Trying to embrace the Catholic Church

[katesmom]

I posted in the Family Life (spirituality) forum, but I’m not sure that is where I need to be?

This may or may not have any relevance to my concerns, but I feel the need to share it with you: I am a baptized Catholic. Im not confirmed & have not received 1st communion. My husband & I were married in the Catholic church & we baptized our daughter in the church.

I was not raised in the Catholic church even though my mother baptized me there at 4 months old. I attended tounge speaking protestant churches with my dad up until I was 13 yrs old. The last 18 years, I havent attended church on a regular basis.

Up to this point, I can honestly say my beliefs lean more towards Protestant. (salvation by grace & not works, I dont believe in purgatory, I dont pray to Mary or Saints, I have never confessed my sins to a priest)

I guess Im on the fence as I posted in the other forum. I feel that the Catholic church is where I belong, but I cant shake my protestant beliefs.

 

[awalt]

There’s a tremendous amount of material on this site specifically addressing the issues you point to. Have you read that, do you have specific questions we can help you with? Have you tried any local spiritual direction, from a priest, RCIA, etc.?

I am not sure where to start - the Church’s teachings originate with Jesus Christ both written and orally and through the Apostles. The Bible is pretty clear that Jesus created His church while on earth, and there was only one Church for a very long time - the Catholic Church. If Christ told you for example, personally, that Purgatory existed, I am sure you would believe it. SO where does your faith break down, and why?

God bless you!

 

[Detroit_Sue]

kate(name removed by moderator):

I posted in the Family Life (spirituality) forum, but I’m not sure that is where I need to be?

This may or may not have any relevance to my concerns, but I feel the need to share it with you: I am a baptized Catholic. Im not confirmed & have not received 1st communion. My husband & I were married in the Catholic church & we baptized our daughter in the church.

I was not raised in the Catholic church even though my mother baptized me there at 4 months old. I attended tounge speaking protestant churches with my dad up until I was 13 yrs old. The last 18 years, I havent attended church on a regular basis.

Up to this point, I can honestly say my beliefs lean more towards Protestant. (salvation by grace & not works, I dont believe in purgatory, I dont pray to Mary or Saints, I have never confessed my sins to a priest)

I guess Im on the fence as I posted in the other forum. I feel that the Catholic church is where I belong, but I cant shake my protestant beliefs.

You should PM djrakowski. His path was similar to yours. Now he’s in RCIA, and I’m invited to his Vigil!!

 

[katesmom]

awalt - Thank you for your reply. I will search the forum for the concerns I am having.

I appreciate your post!

 

[jimmy]

Maybe if you hang around here you can shake those protestant beliefs.

 

[ben_dy]

kate(name removed by moderator):

I posted in the Family Life (spirituality) forum, but I’m not sure that is where I need to be?

This may or may not have any relevance to my concerns, but I feel the need to share it with you: I am a baptized Catholic. Im not confirmed & have not received 1st communion. My husband & I were married in the Catholic church & we baptized our daughter in the church.

I was not raised in the Catholic church even though my mother baptized me there at 4 months old. I attended tounge speaking protestant churches with my dad up until I was 13 yrs old. The last 18 years, I havent attended church on a regular basis.

Up to this point, I can honestly say my beliefs lean more towards Protestant. (salvation by grace & not works, I dont believe in purgatory, I dont pray to Mary or Saints, I have never confessed my sins to a priest)

I guess Im on the fence as I posted in the other forum. I feel that the Catholic church is where I belong, but I cant shake my protestant beliefs.

KM,

Being Catholic, I obviously wouldn’t want to see you - and possibly your husband and daughter - leave the Catholic Church but in reading your message it sounds, already, as if it is not where you feel you belong and I’m betting that - as you say you haven’t attended church regularly in 18 years - you don’t feel very Catholic at all!

I can’t grasp, because I’ve not had your experiences, what it must be like to have attended pentecostal protestant services until you were a teenager and then a number of years later finding yourself married in the Church only because you were baptized as a child and your husband happens to be Catholic: that has to be some kind of shock to the system (maybe the way I would feel if my wife had been protestant and people began speaking in tongues at our wedding - now that may have proved to be the shortest marriage ever recorded).

If you don’t mind me being a little blunt, it doesn’t sound as if, in the past 18 years, you’ve given ‘church’ - protestant or Catholic - much of your time. (That seems to be an almost natural thing, now, with young people in their 20’s!) With your nickname, and the fact that you did have your daughter baptized in the Church, I’m wondering if you’re getting to that place in life where you might be realizing just how important having God in your life should be.

I’m wondering if you’ve discussed your feelings with your husband? Have you told him for instance, what you wrote about feeling that you belong in the Catholic Church but not feeling comfortable with all Catholic beliefs? Do you and your husband talk to one another about your beliefs? Have you attended any church functions together since you’ve married (other than for your daughter’s baptism!)?

I could suggest a number of things but anything I or anyone else suggestions is going to require action on your part. As you were baptized, but not raised, Catholic, this may be a great time to take some adult education classes at your Catholic parish - just call the office and see what they offer (and it might take 4-5 calls to find a parish that provides good adult classes). The nice thing about going to these classes is that you’ll be with others who are there to learn about the Catholic faith as well. You may - or may not - be surprised at what you learn. For instance, you say that your beliefs are more protestant than Catholic but how do you really know that unless you’ve compared, for instance, Baptist beliefs against Catholic? When you see evidence for Catholic sacraments, for instance, you may be more puzzled by why the Baptist church doesn’t have the same sacraments.

It seems that the only way to learn about particularly protestant beliefs is to join up and attend Sunday school classes, Bible study classes, church services two or three times a week, etc. The Catholic Church is different - we DON’T want you signing up until you’re certain! So my suggestion is for you and your husband (or just yourself if he’s not able or ready and willing) attend a few Catholic adult education classes - they go by different names under different parishes but USUALLY if you simply explain what you’ve written in your short note here to whomever answers the phone, he or she will be able to point you in the right direction. You may even want to start out by calling the diocesan office - they may know of adult Catholic education classes going on all over the city and may be able to direct you to one almost tailor made for you.

This is just one suggestion from one old man - I hope you receive more suggestions and I truly hope that you’ll take the first step towards God: He has given so much and we’re all in need of showing Jim just how THANKFUL we are.

Good luck and may God bless you and your family,

 

[catholic-rcia]

“salvation by grace & not works”

I was Baptized Catholic six years ago. I have helped with the RCIA ever since. What works could possibly get me to heaven? It is only because of the redemption of Christ, anything I do that is good is because of Him. I Have been taught that there is no ladder to heaven other than a hand up for a lost sheep. I see myself as the Lost lamb being carried home by my Shepard. I am the cross upon His back. As a Catholic I feel that it is because of the Catholic Church that the Protestants can even whisper His name. So many have misinterpreted this stuff for their own personal gain. If you are going to start your own Church is has to be against the Catholic Church in order to get members and to appear better. This is the dark side of human nature and it would include every one of us. The difference between the Catholic Church and all the other Churches is that it is built on the fall of all of us and not on the fall of another Church.

I would say I have salvation through the healing nature of Christ. I see the Church as a hospital for my soul. The good works that I do are only because I choose Christ, he does the rest. How a Protestant can say that Catholics think they can get to heaven because of good works is beyond me, beyond everything that I have learned. One cannot sneak around the Cross unless they were to become Mormon.

A protestant Baptist once told me that once you are saved by Christ you are always saved, they were adamant in telling me this, that you cannot loose your salvation. Of course as a Catholic I do believe that one can jump ship. I told this one that I know a born again Christian Baptist who denounced their Baptist Church and became Mormon. The conversation went silent.

So as a Catholic I would say that salvation is by Grace alone and not of works, as it is always His Grace and His works.

 

[katesmom]

Thank you to everyone who posted!

 

[GregoryPalamas]

Kate(name removed by moderator),

I’m not sure how you got the idea that Catholics teach or believe that we are saved by works and not by grace. We know the Scriptures God gave us through inspiration. They are our primary text book. One of our early saints penned Ephesians just as one of our early saints penned St. John’s Gospel. We know that it is by grace that we are saved. We also know that Jesus said this “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.”

This is a suggestion: Instead of trying to embrace the Catholic Church let the Catholic Church embrace you. The Church is complete and universal. It will carry all of her saints. Become one and let the Church embrace you.

Dan L

 

[mercygate]

Catholic teaching is that we are saved by grace through faith. As St. James says in his epistle: Faith is completed by works. There is not even a hint of “works righteousness” in Catholic theology. The great differences between Catholic and Calvinist thought on this lie in Catholic belief in free will (Calvinists deny it) and in the belief that by his divine munificence, God credits the good works prompted by our fruitful faith as merit – not as Christ’s own “condign” or inherent merit but as “congruent” (parallel though unequal) merit.

Believing in Purgatory is a lot easier than you might think for a Bible Christian. For example, many tongue-speaking Pentecostals believe in the rapture, and claim scriptural warrants for it. Let me assure you, the scriptural warrants for Purgatory so far out-class any argument for 3 advents of Jesus that it will make your head spin! Take the advice of other posters here and look at the tracts on the home page of Catholic Answers. Come back & ask questions!

The Communion of Saints is also a magnificent doctrine that encompasses all of those who have lived and died in Christ.

Confessing to a priest? After the Eucharist, Confession is just about the best thing about being Catholic! I harbor a quiet belief that those outside the Church who dread the thought of Confession, those who claim to resent the idea, harbor a secret longing for it, for the personal courage and humility it takes to expose oneself to Christ in the person of his ambassador, and that they long for the assurance of the precious words of absolution:

God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and the resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church
may God give you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Hosannah!

Welcome to the forums!

 

[puzzleannie]

evidently there was a movement in grace through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that led you to have your marriage blessed by the Catholic Church and to baptize your daughter. If you were raised in a pentecostal tradition no doubt you learned the importance of heeding the movements of the Holy Spirit and discernment. I would guess that if you had formal instruction in your faith you also had a good introduction to sacred Scripture.

My advice to you would be to begin where you are. Look to Scripture, particularly the gospels, to see what Jesus Christ really said, what He did, and why He did it, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you every time you pick up the Bible. Pray with the Gospels and listen to the Word.

For instance, read Luke’s Gospel and pray with it to learn about Mary and her role in the incarnation, birth and mission of her Son. Read John’s gospel (take a year to do this reading and praying with one section a day) to see what signs Jesus wrought and what He Himself says about His words and actions, and the reasons for them. If you have questions about the Eucharist spend a lot of time on chapter 6 and on the Last Supper discourse.

If you have questions about the hierarchy and papal authority, for instance, read the sections of the NT that relate to the choice of Peter, the keys, etc. Dave Armstrong’s book A Biblical Defense of Catholicism is a particularly good guide for those raised in a bible-based denomination to find and interpret scripture related to Catholic teachings and practice that present the most difficulty. It is available on the CA homepage under Shop.

If you miss the aspects of charismatic worship in your former church, find a charismatic Catholic parish near you. This is a big, universal church with room for all kinds of spiritualities.

if you have questions about specific topics, always begin on the CA homepage with the tracts, library, This Rock etc. to read up on the Catholic view of the issue. Then come here with more questions and discussion.

Get a good Catholic study bible, either New American Bible or Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition (Ignatius bible), and a Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2002 edition, both available on most websites that sell Catholic books. There are also links here someplace to online versions. Techies, can you help here? You will need these references in following discussion and links posted here.

Third make a good Catholic website your homepage, I recommend www.catholicexchange.com
this will give you links, news updates, saint of the day, daily lectionary readings, articles on faith and morality topics etc.

when you are ready, and find a parish where you are comforbable, enroll in the inquiry session of RCIA, and then when you are ready, preparation for confirmation and first communion. You may end up in an RCIA class simply because you have not been catechised, and will need basically the same teaching (but not the same rites) as the unbaptized. This is a process and a journey, not a course or program, and will take as long as it takes.

You would not be here asking these questions if you were not in the habit of responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, so that bodes very well for you. The answer to your doubts about the Catholic faith lies first in abandoning your preconceptions and learning what the CAtholic church really teaches. You sure picked a good place to start. Welcome home.

Fast track; whenever you feel you are on the right path and wish to speed up the process, begin praying the rosary, preferably with a good Scriptural rosary guide. Mary has a way of greasing the wheels.

 

[b_justb]

kate(name removed by moderator):

I posted in the Family Life (spirituality) forum, but I’m not sure that is where I need to be?

This may or may not have any relevance to my concerns, but I feel the need to share it with you: I am a baptized Catholic. Im not confirmed & have not received 1st communion. My husband & I were married in the Catholic church & we baptized our daughter in the church.

I was not raised in the Catholic church even though my mother baptized me there at 4 months old. I attended tounge speaking protestant churches with my dad up until I was 13 yrs old. The last 18 years, I havent attended church on a regular basis.

Up to this point, I can honestly say my beliefs lean more towards Protestant. (salvation by grace & not works, I dont believe in purgatory, I dont pray to Mary or Saints, I have never confessed my sins to a priest)

I guess Im on the fence as I posted in the other forum. I feel that the Catholic church is where I belong, but I cant shake my protestant beliefs.

Always good to hear and see people responding to the call of God. You may not have to shake your Protestant beliefs at all.

Many Protestant beliefs are indeed Catholic. You already mentioned a big one. Salvation is by the Grace of God alone. This is the Catholic teaching on salvation. I encourage you to learn about the Catholic faith as you listen more and more to the Spirits prompting.

 

[ben_dy]

puzzleannie:

Get a good Catholic study bible, either New American Bible or Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition (Ignatius bible), and a Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2002 edition, both available on most websites that sell Catholic books. There are also links here someplace to online versions. Techies, can you help here? You will need these references in following discussion and links posted here.

The Catholic Study Bible published by Our Sunday Visitor and which is a NAB edition is good for the heavily footnoted text (and this version is also available online - usccb.org/nab/bible/ - with footnotes and cross-references, a wonderful online tool) but I MUCH prefer the Ignatius RSV-CE for just spending time in reading.

There are so many places where you can find the Catechism of the Catholic Church online! I don’t know if there is actually one that is better than the others but I’ve just recently started using the Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church of Picayune, Mississippi, online Catechism because it has a speedy ‘search’ function - it can be found here or you can jump straight to the Index here .

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has the Catechism online (usccb.org/catechism/text/ ) as well as the Knights of Columbus ( kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/contents.cfm ). There are surely dozens of other websites with the Catechism online and maybe others will post some of their favorites.

Another great resource tool on the web is the New Advent - newadvent.org/ - website… it’s the second most frequented Catholic website in the WORLD, second only to the Vatican website (www.vatican.va)! But good old Catholic Answers - catholic.com/ - isn’t far behind at #6, and I think that it provides better access to many questions of the type that Kate’s Mom might have.

The Internet is a great tool but nothing can replace contact with real live people! I don’t think there will ever be a way for me to go on one of the CA cruises but I know that I would certainly love to meet many of the people whom I’ve ‘met’ here and many of the people whose messages I read who just bowl me over, sometimes with sheer knowledge but more often with such a powerful manner of sharing their faith: I lurk and read MUCH more than I post and sometimes just one thing, one sentence, that I read on these pages really makes my day. It does my soul good just to see how many responded with such wonderful suggestions to Kate’s Mom - for some of us who don’t get out easily it’s so inspiring to see how this media can be used to minister to so many souls. The only thing that I have to keep in mind, surrounded by electronic media more than human contact, is that - when I can - I have to get out and take action and DO! On those days when I’m unable to get to Mass I am thankful for EWTN (and I’m moving even closer to EWTN so I’ll have no excuse NOT to go to Mass there when able!) but I have to remind myself that watching Mass on TV is no replacement for participating in ‘real’ Mass and being in the ‘Real Presence’ of Christ!

Sorry for the rambling - hope to hear from Kate’s Mom again soon!

 

[katesmom]

Wow ya’all are great! You have given me lots of great information & resources to find the information Im searching for - Thank you!

A while back, I bought the NAB Catholic Study bible & Catechism of the Catholic Church. I cant say that Ive studied them in detail, but I do have them.

I started my quest for the truth about 6 to 7 months ago. Since I didnt/don’t attend church, I watched religious shows to get my daily dose of the Lord’s word. Well after learning more about Catholicism, I turned off TBN, The Word, Daystar & started to watch EWTN on occasion (I do still listen to Greg Laurie occasionally). - I really like him!

When I married in the Catholic church 3 yrs ago, I knew there were noticable differences between protestants & catholics, but I never really looked at those differences or even asked why? That is where my quest began. My mother’s side of the family is Catholic. My husbands side is non-denominational. The decision to marry in the Catholic church made sense because this is where my journey began at 4 months old. My baptism is very special to me even though I dont remember it!

My fathers churches were a little much for me. I just sat back & watched & listened for the most part. They were very very preachy & showy in my opinion. When I was 8, my sunday school class watched a show about the Rapture & this really scared me! I guess my beliefs began in the protestant churches because I didnt attend Catholic mass ever! That is why my mind is so open to catholicism, Ive had just enough to make me curious. The church & her history are so fascinating to me!

My daughter’s baptism was absolutly beautiful! Im so happy that we baptized her in the catholic church! Now I just need to tools to raise her Catholic. Her godparents are my mom & step dad. My mom wont discuss religion with me, not sure why? Its a touchy subject with her for some reason…

Well, Im glad that I have found a online family that has helped me so much! You are all special to me & I appreciate your help!

 

[ben_dy]

KM,

I’ll try to be brief, but the Lord - and anyone else having read my messages knows that ‘brevity’ is not one of my strengths: it’s just so good to hear back from you so soon, and nice that you’re “filling in the gaps” of some of your experiences!
kate(name removed by moderator):

Wow ya’all are great! You have given me lots of great information & resources to find the information Im searching for - Thank you!

There are some saints on this board, I can assure you. And if they’re not actually online they are certainly poling their heads in to make sure that what’s coming out on the screen is worthy and enriching.
kate(name removed by moderator):

A while back, I bought the NAB Catholic Study bible & Catechism of the Catholic Church. I cant say that Ive studied them in detail, but I do have them.

Everyone has different methods of Bible study and long before there were Bible study groups in most Catholic churches I began a two-method approach and here’s how I use it today: if I want to simply sit and read the Scriptures - whether at random or with a particular book in mind - I get out my Ignatius Revised Standard Version: it’s a beautiful translation, very true to the original languages of origins (some say the best in that regard) and even though the English is ‘updated’ from the 17th century language of the KJV, it is still, where meant to be, poetic. These days if I am on a Bible quest, however, wanting to understand, for instance, what the Bible has to say about ‘grace’, I’ll pull out both the Catechism and the NAB Study Bible and first see what the Catechism has to say, turn to the relevant citations in the NAB, and read the footnotes there as well. Then if I really get going on a particular topic (as I’m sure you would be in trying to see just which - Catholic or protestant - doctrine is correct, that’s when I fire up the computer and use all the resources - such as Catholic Answers and New Advent - yo make certain that I’ve achieved the best explanation I can find on my own. While I feel that both methods are useful - and I always start any readings with prayer and in these cases particular prayer to the Holy Spirit to be there as my guide and comforter - I know that I can feel just as spiritually enriched in either ‘mode’: the latter seems, sometimes, like ‘homework’ (because I absolutely take notes as I’m gathering information) it’s a good kind of spiritual homework. One I would compare prayer of quiet thanksgiving while the other a more guided prayer of petition. We need them both and that’s how - these days - I’ve approached studying both Scripture and Sacred Tradition as well.
kate(name removed by moderator):

I started my quest for the truth about 6 to 7 months ago. Since I didnt/don’t attend church, I watched religious shows to get my daily dose of the Lord’s word. Well after learning more about Catholicism, I turned off TBN, The Word, Daystar & started to watch EWTN on occasion (I do still listen to Greg Laurie occasionally). - I really like him!

I know that I can say that I love all the folks at EWTN equally but there I tape a lot of the programming and although I was getting over there more easily awhile back so that I could be in the audience for some of the live or taped shows, I have to say that of all the “stars” on EWTN I never miss Fr. Groeschel (of course it’s kind of obvious that he’s not taping down Birmingham way - he does not have a hint of a southern accent: and his books are terrific, too), anything that Fr. Francis Mary is doing (yes, I’m MUCH too old for ‘Life on the Rock’ but he is such a spirited and spiritual young man!), Fr, Mitch, of course, and simply too many others to name, although I KNOW I’m leaving out 97% of the other programming. And I love watching Mother’s ‘Classics’ shows - they ARE classics in that so many are timeless and long after she’s gone they will be - along with EWTN itself - just a part of her many legacies.

…continued…

 

[ben_dy]

…continued…
kate(name removed by moderator):

When I married in the Catholic church 3 yrs ago, I knew there were noticable differences between protestants & catholics, but I never really looked at those differences or even asked why? That is where my quest began. My mother’s side of the family is Catholic. My husbands side is non-denominational. The decision to marry in the Catholic church made sense because this is where my journey began at 4 months old. My baptism is very special to me even though I dont remember it!

No doubt there are differences - some large and some small - between the doctrines of the Catholic Church and the overwhelming number of protestant sects (but, as I’ve pointed out before, there are doctrinal differences amongst churches who all have ‘Baptist’ in the title but belong to different organizations which have doctrinal differences amongst themselves - I used to think that all Baptist believers believed the same thing - and, boy, was I wrong!). Some of the biggest differences aren’t matters of doctrine, though - some are just the different ways in which we worship, the things we do and say. The Catholic Church, having 2,000 years of History, has in many cases done exactly what Paul told the Thessalonians: “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.” And so even some of our ‘small t’ traditions are similar to those practiced for thousands of years. But I think as you take a closer look you’ll notice that our ‘separated brethren’ share many of the ‘original’ doctrines of the Church which was founded by Christ.

It’s of importance, I think, to ask yourself just why that Baptism that took place when you were four-months old - an event you SURELY don’t remember! - should seem important now. God never stops speaking to us even though we may forget to listen. But when we do begin to listen again the joy is literally indescribable.
kate(name removed by moderator):

My fathers churches were a little much for me. I just sat back & watched & listened for the most part. They were very very preachy & showy in my opinion. When I was 8, my sunday school class watched a show about the Rapture & this really scared me! I guess my beliefs began in the protestant churches because I didnt attend Catholic mass ever! That is why my mind is so open to catholicism, Ive had just enough to make me curious. The church & her history are so fascinating to me!

Me, too - and I’ve been reading Church history and theology for over 60 years! It’s easy to see why you’re open and curious - this is Christ’s Church and you are a baptized member of His Church - even during those years when you were completely removed from the Church.
kate(name removed by moderator):

My daughter’s baptism was absolutly beautiful! Im so happy that we baptized her in the catholic church! Now I just need to tools to raise her Catholic. Her godparents are my mom & step dad. My mom wont discuss religion with me, not sure why? Its a touchy subject with her for some reason…

My wife’s father was similar to your Mom - he was a very devout man, a very orthodox Catholic, but you “just don’t talk religion around Dad”. It was always another family member who would offer a prayer of thanksgiving at meals, for instance, and he was not comfortable around my family where discussions of one topic of a specific aspect of a doctrine could be the main conversation for weeks. But I would bet that your Mom takes her role as a god-parent to your child seriously - and I have to wonder if (and I’m not trying to psychoanalyze your Mom based on this brief knowledge) if she feels uncomfortable because she’s not sure where are on your journey towards God? She could be like my father-in-law - or she could be waiting to see what your decision is going to be. Or… (and this is REALLY long-distance psychoanalysis!) …as it sounds as if she let your father control your religious upbringing (choice of churches, any education, etc,) could it be that she may feel a little guilt over that? If she was raised Catholic she’s likely to know that, while both parents assume the responsibility of the religious upbringing of their children, in cases of mixed marriages it’s more often than not the Catholic parent who takes things in hand. This is nothing but speculation, mind you: there could be any number of reasons that you’re Mom is uncomfortable discussing religion but I can guarantee you that there are people HERE who aren’t uncomfortable at all AS WELL AS people in adult inquiry classes at your local churches who are more comfortable discussing religion than - well - baseball, anything!

…continued…

 

[ben_dy]

…continued…
kate(name removed by moderator):

Well, Im glad that I have found a online family that has helped me so much! You are all special to me & I appreciate your help!

I appreciate that you got back so quickly - I have not been on this board (or any others) since the early to mid 1990’s, I guess, and it was always so wonderful hearing from someone who was looking for God and you’d add them to your morning prayer petitions and weeks would go by and you’d never hear from them again. One young lady even phoned me as I knew the pastor at her local parish and I ‘introduced’ them over the phone and she set up a meeting with him… but didn’t show up. And she never showed up on that group again. Over the years I have such guilt that I didn’t call her back and ask her what happened but I didn’t want to embarrass her or put her on the defensive, so I never called. And I’ve always wondered if I did the right thing or not.

So it’s a blessing just to hear back from you and I do hope you know that you are in our prayers (and I’m certain that God knows exactly who ‘kate(name removed by moderator)’ is!) and hope that you’ll keep us posted and know that there is always someone around these boards to turn to with questions or - just to listen to whatever you’d like to share.

 

[katesmom]

ben_dy:

…continued…

But I would bet that your Mom takes her role as a god-parent to your child seriously - and I have to wonder if (and I’m not trying to psychoanalyze your Mom based on this brief knowledge) if she feels uncomfortable because she’s not sure where are on your journey towards God? She could be like my father-in-law - or she could be waiting to see what your decision is going to be. Or… (and this is REALLY long-distance psychoanalysis!) …as it sounds as if she let your father control your religious upbringing (choice of churches, any education, etc,) could it be that she may feel a little guilt over that? If she was raised Catholic she’s likely to know that, while both parents assume the responsibility of the religious upbringing of their children, in cases of mixed marriages it’s more often than not the Catholic parent who takes things in hand. This is nothing but speculation, mind you: there could be any number of reasons that you’re Mom is uncomfortable discussing religion but I can guarantee you that there are people HERE who aren’t uncomfortable at all AS WELL AS people in adult inquiry classes at your local churches who are more comfortable discussing religion than - well - baseball, anything!

…continued…

I never looked at it this way. Your psychoanalysis is pretty good in my opinion.

I looked into RCIA in the past, but due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to commit. I do plan on attending RCIA next year. I guess it starts back up in the summer at my parish. (i’ll keep you posted on that)

Thanks again for posting.