My husband is ethnically Jewish, baptized episcopalian, I'm catholic. How do I interest him in Catholicism

Question

I am trying to get back into the church. We were married outside of the church, and now that we are married, I feel like I need to get back in touch with God to apologize for being married outside of the church. I also want to raise our children catholic, but he is more of a "practical athiest" where he gets into God for a while, but he never really commits. He agreed to raise the children Catholic (i'm not pregnant yet), but I'm afraid he won't ever fully accept a Catholic life. How do I get him to be interested in Catholicism? He is very liberal and he has this constant thought that all priests are molestors and that the Catholic doctorine is bad for women... what can I do?

Answer 1

1. rectify your marriage in the Catholic Church. This can be accomplished even if your husband will not cooperate.

2. Go to confession.

3. Get a copy of the book Why Do Catholic Do That by Kevin Orlin Johnson. It is easy to read and presents the basis to the most often asked questions about Catholicism.

4. Practice your faith, go to Mass and pray a rosary for your husband every day. There is no more powerful influence on a man than his faithful wife. Invite him to Mass once each week- perhaps with a choice of Mass times, do not nag. If he doesn't join you, let him know how much you missed him when you get home...and I don't mean with words.

It took 11 years, but my husband converted!

Answer 2

There is nothing you can do to force someone to "get" Catholicism, or any religion (belief system of any kind) for that matter. The best way to demonstrate that the Catholics Way is the best way, is simply to live it by example. Raise your children Catholic and have them live the Catholic lifestyle by example.

You can get him to understand Catholicism, even if he doesn't necessarily believe. Perhaps, in his understanding and bearing witness to his family living this understanding, he will see the Light.

This is going to take time of course, probably much longer than any of us want it to take. That's okay. You know the saying, "Be patient, God isn't finished with me yet"? In the meantime, pray.

Being a liberal does not make one a bad Catholic.I come from Massachusetts and, while many people are politically liberal, I would be foolish to question their faith and loyalty to the Church.

Liberalism is not the reason your husband thinks all priests are child molestorts. The media and wishful thinking on your husband's part, is to blame.

Ask him to prove that literally every Catholic clergyman is a pedophile. He will admit to not being able to do it, if he's being honest. Ask him to show how the Catholic Church is not good for women, whatever that means? Again, if he's being honest, he will not be able to prove the Catholic Church isn't good for women. DO NOT accept anecdotal evidence. Accept only cold hard facts ONLY.

If you want further assistance, don't hesitate to email me.

Answer 3

Well this is something you should have considered BEFORE you got married. I don't understand why people marry someone who is not of their faith and then spend the rest of their lives trying to convert them.

You need to accept a few things right now- He may NEVER have any interest in becoming Catholic, or living the Catholic lifestyle- you need to just deal with that fact, stop trying to change him. You knew who he was when you married him.

Your children will go to church with you when they are little, but as they get older, they may opt for Dad's lifestyle. Oh well that is the choice you made, if you want your children to be Catholic, then you should have married a Catholic.

Now all you can do is be the best Catholic you can and be an example to your husband and children. Nagging will just make them resent Catholicism and you.

This is why I believe that inter-faith marriages are a bad idea. Love is simply not enough to make a marriage work.

Edit**
I do believe that it is the parents role to guide their children in the matters of spirituality- and raise them with the religious beliefs the parents think are the best- however you can only do that if both parents are on the same page from the beginning.

Answer 4

As far as the doctrines - women, priests - a little research and education will show someone what the Church does and doesn't teach.

Now, how to get him to the Church. Here's the secret:

Prayer.

Devote yourself to communion with God. Reclaim your faith by joining with Him in devoted prayer. It's the core of the Christian faith. Let the Holy Spirit take the lead, and by your example, God's light will shine through. No amount of preaching will break the ice. People pay attention to what you do, not what you say.

While you re-embrace your prayer-life, study the faith. Know what the Church teaches. It was no different with the first Christians - they were given the faith, but they also had to be taught, which meant study.

God bless and take care.

Answer 5

I think this is a SHOW not TELL sort of situation.

Find a good church with a good priest, and get involved. Start going, not just to church, but to what Protestants call "fellowship events" , (is there a 20 and 30s group?).

The best way to start will be to VOLUNTEER... teaching CCD would be a good way to not just get involved in the parish but also to brush up on your own doctrine so that you can answer his questions. If you can sing being part of the music ministry might not be bad either... though Catholics are well known to have the absolute WORST liturgical music on the planet thanks to Vatican II.... Still if, say, you joined the chior you could get him to come to church to listen to you sing on occasion.

The point is, as you get involved in the Parish you will make new friends... and even if he doesn't go to church with you when YOU go every Sunday (hint) you can almost certianly get him to go to the Friday Lenten Fish Fry, the Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast, the School Fundraiser Spagetti Dinner, the Parish fall festival...things like that.

Now since you are volunteering at Church and going regularly you will know people from Church and you will introduce him to your Church friends... and at these events he will meet people and SEE for HIMSELF that what he has been told is simply untrue. For him to do what you want him to do, you are talking about a genuine conversion... those things don't take place because someone TELLS you something... those things take place because of things you SEE. (St. Francis said "Always preach the Gospell and sometimes you may even have to use words" or something like that...)

As you get involved you will meet people... this will will result in dinner invites, and you will add more involved practicing Catholics to your circle of friends.... With luck and a bit of time you can get into the Parish 20's and 30s group or something like that.

DON'T make these things he "has to do"... if he doesn't like going to these things at first make a point to tell him, and to show him (physically...hint, hint, hint...) how much you appreicate it when he goes to these things with you, and how much you love him for doing that for you....

You are talking about changing the guys life here... so don't expect this to happen over night.. or even over a year or two... it will take quite a while... but the Colorado river dug the Grand Canyon with nothing but water and time and persistance.

So with patience, prayer, and persistance, this should work.

Good luck

Answer 6

It would be helpful if he could attend RCIA classes but he must get past his false beliefs about the Church. You can make him aware thqat there are very few priests who have molested anyone. The facts are that among priests as a group they have a much lesser incidence of molestation than any other group of clergy. In fact, even less than school teachers by a wide margin. He can learn about the role of women in the Church and appreciate the veneration of the blessed mother of God which is contradictory to his false belief. AIt is OK to dislike the Catholic Church but one should dislike for reasons that are truthful rather than for reasons that are false.

Challenge him to prove his dislikes in Catholic writings. He can't.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 7

I know a woman who totally converted her, then, boyfriend who was an ardent and scientifically knowledgeable atheist to the point where he, now, is a totally committed, converted, Roman Catholic who goes to Church at least once a week, reads the Bible every day, and is totally involved with the Catholic community.
Long story short (and, believe me, it's a very long story), he was willing to do what she asked of him and it all started with daily prayers, with him participating, that "God will come to you", etc. Then she engaged him in Bible reading where they'd discuss what they read. At the same time he had to go to Church every time she did (you should see him now, goes with her AND without her!). After a little over a year of this she actually hired a religiously fanatical hypnotist and after many sessions extending over a few months (for free!) that clinched it, he began seeing and hearing God, etc. Finally, he enrolled in those RCIA classes and was baptized a Catholic. They, then, married...in a Roman Catholic church.
He doesn't even bother with science now except as a way to re-convince him of his faith. It was totally amazing to me and his other friends who he now tries to convert also! At least they are the happiest couple I know. :)

Answer 8

You must firm up your faith before you can try to influence his. I recommend the tape/mp3 series by John Martignoni on www.biblechristiansociety.com. Also, read and/or listen to Scott Hahn (Presbyterian minister who became Catholic).

Also, look into Saint Rita, patron saint of impossible causes.

Answer 9

definite, considering the fact that your husband is Catholic now, your toddler may be baptized Catholic. You, additionally can return formally to the Catholic faith. you may want to enroll in ceremony of Christian Initiation for Adults training (unfastened, weekly training) to study greater appropriate to the Catholic faith after which you additionally could make your first penance and be shown & make your First Holy Communion next Easter.

Answer 10

Allow your husband to follow whatever religion he sees fit. He is after all an adult and should be able to make his own informed decisions.

As for your children, I suggest you raise them with love and affection and let them choose their own religion when they are old enough to understand the implications of their choice (and the choices they will be rejecting too).

Same for all folks really.