To Defend or Not Get Worked Up?

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DonCochran

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Today I took my family to mass as we do every week. Following the mass, we went to a grandparents service at the maternal grandparents Methodist Church. During the preachers sermon, she began to attack the Catholic churches teachings on the Eucharist, Ordination, the True Church, among others items. While I was shook up, I think the grandparents were embarrassed. My question is how to respond to he grandparents. Do I explain our teachings, or speak of love. I don’t believe it’s good to attack a churches teachings of hate with hate. Any suggestions?
 
DonCochran said:
Today I took my family to mass as we do every week. Following the mass, we went to a grandparents service at the maternal grandparents Methodist Church. During the preachers sermon, she began to attack the Catholic churches teachings on the Eucharist, Ordination, the True Church, among others items. While I was shook up, I think the grandparents were embarrassed. My question is how to respond to he grandparents. Do I explain our teachings, or speak of love. I don’t believe it’s good to attack a churches teachings of hate with hate. Any suggestions?
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If the situation arises again, just tell your Grandparents that once was enough. You don’t need to " instruct " them about the faith unless they ask you. They should have known better than to ask you to go, since it sounds like the usual fair at that church. 🤷
 
You should of course not respond to “hate with hate.”

There is every reason why you should respond in a Christian way to your inlaws and anyone else at this pagan church.

Print off some material from Catholic Answers. This is exactly what Catholic Answers was founded for.
 
I would not make an issue of it, just respond with truth and facts to their questions or comments and next time skip any service with that particular minister.
 
DonCochran said:
Today I took my family to mass as we do every week. Following the mass, we went to a grandparents service at the maternal grandparents Methodist Church. During the preachers sermon, she began to attack the Catholic churches teachings on the Eucharist, Ordination, the True Church, among others items. While I was shook up, I think the grandparents were embarrassed. My question is how to respond to he grandparents. Do I explain our teachings, or speak of love. I don’t believe it’s good to attack a churches teachings of hate with hate. Any suggestions?
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You owe it to yourself and to your family and to the grandparents to speak the truth. While the Methodist Church was speaking out against what they believed to be the truth, it still struck a nerve close to home (your catholic faith). While it is good to take people’s feelings into account, one should never hide from the truth. Jesus is the “way, the truth, and the life” and if we believe in him, we have to follow him all the way.

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)
 
Ask the grandparents if they agree with what was preached…If they say yes, then proceed on to correct the errors…If they say no…ask them why they go to a Church that they know teaches lies…

That should make an interesting conversation…😃

Peace
James
 
PaulfromIowa said:
There is every reason why you should respond in a Christian way to your inlaws and anyone else at this pagan church.
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:confused: Aren’t Methodists also Christians? Never heard of anyone regarding them as a “pagan church”. They are our separated brethren, and share some truths with us (Profess Nicene Creed, Trinitarian formula Baptism, as examples).
 
I think you’ve heard enough. Why would you ever want to set foot in there again?

The general idea is to set well defined limits on what you and your kids should have to hear. Also, not to lecture them on what is true and the correct faith etc., but let them inquire and just be open to whatever their openness may be to the Catholic faith. Parents/in-laws should be treated with respect, but they need to respect your boundaries concerning the teaching and exposure of your children to a conflicting faith. You are more aware now just how their church deals with these differences and should face up to this as a responsibility to your children. Even if they seem old enough to understand the falseness of the words they still don’t need their ears ringing with such ugliness nor should you want to hear any more yourself.

At any time you should be willing to answer questions if asked or if any discussion does arise be prepared with the responses for the Pastor’s rhetoric. You don’t have to know anything more on the spot. Write down the unknown questions and say you’ll research the Church’s understanding and get it back to them.

I’d make it clear they are very welcome to join you at your Church and bring this up first; only if they insist put forth that you don’t consider returning to that or another similar church an option .
 
First, know whereof you speak. In other words, be sure you know how and why the preacher was wrong. Without that, you can’t defend anything! It’s the basis of Apologetics.

Then, offer to explain to your grandparents, to tell them what the Church believes and why. If they’re not interested, then you have a choice to make. Keep going to their church’s functions with them, or not. (No, don’t cut them off! Show them how a real Catholic lives!)

You could write to the pastor, especially if it sounded like he was just repeating what he had been taught.

Most important, don’t confront; don’t go in with an attitude of “You are wrong and I am right!” Not because it’s untrue, but because it’s almost guaranteed to make them refuse to listen.

It’s better to start with a question, such as, “Have you ever read what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about that?” … and have a copy with you! 😃 I’ve convinced a few Evangelicals that we don’t worship Mary by doing that.
 
ClayPots,

Yes, Methodists of the 19th Century were Christian. They were the fundamentalists/pietists of their day.

The way I read the original post, the female minister preaching at this church was pagan. Some Protestant churches (and, unfortunately, some Catholic groups) have become infected with modernism and liberalism and have left the Christian fold.
 
DonCochran said:
Today I took my family to mass as we do every week. Following the mass, we went to a grandparents service at the maternal grandparents Methodist Church. During the preachers sermon, she began to attack the Catholic churches teachings on the Eucharist, Ordination, the True Church, among others items. While I was shook up, I think the grandparents were embarrassed. My question is how to respond to he grandparents. Do I explain our teachings, or speak of love. I don’t believe it’s good to attack a churches teachings of hate with hate. Any suggestions?
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I would suggest taking it as an opening for your wife(?) and yourself to discuss with them, in a loving fashion, the differences and similarities between your faith and theirs. That is something from which all are likely to profit, and it could help to head off future issues (e.g., kids in grandparents’ care being taken to services with that same preacher).
 
Hi Don,
At least your family was willing to recognize that the preacher was out of line, so that’s good for a start.

I think, rather than get “worked up”, that it’s best to simply respond with information that will correct what you all heard. If anything on my blog will help, by all means feel free to print it out an use it. That’s what it’s there for. 🙂

I have several that might.
Look around and help yourself.

Catholic Answers also has a lot of good articles that will help with other points that were raised. My bookmark for it just says "Tracts ".

One very good source is Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth
 
Thank you all. While I certainly don’t think the pastor is Pagan, I think maybe a lack of education of our church as well as possibly strong judgemental errors on her part certainly exist. Church Militant, thank you especially for the documentation.
 
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