What to do

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I am a young teenage Catholic male who has recently rediscovered the beautiful Faith. I broke some bad habits, started praying a Rosary a day, and I began to talk about it. My parents, non-practicing, believe different things than I and have began to try to “open my mind”. I feel belittled when they sit me down to talk about how I need an open mind.

I always, due to my faults, lash out and lose my patience, as they tell me that mortal sins, real mortal sins, not ‘squash a fly’ mortal sins; are just part of life. I need to know resources to help me, so I can honor them without violating the Truth.

I apparently don’t laugh anymore because I don’t laugh at the stupid things my friends joke about… Take a guess:cool:.

My parish priest isnt an option because they wouldn’t allow me to talk to ‘some old men making rules because something is unsavory’. My grandparents, who take me to Mass, well, that may start an intrafamily crisis. Help!
 
Upgrade25 said:
I am a young teenage Catholic male who has recently rediscovered the beautiful Faith. I broke some bad habits, started praying a Rosary a day, and I began to talk about it. My parents, non-practicing, believe different things than I and have began to try to “open my mind”. I feel belittled when they sit me down to talk about how I need an open mind.

I always, due to my faults, lash out and lose my patience, as they tell me that mortal sins, real mortal sins, not ‘squash a fly’ mortal sins; are just part of life. I need to know resources to help me, so I can honor them without violating the Truth.

I apparently don’t laugh anymore because I don’t laugh at the stupid things my friends joke about… Take a guess:cool:.

My parish priest isnt an option because they wouldn’t allow me to talk to ‘some old men making rules because something is unsavory’. My grandparents, who take me to Mass, well, that may start an intrafamily crisis. Help!
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You’ve fallen into a classical generation-gap. That is, your folks, whom
I assume are Catholic, were once where you are now and made other choices. Because they are older they assume they understand life better (true for many things, but not per se in the area of faith).

There’s no percentage in arguing with them. The clash of generations leads only to rancor.

Find someone other than the parish priest whom you can turn to for counsel. Maybe the parish has youth groups?

Try to avoid involving your GP’s as much as possible. You really don’t want a trigenerational gap to appear.

ICXC NIKA.
 
Hey, that is awesome that you are praying a rosary each day. Keep it up! So many graces are coming to you through that!

The best thing that you can do is to grow where you are planted. God placed you in your family for a reason. We are called to evangelize at all times; however, sometimes it’s best done in action. If words aren’t getting through to your family and friends, your Christ-like behavior will. That’s not to say that they will convert over night, or even next month or even next year, but over time the seeds that you are planting, watered by your prayers and made to grow by God’s grace will slowly take root. It’s a long journey, but God is faithful. He won’t let your prayers and sacrifices go to waste.

God bless you!🙂
 
Upgrade25 said:
I am a young teenage Catholic male who has recently rediscovered the beautiful Faith. I broke some bad habits, started praying a Rosary a day, and I began to talk about it. My parents, non-practicing, believe different things than I and have began to try to “open my mind”. I feel belittled when they sit me down to talk about how I need an open mind.

I always, due to my faults, lash out and lose my patience, as they tell me that mortal sins, real mortal sins, not ‘squash a fly’ mortal sins; are just part of life. I need to know resources to help me, so I can honor them without violating the Truth.

I apparently don’t laugh anymore because I don’t laugh at the stupid things my friends joke about… Take a guess:cool:.

My parish priest isnt an option because they wouldn’t allow me to talk to ‘some old men making rules because something is unsavory’. My grandparents, who take me to Mass, well, that may start an intrafamily crisis. Help!
Click to expand...
With all due respect, there’s a strong holier-than-thou attitude in your post. If you have this attitude with your parents and are getting angry and yelling at your parents, they are going to get defensive. As will anyone you do this with - friends, peers, other relatives, etc. Live your faith and show your faith by the way you live your life. Talking about it does little good, especially if you are doing it in an angry way. Actions speak louder than words.

What do your friends joke about? If it’s offensive to God, quietly say a prayer and then change the subject. Maybe tell a clean joke that everyone can laugh about.

The best way to witness to the Truth is by example. Act lovingly toward everyone and live the Truth. Do not engage in sin and do not encourage sin. But above all, treat other with love. As the old hymn says, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

One of my favorite quotes from St. Therese of Lisieux, “It is of more value to speak to God than to speak about Him, for so many feelings of pride and self-focus stem from talking about God.”
 
My personal suggestion would be to find someone who has the opposite point of view, and discuss things with them. It could be someone at a local college, someone who wrote a local letter to the editor, someone you see at church…or in the grocery line. You might ask your grandparents about someone to discuss things with–you might not want to involve them personally, but they would be in a position to know other people.

Debating would help clarify your own thoughts. Reading would be helpful too–and whatever you read, read reviews with the opposite opinion (Amazon!).

Actually, your parents’ advice to “open your mind” is a good one. You should never be afraid to examine your own beliefs or debate others.
 
The friends’ joke thing might be more problematic than the arguing with family (which comes with being a kid, though it doth behooveth you, in your faith, to try to be a peacemaker in that respect).

Sharing humor is part of friendship. Sadly, a lot of humor in youth revolves around other people (cruel) or sexuality. Neither of these topics is particularly funny, but when you shrug off friends’ jokes, you come across as someone who “feels superior.” Nothing kills friendship faster, IMNAAHO.

I’d suggest you try to become a jokester yourself, in an acceptable manner. Learn a bunch of wholesome jokes that everybody can enjoy.

ICXC NIKA
 
GEddie said:
The friends’ joke thing might be more problematic than the arguing with family (which comes with being a kid, though it doth behooveth you, in your faith, to try to be a peacemaker in that respect).

Sharing humor is part of friendship. Sadly, a lot of humor in youth revolves around other people (cruel) or sexuality. Neither of these topics is particularly funny, but when you shrug off friends’ jokes, you come across as someone who “feels superior.” Nothing kills friendship faster, IMNAAHO.

I’d suggest you try to become a jokester yourself, in an acceptable manner. Learn a bunch of wholesome jokes that everybody can enjoy.

ICXC NIKA
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👍
 
kptrs said:
With all due respect, there’s a strong holier-than-thou attitude in your post. If you have this attitude with your parents and are getting angry and yelling at your parents, they are going to get defensive. As will anyone you do this with - friends, peers, other relatives, etc. Live your faith and show your faith by the way you live your life. Talking about it does little good, especially if you are doing it in an angry way. Actions speak louder than words.

What do your friends joke about? If it’s offensive to God, quietly say a prayer and then change the subject. Maybe tell a clean joke that everyone can laugh about.

The best way to witness to the Truth is by example. Act lovingly toward everyone and live the Truth. Do not engage in sin and do not encourage sin. But above all, treat other with love. As the old hymn says, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

One of my favorite quotes from St. Therese of Lisieux, “It is of more value to speak to God than to speak about Him, for so many feelings of pride and self-focus stem from talking about God.”
Click to expand...
👍 Thanks. I deserved that. I need to live a witness to my faith, before I talk about it.
 
GEddie said:
The friends’ joke thing might be more problematic than the arguing with family (which comes with being a kid, though it doth behooveth you, in your faith, to try to be a peacemaker in that respect).

Sharing humor is part of friendship. Sadly, a lot of humor in youth revolves around other people (cruel) or sexuality. Neither of these topics is particularly funny, but when you shrug off friends’ jokes, you come across as someone who “feels superior.” Nothing kills friendship faster, IMNAAHO.

I’d suggest you try to become a jokester yourself, in an acceptable manner. Learn a bunch of wholesome jokes that everybody can enjoy.

ICXC NIKA
Click to expand...
Yes! Any good starting points? I really do enjoy my friends.
 
Also, if anybody in your family is ex-military and gets American Legion magazine, they have a good joke page monthly.

**Readers’ Digest **does too (several) and would be worth a monthly run to the public library.

There are numerous joke threads on this system, and the mods, God bless them, ensure that the content is kept morally acceptable.

So no need to spend money to learn some jokes.

ICXC NIKA
 
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