Hi Everyone! My name is Cindy. I am a SAHM to two wonderful kids DS Tucker (7) and DD Sumerlyn (2). DH Dewayne and I have been married almost 14 yrs. We are in Central Alabama. I don't think I have ever posted here, but I need your help (and prayers too).


I just read the Non-Catholic friends thread--man, I could have written that one myself. Which brings me to my problem. I have a Non-Catholic friend who won't really come out and say it, but I know she thinks we're not "Christian". Well, my DS has been attending their vacation bible school this week and having fun. Last night they had "the talk" with the children. Their Salvation talk. Of course my seven year old, decided he wanted to be a Christian. While I don't have a problem with this (duh), I do have a problem with they way they word things. They ask you (or the kids in this instance)--Do you want to become a Christian? By this they mean do you want to be Baptised into this Church and be a member of this church. I have a problem with this. My DS is very sensitive and intuitive. So of course he wants to be a Christian (I explained to him that we already are Christians). Honestly I think with them it about numbers--"We had X amount of souls saved at VBS". Basically he wants to go to this church because it is funner than our church. And I think that is the bottom line with him. Simply because our Church is very small and they have NOTHING for the kids to do--not even VBS. No Christmas program, no childrens liturgy, only CCD. I cannot tell you what a struggle it is for me in Mass--no nursery for my DD.

I love being Catholic--for me their is no other--I do like my friend's church. I know a lot of the people there. They do so much for the children. When DH and I married, him being Pentacostal and I, of course, Catholic, I told him that if he wanted to go to a different church I would go with him because I was not going to be sitting by myself in Church with our kids. Well, we visited almost every church in the county and he wouldn't make a decision so I told him that until he could decide that I was going to my Church and he could come if he wanted--well, he did up until 4 yrs ago when we moved away from my home Church.

So basically my question is--what do I do? what would you do? I plan on talking with our priest as soon as I can. Should I let him continue to go to the VBS? I hope some of you can help with your experiences.

Sorry to ramble right off the bat--thanks for reading.

I will be sending thoughts and prayers. Is there any way you could get a few things started at your parish ? It is so tough as I don't know of many Catholic parishes that do to much (ours included - though thatnks to a few people things arre starting). We do let our children go to a different denomination VBS but we have been very fortunate and a couple of our children now go to their youth groups - we have a very open dialogue with the leaders / minister therr and we respect each others choices etc

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Hi Sherri--thanks for your input. We have "one" of those priests--for some reason he shoots down suggestions for the "extras". I have just gotten off the phone with someone at one of the other Catholic Churches in my area and they have a bit more for the kids so I'm going to try it on for size.

Now come on--more input please!!

Here's my thoughts.

If there are other Catholic Churches that are close enough to go to and participate in regularily then I would choose one of those. I've always searched to find the perfect one in the towns where there are more than one church.

However, if there is only one that is feasible to attend regularily then I would work within the church as much as you can. "Those" priests and I don't get along well but if you go about things the right way and present them in the right way often times they won't turn it down. It takes a lot of work and often times you have to work within a certain framework BUT things can get accomplished. Bets are you are not the only one in the congregation that feels that way and often it helps to go in with a a couple people, a plan, a way the plan fits in with the church, and why a certain ministry is needed and it often does go forward.

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I just wanted to tell you my prayers are with you. I have read through your post a few times and I'm not sure I understand the situation so I don't want to comment, but I hope that God will guide you to make the best decision for yourself and your son.

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I would check out other Catholic churches... I'm sure one of them has to have a VBS... I remember going to ours as a kid and having a lot of fun. Could you sit down with your son and explain to him how you feel?

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~Brigette

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