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Didi
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 |
| Location: | Oregon USA |
| Posts: | 155 |
| First Name: | Didi | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic; almost left; Now an On-Fire Catholic! |
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 09:06 pm |
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I am the only sibling of 4 in my family who remains a practicing Catholic.
I have a sister who is a very strong Christian, but sort of has a superior attitude about her faith (she's older than me) and has rejected all that "Catholic stuff."
My oldest brother has faith, but it got really warped somewhere along the way. He believes there will literally be only 144,000 people saved, once saved always saved, the Pope is the antichrist, doesn't attend any church anymore because he always finds something to disagree with, etc. He also has a superior attitude about his faith.
My other brother is terribly fallen away, into drugs and alcohol, got divorced, has pretty much abandoned his children (who are all out of high school and young adults), married an addict and is estranged from most of the family.
I really long for them to come back home! Especially to the Sacraments and the Holy Eucharist. Yet, I don't want to have a "superior" attitude about my faith either. I know it is the One True Church, yet I also know that God uses people in different ways and everyone's path is different. My sister, for example, is very active in her Church and really ministers to people in many different ways, bringing them closer to Christ.
I just feel like there's this huge wall separating us because they look at me like I'm a lost little child and don't really listen when I try to explain why I believe what I believe and will often belittle my faith.
So, what's the best way to relate to them (especially my sister)?
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 1227 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Nominal Methodist / evangelical non-denom / "Bapticostal" / Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 09:31 pm |
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Hi Didi,
That's a tough situation. It's a judgment call (as in your question on how to present purgatory, that I just replied to), but I would say that in general, it is good in such situations to take it very slow and easy and to look for any common ground that can be found. People are impressed when folks are not overly aggressive. It's a matter of prudence and timing (especially with hostile family members).
Show a lot of love and pray, in any event, and the opportunities will eventually open up for you to share your faith, at the right time. If there is any curiosity or inquisitiveness shown, then follow it and capitalize on it. Going too fast can actually cause the already difficult situation to degenerate further.
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 1900+ papers & web pages (absolutely free) & 16 apologetic books (for sale):
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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Didi
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 |
| Location: | Oregon USA |
| Posts: | 155 |
| First Name: | Didi | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic; almost left; Now an On-Fire Catholic! |
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 10:44 pm |
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Thanks, Dave. It's just that I want my family to find what I have found -- Jesus, Truly Present in the Holy Eucharist, and it's hard to be patient!
Sometimes I want to just shake them and say "Do you know what you're missing??!!" Then I think, it wasn't too long ago that I didn't know either. Ugh!
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 11:25 pm |
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Didi, you are a wise, holy lady and already know this, but I will send you a hug and a word of encouragement here to hang in there.
There is no substitute for humility, holiness, gentleness, patience, forbearance, and charity. (If there were, I think I would have discovered it since those six are so hard.)
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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vee12
Member
| Joined: | Mon Aug 13th, 2007 |
| Location: | Japan |
| Posts: | 22 |
| First Name: | vee12 | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Mar 6th, 2008 05:47 am |
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I know how you feel since I am the only one out of my brothers and sister who goes to church every Sunday. Interestingly my Mom (cradle) is the only one of her brothers and sisters who is a practising Catholic as well as my Dad (convert). While I wish my brothers and sister would go to church God wishes more since He created them. Basically pray for them, and let them know you go to church even in a simple way by conversations like "well I have mass at 10:30 but can meet you for lunch after." I even gently say things like I am going to 10:30 mass want to come? Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt. My niece (age 12) went with me after a couple of months of gentle nagging, and even said to her mom (my sister) "we should go to church every Sunday"  I havent talked to them lately to find out if they are though. Before you talk to them ask their guardian angel to help them listen too.
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