My 13 yr old daughter informed me she is not Catholic anymore

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

All I have to say is that I’m glad my parents let me think for myself on religion. I’m glad they never forced me to believe in a certain way. And I will raise my kids to be good Catholics but if as teens they find they can’t in good conscience believe, I won’t force them. I will pray for them, I will still have rules, but I’m not forcing them to Mass if they feel it compromises their integrity. I’d only force them to go if I found they couldn’t be trustworthy on their own.

**Just my thoughts on the issue, as a new Catholic and as a new parent.

I will never force my child(ren) to believe. I can only provide a proper foundation and hope they continue to build on it as they grow.

But I will make sure they attend Mass with the family. I will not force them to participate (sing, receive the Eucharist, join youth groups etc…) but the graces they will receive just by being present make it worth it for me to ensure they are present. To NOT insist they attend as a family would go against MY conscience.
**

 

[SeekerJen]

**
But I will make sure they attend Mass with the family. I will not force them to participate (sing, receive the Eucharist, join youth groups etc…) but the graces they will receive just by being present make it worth it for me to ensure they are present. To NOT insist they attend as a family would go against MY conscience.
**

I think that’s a very fair and respectful compromise, speaking as a former teen-with-faith-crisis.

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

I think that’s a very fair and respectful compromise, speaking as a former teen-with-faith-crisis.

**
Thank you. It helps to hear that. I was raised without religion at all so I am sort of flying blind here… I expect I will feel helpless a lot as my daughter grows and will rely on constant prayer and the advice of faithful Catholics to get us through:thumbsup:**

 

[CarmelaReed]

I am sympathizing with the O.P. I have cried after reading this thread for the past hour. I have 6 kids and the first 3 are 16 (twins) and 14 turning 15 next month. The three of them already made it known that they do not like to go to Church. They support Gay rights and are borderline pro-choice. The twin boy already declares he is an atheist and my twin girl tells me two days ago she is agnostic. The 14 turning 15 says he hates God for giving him ****** parents. He says this, yesterday after we gave him a Marijuana drug test and tested positive. Our 12 year old is turning 13 next month and is starting to show symptoms of rebellion. I had been doing the wrong approach for years and after reading all these wonderful posts here, it is like I have seen the light at the end of the tunnel Thank you everyone for your advices. Please pray for me as well.