A young person converting to Judaism asked for suggestions on how to tell their parents and grandparents that they are leaving Catholicism.
Here are the responses of three Jews by choice.
A monk at the Graduate Theological Union Franciscan school told me about one of his students who converted to Judaism because she wanted to share the same religion as Jesus. That could be seen as a logical next step for some Christians who love and honor Jesus, no?
This is a hard decision to make if he was raised Catholic, as I was.
My suggestions is make sure he can justify his reasons for converting, then invite them to a life cycle event, wedding, baby naming, Hanukkah, etc. include them to his Jewish world.
The last thing they want is to lose him, by including them means they are not losing him but gaining another culture.
Be sure he is prepared for the worst, they may be very hurtful, be strong in his conviction.
Start with the person that he thinks will understand and go from there.
It's not easy but if he feels strongly about the decision to convert and he has a supportive family they will accept his decision.
1. I wonder if he has any siblings whose life choices would make his decision look good by comparison? (That’s one factor that helped me with my parents.)
2. Many Christians admire the “Old Testament” as a sort of “Grandparent” religious text (as in, “He’s going with the grandparents’ faith.”)
3. Any scientists in the family? Tenets such as Immaculate Conception, Resurrection, and “Son of God” (aren’t we all sons and daughters of God?) are hard for scientists to reconcile with Christianity.