My Dad's Journey into the Church

[murphdog261]

Thanks to all those who helped me with my beginning questions in my earlier thread about my Dad. I feel a bit more comfortable speaking with my father about these things.

UPDATE on my Dad’s journey:

Today he read some more of Clement, and a few selections of the Didache. He is really moving in his faith

One thing did come up today as he was reading these non-biblical sources on the Church Fathers - and I’m glad it did.

My Dad said to me, “You know, it really all comes down to how much faith you want to put into man over these doctrines. Whether it be your own pastor, or the Pope, or anybody talking about the Word”.

(My dad has been going to an evangelical church for a few years now)

I’m glad this came up, because my father is starting to understand the importance of Tradition. My dad has the belief that a single person could pick up a bible by himself and read with the aid of the Holy Spirit, but a church institution is greatly helpful. This is where I tried to speak of how thankful we should be that Jesus gave us His Church to guide and instruct us on these matters of doctrine. For now, I just told him to keep pursuing Truth and to look for it in the Early Church. (Hopefully, he will start to see the similarities with Catholicism )

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Now for the part thats getting me a bit worried…

My dad has the impression ( at least some Catholic priest apparently told him this ) that one can selectively pick and choose what to live by in the Catholic Church, and not pay too much attention to the things that don’t necessarily apply to oneself.
When I asked for specific examples, he said that the priest he spoke to didn’t give him any particulars, but I’m fearing that my dad will use this concept of his to selectively choose what Catholic doctrine to follow, if/when he returns to Jesus’ Church. OR, maybe he is just saying this to himself in order to accept the Church wholehearditly, and try and resolve any difficulties he has with Catholics after he completely returns to the Church.

If anyone could just post their opinions or pieces of advice on how I could deal with this matter. And, of course, pray for my dad, (his name is Bob), that God brings him closer to Truth in His Church.

Thanks and God Bless to all!

Murph

 

[FCEGM]

. . .
Now for the part thats getting me a bit worried…

My dad has the impression ( at least some Catholic priest apparently told him this ) that one can selectively pick and choose what to live by in the Catholic Church, and not pay too much attention to the things that don’t necessarily apply to oneself.
When I asked for specific examples, he said that the priest he spoke to didn’t give him any particulars, but I’m fearing that my dad will use this concept of his to selectively choose what Catholic doctrine to follow, if/when he returns to Jesus’ Church. OR, maybe he is just saying this to himself in order to accept the Church wholehearditly, and try and resolve any difficulties he has with Catholics after he completely returns to the Church.

If anyone could just post their opinions or pieces of advice on how I could deal with this matter. And, of course, pray for my dad, (his name is Bob), that God brings him closer to Truth in His Church.

Thanks and God Bless to all!

Murph

Murph, you might remind you father of the rich young man who went away sad when the Lord told him to give away all he had and follow Him. Only priests who want your father (and all of us) to embrace all of Christ should be heeded. Ask him: “If you were to convert, would you want the whole Christ, or just the part you happen to agree with at the time?”

How blessed your father is in his son.

 

[Eliza10]

When you are witnessing and sharing truth you cannot control factors such as: the person has already made up his mind and only wants to argue, or, the person is only acting open to the faith but his heart is not, etc. You cannot always see the obstacles that may be there, and there are many obstacles that you would have no control over. Yet we are to witness when we can, as you are, and I am sure God wants to pour His grace out on your holy desire to witness to your father. It looks like He already has.

A rule of thumb I discovered for sharing the faith is: 1) Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say, 2) Listen more than you speak. Also to that I would add, find points of agreement.

…I’m glad this came up, because my father is starting to understand the importance of Tradition. My dad has the belief that a single person could pick up a bible by himself and read with the aid of the Holy Spirit, but a church institution is greatly helpful. …

Yes, the Church is extremely helpful as God gave it to us to understand the word. One is handicapped without Her. But not so handicapped as one is without the eucharist! The Chruch is the only way we can do as Our Lord wants - He tells us we must eat His Body and drink His Blood if we are to have life in us! God wants us to grow in holiness. How can we do this? We need His grafce in abundance to do it! He gave us an ordinary way that is most extrordianary, to receive his graces, to be fed the bread of heaven, so we can grow holy. As well as the Sacrament of Pennance so we can receive holily. We cannot become perfect, as scritpures tell us we must, without those graces!

…My dad has the impression ( at least some Catholic priest apparently told him this ) that one can selectively pick and choose what to live by in the Catholic Church, and not pay too much attention to the things that don’t necessarily apply to oneself.
When I asked for specific examples, he said that the priest he spoke to didn’t give him any particulars…

Does he think that this particular priest is an infallible conduit of the Magistarium of the Church? We lay Catholics have many ways to find out what the true teaching of the Church is if our hearts tell us something a priest, deacon, bishop or lay teacher is telling us doesn’t sound quite right.

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…http://rivendell.fortunecity.com/hero/391/women/ourlady.gif