What can I expect here?

[Anonymous]

I am a Protestant, married to a Catholic. Our daughter was baptized Protestant. DH usually attends church with us.

We just moved from DC, and DH joined the local parish, after not practicing or being a member for about 10 years. I am obviously fine with this, and don't mind if he attends his own church. However. The parish priest likes to meet with all new families and I'm a little wary of that. What can I expect? I do not plan to convert.

[Anonymous]

What are DH's thoughts on this? Feel like you need to come to some kind of decision as a couple. You say he has been attending a Protestant church with you and DD, but there must be some reason he felt compelled to join the local Catholic parish. Does he want DD to have some exposure to Catholicism? I'm sure the parish priest if familiar with "mixed" families, but I think you and DH need discuss where you both are spiritually and what kind of religious background you want to give your daughter.

[Anonymous]

DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

I don't think the priest is going to go for that -- I can't imagine the priest's visit is for any other reason than to bring in the whole family -- especially the daughter.

I'm guessing that DH might start losing interest in the catholic church, after being away 10 years and now feeling pressured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

OP, why be suspicious? Look at it as a lovely gesture as the priest taking his time to want to get to know a new member and his family. That's absolutely how this would be at my (Protestant) church and nothing more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

I don't think the priest is going to go for that -- I can't imagine the priest's visit is for any other reason than to bring in the whole family -- especially the daughter.

This is my suspicion. I just felt a alittle paranoid mentioning it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

OP, why be suspicious? Look at it as a lovely gesture as the priest taking his time to want to get to know a new member and his family. That's absolutely how this would be at my (Protestant) church and nothing more.

You've never met a Catholic priest, have you?

[Anonymous]

OP, would you be suspicious of a pastor of your church wanted to meet you, DH and DD? Either DH meets with the priest on his own, you all go but it doesn't change how you raise DD, or your DH respectfully declines.

I don't think you need to be scared or anything. LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, would you be suspicious of a pastor of your church wanted to meet you, DH and DD? Either DH meets with the priest on his own, you all go but it doesn't change how you raise DD, or your DH respectfully declines.

I don't think you need to be scared or anything. LOL

Let us know what happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

OP, why be suspicious? Look at it as a lovely gesture as the priest taking his time to want to get to know a new member and his family. That's absolutely how this would be at my (Protestant) church and nothing more.

You've never met a Catholic priest, have you?

True, but this would apply to any pastor -- they are all scouting for more church members. Times are tough, with church membership dropping in all denominations. The difference is the guilt trip a catholic priest can try to lay on a fallen-by-the-wayside Catholic who is not raising his child in the faith -- major mortal sin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

OP, why be suspicious? Look at it as a lovely gesture as the priest taking his time to want to get to know a new member and his family. That's absolutely how this would be at my (Protestant) church and nothing more.

You've never met a Catholic priest, have you?

True, but this would apply to any pastor -- they are all scouting for more church members. Times are tough, with church membership dropping in all denominations. The difference is the guilt trip a catholic priest can try to lay on a fallen-by-the-wayside Catholic who is not raising his child in the faith -- major mortal sin.

It's not a sin to raise your child Christian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

OP, why be suspicious? Look at it as a lovely gesture as the priest taking his time to want to get to know a new member and his family. That's absolutely how this would be at my (Protestant) church and nothing more.

You've never met a Catholic priest, have you?

True, but this would apply to any pastor -- they are all scouting for more church memers. Times are tough, with church membership dropping in all denominations. The difference is the guilt trip a catholic priest can try to lay on a fallen-by-the-wayside Catholic who is not raising his child in the faith -- major mortal sin.

How is that a sin let alone a mortal one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

OP, why be suspicious? Look at it as a lovely gesture as the priest taking his time to want to get to know a new member and his family. That's absolutely how this would be at my (Protestant) church and nothing more.

You've never met a Catholic priest, have you?

True, but this would apply to any pastor -- they are all scouting for more church memers. Times are tough, with church membership dropping in all denominations. The difference is the guilt trip a catholic priest can try to lay on a fallen-by-the-wayside Catholic who is not raising his child in the faith -- major mortal sin.

How is that a sin let alone a mortal one?

Catholic parents are obliged to baptize their children in the catholic church and raise them as Catholics. A Catholic who joins a church but will not baptize their own children or bring them to church and sunday school is sinning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, would you be suspicious of a pastor of your church wanted to meet you, DH and DD? Either DH meets with the priest on his own, you all go but it doesn't change how you raise DD, or your DH respectfully declines.

I don't think you need to be scared or anything. LOL

Right, the priest can't force you to do anything and from the way OP describes her husband, he won't be easily swayed -- in fact if the priest tries to guilt trip him about his or his daughter's eternal soul, it might be precipitate HD's final break with the church.

The priest might be an understanding type who is simply fulfilling his obligation to at least try to bring the daughter in -- but that is certainly a major part of his agenda. He'd be a mighty bad priest if he weren't trying to save another soul.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH wants her raised Protestant and that hasn't changed since deciding to join. He is fine with exposure to Catholicism but doesn't want her to go to Catholic school or CCD or anything. He was mostly culturally Catholic when we married and says he can't see himself as anything but a Catholic. I think it's mostly inertia and guilty (sorry) that keeps him there.

OP, why be suspicious? Look at it as a lovely gesture as the priest taking his time to want to get to know a new member and his family. That's absolutely how this would be at my (Protestant) church and nothing more.

You've never met a Catholic priest, have you?

True, but this would apply to any pastor -- they are all scouting for more church members. Times are tough, with church membership dropping in all denominations. The difference is the guilt trip a catholic priest can try to lay on a fallen-by-the-wayside Catholic who is not raising his child in the faith -- major mortal sin.

It's not a sin to raise your child Christian.

It's a sin for parents in the Catholic church to not baptize their kids Catholic. Unless you are openly gay Catholic parents, that is, in which case the church will not condone a child being raised in a sinful relationship.