|
|
 |
Frank
Hickman IV
wrote:
|
|
Hi, guys —
I should start by saying that I am not a Catholic.
I was raised Lutheran but, with a lack of faith
in that church where everything is cryptic,
at best, I though I'd ask you a question that
has been on my mind. I also should point out
that I have been considering converting; your
reply will help me choose.
- Is it wrong to convert to Catholicism
when the one I love is Catholic and I still
do believe in God and the messages that
Jesus Christ has given us?
This may sound like an odd question but if
things work out with my girlfriend and I,
I wouldn't want our children to be raised
in a family environment with mixed faiths:
Catholic and Lutheran. I believe it would
only cause a confusion in their faith.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read
my e-mail.
P.S. Sorry if this question is offensive.
Frank Hickman IV
|
| {
Should I become a Catholic to prevent a mixed marriage though I still believe in God and Jesus? }
|
|
Bob
replied:
|
Frank,
I laud you on thinking these things
through now, because your are right
in being concerned that raising children
with mixed messages on faith only
leads to confusion and sometimes
no faith.
Your family would be stronger
if you are unified in one faith.
That being said, I would encourage
you to follow your inclination to
examine the Catholic faith. We hold
that Christ established a Church,
not to be divided, but to be unified.
There is no greater unifying force
in the world of Christians than The
visible Church built on Peter, the
first Pope. All the Apostles created
local churches and left others to
carry forward their ministry and
authority, but the unique mission
of keeping the faithful united was
left to Peter. This responsibility
has to do with authority and doctrine,
and the Catholic Church alone can
make a coherent argument in its favor.
You would be blessed to become a
Catholic, not because we are better
Christians, but we have:
- the fullness of the Sacraments
- diverse styles of prayer
- rich theology
- and the Apostolic succession that is built on Peter.
You can inquire about an RCIA program
at a Catholic parish, or you can
begin through independent study.
We would be happy to assist you with
any questions you may have along
the way.
Peace and God bless you.
Bob Kirby
|
Mary
Ann replied:
|
Hi, Frank —
RCIA is a wonderful way to begin the
process of conversion. It will be
a process:
- you will learn
- grow
- be in community
- and then decide.
Having a Protestant parent can be
a good learning experience and witness,
but you are right that children should
be brought up with one or the others
faith.
The Church asks the Catholic
spouse to promise to raise them Catholic,
and asks the other non-Catholic spouse to not interfere.
As for the Word of God and the message
of Jesus, that certainly exists in
the Catholic Church, so you will
not be losing anything, only gaining
— sacraments, clarity, and
truth.
Mary Ann
|
Mike
replied:
|
Hi, Frank —
I just wanted to add to my colleagues'
reply.
Bob said:
I would encourage
you to follow your inclination to
examine the Catholic faith.
I agree with Bob. If you wish to go deeper, consider buying a cheap copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to learn everything we believe as Catholics. If you, or any visitor, has been helped by our work at AskACatholic.com, consider financially supporting us today. If you can't right now, check out our Click To Support program.
You said:
P.S. Sorry if this question is offensive.
From my view, as the Administrator
of this site, there is no such thing
as an offensive question as long
as it is asked with sincerity.
The Web is our worldwide CCD class
that we administer from. It has
people of all race, colors, creeds
and age groups with various
secular and religious educational
backgrounds as well as maturity levels.
If the question is sincere, we'll
answer it.
If it's not, we'll discern it among
the team members and, if deemed appropriate,
will ignore it.
Mike
|
|
|
|
