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katiasalomon

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I believe in god, I believe in Jesus, I believe in adam and eve, I believe in the holy trinity but I don’t actively go to church. What does that make me?
 
Ok, that’s what I thouhgt I would be considered. Now I was baptized as a baby and did my first communion and was confirmed as a child. I want to baptize my daughter but people on this forum are questioning my desire to baptize my child. I want to because I feel its important to baptize her. I baptized my son when he was an infant and want to do the same with my daughter. I honestly feel like I would be doing wrong if I didn’t baptize her.
 
Katia,

Why is it so important to you to baptize your child if you don’t intend to teach her to practice the faith into which you’ve baptized her?

I would agree with you that it is important to baptize your child, but it’s also important for you to teach her the faith and to practice it yourself.
 
beckycmarie said:
Katia,

Why is it so important to you to baptize your child if you don’t intend to teach her to practice the faith into which you’ve baptized her?

I would agree with you that it is important to baptize your child, but it’s also important for you to teach her the faith and to practice it yourself.
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I do intend to teach her the faith, I just dont feel I have to go to church to be Catholic. I read the bible as does my son. I pray and ask for forgiveness. It is important for me to do this for her. But I am being met with negativity. I dont recall going through this much when I baptized my son.
 
katiasalomon said:
I do intend to teach her the faith, I just dont feel I have to go to church to be Catholic. I read the bible as does my son. I pray and ask for forgiveness. It is important for me to do this for her. But I am being met with negativity. I dont recall going through this much when I baptized my son.
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You didn’t meet with negativity because, when you stated on his behalf that you believed in the Holy Catholic Church, it was assumed that that meant you believed also in the Church’s unlimited authority to bind and loose, as given - in the very Bible you’ve been reading - by Christ to the Apostles and their successors.

And that you understood that the Church for this reason has, direct from the Lord, the power to bind you to attend Mass every Sunday - and govern you in all the other ways it does.

It’s a great thing that you read the Bible, truly. It has to be said, though, many scholars read the Bible - and remain devout Jews, Hindus, Muslims or even atheists after having read it many times. So how exactly is reading the Bible making you or your son Catholic as opposed to making you people who read the Bible?
 
Ok so then perhaps I am wrong for wanting to baptize my child.
 
katiasalomon said:
Ok so then perhaps I am wrong for wanting to baptize my child.
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Put it this way - it is a done deal in the case of your older child. For his sake, please try to gain more of an understanding of what the sacrament means, the obligations it places on you as a parent and what promises you are making on behalf of that child. Not to mention the faith in which you’re wanting to raise your children. And scripture.

Baptism is certainly not something to be done lightly or without proper instruction, which it sadly appears you might not have been given prior to your son’s baptism.

Please don’t take this to be any criticism of yourself, by the way. I am sure you’ve only been doing what you thought was best, which is admirable.
 
katiasalomon said:
I do intend to teach her the faith, I just dont feel I have to go to church to be Catholic. I read the bible as does my son. I pray and ask for forgiveness. It is important for me to do this for her. But I am being met with negativity. I dont recall going through this much when I baptized my son.
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Great, you are already reading the bible, and praying so that is the place to start. What does the bible say about Baptism? Look at the account of the Baptism of the Lord, near the beginning of each gospel, and also at the end of the gospels, where Christ instructs his apostles–the leaders of His Church–to teach the faith to the whole world and to baptize.

Then read the Acts of the Apostles, you probably have a concordance or bible dictionary that can steer you to the relevant verses, where you can see that when the Paul and the other apostles baptize, they baptize entire families, and that those who are newly baptized now join the Church, the Christian Community, and worship with them, and follow the laws of that community. This reflection will get you thinking about what it is you want for your children when you bring them to baptism.

Then you will want to start looking for the passages in the Gospels where Jesus clearly instructs the apostles on when and how they are to worship, and that of course will begin with the accounts of the Last Supper, and of course his passion, death and resurrection, the saving event recalled and made present in the Catholic Mass. That reflection cannot help but move you to love and thanksgiving for his sacrifice on our behalf, so you will be moved, as we all are, to commemorate and take part in it, as we do at Mass.

All this time of course you will be praying, because you are already doing so and have this firm habit. You also have the good habit of asking for forgiveness, which engenders the sorrow for sin, and the desire to conform more closely to Christ. That in turn moves you to read scripture even more, and then you can move to Acts and the rest of the New Testament letters and see how the early Christian community functioned AS a community due to the action of Christ through their worship, the Mass, and how they lived, worked, prayed and worship as a community–not as loners.

You see you are already well on the road, already doing the right things, and the more you do those things, the more you will be moved to join the Christian community in worship at Mass. Your baby’s baptism, and the sacraments as you bring her and your son to them, will become immense channels of grace not only for them but for you and your whole family. Congratulations on seeking baptism for your child, you are on a great journey in so doing. WE will be praying for you as well.

The question we parents are asked during the Baptism rite is “What do ask of the Church for your child?” That reflection alone will move you to really consider if you want to continue in isolation with your personal spirituality or whether you are being drawn into closer communion with Christ and His Church–since of course it is to her you are bringing your precious child.
 
Hi, 🙂 how do you feel about the Eucharist? that is the main reason we go to Mass… I think it is fine for you to want to baptize your child, and that IS important, but please do consider the importance of raising her up in the faith, and the Mass is part of this 🙂
I’m saying this cause I have many friends who were baptized Catholic as children but never really went to church, and later they fell away. We receive special graces in the Eucharist and in Confession that we simply can’t get anywhere else. It’s not just a religious thing, it is spiritual, very much so, more than even reading the Bible or praying.

God bless.
 
So I appreciate all the information and advice received here, and I have come to realize that you are correct. I cannot teach my children something I don’t know and I cannot expect my children to follow a faith I do not actively follow. I have decided to resume attending St. Vincent and hopefuly I will meet someone there that will sponsor my daughter.
 
katiasalomon said:
So I appreciate all the information and advice received here, and I have come to realize that you are correct. I cannot teach my children something I don’t know and I cannot expect my children to follow a faith I do not actively follow. I have decided to resume attending St. Vincent and hopefuly I will meet someone there that will sponsor my daughter.
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that is wonderful! ((hugs)) God bless.
 
Welcome back Katia im so pleased for you and your children.You are leading your children along the right path and im so happy for you personally.There was a time in my life when i felt like you and turned from the church.Happily God called me back in time to encourage my grandchild to be baptised(he was).Its been great for me renewing and refreshing my faith.I love attending Mass but particularly on the weekdays.I feel it is more intimate more friendly ( i have made lots of friends of the regular week day worshippers).I went to confession (now attend regularly) after years of not going and was very moved.I have such a strong faith and feel very close to God.I am not worthy but God has been so kind and answered my prayers.I have a really good parish priest really friendly but gotten to know him more by chatting before and after Mass on weekdays.Anyway good luck and may God be with you always and guide you.Will keep you in my prayers.
God Bless
 
katiasalomon said:
I do intend to teach her the faith, I just dont feel I have to go to church to be Catholic. I read the bible as does my son. I pray and ask for forgiveness. It is important for me to do this for her. But I am being met with negativity. I dont recall going through this much when I baptized my son.
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“Being a catholic” and not going to mass means that you don’t participate of the sacraments and you’re depriving yourself and your family of the fullness of union with the Body of Christ.

By doing only half or part of your faith you are a severed finger or ear…

An ear by itself can do nothing without the rest of the body.

Please don’t be a half (body part) catholic. For your benefit and your lovely family’s benefit.

🙂
 
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