Non denominational baptism

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Question- my college age daughter has recently decided to leave the Catholic church and has been attending a non denominational church. Yesterday she called to let me know that she is going to be baptized there this Sunday. Our relationship is under great strain right now… my words to her are falling on deaf ears at this point. I don’t know what to tell our 4 younger children who are still in their formative years and developing love for the church. My daughter invited me to come… I don’t know what to do. She is denying her infant baptism through this action. I have never let her walk through any life decision alone. I love her s much- I am not sure my emotions can even handle being there but this is so important to her. What should I do??
 
BBF said:
Question- my college age daughter has recently decided to leave the Catholic church and has been attending a non denominational church. Yesterday she called to let me know that she is going to be baptized there this Sunday. Our relationship is under great strain right now… my words to her are falling on deaf ears at this point. I don’t know what to tell our 4 younger children who are still in their formative years and developing love for the church. My daughter invited me to come… I don’t know what to do. She is denying her infant baptism through this action. I have never let her walk through any life decision alone. I love her s much- I am not sure my emotions can even handle being there but this is so important to her. What should I do??
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I’m so very sorry. I will tell you that I was once in your daughter’s shoes. I left the Catholic church and attended protestant and ND church’s for twelve years. It was the very issue of Baptism that brought me back to the Catholic church. It was because not all ND church’s believe the same thing about Baptism. I don’t know if that will help her but if she were to really research into what all the different beliefs are on the subject she would be surprised. Many ND churches believe in infant baptism, some believe it is just an outward showing of your faith and others believe that you must at that moment be praying in your heart to have your sins removed and it is a cleansing of your sins and if you lose your train of thought you get rebaptized.

After reading all there is on baptism my head went round and round in such a fog, I decided there had to be someone, somewhere who made the final decision of what baptism is. I know for a fact if I were to get rebaptized my parents would not have been there but they did attend some other functions with me in protestant churches but they were not happy there.

Many ND churches use this as a way of pulling many Catholics and mainline protestants into the church by telling then their infant baptism is invalid. It is a ploy and unfortunately it works. Another thing that pulls them into ND churches and getting rebaptized is the pastor. Many times people become mesmerized by the pastor and his sermons because they are so uplifting that they follow whatever he says, so I don’t know if you could discuss following the wrong people with her.

I will pray for you and your daughter. I am sure you already are but pray the rosary for her every day. That is what my father did and it worked. It took 12 years but it worked.
Also, St. Monica is a great patron saint for lost children.

One thing I have discovered recently is Patrick Madrid’s Search and Rescue talks. You can find them at EWTN audio library. Just type in his name and they should come up. They are awesome.

Finally, I am not sure why this was moved to apologetics. I would think it would have been moved to parenting but ?
 
BBF said:
Question- my college age daughter has recently decided to leave the Catholic church and has been attending a non denominational church. Yesterday she called to let me know that she is going to be baptized there this Sunday. Our relationship is under great strain right now… my words to her are falling on deaf ears at this point. I don’t know what to tell our 4 younger children who are still in their formative years and developing love for the church. My daughter invited me to come… I don’t know what to do. She is denying her infant baptism through this action. I have never let her walk through any life decision alone. I love her s much- I am not sure my emotions can even handle being there but this is so important to her. What should I do??
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At this point, it’s not about convincing her of anything. The supposed “baptism” this Sunday will accomplish nothing spiritually. There is but one baptism, and she’s already baptized.

Her schism from the Catholic Church effectively becomes a barrier between her and Christ, however. She will no longer have access to Jesus in the Eucharist! Or the Sacrament of Confession, etc. It is a sad thing and spiritually dangerous.

What you can and should do, however, is offer prayer, sacrifice, fasting, etc., for her re-conversion. Keep in mind that St. Monica prayed for St. Augustine for 30 years before he converted to the faith! The more you offer up your sufferings, the better. Perhaps someone else will be God’s instrument in her re-conversion. God can do more in one minute than we can in 100 years on our own. So, don’t give up hope for her.
 
This is something that I have no idea what I would do if it happened to me. The fact that you have younger children who will be possibly confused by this would make it more difficult. But, there are examples of the saints who lived through great adversity and rose above it and I would urge you to seek one that you can find comfort in their struggle and ask for them to intercede for you. St Monica would be my choice. I guess I would also begin a novena to St. Jude as that is usually my first step. And, remember to keep your heart open with all the love you can muster. I will pray for you and I want you to know that I believe with love and patience God will take care of this.
 
You might print out a copy of My Testimony as well as these other two articles from my Catholic blog and give them to her whenever you see her so she has better info than she’s being given by those folks.
The Case For Infant Baptism
Who REALLY Preaches “A Different Gospel”?

I would not take your younger children with you if you go. You also need to be prepared to face some attempted proselytizing because it will happen there.

Rest assured that you and she will remain in my prayers.
 
BBF said:
Question- my college age daughter has recently decided to leave the Catholic church and has been attending a non denominational church. Yesterday she called to let me know that she is going to be baptized there this Sunday. Our relationship is under great strain right now… my words to her are falling on deaf ears at this point. I don’t know what to tell our 4 younger children who are still in their formative years and developing love for the church. My daughter invited me to come… I don’t know what to do. She is denying her infant baptism through this action. I have never let her walk through any life decision alone. I love her s much- I am not sure my emotions can even handle being there but this is so important to her. What should I do??
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First off, I’m sorry. I know it must feel like a great betrayal. Have you asked her why she thinks she needs to be baptized again?

If it were my child, I’d remind her that I’ve already been to her Baptism where she was claimed as a child of Christ, and that I’ve also been to her Confirmation where I witnessed her vow to take over the responsibility of practicing the faith which she received through her Baptism.

I couldn’t bring myself to go witness her second baptism because this baptism would be meaningless.
 
BBF said:
Question- my college age daughter has recently decided to leave the Catholic church and has been attending a non denominational church. Yesterday she called to let me know that she is going to be baptized there this Sunday. Our relationship is under great strain right now… my words to her are falling on deaf ears at this point. I don’t know what to tell our 4 younger children who are still in their formative years and developing love for the church. My daughter invited me to come… I don’t know what to do. She is denying her infant baptism through this action. I have never let her walk through any life decision alone. I love her s much- I am not sure my emotions can even handle being there but this is so important to her. What should I do??
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I am sorry and while this might make her angry, you shouldn’t go to the baptism because it is invalid and she already was baptized in the Catholic Church. It will be very tough to do and a risk but you are telling her by not going that this is invalid and maybe when she wakes up and realizes that what she is getting into is not good. I would likewise talk to your priest about all of this. Again I am sorry and you are in my prayers.
 
This particular church teaches that you must have baptism by immersion. They have a step by step program for new members and it is fast and furious. My daughter was still attending the catholic church just a few months ago and even went overseas with our diocese on a mission trip last summer. She is heavily involved in campus ministries that claim to be open to all denominations… the catholic community on campus is very small. I saw this coming and did my best to stop it. She listened at first and then something snapped and that was it… my parents also tried to talk to her and the campus priest that she was very good friends with. She tells me that she only wants to bring others to Jesus and this is the only church she has found that she able to do that. Every week she drives new people to church. She did take a group of girls from school to Mass on campus last month, instead of a homily they prayed a rosary that day. The girls were turned off by this as they were not all Catholic. I think that was the last straw so to speak for my daughter. I have shared so much with her recently, but her answers now are all to quote scripture and very defensive. She said she understands if I will not come and almost did not even tell me. My husband is out of town this week and has not had the chance to speak to her. My parents are in turmoil about not being present for any signifigant moment in her life… I do not think I should go but I am afraid that she will never confide in me again if I turn away from her now. I have no intention of taking our younger children and have not old them at this point. Thank you for you prayers and guidance… I am taking it all in and will follow through.
 
BBF said:
I do not think I should go but I am afraid that she will never confide in me again if I turn away from her now. I have no intention of taking our younger children and have not old them at this point. Thank you for you prayers and guidance… I am taking it all in and will follow through.
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I don’t know for sure but if she is talking to you and confiding in you that is good and I can see where you would not want to lose that. I am afraid to give too much advice but if you can maybe gently let her know you won’t be there but you would like to keep the doors of communication open on the subject and just let he know how much you love and care for her and you realize she is old enough to decide but you just don’t agree but, and this is very important… I would not argue with her about what she is doing at all. If she is young and truly believes she is doing what is right, when she realizes she made a mistake and wants to return you would not want her out of pride to be afraid to return.

I felt that for a while. My parents brought the subject up almost every time I visited and because I was so afraid to let my parents know how miserable I truly was outside of the church and that they were right all a long it took a while for me to come back and when I did, I came back in secret.
 
I would read to her John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” If you do not have life within you, are you saved? How can you leave God’s true presence in the Eucharist?

Also I would point out as she is reading Scripture to remember that every time the New Testament refers to “the Church” they are talking about the Catholic Church. Jesus Christ granted authority and truth to the Catholic Church. 1 Tim 3:15 …which is the Church of the living God, the pillar, and foundation of truth." If you want truth go to the Catholic Church which lived the New Testament for 300 years before compiling it into the Bible, protected the Sacred Texts, and gave them to the world. Who better to understand the Scriptures than those who first lived them with the Lord?
 
I wouldn’t go. That would be tacit approval of a sinful act. It would show you somehow approve of what she’s doing. Let her know that you love her, but cannot, in good conscience attend, and she knows why. She’s taking someone’s personal interpretation of Scripture over the interpretation of the Apostles and their successors, the bishops. Ask her why, if personal interpretation is so great, that there are tens of thousands of denominations? (And, yes, the non-denominationals are a denomination. Who are they trying to fool? Like saying the uncola cola. Funny, but sad.)

With regard to the Rosary, she probably doesn’t know that it is the prayer of the Gospel. All the prayers and mysteries come from the Bible. We meditate on the mysteries. It was how simple people learned the Gospels before universal literacy, which only began a little over 100 years ago.

History has shown that if one was Christian for the first 1000 years of Christianity, one was Catholic, since there was nothing else. In 1054, the Orthodox split off. Only in 1517 A.D. did Protestantism get its start, and it has been splintering ever since into literally tens of thousands of man-made, doctrinally disagreeing denominations. The Catholic Church is different in essence from all those who splintered off in that it is not just a mere organization. It is a Divine organism, with Christ as its head, and the Holy Spirit as its spirit. The Catholic Church alone has the fullness of Christ’s truth, and the fullness of the tools of salvation given mankind. If she wants better fellowship, then tell her to join the Elk’s Club or something. If she truly wants to bring people to Jesus, there is no better way than to bring them to Him in the Eucharist, where He is present, His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity! She won’t find that in a non-denominational denomination. Not even close. She’s traded the Mystical Body of Christ for back-slapping, hand-shaking, feel-good fellowship and erroneous personal interpretation of Scripture.

If we all pray for her, maybe she’ll come way back the right way and find a vocation to the religious life! If she wants to really serve Christ and bring people to Him, then she could dedicate her whole life to Him. Here’s some videos that might pique her interest:

youtu.be/uFFiNRvXBQw

youtu.be/UDcC5NaKnAY

youtu.be/sW8A9uvSjSg

I have a first cousin who’s a Dominican nun there. They are all glowing with happiness, holiness, and serenity. Heaven on earth! I’ve never seen that many women so happy. (I was there for three days when she took her final vows!) Never saw one frown. Ever.
 
I attended a non denominational church which really is code word for anabaptist that drink and dance for 7 years before returning to the church at Jesus founded the rcc. Contact me if you have any questions. But there is No way you should go for the sake of your other children

Below I have included a video which is really good even though it is put on by the pius the 1oth society

Check out this video on YouTube:

youtube.com/watch?v=qgTXLd3-rKw&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
Whatever you decide to do with her baptism, please stay invested in her spiritual growth. Understand that she explored ND Christianity because she felt like it might do a better job of helping her become a better Christian, and her decision to get baptized at that church indicates that at least for now, this is where she feels like she is in the best position to become a better Christian.

Explore with her why that might be. You can certainly present the reasons why the sacramental life of the CC is the very best way for someone to become a better Christian, but don’t do it to the point you separate yourself from her continuing growth as a Christian and become completely uninvolved in that all-important aspect of her life. Skipping her baptism will probably hurt her and it will be difficult for you to explain how that’s good for her and non-selfish on your part, but it can probably be done without leading directly to the totality of isolation I just described.

Suppose things don’t work out fir her at this new church. If you’re still involved in her spiritual life and contributing to her growth as a Christian, she has that to come back to. If she doesn’t have that, though, she will probably go to a different Protestant church, probably whichever one has some members who are still involved in her spiritual growth like that.
 
Monergistic said:
Whatever you decide to do with her baptism, please stay invested in her spiritual growth. Understand that she explored ND Christianity because she felt like it might do a better job of helping her become a better Christian, and her decision to get baptized at that church indicates that at least for now, this is where she feels like she is in the best position to become a better Christian.

Explore with her why that might be. You can certainly present the reasons why the sacramental life of the CC is the very best way for someone to become a better Christian, but don’t do it to the point you separate yourself from her continuing growth as a Christian and become completely uninvolved in that all-important aspect of her life. Skipping her baptism will probably hurt her and it will be difficult for you to explain how that’s good for her and non-selfish on your part, but it can probably be done without leading directly to the totality of isolation I just described.

Suppose things don’t work out fir her at this new church. If you’re still involved in her spiritual life and contributing to her growth as a Christian, she has that to come back to. If she doesn’t have that, though, she will probably go to a different Protestant church, probably whichever one has some members who are still involved in her spiritual growth like that.
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You have to not attend her re baptizing it is a sin and you would be commiting a mortal sin by attending it would be similar to condoning her getting married outside the church. For the sake of your other children and your soul.
 
Adamski said:
You have to not attend her re baptizing it is a sin and you would be commiting a mortal sin by attending it would be similar to condoning her getting married outside the church. For the sake of your other children and your soul.
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Go team.
 
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