They will know we are Christians by our love

[graceandglory]

I have for decades wondered if the Church can help me out on this:

I have an extremely violent mentally ill relative. This person is a Catholic, and a regular communicant. This person is ill…BUT this person is filled with rage and hatred of everyone.
The whole family has splintered because of this and many have left the Church because of this relative.

Can a priest (maybe the relative’s) help to facilitate a reconciliation?

This is not something that would be safe to do without an authoritative 3rd party that the relative has some semblance of respect for.

How can I offer love to this person when it is always rejected? I want to make peace before the relative dies.

 

[Newbie2]

I have for decades wondered if the Church can help me out on this:

I have an extremely violent mentally ill relative. This person is a Catholic, and a regular communicant. This person is ill…BUT this person is filled with rage and hatred of everyone.
The whole family has splintered because of this and many have left the Church because of this relative.

Can a priest (maybe the relative’s) help to facilitate a reconciliation?

This is not something that would be safe to do without an authoritative 3rd party that the relative has some semblance of respect for.

How can I offer love to this person when it is always rejected? I want to make peace before the relative dies.

Sure. How effective it might be will be a large part dependant on how well the person can intellectually and emotionally understand and accept it.

How to offer love to one who rejects it? Very good question. Ask the Almighty, he does it all the time.