Trouble with Protestant father

[Tony_20]

Friends, a hypothetical situation
A boy (say X) has a Protestant father and a Catholic mother.
His father neglected his spiritual upbringing (which is expected, seeing as many Catholics and Protestants dislike each other so much).
He has a lot of wrong beliefs-the staple protestant heresies (like sola scriptura, illegitimacy of the priesthood and Papacy, all material things are bad, Catholics commit idolatry, are pagans etc.)
No matter how much X tries to reason with or convince his father about his being wrong, he won’t listen.
X’s aunt is a Salesian Sister but she says X’s father was right in not sending him to Catholic school.
Father too says it isn’t written anywhere in the Bible to send your child to Catholic school.
Ironically he went to one himself!
He imposes vocation on X and to top it all says he is ready to answer to God for his neglect of his duties as a parent!
Finally, X’s aunt calls him to wish him on his name day and dear Father flies off the handle and calls feast days a pagan ritual and Catholics pagans.He also curses Aunt in the bargain.
Is X justified in living separately from his family?
(And in case you were wondering what X’s mother was doing, she supported Father all along.)

 

[YADA]

Need additional information:

How old is X … - age is a critical factor in “independence”

If X is still living at home how is X supporting himself or does X have the means of self support

Depending on age of X where could X live …

from your explanation X is living with a marginally Catholic mother, anti-catholic father -

There is some support in an Aunt - but since the Aunt [a religious sister] supports Father in an anti-catholic bias against Catholic education - not sure what to make of her living the faith … no others are mentioned - so where are God parents, other Catholic mentors - role models? …

 

[1ke]

If X is an adult he needs no justification to live separately. He also need not take up any vocation on the say-so of his parent.

 

[Allegra]

It depends on X’s age. If he is an adult, he doesn’t need any justification to live separately from his parents. He should try to find a way to be respectful of his father, but he is under no obligation to be abused. It sounds like his father is just opinionated and so X doesn’t have a problem that a million other people around the world don’t have. In addition, if X is a minor, his parents have a right to chose his school. His father is correct that it is not essential for a Catholic to attend a Catholic school and there may be any number of considerations when choosing a school.

 

[Xantippe]

“No matter how much X tries to reason with or convince his father about his being wrong, he won’t listen.”

It isn’t a child’s business to bring up their parents. If X feels the need to discuss any particular issue, once is enough.

If X lives in India, there are probably additional cultural factors in play with regard to living independently as an adult.

Here in the US, children are expected to live independently either at 18 or after college (although due to economic issues, there are a lot of adult children living with parents into their 20s).

 

[Tony_20]

Clarification: X is 20 and an undergraduate engineering student without means of support.

@Allegra-No offence meant, but why is the father right when he says that Catholic school isn’t essential for Catholics? Haven’t many Popes said in their encyclicals that in all but the worst circumstances Catholics should send their children to Catholic schools on pain of grave sin? Or if this isn’t possible give them religious education at home? X hasn’t had either.So is father still right?
Some considerations may be financial status and quality-but what if neither is an obstacle?

 

[Tony_20]

“No matter how much X tries to reason with or convince his father about his being wrong, he won’t listen.”

It isn’t a child’s business to bring up their parents. If X feels the need to discuss any particular issue, once is enough.

Dear Xanthippe-Agreed a child has no business “bringing up his parents”
But in Ezekiel 33:8-9 God says “8. When I say to the wicked: O
wicked man, thou shalt surely die:
if thou dost not speak to warn the
wicked man from his way: that
wicked man shall die in his
iniquity, but I will require his
blood at thy hand. 9. But if thou
tell the wicked man, that he may
be converted from his ways, and he
be not converted from his way: he
shall die in his iniquity: but thou
hast delivered thy soul.”
What do you think about that?
If the person is not a child but an adult, shouldn’t he warn his father at least for his own sake if not his father’s ?

 

[Xantippe]

Tony said:

“Haven’t many Popes said in their encyclicals that in all but the worst circumstances Catholics should send their children to Catholic schools on pain of grave sin?”

If the father isn’t a Catholic, that doesn’t apply, does it?

“If the person is not a child but an adult, shouldn’t he warn his father at least for his own sake if not his father’s ?”

X should feel free to mention whatever concerns he has once, and then leave it. In any case, a 20-year-old who lives at home is not exactly an independent adult yet, and will not be treated as such by his father.

It seems to me that X is very likely scrupulous.

 

[Allegra]

Clarification: X is 20 and an undergraduate engineering student without means of support.

@Allegra-No offence meant, but why is the father right when he says that Catholic school isn’t essential for Catholics? Haven’t many Popes said in their encyclicals that in all but the worst circumstances Catholics should send their children to Catholic schools on pain of grave sin? Or if this isn’t possible give them religious education at home? X hasn’t had either.So is father still right?
Some considerations may be financial status and quality-but what if neither is an obstacle?

Actually, I’m not aware of even one pope saying that. Catholics are required to provide a religious education for their children, even if this can’t be done at their child’s school. There are many legitimate reasons that a parent may choose against a Catholic school depending on the circumstances. Financial hardship, false teachings, lack of safety, mistreatment of students, poor academics, lack of a specific educational program or needs, etc. For my purposes, I feel that my obligation to see my children raised properly in the faith actually precludes me from sending my children to the parish school. Where I live, the “Catholic” school has very little to do with teaching the Truth and more about maintaining a social status and keeping kids away from racial minorities and the financially disadvantaged.

If X’s father were a Catholic, he would be required to provide his son with the teachings of our faith, despite whatever the school he sent him to. Even if he had chosen a Catholic school, that would not be the end of his responsibility. He would be called to give him a good example as a father, teach through example how to be a good husband to his mother, and require charity and morality in the home. As it seems that he is not a Catholic, he has the responsibility to teach proper morality to the best of his belief and ability.

X is a grown man and should aquire the “means” to further his own education by getting a job, if he doesn’t agree with the school his father is willing to pay for. However, since he is in university, and studying engineering, he should be seeking an educational program that will help him become a sucessful engineer. If he was to learn more about his faith, he doesn’t need university classes for that.