A mom on CHNIforums queried how to talk to her 33 year old son, and asked for advice, since he isn't getting TRUTH from friends, or girl friend etc. This is part of my reply to her:
What I do is go to many Catholic blogs, and send them a blog or website now and then. I find interesting things on the internet such as "Theology on Tap" in both Dallas and Denver where my boys live, (sending it to them) and HOPE they might find it worth checking into, where they can go and be anonymous and just have a beer/ dinner and listen to a talk and perhaps ask some questions in a real down-to-earth manner, not "formal class" structure and just see where God may lead them from there. I sure wish there'd have been such a thing as that when I was in my 20's and 30's! We'd already left the CC and were in a Pentecostal/Evangelical world then...and our kids though baptized as Catholics never had ANY formation or teaching in the Church. We're answering for many a blunder, but yet, we were only doing what we thought to be best at the time, selfish as I was to go searching for the JESUS PEOPLE type church, when JESUS was and is always RIGHT THERE in the tabernacle 24/7! DOH!
Our sons and daughter-in-law seem to be watching us from afar, and Justin and I have had some nice conversations on the phone...just telling him what I do, which is always involving something "Catholic" as I volunteer at KVSS and the Holy Family Shrine, it's my LIFE and he always seems to be glad to hear how happy and content I am now. I think both of them were too smart and knew too much history to ever be content in the Evangelical fray. I was too, but just didn't think the old stodgy Catholic Church had the "answer!" NOT that Evangelicals aren't smart, please, I don't mean that at all. It's just so many upstart churches, and the "pat answer" mentality that sometimes comes through 'hard core' is just something my boys never "bought." Justin especially is much more inclined NOW I think to see that 'were at least in a HISTORICALLY ACCURATE place....you know? He had a minor in history and I think he respects the Catholic Church much more than these little independent offshoots of offshoots of offshoots...that just start with a guy (or gal) and her bible!
I've rambled and probably not offered much advice. I'm just praying to St Monica, and my dear Fr. Kevin to storm heaven for our boys, and St Justin and St Stephen (our son Steve's intercessor) and St Therese for our DIL, Jill. Pray pray pray, it sounds cliche, but it's the most powerful thing we can do, and to ask our "heavenly prayer chain" to intercede is BIG BIG help! I know they need to hear truth, but right now, it's not so much what I'll ever SAY to them, as more importantly just LIVING IT OUT (IN and WITH JOY) for them to "taste and see"...and when they ever hit the wall, or the bottom....they WILL KNOW where and to WHOM they should turn. I know they're in God's hands and there's no more capable hands in which to place them. PLUS, OUR LADY's mantle and arm are very long....she's the one that got my husband and me back so I know she'll not fail to nudge them and tug them along, too!
Hope there was something in there to give you some encouragement. I try. I cry and I pray. That's all God expects us to do.
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