is calling us to switch sitters just now. We are blessed to live in a very Catholic area but that just doesn’t jive with my conscience either, leaving this sitter b/c she reacted improperly… She has at times asked me quite innocently about our faith and I believe that God is calling us to witness it for her. Thank you as well with the responses with Church teaching as well… I can’t think of a single place in Sacred Scripture that says she’s imperfect… I can only recall “blessed” and “full of grace” and “woman” (as in the new eve)… she is not God and is not worshiped, but venerated as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven and Earth.

 

[RosaryFan]

Thank you all for the replies… I really don’t think that God is calling us to switch sitters just now. We are blessed to live in a very Catholic area but that just doesn’t jive with my conscience either, leaving this sitter b/c she reacted improperly… She has at times asked me quite innocently about our faith and I believe that God is calling us to witness it for her. Thank you as well with the responses with Church teaching as well… I can’t think of a single place in Sacred Scripture that says she’s imperfect… I can only recall “blessed” and “full of grace” and “woman” (as in the new eve)… she is not God and is not worshiped, but venerated as the Mother of God and Queen of Heaven and Earth.

I was always under the impression that Mary was, in fact, perfect. How else could she have been assumed into Heaven, body and soul? Only perfection enters Heaven. Am I wrong in my thinking? Even Jesus said “Be perfect, as my Heavenly Father is perfect”. So, in her humble obedience to God and His will, Mary was/is perfect.

 

[Barbkw]

I was always under the impression that Mary was, in fact, perfect. How else could she have been assumed into Heaven, body and soul? Only perfection enters Heaven. Am I wrong in my thinking? Even Jesus said “Be perfect, as my Heavenly Father is perfect”. So, in her humble obedience to God and His will, Mary was/is perfect.

Good points, all.

 

[Barbkw]

She has at times asked me quite innocently about our faith and I believe that God is calling us to witness it for her.

It seems to me that evangelization is happening in reverse, and perhaps at your 4 year old’s expense.

Your BAC babysitter is witnessing to your 4 year old and you’re having to correct your babysitter through what your daughter is being taught.

I’d be far less concerned if your BAC babysitter had been proactive and pulled you aside and said, “I’m unfamiliar with Catholicism and I need to know what if anything I’m teaching to your child is offensive to you.”