P
phantom1998
Guest
I currently study in a secular university in India(where christianity is a minority religion) and hence I am surrounded by mostly non-catholic class mates.Also, I think I do not really connect with most of my ‘catholic’ friends at Church in the sense that we do share a common faith but may not share each other’s interests and personality traits.
St.Francis de Sales writes in his book ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’ that:
'Love your neighbor, Dear reader, with a great, charitable love, but befriend only those with whom you can be mutually supportive in virtue. The higher the virtues that you put into these relationships, the more perfect will your friendship be.
If your mutual exchanges deal with knowledge, your friendship is certainly very laudable; it will be even better if they deal with the moral virtues such as prudence, discretion, strength, justice [cf. Wis. 3:7-8; Prov.8:14]; but if they pertain to charity, the love of God, Christian perfection, then this friendship is truly precious and excellent: excellent because it comes from God, excellent because it tends toward God, excellent because its bond is God, excellent because it will endure eternally in God. Oh, how good it is to be loved on earth the way one is loved in Heaven, and to learn to cherish each other in this world as we shall do eternally in the other!
I am not speaking of the simple love of charity which is due to all; I am speaking of spiritual friendship by which two or more only one soul. With what excellent reason they can say: 'How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. [Ps. 132(133):1]. It seems to me that all other friendships are but phantoms in comparison with this one, and their bonds are iron chains in comparison with this great bond of Divine love, which is pure gold. God, moreover, will eternally bless such friendships.
Do not form any other kind of friendship. I am speaking here only of those friendships which you form yourself, because you must neither abandon nor despise those which nature or your previous obligations require you to cultivate: relatives, allies, benefactors, neighbors . . .’
So, here I think the holy doctor advises against forming any other kind of friendship of your own choice other than christian friendships but what do I do if I am unable to find christian friends who I connect with in my current situation?On the other hand there are potential non-catholics with whom I could potentially connect with but they don’t share my faith.This leaves me feeling chronically lonely; isolated and frustrated.So, given my circumstances; is it alright if I strive to form close friendships with non-catholics?
St.Francis de Sales writes in his book ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’ that:
'Love your neighbor, Dear reader, with a great, charitable love, but befriend only those with whom you can be mutually supportive in virtue. The higher the virtues that you put into these relationships, the more perfect will your friendship be.
If your mutual exchanges deal with knowledge, your friendship is certainly very laudable; it will be even better if they deal with the moral virtues such as prudence, discretion, strength, justice [cf. Wis. 3:7-8; Prov.8:14]; but if they pertain to charity, the love of God, Christian perfection, then this friendship is truly precious and excellent: excellent because it comes from God, excellent because it tends toward God, excellent because its bond is God, excellent because it will endure eternally in God. Oh, how good it is to be loved on earth the way one is loved in Heaven, and to learn to cherish each other in this world as we shall do eternally in the other!
I am not speaking of the simple love of charity which is due to all; I am speaking of spiritual friendship by which two or more only one soul. With what excellent reason they can say: 'How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. [Ps. 132(133):1]. It seems to me that all other friendships are but phantoms in comparison with this one, and their bonds are iron chains in comparison with this great bond of Divine love, which is pure gold. God, moreover, will eternally bless such friendships.
Do not form any other kind of friendship. I am speaking here only of those friendships which you form yourself, because you must neither abandon nor despise those which nature or your previous obligations require you to cultivate: relatives, allies, benefactors, neighbors . . .’
So, here I think the holy doctor advises against forming any other kind of friendship of your own choice other than christian friendships but what do I do if I am unable to find christian friends who I connect with in my current situation?On the other hand there are potential non-catholics with whom I could potentially connect with but they don’t share my faith.This leaves me feeling chronically lonely; isolated and frustrated.So, given my circumstances; is it alright if I strive to form close friendships with non-catholics?