With the loss of my mother some of the cousins on that side have reached out, which was a positive thing…but then…

You don't have to keep explaining yourself to others.
Do what is best for yourself.

Do you care to share why you left the church? I wonder if they are similar to mine, I have not been to church in over 10 years and I don't really care if I ever enter another church again.

As you know, I am Catholic.

That site, and similar programs within the church, are aimed at people who have already, on their own, felt a "tug" that inclines them to re-examine their decision to leave. I have known many such people. In fact, I was one of them when I came back in the 1970's (and there were no websites like this because their was no web!)

Prior to making that decision, I had had lots of people, (Evangelicals and Baptists, not Catholics) knock on my door, hand me tracts, invite me to their churches, etc. None of that swayed me, of course.

It was only when I started to examine the way i was living my life, and realizing I needed to change some things, that I began to consider returning to the Church. I did, and in my case, it "stuck." But the initiative came from within me, not from someone else.

On the one hand, there are those who are pretty insensitive in the way they try to convert people. (I've been on the receiving end of that.) On the other hand, I have also found that the mere mention or suggestion of Christianity is sometimes viewed as more "aggressive" than it is intended to be.

There is a story about Francis of Assisi. He had the idea that one way to end the Crusades would be to convert the Muslim leader to Christianity. So he actually "went behind enemy lines" and sought an audience with Sultan Malik Al-Kamil . They engaged in conversation, and of course the results were nil. But Al-Kamil said something I find rather remarkable in an age of stark religious division (to put it mildly!) He pointed out that since Christians and Muslims were at war, he really ought to have Francis put to death. But, he was moved by the fact that Francis risked his own life for what he (Francis) regarded as the fate of the Sultan's soul. And so he gave Francis safe passage back home.

(This was popularized in a movie, "The Sultan and the Saint", and that may cause many to doubt the historicity of the story. But it is not just a movie plot. Prior to the movie, there were books by historians, not Christian apologists, which told this story.)

I do not know your cousin, of course. But based on the little you have said, I would suggest texting her back saying, "Thanks. I know you mean well. But that website is not for me." She might drop it, figuring she did her duty and will not press the matter further. And then you will not be depriving yourself of the opportunity to have a renewed relationship with your cousin.

Or, she might turn out to be someone who is indeed overly aggressive and insensitive about this, in which case you have lost nothing.

Remember that saying they used to run? 'In the end Catholics always come home...'
Not in my lifetime. So many of my most passionately atheistic friends were created by the Catholic Church.

Gotta love family 🤦🏻‍♀️

You know your heart and that’s the only one that matters. If the pushing becomes too firm, I know you will, graciously, educate them.

As a fellow recovering Catholic I can appreciate your situation. Fortunately I come from a family where (1) like your parents, my mother backed off once I was adult and made my decision, and my father wasn't really practicing and (2) a cousin who was the essence of devout. Overly so, imho, but also well aware that most of her family had left the Church. My mother and her older sister were the only two to remain Catholic. Of their siblings, her father had switched to Episcopalian when he divorced her mother; another brother became a Mormon; another brother a Christian Scientist; the remaining two sisters were somewhere in the agnostic/atheist spectrum. They had all learned to accept each other's choices and this cousin never tried to recruit any of us back; we learned to tolerate the fact that any extended time with her was going to be filled with constant references to her Church activities and framed by the Catholic radio station which was pretty much her sole source of perspective.

Then I married a Sicilian where ostentatious lip service to the Church is a given. But that is another story.

I just say thank you. Idk. It never ends lol and im not about to go back and forth on the subject.

that's a lot of pressure. i don't know what you could do about that. maybe just say thanks and refuse to discuss it otherwise? it's a delicate matter.

You are in charge of your life. They may mean well but the effect is the same as leaving a tract disguised as a tip in a restaurant.

You have your reasons and honoring them is demonstrating respect.

Oh god! See how religion divides families along with peoples? I was raised Catholic as well and I do suffer from their disapproval. Telling them is a sort of coming out of the closet for me.

I haven't gone to church in along time too. We used to go to the Cathedral but stopped. I am told we could pray anywhere anyway. Just can't receive holy communion.

When I left my mother's religion, it was understood that you are snubbed. But my mom never did. I'm glad your mother had supported you too.🤗

It's funny how they couldn't be bothered talking to you until they started disapproving of your spiritual choices; sickening.

You freed yourself
Be glad of that step

Of course they will be moved to feed you back to the monster

People that proselytize or push religion are so weird...

They believe so ardently and mean well, but have no idea how unwelcome their pokes are.
And once they get the message, they shake their heads and go away, believing you are lost.
They seem to have no idea that one doesn't need belief to be a good person, feel compassion and empathy, and love others.

I suppose you could always say it doesn't bring you comfort like it used to.
Although no doubt somebody will say they worry for your eternal soul or similar.
Leave it to the Catholic faith to mourn the living rather than accept the realities of life.

For someones is valid the saying; "if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail"
Even with their "best" intentions, they can´t think but about their thoughts and loop de loop.
Seems the case of your cousin but we all have some "cousin" of the kind.

Do what you know is best.

oh brother

Just because they are family, doesn't mean you have to believe as they do, if they are decent folk, they will accept that and leave you alone about it.

Sounds like
DEFINITELY not your type of party!

Good grief...
Those Catholics are so relentless! 😬🙄

Be true to yourself.
You've got this!😎💖

🤗🤗🤗

A man without religion is like a snail without it's home. Einstein said something like that.

I left the church i was brought up in too.

I've had family do the same sort of thing to me. Generally they mean well, even if doesn't feel respectful. :/

You always have an option to Delete!

My mother's side of the family is deeply religious and primarily catholic. I keep my non-belief a secret from them. They are otherwise very lovely people and i wouldn't want that to form a rift between us.

You shouldn’t have to explain it because it’s your decision and that doesn’t make you any less of the wonderful person that you are.

I just hope they will accept that and stop pushing you to rejoin.’

It's really none of their business.

I don't think you should worry about what they think.

Oh geez.