Standing firm for my belief

[Shae]

I am the only remaining practising catholic out of all my sisters and my mother. One went with Buddhaism (sp). One claims she talks with the dead, and does crystals and reiki like some meduim and the other claims she is all the above, she is an attention seeker and my mother doesn’t like God any more because of all the misery in the world and to her.

How do I be a polite catholic woman amongst all of this.

My phsic sister, I can’t even spell the word, gave me some archangel oracle cards, and they are beautiful, in it it speaks of God and archangels, are these tarot cards.?

I have told them I am in a parish community and enjoy my faith.
I also want to be careful with the phsic sister because she just lost her husband to motor neurone disease and if I tell her I think talking with the dead just garbage it may hurt her. I have already had some slight conflict with her over my not wanting to contact the dead. She says everbody is phsic.
Definitely not easy being the only remaining catholic with this lot.
I apreciate someone’s wisdom with thanks

shae

 

[Eireann]

I am the only remaining practising catholic out of all my sisters and my mother. One went with Buddhaism (sp). One claims she talks with the dead, and does crystals and reiki like some meduim and the other claims she is all the above, she is an attention seeker and my mother doesn’t like God any more because of all the misery in the world and to her.

And a big to you sister, stick to your guns, cling to the Rock.

How do I be a polite catholic woman amongst all of this.

By example, stay out of religious discussions unless someone brings it up, and try to answer nicely.

My phsic sister, I can’t even spell the word, gave me some archangel oracle cards, and they are beautiful, in it it speaks of God and archangels, are these tarot cards.?

Burn those so called angel cards, I don’t think they’re heavenly angels, they bring bad luck.

My friends daughter who never misses Mass produced those in a house before Christmas, some took part and others didn’t.
I wasn’t there ,but her father in-law asked me I wanted her to come up and take part.
No way hosea I said, and told him to pass it on to her that they are bad news.
She laughed off course, her mother in-law died a few weeks later from motor neuron disease, and her father dropped dead a few weeks later.

Do keep a plentiful supply of Holy water around you if you don’t already, and pray for them.

They’ll probably need to talk to a priest at sometime, but they’d have to desire it, but they may not if they’re under the grip of evil, it depends how deep they’ve got.

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

I have already had some slight conflict with her over my not wanting to contact the dead.

Well, the way I look at it, everytime we pray to the saints, we are talking to the dead. Of course, it’s not the same, but you could mention it to her. Let her know that the only way you talk to the dead is through God/Jesus. Sometimes people abandon their faith through ignorance. If she feels that she can still “talk” to her hubby while being Catholic, she may come home.

Definitely not easy being the only remaining catholic with this lot.

I can appreciate your sistuation. I am the only Catholic in my family (parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles and sister). I converted after I married DH. It is so hard to know how to respond to the things you mention (like psychics, crystals/stones, palm reading etc) when my mom or sis express interest. I am seen as the “holier-than-thou” one who likes to judge …so I avoid religious conversations/topics like the plague. I find little ways to express how much my faith means to me and how much better my life is because of it though…

shae

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

Burn those so called angel cards, I don’t think they’re heavenly angels, they bring bad luck.

.

Thinking that cards can bring you bad luck is superstitious and is no different than thinking the cards can make you happy. They are just cards. They don’t hold any power.

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I have faced similar situations in my family. My sister gave me some “healing stones” as a present. I don’t believe they can heal me, but I believe that God can. So, I keep the stones as a reminder that my sister loves me and was thinking of me. I just look at them as pretty rocks, lol.

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Malia

 

[Eireann]

Thinking that cards can bring you bad luck is superstitious and is no different than thinking the cards can make you happy. They are just cards. They don’t hold any power.

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I have faced similar situations in my family. My sister gave me some “healing stones” as a present. I don’t believe they can heal me, but I believe that God can. So, I keep the stones as a reminder that my sister loves me and was thinking of me. I just look at them as pretty rocks, lol.

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Malia

The cards can be a vehicle for evil, like the Catholic woman here who reads tarot cards, and said on radio that the devil threw her out of the bed.

This same woman reads tarot cards and still has the Sacred Heart picture in her house, a foot in both camps, not good, a priest advised her to stop what she was doing, don’t think she payed heed.

The cards are used to predict the future, so although the may not have evil in themselves, they channel evil.

As Fr Peter Rookey from Chicago said on his many visits to Ireland, "once we invite him in, it’s hard to get him out " those cards may be the invitation he needs.

The ouija board may not bring evil or bad luck, but when we use it, then we are openly inviting the evil one into our lives.

I do wonder if they go against Gods commandment, not to have strange Gods before Him.

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

The ouija board may not bring evil or bad luck, but when we use it, then we are openly inviting the evil one into our lives.

I do wonder if they go against Gods commandment, not to have strange Gods before Him.

Exactly…you have to USE them and believe that they have power. In and of themselves, they are just printed paper. If you don’t believe in them but just think they are pretty, I don’t see the harm. But, just like everything else questionable, if they make you uncomfortable, get rid of them! No sense taking any chances with our soul.

 

[Mirdath]

Yes, those ‘oracle’ cards are essentially tarot cards with different pictures and labels. As Feanaro’s Wife said, they’re just sheets of cardstock – it’s what you do with them that counts.

They are often used for ‘divination’, but I think that anyone who believes pieces of paper can of themselves tell the future has issues Another way to use them (or traditional tarot cards too) is more of focusing one’s thoughts and as meditative imagery – not to tell the future, but to help visualize one’s current situation and possible outcomes without trying to prophesy. Readings for others don’t have to be about foretelling either, unless you make them so.

 

[Eireann]

Yes, those ‘oracle’ cards are essentially tarot cards with different pictures and labels. As Feanaro’s Wife said, they’re just sheets of cardstock – it’s what you do with them that counts.

They are often used for ‘divination’, but I think that anyone who believes pieces of paper can of themselves tell the future has issues

Thanks for the charitable words, ok if a loved one gave me a picture of an inverted pentagram to put on my wall I’d hang it up not to insult them ?

I know where I’d tell them to put them, and it wouldn’t be a charitable response, but if anyone wants those angel cards, pentagrams or the like, feel free, I don’t.

The girl I described up above was actually using them, if everyone is ok with that then fine, so be it.

And the end of my (name removed by moderator)ut on this thread, I don’t need to be mocked like that girl, nuff said.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

I feel your pain we have to keep a distance from some members of our family. They would simply drag us down. As our children have grown I know we did the right thing by preventing their exposure to those things. As for " How do I be a polite catholic woman amongst all of this." I would remind you only what I tell my self “all of this is the same regardless of what I do” so I choose to do my best and let the rest be what it is. Believe me you are not alone

 

[Mirdath]

Thanks for the charitable words, ok if a loved one gave me a picture of an inverted pentagram to put on my wall I’d hang it up not to insult them ?

If you don’t like it, you’re under no obligation to keep it. I’ve quietly gotten rid of several white elephants in my time.

I was just trying to help out and explain what the things are and are used for – what she does with them is her business, not mine.

 

[cheddarsox]

The flip side of this thread may be something that Catholics might like to keep in mind as well. My family is Catholic but I am not. I am given Catholic gifts with some regularity, such as a green scapular, blessed rosary, Catholic Books. Some of these items are blessed sacramentals.

I understand that there are traditions that suggest some of these items will lead to my converting to Catholicism (green scapular for example). I understand that my family loves me and wishes that I would follow their faith, but some of these gifts are not appropriate to one who is not a member of the faith. A blessed rosary will not be used or treated with the respect that a Catholic feels is appropriate, in a non Catholic household.

I receive the items as politely as possible, but frankly, some of them end up in the trash as it is against my beliefs to keep,honor, or display them.These items are sometimes burned in fires that we have to observe our own holy days. To me, that is a respectful way to dispose of sacred items, and how we dispose of sacred items in my own faith. But I don’t know that Catholics would be happy to know that their blessed sacramentals are being burned in fires dedicated to nonCatholic observances.

You might want to consider this when gifting a non Catholic friend/family member with a Catholic item.

 

[lukefan]

Shae - I am in the same boat in my family. My mother converted to the Faith when she married my Dad. She died at 32 years of age, my Dad never went back to Church. Out of 6 siblings, I’m the only practicing Catholic. I have already had one brother leave for a Protestant denomination but at least he goes to church! Can’t say that for the rest of my siblings. My oldest sister asked me this week, what exactly is the difference between Catholic and Protestant?!?! Since I was on a cell phone in the foyer of my office building, I started with the Real Presence and told her that I’m going to have to sit down with her at a later date as this kind of conversation can’t take place over the phone!

Every time I mention the Church, you see eyes roll, and they say “don’t get her going!”. We were talking at Christmas about the Rosie/Donald thing - I mentioned how Rosie trashed the Pope and my niece actually left the dinner table!

Anyway, I’ve got 2 nieces getting married this summer and fall, both baptized Catholic, confirmed, won’t even consider getting married in the Church. I’ve spoke to both of them, gave my opinion and left it at that. I also told my sister (their mother) how disappointed I am! Both of my nieces will receive a crucifix that is blessed by my pastor as a wedding gift.

My mother and grandmother are probably rolling in their graves seeing what happened to this once “Catholic” family. As i told my sister, I will not “burden” my extended family with my off the wall Catholic Faith any longer, but I will defend it to the death, especially if anybody tries to influence my own children.