Presbyterian family, Catholic faith

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ForcedCalvinist

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I’m 14 years old, I’m Irish, I have a strong Catholic faith, but my parents are very religious almost Puritan Calvinistic Presbyterians. My dad is a minister (and an Orange b-word) in a so-called ‘church’ which I refuse to attend and he preaches about how Catholicism is the work of Satan and how all Catholics are going to hell, and this really upsets me that he says things like this about my faith. My mum is a former teacher who was brought up in the holiness movement and was at one stage a false missionary in Asia. My dad found out about my faith, and he has been bullying me so much. I have bought countless rosaries to pray with (most of which have been thrown in the rubbish by my parents, and they even threw one in the fire) and statues of Our Lady, Our Lord and the saints, along with lots of other religious paraphernalia. Well, on Saturday, my dad found me sitting on the kitchen floor, with candles lit in front of an Our Lady of Lourdes statue. He stood on the candles, and completely destroyed them, and threw the Blessed Virgin at the wall and she broke in two. I was in tears, wailing due to an image of the Mother of God being destroyed by my own father, so he called me a ‘big girl’ and a ‘hell-damned Satanist’. He warned me that if he finds anything else (I have plenty of things), I’m going to get ‘a good kicking’ which is NI slang just for getting shouted at really. Also, he gave me the ‘you’re going to hell and I don’t care’ nonsense. I really don’t know what to do. I want to leave home, but I get food, shelter and love (most of the time) here, but my family won’t let me practice my faith, which is absolutely central to my life. Please help!! :confused: :crying: By the way, I’m currently fasting and repeatedly praying the rosary to ask Our Lady for guidance. 🙂
D
 
Be assured of my prayers for you!

First, I would caution you to be a little more discreet in your faith. Try to keep the statues and stuff out of sight, hidden in your room maybe. It sounds like you are in a bad situation until you are an adult and for now, you’ll have to do what you need to do.Also, remember the commandment to honor your parents. As hard as it might be, try not to call you father an “Orange B----” I know it can be hard in a rough situation, but clinging to resentment will only hurt you.

Secondly, pray! Pray for your family and your father. Pray that they’ll ease up on you and the Faith.

Finally, be the best Catholic that you can be! Let the light and love of Christ shine through you. If your family sees how much you improve by being a Catholic, they might just back off.

Again, know that you are in my prayers and I hope things get better for you!
 
ForcedCalvinist said:
I’m 14 years old, I’m Irish, I have a strong Catholic faith, but my parents are very religious almost Puritan Calvinistic Presbyterians. My dad is a minister (and an Orange b-word) in a so-called ‘church’ which I refuse to attend and he preaches about how Catholicism is the work of Satan and how all Catholics are going to hell, and this really upsets me that he says things like this about my faith. My mum is a former teacher who was brought up in the holiness movement and was at one stage a false missionary in Asia. My dad found out about my faith, and he has been bullying me so much. I have bought countless rosaries to pray with (most of which have been thrown in the rubbish by my parents, and they even threw one in the fire) and statues of Our Lady, Our Lord and the saints, along with lots of other religious paraphernalia. Well, on Saturday, my dad found me sitting on the kitchen floor, with candles lit in front of an Our Lady of Lourdes statue. He stood on the candles, and completely destroyed them, and threw the Blessed Virgin at the wall and she broke in two. I was in tears, wailing due to an image of the Mother of God being destroyed by my own father, so he called me a ‘big girl’ and a ‘hell-damned Satanist’. He warned me that if he finds anything else (I have plenty of things), I’m going to get ‘a good kicking’ which is NI slang just for getting shouted at really. Also, he gave me the ‘you’re going to hell and I don’t care’ nonsense. I really don’t know what to do. I want to leave home, but I get food, shelter and love (most of the time) here, but my family won’t let me practice my faith, which is absolutely central to my life. Please help!! :confused: :crying: By the way, I’m currently fasting and repeatedly praying the rosary to ask Our Lady for guidance. 🙂
D
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You are in a very difficult situation for your age, but you must remember one thing–our faith teaches that we are to honor our parents, so keep that in mind when things happen. Always be respectful to them and pray for them.

I think perhaps that you may want to practice your devotions more privately and try not to argue with your parents. You can pray quietly in your room, and if you are deprived of your rosaries, use your fingers. You are under your parent’s care until you are of a majority age, so you will have to ask God for the grace and wisdom to bear with things. Prayer is very powerful, so pray for your parents. It will also keep you on an even keel. Remember that we are to do our best to be as loving as we can be, to imitate Jesus in all things. That really is more important than having statues and pictures around, and that is the best witness we can give to our faith.

Also try to remember that your parents love God, too, and they are doing what they feel is best for you, they aren’t trying to be mean, they truly believe these things, even though they are not true. Just hang in there, do your best to keep strong in your faith, and when you are of age, you can practice as freely as you wish. But most of all, pray. No one can stop you from doing that.
 
It seems there is a double standard for fundamentalists. They can spit all over our religion all they want, but expect us to respect theirs. It would be funny were it not so irritating. Ask him about why he isn’t practicing the “do unto other’s rule”… after all… he is a minister right? What sub-denomination of Presbyterianism is he a part of? PCUSA, Free Presbyterian, Church of Scotland, Orthodox Presbyterian Church etc.?
 
do not listen to anyone who tells you to disobey your parents.do not hide things from your parents.obey your parents.
 
Being neither of your parents are Catholic , how do you learn and discover about Catholicism?? Usually the vast majority of times you practice the faith of your parents especially through and up to 18 yrs of age.
 
ForcedCalvinist said:
I’m 14 years old, I’m Irish, I have a strong Catholic faith, but my parents are very religious almost Puritan Calvinistic Presbyterians. My dad is a minister (and an Orange b-word) in a so-called ‘church’ which I refuse to attend and he preaches about how Catholicism is the work of Satan and how all Catholics are going to hell, and this really upsets me that he says things like this about my faith. My mum is a former teacher who was brought up in the holiness movement and was at one stage a false missionary in Asia. My dad found out about my faith, and he has been bullying me so much. I have bought countless rosaries to pray with (most of which have been thrown in the rubbish by my parents, and they even threw one in the fire) and statues of Our Lady, Our Lord and the saints, along with lots of other religious paraphernalia. Well, on Saturday, my dad found me sitting on the kitchen floor, with candles lit in front of an Our Lady of Lourdes statue. He stood on the candles, and completely destroyed them, and threw the Blessed Virgin at the wall and she broke in two. I was in tears, wailing due to an image of the Mother of God being destroyed by my own father, so he called me a ‘big girl’ and a ‘hell-damned Satanist’. He warned me that if he finds anything else (I have plenty of things), I’m going to get ‘a good kicking’ which is NI slang just for getting shouted at really. Also, he gave me the ‘you’re going to hell and I don’t care’ nonsense. I really don’t know what to do. I want to leave home, but I get food, shelter and love (most of the time) here, but my family won’t let me practice my faith, which is absolutely central to my life. Please help!! :confused: :crying: By the way, I’m currently fasting and repeatedly praying the rosary to ask Our Lady for guidance. 🙂
D
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Tell him it is physically impossible to be Irish and not be Catholic. Not only is he denying Christ and His Church. He is denying the blood that flows through his veins. God Bless you for staying true to Christ and our people 👍
 
Pray for your parents, and always honour your mother and father, I am also 14 and the only Catholic in my family I personally know. If you ever need support message me 🙂 for anything. Also I would just always pray for your parents, but just keep your statues, candles, and ROsarys in your room or some where more discreet. ABove all nevr deny your faith. Blessings! I will pray for you and your family.
 
Yes, pray for your parents and yourself too. Until you are an adult it is likely that “confused” may be your religion. I was very, very careful about letting people know I was considering becoming a Catholic before I actually became one. I would hide my rosaries and kept all of my Catholic books out of sight. And I’m in my fifties!

You might want to keep the Catholic things to a minimum. You can always pray the Rosary on your fingers. I’ve done that. Also, you might want to avoid religious arguments as much as possible until you are an adult.

Some people are very sure they know what Catholicism is all about but they are wrong.🤷
 
I’m not good in the advise area, so I’ll leave that to others. However I do know prayer and I’ll be praying for you and your parents.

God bless

jesus g
 
Thank you all for your encouraging posts. I will take all of the things that you have said on board. It is great to know that people are praying for me, so many thanks! 🙂
 
SaintPatrick333 said:
Tell him it is physically impossible to be Irish and not be Catholic. Not only is he denying Christ and His Church. He is denying the blood that flows through his veins. God Bless you for staying true to Christ and our people 👍
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please tell me you are being rhetorical.
 
Dubay said:
Being neither of your parents are Catholic , how do you learn and discover about Catholicism?? Usually the vast majority of times you practice the faith of your parents especially through and up to 18 yrs of age.
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I’m curious too, how did you discover the Faith? I mean not like your parents could have accidentally raised you into a Catholic, right? Do you have a lot of Catholic friends or relatives? Not trying to sound like I’m doubting your story, I’m just highly curious.
 
Are you going to a Catholic church? Have you talked to the priest about this?

Your parents sound like they are good parents. It sounds like they are great Christians too but do not understand what your belief is, and that it is just as strong. Love and respect your parents. They want the best for you and are concerned about your Soul.

Try to see your faith though their eyes. They see the rosaries, saint cards, statues etc as worshiping idols. There is little you can do to change their minds. I can well understand your father’s reaction when he found you (in his eyes) praying to a statue and offering candles of prayer to someone other than G_d. You might as well have been caught worshiping the devil himself, and in his eyes you were. You frightened him. He doesn’t want you going to Hell.

Keep in mind that you are living in their house. Do not hide your items, but know that not a single THING …ie.e material thing makes a difference to your faith. You can pray without rosaries, without statues and without cards. Yes, it is easier, but you don’t need them.

You are 14. In 4 more years (or more) you will be considered an adult. As long as you live under your parent’s roof, perhaps a friend can take custody of your items till you can have them under your own roof?

Be a good Christian.
I’ll be praying for you.
 
BListon said:
I agree… unless they force you to deny your faith.
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Interesting response BListon. I am curious if you would feel so smug with your response if ForcedCalvinist was expressing their faith as a non-believer!? Peace.
 
round2 said:
Interesting response BListon. I am curious if you would feel so smug with your response if ForcedCalvinist was expressing their faith as a non-believer!? Peace.
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I wasn’t being smug at all… what a very judgemental thing of you to say.😦
 
BListon said:
I wasn’t being smug at all… what a very judgemental thing of you to say.😦
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OK. I apologize if the term offended you. Choose to insert ‘satisfied’ in its place. But the question still remains. Peace.
 
Wow! I am impressed! God has so blessed you to find Him and His church and He has called you to suffer for what you believe. Blessed are the persecuted!

God is with you, He is working through you. I believe that the work God has begun in you, He will bring to fulfillment. You have a wonderful opportunity to witness to your faith by being forgiving and loving towards your parents.

My suggestion is to meditate on the passion of Christ and the stations of the cross. Jesus Himself was accused of blasphemy (by his own family/Jewish leaders). I see Jesus alive and strong in you. Keep up the good work.

Offer all that you suffer for the conversion of your parents.
 
When I first wanted to become catholic, my wife (shes baptists) was extremely anti catholic and she has softened a lot in the last 2 years.

Things I did at first

1-attened week day mass every week instead of Sunday at the beginning

2- said the rosary with out the rosary counting on my fingers

3- read the bible and read the bible so I had the catholic answer when ever she asked

God bless you for being so brave !!!
 
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