No young people in the parish help?

[paperwight66]

Chuck, I don’t wish to pry, but I think it would help us to give you useful answers if you said whether you did go to RCIA and get received, as you were talking about some time ago, or whether you are still hovering at the edges and are not a Catholic yet.

I am thinking there are organisations for young Catholics in the UK (helping with pilgrims to Lourdes, for instance) or other events put on by the Youth Ministry in your diocese - all-night vigils, special Masses and so on - which would be terrific experiences for you, but you might find difficult if you were not a Catholic and couldn’t receive Holy Communion yet, (although you would be very welcome to attend, of course).

If you are not yet a Catholic, you might prefer other things that are not so centred on Mass, but would still help you to get to know young people in your Parish. Does your parish have an SVP, for instance? The Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps those in need in practical ways, by visiting the housebound among other things.

 

[Chuck1]

Chuck, I don’t wish to pry, but I think it would help us to give you useful answers if you said whether you did go to RCIA and get received, as you were talking about some time ago, or whether you are still hovering at the edges and are not a Catholic yet.

I am thinking there are organisations for young Catholics in the UK (helping with pilgrims to Lourdes, for instance) or other events put on by the Youth Ministry in your diocese - all-night vigils, special Masses and so on - which would be terrific experiences for you, but you might find difficult if you were not a Catholic and couldn’t receive Holy Communion yet, (although you would be very welcome to attend, of course).

If you are not yet a Catholic, you might prefer other things that are not so centred on Mass, but would still help you to get to know young people in your Parish. Does your parish have an SVP, for instance? The Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps those in need in practical ways, by visiting the housebound among other things.

Hi , No I didn’t go through with it in the end I still went to mass but then left the Church for months because i was confused about Mary and the saints and the differnt bibles do I asked my Protestant teachers and they gave me a protestant answer so I went with that and stopped going to mass and kept going to my baptist church I think becuase it was easier to go somewhere where I was more fimilier with and knew the people becuase I didn’t know many people at mass becuase I went to mass on Saturday and to my baptist Church on a Sunday so now I guess I didn’t really give it a chance if I only gone to the catholic Church I maybe would have settled then recently I started to miss mass and the church so researched in depth the teachings of the church and the early Church fathers and the bible verses and realise its biblical so I am now going back to mass and really want to convert becuase I have a hunger ,thirst, excitement, disiere for the sacraments and want to join and be in the one ture holy aposlistic catholic church but my parents have a very negative veiw of the church so I don’t know what to do ? And also there are no RCIA classes in my area at the moment but the church is going to run a program exploring the faith with a youcat course but my parents will act badly to that aswell , any chance I can convert with that if I ask the preist as a fast track and how can I tell my baptist church I’m leaving or casually phasing out of the church but I’m involved in activities in the church and they need my help with them and they gave me my first bible and kick started my faith so you can see what situation I’m in ? Anyone … HELP !? Anyway thanks chuck

 

[paperwight66]

I’m really sorry you have this conflict, Chuck. I can see it’s an enormous step for you. It must be so hard not having your parents’ support, and I can understand you not wanting to let your friends at the Baptist church down if you help with activities, particularly if you enjoy them.

All I can say from my experience as a convert is that there will come a time when you just cannot fight it any more. You won’t value your Baptist church any less, you won’t stop loving the people there any less, but you will just feel you must ‘come home’.

I’m sorry, I don’t know whether you can be fast-tracked. You will have to ask the parish priest about that.

Meanwhile, pray that your parents will come to see that it is better to have a son who is happy and practising his Christian faith, even if that means him being a Catholic.

Say this prayer for yourself, too. It’s a favourite of mine, written by the first American-born saint to be canonised, St, Elizabeth Ann Seton. She was a convert, too, and had to go through agonies of searching and deciding whether she should become a Catholic.

‘If I am right, O grant the grace
Within the right to stay.
If I am wrong, O teach my heart
To find the better way’.

God bless you, and all young people who are searching for God’s will.