Parents in a different stage of spiritual growth

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melvfe

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My parents are not happy with me if I try to advance in my spiritual growth. They insist that I study. They once said that there’s no point advancing in my spiritual development by myself without the family; that’s selfish.

I once tried telling them I want to be a sister/nun, but they said that I’m just being distracted and I should work until I’m older, then join the convent.

I wish I can go to church for daily Mass/confession, but they want to know my whereabouts. And once they know, they aren’t happy about it.

I feel lost as I don’t know how to advance my spiritual growth and make my parents happy. Their encouragement would have helped me a lot. I feel that without their encouragement, there is nothing much I can do.

Please advise, thank you!
 
No, I’ve reached the age of majority. But I’m still schooling.
 
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Well, then you either have to put your foot down, and live your life your way or let them continue to control you.
In the US there are many agencies to help the disabled become independent. Maybe look to them for help getting out on your own.
 
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I tried the latter but it was terrible for me… They were happy though.

Next year, I guess my new year resolution would be to put my foot down.
 
I shall translate here from a Brazillian Catholic non-official catechism, about the importance of the study of religion. You could try telling them about this:

From José Pedro Galvão de Sousa - Breve Catecismo Expositivo

“The study of religion is the most necessary of all. Other studies are of benefit to life and time. And religion is necessary for time and eternity”

“There can be nothing more important than ensuring the salvation of one’s soul. The way to achieve this supreme goal is to believe what God has taught and to do what God has commanded.”

“God being the Supreme Truth and the Supreme Good, He only teaches us what is true and only prescribes us what is good. It is not, therefore, any manifestation of the Creator’s agency of creatures, but a stupendous manifestation of Love. Teaching the Truth and the Good, God illuminates our ways and prevents us from straying from the paths of error.”

"We learn what we should believe and what we should do by studying religion.

One should not therefore think that religion is a kind of watertight compartment of life. Or something to use from time to time - for example, when you go to Mass - and then put it in the drawer."

"Thus religion must guide all our lives, all our acts. Religion is life. Not just a set of prohibitive precepts, with a view not to sin, but a positive guideline for good, for the practice of virtues, giving meaning to human existence, which without it becomes incomprehensible.

Even more. It is our life in God and God’s life in us, dwelling in our souls by sanctifying grace."

Try speaking to them in those lines.
 
I, personally, am in a struggle to bring back my family to the Catholic faith. They all say they are catholics, but they do not attend Mass on Sundays, do not confess once a year, etc

So we ought to be examples for them to follow the Christ and the one true faith.
 
0Scarlett_nidiyilii said:
n my spiritual development by myself without the family; that’s selfish.
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Umm… It means that if I want to go to church for events, they don’t want to join and that I’ll have to go alone. And if I go alone, that would be going to church to make myself holy while they’re not. But I have never prohibited them from going together with me.
 
As a disabled person, I look at those who set an example in their disability.

I’d suggest learning about Bl. Margaret https://www.littlemargaret.org/

We can grow in our Faith by spending time in prayer, in service, in humbly loving others. You may not be able to go to every event at the parish, but, perhaps you can take on a ministry of prayer for those who need it.

If your disability allows the movements, maybe learn to make rosaries (knotted cord or beaded) and donate them to the parish. Imagine if every First Communicant or Confirmandi had the gift of a handmade rosary!

You can do great things for God in small ways.
 
That’s a wonderful idea! I should join the ministry which allows me to make rosaries.

And wow, I never knew of a disabled saint, thank you for introducing her!
 
Hi @melvfe,

Do you know whether it is that your parents are “negative” towards religion itself or is it more that they are sincerely concerned you may become unbalanced in it?

Spiritual growth can sometimes take on forms that might not be the expected or even visible in some cases.
For example, you could honour God by making some things to sell to raise money for people in poverty and offering prayers for others.
Even honouring your parents and keeping peace and love with your family is spiritual growth:)
 
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