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RC DAILY MEDITATIONS
RC DAILY MEDITATIONS

July 16, 2024

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Ask a Priest

“Ask a Priest: What If I Don’t Want My Kids Raised as Catholics?”

/ Ask a Priest
Q: I am a Protestant, and my boyfriend is a Catholic. We want to get married. Is such a union possible? Can we be married first by a Protestant minister and then by a Catholic priest in his church? And if I do not give consent to raising children in Catholicism, will we be married? I want children to choose their own path to God. – M.K.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC

A: The Catholic Church does allow Catholics to marry non-Catholics, but it requires the expressed permission of the bishop. A bishop could also give permission for a wedding in a non-Catholic setting, but that would require a serious reason.

One of the requirements for the Catholic partner in this case is to promise to raise the children in the Catholic faith. The non-Catholic must be made aware of the partner’s responsibility.

This is something you might want to talk over with your boyfriend. You and he would also need to be open and honest if you object to the children being raised Catholic.

You mention that you want children “to choose their own path to God.”

It is good to remember that children are like blank slates. They need guidance in religion just as they need guidance in everything else in life, from food to clothing to good manners to education.

If they aren’t raised in any faith, they won’t be well-equipped to make a good decision regarding Our Lord.

Not teaching them about Jesus is like not teaching them to read and write. If you wait for them to decide on their own, it might be too late.

All Christians are called to bring the Gospel message to others, beginning with their children. Indeed, to not teach children about Jesus deprives them of the most important thing in life.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church in No. 2685 states:

“The Christian family is the first place of education in prayer. Based on the sacrament of marriage, the family is the ‘domestic church’ where God’s children learn to pray ‘as the Church’ and to persevere in prayer. For young children in particular, daily family prayer is the first witness of the Church’s living memory as awakened patiently by the Holy Spirit.”

It might be good to speak directly with a Catholic pastor. A dialogue could help dispel some of your concerns.

You might want to take this to prayer. And again, be open with your boyfriend and with anyone who might prepare you for marriage.

 

“Ask a Priest: What If I Don’t Want My Kids Raised as Catholics?” Read More »

Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Uncle Eddy

St Fulrad of St Denis

/ Uncle Eddy

Dear Rod,

I’m glad to hear that your first foray into politics is “dizzyingly exciting and immensely promising”.  I have been telling you and your cousins for years that one of the most courageous and charitable decisions a young Catholic can make these days is to go into politics, committed to being a truly Christian civil servant – finally one of you has taken up the challenge!  Will you allow your poor uncle to give a tiny bit of advice?  It has to do with today’s saint.

Fulrad was born in northeastern France (Alsace) and early on discovered his vocation to become a priest in the Benedictine monastic order.  He threw himself into his calling, and he showed a capacity not only for God, but also for administration, organization, and other fields requiring the virtue of prudence.  He founded a few new monasteries, and his fame spread.  It spread so much, in fact, that in 750 he was elected abbot of the famous monastery of St Denis (named after one of the first evangelizer’s of France), near Paris.

At the time, the Merovingian dynasty (Clovis and company) had dissipated, and the Carolingian’s were on the rise.  These kings – Pepin, then his son Carloman, then the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne – showed great leadership and transformed the Frankish Kingdom into the first Christian Empire in the West, launching the great experiment of Christendom, which was destined to have such a profound effect on the development of Europe and, through Europe, the rest of the world.

But these great political leaders couldn’t rule by brawn and brains alone.  They needed a heart, a soul.  This they found in St Fulrad, who served all three rulers as councilor, chaplain, almoner (distributor of the royal finances), and ambassador.  For more than 30 years he provided strong kings with Christian wisdom in order to help the great ship of state steer a steady, fruitful course.  He never neglected his pursuit of holiness, but he gladly put that holiness at the service of the world around him.

And that’s my point.  Don’t ever think you can do the great things your heart yearns to do all alone.  You will need advisors and guides, wise friends whom you can trust to speak Christ’s truth to you when your power and responsibilities may make it hard to hear.  By all means, pursue greatness in politics, but find yourself a Fulrad to make sure it’s always truly Great.

Your loving uncle,

Eddy

St Fulrad of St Denis Read More »

Was it Worth it?

/ Weekly Message

Dear Friends,

In scorching temperatures of 95 degrees, 5 miles of dusty gravel roads skirting fields of farmland brought 500 plus people together in eastern Nebraska along the Eucharistic pilgrimage’s Serra route leading up to the congress this week. We all came carrying our individual intentions, as varied as the people themselves. From mothers with kids in strollers to the elderly who relied on canes for assistance, we pilgrims walked the 5 miles with our eyes fixed in the direction of the monstrance. It was not an easy journey for anyone. Our destination was the Holy Family Shrine in Gretna, Nebraska, a beautiful glass chapel visible from I-80. 

What most moved me was the pilgrims’ witness. The multitudes of priests in liturgical vestments bravely withstanding the heat brought tears to my eyes, as did the elderly who, after completing the journey, sat in the grass overwhelmed with emotion. I kept thinking over and over how pleased the Lord must be with the pilgrims’ courage and determination to be part of such a historical moment, to willingly suffer through such intense weather conditions. In the noisy anti-Christian world, silent armies of holy men and women are walking virtually unseen behind their King. 

Four routes are traversing the United States, all leading to Indianapolis for the Eucharistic Congress. We will never know the graces to be granted to each pilgrim, but I am certain not one pilgrim has escaped the loving gaze of our Father in Heaven. Was it worth it? Absolutely!

This week I will join 50,000-plus pilgrims from across the nation at the Eucharistic Congress—please join me in praying for each pilgrim to experience a deep personal encounter with our Lord.  May this Congress bring forth an abundance of religious vocations and a groundswell of convicted apostles ready to witness to a world in need of the Gospel. 

Yours in the Heart of Jesus,

Donna

Was it Worth it? Read More »

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!