Success Stories with Reversion to the Faith

[HappyRevert]

Most of my children are teenagers now and about to set out on their own. My boys especially worry me about keeping to the faith - one has already started going to a “Bible” church, and the other is practically antagonistic (he’s 17) to religion. I wanted to know if others out there have experienced their children drifting away and returning - if so did you do something (in addition to praying to St. Monica for intercessions) to encourage it?

 

[BamaRider]

Live your life as best you can. Be happy and optimisitc and love your Church and Faith, be true to it. Let them see how it influences your life in a positive way. It is the best testimony one can give.

Of course pray everyday.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

What Guy said.

My eldest claims to be a Catholic but not a “fanatic like my mother.”

 

[rudytoo72]

I think this is a common problem at that age. My sister’s son is doing the same thing. Sometimes it is peer pressure. Other times just growing pains. I agree that you should just lead by example. Teens sometimes get caught up in doing only what they think is “cool.” Keep praying and I think you will find eventually they come back. I did!

 

[embwt]

I certainly drifted away in my late teen years, but came back. Slowly at first. Now I’m the one praying for my parents to return more fully to the faith. Keep encouraging your sons in the faith. Even if they’re not listening . . . they’re listening.

And as far as the son that is going to a “Bible church” . . . take that as a positive . . . encourage him to read the scriptures. The deeper he gets in scripture, the more it will bring him to the realization that the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Christ. He’s searching for the truth. He just doesn’t yet know it’s under his nose. Ask questions about what he’s learning at the “Bible Church” and then answer each question from the Catholic perspective. If you don’t know the answer, tell him. Then look it up. The answer will be found in the Catholic Church. After all, the bible comes to us from the Catholic Church. WE ARE the Bible Church.

 

[Maria1212]

Hi,

I recommend giving your son a book by Steve Ray called A Biblical Defense of Catholicism. A Catholic Study Bible might also be helpful.

I never left the Catholic Church but did explore/attend other Churches in college. I always felt something was missing–especially the Eucharist–and that led to a strong reversion. I ended up a much better, and more “practicing” Catholic for it. Everyone has their own spiritual journey and highschool and college is a time where many people explore their faith and question what they believe and “how they know what they know.” This can be very beneficial.

Keep praying and do your best to lead by example. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

Sincerely,

Maria

 

[kage_ar]

Make certain your kids see you LIVING your faith, reading and studying Scripture, doing good works, praying.

If you are dad, you are the KEY to those kids staying in the faith.

Read - pick up a copy of Hahn’s “Answering the New Athiesm” to help in your discussions with the self proclaimed agnostic.

Arm yourself to challenge them, know your Faith and how to defend it.

Pray like crazy, never give in to indifferenence.

Two more books - Madrid’s “Search and Rescue” and Kelly’s “Rediscovering Catholicism”.

 

[kage_ar]

One more book, you can find it used on Amazon - “Converting the Baptized”.

 

[HappyRevert]

Thank you so much for your ideas. I’ll definitely take the advice. My oldest and I got into a discussion/argument Christmas night and I think it was both good and bad. Bad because he was pretty in my face about why the Catholic church was wrong, but good because he did at least try to listen to my answers.

He does agree that the Lord has worked miracles in my life through the Eucharist and the Church so I hope that will help…

Please keep us in prayer and if you have any more advice, I’d love to hear it!

 

[Epistemes]

Hello,

I drifted away as a teenager and young adult, went to college and studied religion primarily to refute Christianity, experimented with Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam, but now I’m happily part of the Church which Christ founded.