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Nancy
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
My niece is a Unitarian and is searching for
a church. She feels alone, is emotionally
fragile and has no Christian background at
all, other than the bad examples given to
her by Catholic and
non-Christian friends. Her parents are Unitarian
and very anti-Catholic, anti-Christian, and
extremely liberal. My niece called and said
she would like to come with me to our Catholic
church on Sunday but is also exploring other
churches as well.
Please help me in this delicate situation
with reference to what she should consider
when looking into other churches. She is so liberal
and spiritually empty that, honestly, I am
afraid that she would have a very hard time
with even the most basic concept of the ten
commandments, never mind becoming Catholic.
I am leaving that up to the Holy Spirit to
work out with her.
I am worried about the hostility this will
cause from her parents, as well as for both of
us, but I worry even more for her immortal
soul.
- Please provide some advice on the best questions she
should be asking when exploring other churches.
She may end up joining a Protestant denomination just
to soothe her parent's biases against the Catholic
Church.
Many thanks and God Bless!
Nancy
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{
What do you recommend for my niece who is a faith-seeking Unitarian with anti-Catholic parents? }
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Hi, Nancy —
You didn't say how old your niece
is.
- If she is a minor, you should
ask her parents if you may take
her to Mass.
- If she is not a minor, then just
take her to Mass, and let the
Holy Spirit and the presence of
Christ in the Eucharist work on
her, and then just answer her
questions.
Don't worry about all the details.
We have natural law in our hearts.
Prepare yourself with a good knowledge
of your faith, and offer her a Catechism if she desires one. You can get a cheap one on Amazon.
Mary Ann
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Nancy
replied:
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Hi, Mary Ann —
Thanks for your answer.
I know that I need to rely on the
Holy Spirit for this, and I am worried
that I will say too much or too little.
I just don't want to get in the way
of The Lord, but I also know I may
be looking at the only opportunity
for my niece to convert.
She is 39 years old, by the way,
and is emotionally, socially, and
financially dependent on her parents
especially after her painful divorce
from a fallen away Catholic, who
may have not been a very good example.
I could clearly hear the inner pain
in her voice when she called to ask
to come to church with us, although
the divorce took place two or three years
ago and there are no children.
I know I should encourage her conversion
to Catholicism, but she can't even
grasp the idea that premarital sex
and living together is wrong!
I think that if I asked her what
she would be looking for in a church,
one of the things would be that it
be open-minded about
sex and other social issues we consider
sins. This is not going to be easy
for me or the Holy Spirit.
Say a prayer for her!
Thank you and God Bless!
Nancy
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Hmmm . . .
I can see that she is very
sensitive and would have some issues
with Catholicism. Don't be shy, though. Protestants
get converts because they are up
front about their relationship with
the Lord. If she asks, tell her of
the joy the Eucharist gives you.
It basically comes down to this:
- Did Christ exist?
[We know he did, more so than
even Julius Caesar.]
- Did He say He was the Son of
God?
- So was He crazy?
[Even opponents of Christianity
say he wasn't crazy.]
- Was he lying?
[Even opponents say he wasn't
lying, that he was one of
the best men who ever lived.]
So He had to be telling the truth.
- Now, what proof did He give?
[He worked miracles and He
rose from the dead.]
- How do we know that?
[Because many witnesses testified,
gave their lives for that
testimony, and worked miracles
in the power of the name
of that Risen Man.]
- Where do we find the witness
of those people, passed down in
an unbroken manner from the beginning?
[Only in the Catholic Church,
which bears the witness
to the deeds and words of
Christ. Christ also said
that He would pass on His
word through these witnesses,
and that He would guide
them and give them His Spirit
to be passed on to all,
and that they would do this
through preaching, Baptism,
the Eucharist and the laying
on of hands (ordination
of those who would continue
it).] [Sources]
So, if one wants to be Christian,
one logically becomes Catholic (especially
if one is free from cultural and
familial malformations about Catholicism).
One does not have to become Christian.
If one is drawn to Christianity,
one should ask God (which
she presumably believes in) to
guide her.
There is a good book: Ten
Prayers God Always Says Yes to.
Mary Ann
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