Who Destroyed this Family's Faith?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TLM08
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

TLM08

Guest
My 20 year-old nephew wants to become a religion teacher. He attended 12 years of Catholic school and now is majoring in religion a local Catholic university. He attends weekly Mass with his parents and by all accounts is a well behaved kid from a good catholic family.

In a recent discussion he revealed to me that he does not believe in Hell. He has no understanding of Mortal vs. Venial sin or the Sacrament of Penance. He told me that a Good and loving God would never send his children to a place like Hell and that Joseph Stalin, Adolph Hitler and Ted Bundy may eventually come to terms with their sinfulness and will certainly be allowed to see God if they are truly sorry.

His dad was there during this discussion and related to me that all religions are the same and that nobody is right or wrong in their worship since it is all directed at God. Dad also told me that everyone has a different idea of the truth and we should not claim to know better than say… Muslims, Protestants, Buddhists, etc.

After briefly discussing basic catholic doctrine with them it was obvious that they either didn’t believe, or were clueless about most of what the Catholic Church actually professes.

How in the world can this happen to these people who ARE CATHOLIC and attend weekly Mass at a mainstream Roman Catholic Parish right here in the good old USA?

:confused: :confused: :confused:
 
That’s so sad. It really doesn’t surprise me however. I’ve heard there’s some statistics out there that say over 70% of Catholics don’t believe in the real presence anymore.

I really believe it’s a sign of the times we’re living in. 😦
 
The question is not “Who destroyed this family’s faith?” but “Did they have the faith to begin with?”

It would not suprise me if your nephew doesn’t know the basics of the Catholic faith. Your nephew should have been taught the basics of the Catholic faith at home, school, and Church. Catechism classes are supposed to hand down the Apostolic faith to the next generation, but many schools and parishes have failed to do this.

In my experience, a lot of young Catholics are not taught the doctrines of the faith by their parents and priests. I left the Catholic Church for many years, partly because I was not taught the Catholic faith at home or at school. I didn’t know the basic Catechism until I taught myself many years later. I learned the Catholic faith through Catholic Answers and EWTN, and later through reading the Catechism and other Church documents. Catholic school education did not teach me the faith, or give me any incentive to continue going to Church. I had to rely on Catholic Answers for sound, orthodox doctrine.

If your nephew does not understand the basics of sin, then I think it is safe to assume that he received poor catechism instruction. If this is the case, then nobody destroyed his faith. The reality is far worse - he had no faith to destroy. Don’t interpret me as saying that your nephew has no “faith” or belief in God. This is not what I mean. When I say that he has no “faith,” I mean that he was never taught the basic, orthodox doctrines of the faith, let alone the complete Sacred Deposit of Faith. Many Catholics are ignorant of the Catechism through no fault of their own, and many adopt false beliefs because they don’t know what the Church teaches. This is what has probably happened to your nephew. He has unorthodox beliefs because he didn’t receive the true Catholic faith.

The fact that your nephew wants to be a religious education teacher is a good thing. It shows that he is interested in discussing religion and spirituality. I would use these talks as an opportunity to teach him the true faith. You can teach him the basic doctrines of the faith, and I am sure that you have books that he can read. I hope that your nephew can teach himself the faith in the same way that I did. Point him towards Catholic Answers and EWTN, and I am sure that he will change his beliefs and become an orthodox, faithful Catholic.
 
How can a kid go through 12 years of Catholic school and know so little about what the church teaches? And he’s in a Catholic college? That doesn’t make sense to me. At one time I read that those who went to Catholic schools were less likely to leave the church, as opposed to those who went to CCD classes. 😦
 
It is scary what is being taught in ‘Catholic’ schools today. :eek:
 
dconklin said:
It is scary what is being taught in ‘Catholic’ schools today. :eek:
Click to expand...
The problem is what’s NOT being taught.

God does love everyone and want all of us in Heaven w/ HIm, even Hitler. What kids aren’t hearing is that their choices could keep them from getting there. God does not force us to love and obey Him.
 
Ok, this young man grew up in a home where your brother or BIL thinks all religions are alike and while he is a dietist, one’s as good as the other.

Doesn’t that tell you something right there?

Real religious uprbinging takes place in the home, in the family. There’s a reason the family is called the Domestic Church. One cannot expect even the best Catholic schools to undo what the family does.

All I can think to do is pray for them all, and buy books from Cahtolic Answers for them all for Christmas.
 
dconklin said:
It is scary what is being taught in ‘Catholic’ schools today. :eek:
Click to expand...
Not all Catholic Schools… my kids go to one that is excellent… around here it is the public school teaching that is scary.
 
Christy_Beth said:
At one time I read that those who went to Catholic schools were less likely to leave the church, as opposed to those who went to CCD classes. 😦
Click to expand...
Those who leave the Church are those who were not taught the Faith by their parents, did not see the Faith lived and applied, and did not have a relationship with Christ.
 
BlestOne said:
Not all Catholic Schools… my kids go to one that is excellent… around here it is the public school teaching that is scary.
Click to expand...
Yep, same here.

Maybe it’s because he’s 20. They do know it all, you know.
 
HouseArrest said:
Yep, same here.

Maybe it’s because he’s 20. They do know it all, you know.
Click to expand...
Yep. And it may not be destroyed. It may just be on the back burner waiting for the fine example of an aunt…an uncle…a friend…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top