Spiritual Guidance

[amrin]

Long story short, I’m living with the father of my 1year old son without being married at all. He’s atheist, doesnt want to get married and thinks religion is for people that need answers and he doesnt need them.

I was advise both here on CAF and by another person to talk to a priest.
So, now that Easter is over I managed to get an appointment with the local parish priest. I will be meeting him tomorrow morning and hopefully get some guidance on this issue.

However, I was wondering if priests ever “turn down” people into the Catholic Church. I am worried I will hear something along the lines of “Raise your son, leave the person you are with and then come back” That would leave me really sad.

Your thoughts? Have you ever heard of something similar happening?
It might sound silly question but I am both happy and nervous about tomorrow

 

[Splagchnizomai]

Just be patient and be hopeful. God bless you in your meeting tomorrow. Read the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).

[BIBLEDRB]Luke 15:11-32[/BIBLEDRB]

 

[Julia_Mae]

However, I was wondering if priests ever “turn down” people into the Catholic Church. I am worried I will hear something along the lines of “Raise your son, leave the person you are with and then come back” That would leave me really sad.

Your thoughts? Have you ever heard of something similar happening?
It might sound silly question but I am both happy and nervous about tomorrow

I think you need to be realistic in your expectations. You can’t be in mortal sin and at the same time receive the Eucharist, and that’s where you are now. To be in the Church, you have to receive the Sacraments.

Being a single mother isn’t a barrier, in itself. But ask yourself why you want to be in the Church, anyway, if you don’t believe the teachings of the Church? You can run into all kinds of priests, some are pretty rude and some are more sympathetic, but you need to accept that sooner or later, you will have to make a choice. And it isn’t between religion and the guy, it’s between God’s Way or your way. So go to the meeting, but expect that you will be advised about the length of the road and challenges you’ll have to overcome.

It took Saint Augustine a long time, years, to give up his mistress and his sinful life, even though he believed in Christianity and Jesus. Maybe ask him to pray for you, he also had a son.

 

[englishredrose]

Long story short, I’m living with the father of my 1year old son without being married at all. He’s atheist, doesnt want to get married and thinks religion is for people that need answers and he doesnt need them.

I was advise both here on CAF and by another person to talk to a priest.
So, now that Easter is over I managed to get an appointment with the local parish priest. I will be meeting him tomorrow morning and hopefully get some guidance on this issue.

However, I was wondering if priests ever “turn down” people into the Catholic Church. I am worried I will hear something along the lines of “Raise your son, leave the person you are with and then come back” That would leave me really sad.

Your thoughts? Have you ever heard of something similar happening?
It might sound silly question but I am both happy and nervous about tomorrow

I think you are just getting nervous which is understandable. Thinking about it my priest actually knows my own darkest moments/sins and not been turned off the Altar (I serve/and sing). I think priests just want us to learn to trust them which allows them to guide us nearer to God and ‘walk’ with us to help us reach God when we are finding that hard to do

Priests don’t work like how you have suggested or shouldn’t do. Just be you and just go with the flow of the talk. I hope you feel better this time tomorrow.

 

[bmullins]

It’s possible that you will be asked to get married, or to separate. Marriage is a sacrament and can’t be violated. We had a lady just recently in our RCIA class who had been with her boyfriend for 16 years, and instead of talking about marriage to him she left our class. (She then went to another parish and is now Catholic, though I’m not sure how that worked.)

Anyway, just go and be honest with the priest and see what he says.

 

[amrin]

Well, it came out to be very different from what I expected. Seems the priest forgot about it, because he never showed up.

While I was waiting in the bench I was thinking “well maybe it’s just not meant to be…”, while I was quietly playing with my baby and although he was laughing and I was smiling to him, I just felt a huge sadness like I had never felt before.

I left the church thinking whether I should forget about it or try to sort it out on my own, or talk to a priest 30 miles from home that also seemed willing to receive me. On my way home me and my baby almost got hit by a car. While some might think of it as pure luck, for me it was as if God was telling me “I’m here don’t turn your back now.”

So next week I will go to the big city and try to talk to another priest. I know something has to change, the only problem for me is the baby. I don’t want to leave him with just his father which in case of separation he would have much better ways to provide for him than I would ever have. The baby’s father family has houses, lands and other kinds of valuable assets I don’t.

Praying that next week I will find a way to work this out, even if it takes time…

 

[Splagchnizomai]

amrin, so sorry to hear about your missed appointment. Sometimes priests have to miss scheduled appointments due to hospital calls, deaths, etc. But sometimes they just forget, for they are human.

Perhaps you could call Father and respectfully mention what happened?