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closetcatholic
Member
| Joined: | Wed Mar 21st, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 4 |
| First Name: | Jon | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Quaker |
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Posted: Wed Mar 21st, 2007 10:02 pm |
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We go to a Protestant church every Sunday morning. This church does not believe in the Sacrements, yet we feel we are growing spiritually. At some point, I am sure I will go to RCIA classes, but my wife still doesn't feel the time is right to leave our current church and convert to Catholicism.
Question: My wife and I are both baptized. Can we have our two children baptized in a Catholic church, with the understanding we will give them a Catholic upbringing?? (i.e. go to Mass on Saturday evenings, and continue, at least for a while, attending our current church Sunday mornings?)
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BodRod
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 720 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Wed Mar 21st, 2007 10:10 pm |
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| Your situation reminds of a fellow I knew years ago who openly stated that he knew his church did not follow the Bible and the teachings of Christ but his friends were in the church he attended, so he stayed in the church that he knew was not teaching Christ's teachings.
____________________
Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Wed Mar 21st, 2007 11:18 pm |
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closetcatholic wrote: We go to a Protestant church every Sunday morning. This church does not believe in the Sacrements, yet we feel we are growing spiritually. At some point, I am sure I will go to RCIA classes, but my wife still doesn't feel the time is right to leave our current church and convert to Catholicism.
Question: My wife and I are both baptized. Can we have our two children baptized in a Catholic church, with the understanding we will give them a Catholic upbringing?? (i.e. go to Mass on Saturday evenings, and continue, at least for a while, attending our current church Sunday mornings?)
Hi, Jon, welcome to CHN. Please feel free to ask any questions and we'll do our best to answer them for you.
Except maybe for this one. You are willing to promise that you will give your children an upbringing in a church you yourself don't accept. In practice, however, you'll actually be giving them a dual upbringing, as they will be attending services in both churches. How can you legitimately tell your children that your other church is not correct while you continue to attend? Your words are professing a Catholic faith and promising a Catholic upbringing, but your actions are saying something else.
It will really be up to your pastor. If you faithfully attend and participate in the Catholic parish, he might be willing to accept your promise. The Church requires that the pastor have at least a reasonable belief that the children will be raised Catholic, and you have to be willing to promise to do that, but your actions are teaching them something else. Once you are closer to a commitment, I think it would be more likely, but it's not impossible that your pastor may be willing to do it now.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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closetcatholic
Member
| Joined: | Wed Mar 21st, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 4 |
| First Name: | Jon | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Quaker |
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Posted: Sat Mar 24th, 2007 01:03 am |
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Hi, Jon, welcome to CHN. Please feel free to ask any questions and we'll do our best to answer them for you.
Except maybe for this one. You are willing to promise that you will give your children an upbringing in a church you yourself don't accept.
There is no doubt that I accept the church. The question is: Is it better for me to convert without my wife's blessing, or just to send our kids with my suport???
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sat Mar 24th, 2007 01:21 am |
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closetcatholic wrote: There is no doubt that I accept the church. The question is: Is it better for me to convert without my wife's blessing, or just to send our kids with my suport???
I can't really answer that. It is a very individualized decision you'll have to make, with guidance from your priest.
Others here have converted without their spouse's blessing, and some who want to have held off because they lack their spouse's blessing. Each must make their own decision.
The question of your acceptance of the Catholic faith is also not so clear. You may profess it and even truly believe it, but children tend to follow the example of their parent's actions. It is hard, for example, for a parent to preach abstinence while involved in an extramarital affair, or to stress the importance of a stable marriage while cohabitating. The belief may truly be there, but as the old saying goes, children learn what they live.
I assure you, it is not my intention to question your statements or your sincerety. Your situation does not fit the norm, so we're really not competent to advise you except to suggest that you visit with a priest where your situation can be carefully examined.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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