tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7418067986039614257.post3781973896808472701..comments2023-05-12T10:57:10.158-04:00Comments on Rambling Follower: On Mother's Day and Doubting Children: What Would You Do?Allisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16021781602272064901noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7418067986039614257.post-88746282995973780972013-05-12T21:06:23.919-04:002013-05-12T21:06:23.919-04:00Allison, I share your thoughts, although I have no...Allison, I share your thoughts, although I have not been as intentional about modeling participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as you have (I have my own difficulties with Reconciliation). We have insisted that our children attend regular Sunday Mass and Mass on Holy Days of Obligation, while they were children and teens, with no resistance by them. Now that they are adults, they still attend, with the odd absence due to work or oversleeping(!). My son is living with us while he goes to school. <br /><br />All that being said, I don't know if it was their personalities, our example or just the fact that "this is what our family does". St. Monica is a good source of comfort and solace to all mothers of doubting children. Oftentimes, by the example of their parents, doubting teens and young adults will find their way back. And I agree that doubt is a sign of intelligence. Better to have a frank discussion with our kids then to just insist on blind belief.<br /><br />This is an excellent post and very timely for Mother's Day!Paulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02647220453777040327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7418067986039614257.post-53858576024222447802013-05-12T20:43:08.457-04:002013-05-12T20:43:08.457-04:00It's about a personal relationship with Jesus ...It's about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a love relationship, a choice they make on their own. I've thought about this quite a bit, having forged my own path, different from my parents, in the Catholic church. <br /><br />It's wonderful he's seeking and really looking on his own. He will OWN his personal relationship with Jesus. "Christ is an irresistible force." It's tough while going through it, but have boundless confidence in the ability of Jesus to 'draw all things to Himself.' Have confidence in the eternal beauty of the Catholic church, how Christ uses her to draw people closer to Himself.<br /><br />Grab onto St. Monica, St. Augustine's mom. There's a heartening example of a Mom who never gave up on her son, but prayed and suffered to the end. She is such a great example, and so human! Lol, all the crying and arguing and following around she did! :-)Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04711448756752933218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7418067986039614257.post-69638849141669305562013-05-12T16:23:53.440-04:002013-05-12T16:23:53.440-04:00Hi Allison -- All of this is good. I just wanted ...Hi Allison -- All of this is good. I just wanted to add a bit from our experience with our 14 year old daughter who was confirmed in late May. Just prior to when the process started about 2 years ago, she and I would battle nearly every Sunday before Mass (or when she had to go to our church's GIFT program). It was exhausting for me, and I'd end up entering Mass totally fraught with anger. Not good. So after one particularly bad Sunday, I turned the car around, dropped her back at home and went to church without her. After Mass, calm and with firm resolve, I came home and told her her faith live was hers, not mine. Her father and I had led her to this point -- and the decision to continue was 100% hers. And then I let go (Chris has already let go to this struggle). She chose to be confirmed -- and in that next two years, I never again had an argument. Somedays she didn't want to go - -especially to GIFT on a weeknight with lots of homework, and sometimes she didn't. But the choice was hers -- and my impression is that she really owns that choice. What would I have done if she had turned her back on the church? I'm not sure -- prayed like you, hoped through our family shared faith experiences that she'd change her mind, recalled that as a Freshman at Georgetown the first theology course we took was called Problem of God, exactly to challenge our young adult beliefs so that what came out the other side was our own. And yes, some subset of us with be with you all next week (though a dreaded swim meet may also be in the picture for Henry).maevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00044483679085923159noreply@blogger.com