What can I do about a son who is reluctant to convert?

[revert_dad55]

I reverted to my Catholic faith last year. While I was away, I married (invalidly) an Episcopalian woman. She converted last year and we had a convalidation. We’ve been blessed with five children: three who are grown and on their own, a 17-year-old daughter who converted along with her mother, and a 15-year-old son who says he doesn’t want to convert. He was confirmed in the Episcopal church at age 13. Of course, I’d like for the family all to be together on this. Since my son is living at home and dependent on his parents, what can or should I do to encourage him to convert? What mustn’t or shouldn’t I do? I realize that it is because of my earlier negligence that he wasn’t raised Catholic to begin with.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Since you and your wife chose to raise your son Episcopalian and allowed him to be “confirmed” Episcopalian, you must respect his conscience about remaining an Episcopalian. What you can do is to set out your expectations for him that he continue to fulfill his Christian obligations and learn his Christian faith. In other words, don’t allow him to use the fact that the rest of the family is not going to his church as an excuse not to go to church at all. If he wants to remain Episcopalian in a family of converted Catholics, it should be his responsibility to plan out how he will go to services and continuing education at his church. If that means bicycling, carpooling, or taking public transportation until he can drive himself, that could teach him responsibility. You can help him with rides if you wish, but it should be understood that you are doing him a favor, for which he should be grateful and willing to assist you in your needs in return.