Although I know it’s not a great scenario, it has already happened so going from there…my son has a very strong relationship with a protestant. He’s a senior, very intellectual and knowledgeable in his faith, great student, etc. etc. His Dad and I are now concerned however. The relationship is changing to more of the sharing of religions to see how they might proceed in their relationship. The young lady is very nice, extremely rooted in her faith and wants our son to worship with her in her church once in awhile. She attends Mass with us occassionally as well. We are opposed to this even though it would seem equitable as she has been allowed to attend Mass with us. We feel the ages are ripe for conversion when coupled with first love and don’t want to take the risk of the Protestant church influencing him. He is closed off to us now (emotionally) because of our decision to not let him attend. They are both soon to be 18 so, in the interest of protecting our son, what words of wisdom are out there? Thanks in advance for any help you may have.
I guess it’s hard to believe that this topic came up in 2006. My mother is Baptist and my father is Catholic. Sept 3 would have been their 50th anniversary. My dad passed away, last May. My siblings and I were raised Catholic, because in 1956 my mother had to sign a paper stating that she would raise the kids Catholic. She did. We also went to her church every other Sunday. Fast forward, 1990. My brother married a Baptist in the Catholic Church, no paper to sign, 6 weeks of pre-cana and that was it. My children and my sister’s children were baptized and rec’d sacraments in the catholic church. My daughter as a teen, was asked to attend churches of her friends, and they reciprocated. My husband and I thought nothing of it.
Your son is young, who knows when he goes off to college, someone there might invite him to another church…don’t go spastic over it. And please don’t “guilt” him into it. He is closed off from you, because he is a teenager, nothing more. That is what teenagers do.
My mother discussed with us, the differences in her church, from the church she promised to raise us in. If we had questions, she was there to answer them. I was glad to have had this growing up. I wasn’t confused at all. Actually, it made me curiously about other religions, and asking questions…not because I wanted to join it, but to make sure that I didn’t stereotype protestant religions with a broad brush. I would never tell someone of another faith, that because I am Catholic, that they are wrong and are going to hell in a handbasket.
We take many paths, to one journey. Learning about another religion and sharing your faith in return, keeps dialogue going, and ignorance from happening. If my children decide to stay with the Catholic church, or whether they choose another faith, doesn’t make me feel like a failure. It is their choice. They are still my children, and I love them.
—KCT
I suppose if she is a good girl then it would be fine if your son dated her.