Would You Move?

[HappyCatholicMom]

First post here---so blessings to all and hello!

I am a cradle Catholic and have been slowly discovering the beauty, fullness, and truth of my faith. I have a lot more to discover and learn (I know it will be a life long process), but I am realizing how "empty" my area is in authentic Catholic teaching and practice. I have taken steps to be more involved and to try and promote the "truth", but I fear for my 5 children. I am tired of walking out of mass and having to discuss with my children the correct Catholic teaching or General Instruction that should have been used or talked about. Half the time I probably miss something! We have tried different parishes, but there is a general lacking in our area. We recently went on vacation and attended mass at 3 different places. The masses were wonderful and the respect for the Eucharist was beautiful! However---I was very sad to return to my area and face the reality here.

People have told me I need to stay here and fight for the "truth", but my heart aches for my children! I am only discovering authentic Catholic teachings myself so I feel a bit unprepared to always see the emptiness and/or challenge those around me. So here is my question......

Should we consider moving? I know a perfect place is impossible, but is there a general area that is better (hoping to stay somewhere northeast but not sure if possible). ~Thanks for reading!

[phatcatholic]

I'm afraid that's a question that only you can answer, through prayer and discernment and taking a hard look at all the factors involved. Sometimes moving your family to another city or town is more chaotic than it's worth. Would your children have to attend a different school? Would they still be close to their friends and family? Would they be able to continue the various extra-curricular activities they are involved in and that are probably very important to them? Is a new house in a new town easy to find and affordable for your family? Would you or your husband have to find a new job? All of these factors have to be considered.

Also, prayer is very important, especially when you are considering a life-changing decision for your family. Have you prayed about this yet? What has God revealed to you? He has a plan in mind for you regarding this, and you must discern it.

Finally, I think that in general it is good to resist the "grass is greener" mentality. We can get into the habit of thinking, "I would be much happier if only ______ ", but then when we acquire that thing, we are unhappy again. In my mind, the key to peace is finding happiness in the present. It's making the most out of where you are now in your life. It's about coming to terms with the things you don't like and praising God for your blessings. It's about prioritizing your life and deciding what is [i]really [/i]important.

Please know that I am not trying to discredit the importance that you are placing on the liturgy and your experience of parish life. We experience our Catholic faith [i]in community[/i]. That's really at the core of who we are as Catholics. And, as a parent, you of course want to make sure that your children are able to have the fullest and most meaningful experience of the Catholic faith. All I'm saying is, weigh the pros and cons, discern the will of the Lord, and then take it from there. Do the best you can with what you have. God will help you.