Why Many “Good Catholics” Are Raising Secret Pagans
Let me say something uncomfortable. Not about politicians. Not about celebrities. Not about “people of the world.” About us. Good, practicing, Sunday-going Catholics. Because sometimes the problem is not outside the Church. It is inside our homes.
Every Sunday, many families come to Mass. Well dressed. Rosary in hand. Big Bible. Front pew. “Peace be with you, Father.” Everything looks holy. But go inside some of those homes, God is a stranger there. No prayer. No catechism. No correction. No spiritual life. Nothing.
And we are surprised that our children grow up without faith? How? How will they know God? From vibes? From trends?
Let’s be honest. Many parents today want their children to be: successful connected influential rich But not necessarily holy.
So we raise “good Catholic children” outside, but pagan children inside. They know how to dress for Mass, but don’t know how to pray. They know how to say “Amen,” but don’t know what they believe. They received First Communion, but don’t know Who they received. They were confirmed, but have zero conviction. After graduation, they disappear from Church completely.
And parents say: “Father, I don’t know what happened.” You don’t know? Really? When was the last time you prayed together as a family? When last did you open the Bible at home? When last did you talk about sin, heaven, confession, or holiness? Some homes only talk about: money school business connections who offended who God only appears on Sunday morning, for one hour, then disappears again till next week. And we expect children to take faith seriously?
Children copy what we live, not what we say. If they see you: lying bribing gossiping skipping Mass easily never praying living double life But shouting “Praise the Lord” on Sunday… What do you think they are learning? They are learning that God is just decoration. Just culture. Just tradition. Not life. Not truth. Not priority. So they grow up secretly empty.
They look Catholic, but think like pagans. They believe more in money than God. More in horoscope than prayer. More in hustle than honesty. More in trends than truth. Then when life hits them, they run to anywhere for solutions. Native doctor today. Manifestation tomorrow. Random spirituality next week. Because nobody gave them roots.
Scripture says: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22,6) But many of us trained them only for school, not for heaven. Only for career, not for character. Only for success, not for salvation.
Let me speak plainly: If your child knows mathematics but doesn’t know God, something is missing. If your child can use iPhone but cannot say one sincere prayer, something is wrong. If your child fears failure but does not fear sin, we have failed somewhere. The first catechism is the home. The first catechist is the parent. The first altar is the family table. Not the parish. Not the priest. You.
So before we blame “this generation”, maybe we should look in the mirror. Because many “good Catholics” are not raising saints. We are raising baptized pagans, and that should scare us. Heaven is not inherited by tradition. It is built by formation. Start at home. Before it’s too late.
True, however, the "professional church" separates parents from their children and forces us (parents) to let the "professionals" catechize our children, which they do by holding the sacraments hostage. Translation: We are forced to turn our children over to so-called CCD where who the hell knows what they are learning, and we are made to believe that our children cannot receive the sacraments unless we acquiesce to "their" authority, not to mention handing over huge amounts of money for t-shirts and other crap. Parents have the right to educate their own children in the faith, but we are deemed too stupid to do it ourselves. The duty of pastors is to educate/catechize the parents so they can catechize their children - the was God intended.
Let's dig deeper :
ReplyDeleteWhy Many “Good Catholics” Are Raising Secret Pagans
Let me say something uncomfortable.
Not about politicians.
Not about celebrities.
Not about “people of the world.” About us.
Good, practicing, Sunday-going Catholics.
Because sometimes the problem is not outside the Church. It is inside our homes.
Every Sunday, many families come to Mass.
Well dressed.
Rosary in hand.
Big Bible.
Front pew.
“Peace be with you, Father.”
Everything looks holy. But go inside some of those homes, God is a stranger there.
No prayer.
No catechism.
No correction.
No spiritual life.
Nothing.
And we are surprised that our children grow up without faith?
How?
How will they know God?
From vibes?
From trends?
Let’s be honest.
Many parents today want their children to be:
successful
connected
influential
rich
But not necessarily holy.
So we raise “good Catholic children” outside, but pagan children inside.
They know how to dress for Mass, but don’t know how to pray.
They know how to say “Amen,” but don’t know what they believe.
They received First Communion, but don’t know Who they received.
They were confirmed, but have zero conviction.
After graduation, they disappear from Church completely.
And parents say:
“Father, I don’t know what happened.”
You don’t know? Really?
When was the last time you prayed together as a family?
When last did you open the Bible at home?
When last did you talk about sin, heaven, confession, or holiness?
Some homes only talk about:
money
school
business
connections
who offended who
God only appears on Sunday morning, for one hour, then disappears again till next week.
And we expect children to take faith seriously?
Children copy what we live, not what we say.
If they see you:
lying
bribing
gossiping
skipping Mass easily
never praying
living double life
But shouting “Praise the Lord” on Sunday…
What do you think they are learning?
They are learning that God is just decoration.
Just culture.
Just tradition.
Not life.
Not truth.
Not priority.
So they grow up secretly empty.
They look Catholic, but think like pagans.
They believe more in money than God.
More in horoscope than prayer.
More in hustle than honesty.
More in trends than truth.
Then when life hits them, they run to anywhere for solutions.
Native doctor today.
Manifestation tomorrow.
Random spirituality next week.
Because nobody gave them roots.
Scripture says:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22,6)
But many of us trained them only for school, not for heaven.
Only for career, not for character.
Only for success, not for salvation.
Let me speak plainly:
If your child knows mathematics but doesn’t know God, something is missing.
If your child can use iPhone but cannot say one sincere prayer, something is wrong.
If your child fears failure but does not fear sin, we have failed somewhere.
The first catechism is the home.
The first catechist is the parent.
The first altar is the family table.
Not the parish.
Not the priest.
You.
So before we blame “this generation”, maybe we should look in the mirror.
Because many “good Catholics” are not raising saints.
We are raising baptized pagans, and that should scare us.
Heaven is not inherited by tradition. It is built by formation.
Start at home.
Before it’s too late.
Fr. Chisom
True, however, the "professional church" separates parents from their children and forces us (parents) to let the "professionals" catechize our children, which they do by holding the sacraments hostage. Translation: We are forced to turn our children over to so-called CCD where who the hell knows what they are learning, and we are made to believe that our children cannot receive the sacraments unless we acquiesce to "their" authority, not to mention handing over huge amounts of money for t-shirts and other crap. Parents have the right to educate their own children in the faith, but we are deemed too stupid to do it ourselves. The duty of pastors is to educate/catechize the parents so they can catechize their children - the was God intended.
Delete"the way God intended."
Delete