RCIA But Alone - How have others addrssesed

[Robbinson]

Hi All:

I’m 45 and in RCIA after much thought and prayer about Catholicism. I know I’m on the right path - but my wife and children are Protestant - while they support me in my faith walk (and I thank God for that), none have expressed interest in joining me and I fear they may never.

Have others faced this dilema? My wife and I are soulmates. We are married over 21 years and have each put the other ahead of ourselves always. How can I swim the Tiber alone? How can I cross without my wife and children? These are difficult issues for me.

Blessings,

Brian

 

[CalCatholic]

Hi Brian,
You are on the right path. I don’t have a direct answer to your problem, but when I was in RCIA, I read a book from Scott Hahn called Rome Sweet Home. In this book Dr. Hahn talks not only about coming to the Catholic Church from a Protestant Church, but the difficulty of getting his wife to convert. If I remember right, she did not come into the Church for another five years (she also had a theology degree). I hope this helps until someone else writes in. Good luck and God bless!

 

[kage_ar]

In addition to “Rome Sweet Home”, I would suggest “When Only One Converts” amazon.com/When-Only-Converts-Lynn-Nordhagen/dp/0879733152/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222835488&sr=8-1

Prayers for you.

What tradition are you coming from? If it is an evangelical background, the DVD “Common Ground” from www.catholicprotestant.com might be something to have at home.

Another DVD set that I’d suggest for family viewing is Steve Ray’s “Footprints of God”.

Many prayers - my DH followed years after me. His Easter Vigil was the happiest moment of my life!

 

[Trishie]

Don’t give up yet, Brian! I never imagined that my husband out tf the blue would finally come to joining the RCIA and would seek Baptism!

May God bless you for your wonderful courage; and I thank God for your family’s kind support of your faith journey

on your behalf I pray:
On others’ behalf
Dear God, I pray concurrently for each person You place in my life, for each member of my family—earthly and spiritual—as if each were the only one. I commit them totally to You so that Your love becomes the source of all their thoughts and actions.

For all who cannot at this time in their lives pray or believe, I ask You to accept my prayers, my sacramental participation, and my acts of kindness to be theirs also. I offer their struggles and achievements in union with the Eucharist, so that, even if unaware, they share in the spiritual life of the Church. I know that in Your great love You will accept my prayer on their behalf, in union with Jesus in whom everything attains infinite value, however unworthy the supplicant.

Give my prayer again and again through Him who endlessly gives Himself wholly to each person in the Eucharist. Please enflame me (and all Christians) with gospel authenticity that will also ignite others with faith and ministry. Thank You God who acts in us beyond human understanding.

My Family
Our God, I thank You for everyone in my family, for their goodness and abilities and for the difficulties that they have overcome.
Thank You for our mutual love and support; and thank You for our mutual forgiveness of flaws or failures.

Jesus taught that whatever our other achievements, it is upon our charity that You will judge us. Scripture tells us “charity covers a multitude of sins”. Let charity cover the sins of everyone in our families, whether they believe in You or not. Let it implore Your everlasting mercy and redemption for each of us. Let each one remember Jesus’ account of the final judgement, and be encouraged to continue in loving and charitable works.

Lead each family member to heaven, welcoming the loving and kind intentions and acts of their lives as evidence of their worthiness to be counted with the “sheep” of “the Good Shepherd on the Day of Judgement”. If any of them overlook relationship with You or doubt Your existence, let the love and life manifest in their lives prove their fidelity to Your Spirit. Let them experience and embrace Your merciful love as they enter eternal life.

I offer my family to Your divine mercy, through the merits of Jesus, with the prayers of all saints and angels. Make us a delight to You in the way that love characterises our lives.