What would you say?

Last night I had the opportunity to talk with a new friend about Catholicism when we attended a Rosary for her friend who had died. I discovered that she was a cradle Catholic, who is now Baptist. I asked her why she had left the Church, and she said that it happened after she and her husband were divorced, and the Church “was not there” for her. Her husband was also Catholic. She said that she stopped going to church at all after the divorce, and then after several years she started attending the Baptist church. She said she feels that is where God “wants me to be.”

She shared that her aunt had been a nun, but left the order “because of all the bad things that were going on.” She said that her mother had dated the priest in the small town where she grew up. She said that she thinks all of the sexual abuse scandal was covered up, and that the bishops are still trying to hide things and excuse the behavior of the priests.

Our conversation began after we left the rosary. She said that she wished she had had the opportunity to tell the woman who had died, “Thank you.” I told her that since the woman was Catholic, and since Catholics believe in the communion of saints, that she could still tell her thank you. She said that she doesn't believe that we can communicate with those who have died, because if they knew what was going on on earth, they would be very sad. I said that I don't think God would let them see or know anything that would make them sad, but only those things that He allowed. Then she said that she thinks it is wrong to pray to anyone but God. I explained that by praying to the saints, we are merely asking for their intercession, but she said that she doesn't believe that it is necessary.

She talked for awhile about the things that she doesn't believe are correct about the Catholic Church, and I told her about our conversion, and why we loved the Church so much. I said, “But what about the Eucharist? Do you believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?” She said she did. I went on to question whether she believed that the Eucharist was the actual body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, and she said she did. I then asked her how she could leave the only Church where she could receive Him in the Eucharist, and she was startled and said that she receives communion in her church. I then said that only the Catholic Church has the Real Presence, that there is no priest in other churches to consecrate the bread and wine. I said that protestant churches usually believe that the bread and wine are merely symbols. Then she said, “Yes, that is what I believe.” I said, “That the bread and wine are only symbols?” and she said, “Yes.” I went on to explain to her that the Bible clearly tells us that Jesus meant for us to eat his body and drink his blood, and that the Eucharist is not a symbol, but the actual body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus, and that I didn't see how it was possible to ever leave Him. She said that I had more faith than she did when she was Catholic.

I told her that I had some material that I would love for her to read, and she immediately said, “No, I'm not interested.” I told her that the material was merely to help her understand more about Catholicism, but once again she said that she wasn't interested. She went on to say that when she first started learning about the Baptist religion, she was terribly confused. She said that after awhile she decided that she should just stay on one path, and since the people at the Baptist church had been so wonderful to her, she would be Baptist.

The conversation moved on to other topics, but after I dropped her off at her apartment, I felt so sad. I did pray while she went into the drugstore to drop off a prescription, asking God to give me the words to say. But I feel like I said all the wrong things. Instead of gently leading her to want to learn more, I seem to have made her even more determined that she is where she is supposed to be.

I don't know whether I'll have another opportunity to talk with her about the Church (or whether I should even try), but at least I can pray for her. †