M
markdperkins
Guest
Please pray with me for a very old dear friend who is a confirmed Catholic but married a Baptist 25 years ago and has stopped practicing our common faith. She considers herself a Baptist. Her husband is a deacon in their “non-denominational” church.
We haven’t spoken to each other but on a few short encounters in over 28 years. We were once nearly engaged-and it ended badly, which was my fault.
She says she would like to enter into a theological discussion with me. I want to bring her (and her husband) to the one true faith. But I am going to need some help.
My wife is supportive of this discussion. I have enlisted the help of one priest who is a common friend and I have half a dozen others lined up-and I could use a few prayers, too.
Praying has been in earnest for some time. She is not anti-Catholic. We are just beginning to prepare for this discussion. I am sure this will be fleshed out better soon, but from what I gather so far, she made the “switch” to Baptist because of:
*“The portions of Catholicism that bothered me most are the man made additions to the Bible.”
“The church I attend is very much line by line bible focused.”
“The central focus of the Baptist Church is salvation through faith in God alone, whereas the Catholics believe in the same plus the belief in the Holy sacraments as the way to salvation.”*
So, this is just slowly starting.
We both graduated from a parochial school in the mid-80’s. I would say we were poorly catechized. I remained Catholic and have gotten more serious about it in the last 15 years or so.
I have already engaged a priest who is a common friend. She may be looking at this as a debate. I am looking at this as a chance of bringing her back to the church (with her husband, of course.)
We haven’t spoken to each other but on a few short encounters in over 28 years. We were once nearly engaged-and it ended badly, which was my fault.
She says she would like to enter into a theological discussion with me. I want to bring her (and her husband) to the one true faith. But I am going to need some help.
My wife is supportive of this discussion. I have enlisted the help of one priest who is a common friend and I have half a dozen others lined up-and I could use a few prayers, too.
Praying has been in earnest for some time. She is not anti-Catholic. We are just beginning to prepare for this discussion. I am sure this will be fleshed out better soon, but from what I gather so far, she made the “switch” to Baptist because of:
*“The portions of Catholicism that bothered me most are the man made additions to the Bible.”
“The church I attend is very much line by line bible focused.”
“The central focus of the Baptist Church is salvation through faith in God alone, whereas the Catholics believe in the same plus the belief in the Holy sacraments as the way to salvation.”*
So, this is just slowly starting.
We both graduated from a parochial school in the mid-80’s. I would say we were poorly catechized. I remained Catholic and have gotten more serious about it in the last 15 years or so.
I have already engaged a priest who is a common friend. She may be looking at this as a debate. I am looking at this as a chance of bringing her back to the church (with her husband, of course.)
