Question on/about other Catholic families

[coolduude]

Hi there,

As some of you may or may not know, my own family is not very Catholic. They are all baptized Catholic, but are really Catholic in name only. My father hardly attends Mass (he doesn’t think it’s a mortal sin to skip ) and my mother comes off as an atheist, though she’s not. I don’t even know the last time she attended Mass out of her own free will… The environment in my home is so impartial to religion that I get embarrassed to ask to attend Mass

Anyway, I was just wondering what other Catholic families here do. I know some say a family Rosary and attend Mass often, but what else do you guys do?

What’s it like to be in a religiously functioning Catholic family?

Just a question. I hope my own family in the future won’t be as religiously fractured as mine is now!

coolduude

 

[lissa70]

In our family we say lots of prayers throughout the day, particularly I do with the kids. We say prayers before and after meals, the Morning Offering, the Angelus, and the Memorare. Before bed the kids say an Act of Contrition and the Guardian Angel prayer along with everyone saying their special intentions. At dinner we also pray for vocations – particularly for our parish and our family.

During the school year we try to attend Mass daily. We try to go to Reconciliation monthly as well as a monthly hour of Adoration. During Lent we attend many of the special services like Stations of the Cross.

We home school using a Catholic curriculum. We also belong to a Catholic Home Schooling Group which provides many activities such as Holy Hour, Monthly Mass, and Catholic Clubs for the kids. We celebrate Catholic holidays and Holy Days with parties and gatherings like May Crowning etc. Plus our kids have a group of friends that share their faith values. Home schooling really opened the doors to bring new ideas into our home that help our faith life deepen.

Hope this helps!

 

[coolduude]

Very neat. your kids are lucky to grow up in such a religious home!

 

[VetA]

Hi there,

As some of you may or may not know, my own family is not very Catholic. They are all baptized Catholic, but are really Catholic in name only. My father hardly attends Mass (he doesn’t think it’s a mortal sin to skip ) and my mother comes off as an atheist, though she’s not. I don’t even know the last time she attended Mass out of her own free will… The environment in my home is so impartial to religion that I get embarrassed to ask to attend Mass

Anyway, I was just wondering what other Catholic families here do. I know some say a family Rosary and attend Mass often, but what else do you guys do?

What’s it like to be in a religiously functioning Catholic family?

Just a question. I hope my own family in the future won’t be as religiously fractured as mine is now!

coolduude

you sure we dont have the same parents?

 

[LaLucia]

Hi Cool Dude, I come from a family like yours. My father was a culteral catholic which means he was born into the catholic religion. Him and my mom only attended church on holidays, weddings, baptisms, etc.

But here is something really interesting… we four kids were sent to Catholic schools and our kids became good Catholics… and their kids became even better catholics by attending mass and some of the girls became alter girls. Some of the grand-children have very close priest friends. I have priests who I feel I can talk with them on any subject.

Somehow the family as it grew in generations created better Catholics who do attend church.
I find that very interesting.

So cool dude… maybe you will be the beginning of creating better catholics in your family as time passes. One person can be the beginning of creating better Catholics as time passes.

Your parents will have to answer to God when their time comes. It is best to leave them alone with their attitudes because they have to want to change. You can’t change them.
My Mom has a lousy attitude and I can’t change her. I try to stay away from her.

 

[StJudePray4Me]

Hi,
My kids go to Catholic school, we attend Mass every Sunday where I am a lector and my older child is an altar server.
We also attend on Holy Days of Obligation, and to Confession (which, I confess, I should do more often!) We pray at dinner time and at bed time.
We talk during the day conversationally about God, Jesus, the Saints, etc., and my children have quite a few books about Jesus and the Saints. My daughter like the Lives of the Saints for Children.

Anyway, good luck, keep doing what you’re doing and NEVER be embarrassed to go to Mass. Believe it or not, your parents deep down may be happy that you are more devout than they were – like the spiritual equivalent of giving your kids more than you had.

One of my most devout friends comes from a home where her dad is a fallen-away Catholic and her mom is an Anglican-raised atheist. She always says she felt like something was missing in her life until she found her faith as a young adult. The Holy Sprit visits us, I think, regardless of whether we live in a devout home, or a spiritual wasteland. It’s great that you heed the call!

 

[rapunzel77]

It sounds like you are in a tough situation Cool dude but continue to pray for your family’s conversion. As for as my family, its just my husband, brother, and I. We go to Mass, twice every other week since my husband and I are in the choir (he is the choir director for two masses) and my brother is an altar server. Almost everyday we read one chapter of scripture, pray our rosary, and the collect of today’s Mass and saint’s feast day. We also read a spiritual book on Sundays. That is the extent that we have family devotions since all three of us work.

 

[timotheos]

Hi there,

As some of you may or may not know, my own family is not very Catholic. They are all baptized Catholic, but are really Catholic in name only. My father hardly attends Mass (he doesn’t think it’s a mortal sin to skip ) and my mother comes off as an atheist, though she’s not. I don’t even know the last time she attended Mass out of her own free will… The environment in my home is so impartial to religion that I get embarrassed to ask to attend Mass

Anyway, I was just wondering what other Catholic families here do. I know some say a family Rosary and attend Mass often, but what else do you guys do?

What’s it like to be in a religiously functioning Catholic family?

Just a question. I hope my own family in the future won’t be as religiously fractured as mine is now!

coolduude

Hi coolduude,

Your last comment is a good one. Be very aware of unconsciously trying to “save” your non-practicing family by finding a future spouse that also needs “saving”. It is astonishingly easy to fall into that trap. You will provide a much better example for your family-of-origin by finding an observant Catholic spouse who is in love with God. Please remember this.

Keeping my own family focused on God is very challenging most of the time. They might as well call me the clanging gong, as I am not the most tactful person around. But as a family we do make it to Mass on Sunday, and adoration once in a blue moon. And that has to be good enough for now.

 

[Zatzat]

My Catholic wife takes everyone to Church once a year at Xmas time. I go, am respectful and don’t cause a fuss. My kids know a bit about Jesus. I sit in the background saying nothing, but waiting for the inevitable questions they will have in later years. That’s about it.

 

[Virgivan]

Sorry bout the bump here, but I wanted to respond to this thread, and it was one of the reasons I joined CAF. Coolduude, you seem to be a bit harsh on your family. Did either of your parents take you to mass when you were a child? They must have felt teaching you God’s role in your life was important if theu did so. I assume you can’t be that old, from refrences in you first post. There are many of us who get lost on our spiritual path, and your parents are among them. Who knows, maybe later on in life they will turn back to the faith.

On a side note, do you have any siblings? How religious are they?