Dear Lee:

I am sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. The funny thing is that it is she who is promoting and contributing to a "house divided". Defecting from the one true Church founded by Jesus to a modern upstart denomination is "dividing the house".

If she thinks that hiding among the Pentecostals will get her away from the scandals and liberalism and such found among many Catholics, she has another thing coming. There are sex scandals among the Pentecostals (i.e. Jimmy Swaggert) and financial scandals (i.e. Jimmy Baker), and child abuse, and all other matters of scandals in the Pentecostal groups and in all groups. All "denominations" and the true Church too is composed of mere men. Where men are at, sin follows.

But we can no more abandon Mother Church because some of the children are corrupt any more than we should abandoned our biological families because some of the cousins are criminals or otherwise blacksheep. What kind of love abandons the family because some of the family members are blacksheep.

Such abandonment is the height of selfishness and lack of love.

Especially since you are not on good terms with her, I would focus on praying for her. Unproductive argumentation will not help.

I would recommend the Hedge Prayer for the Return of a Wayward Person based upon the prayer of Hosea found in our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog.

As described in the Catalog, the Prayer of Hosea is one of the most powerful prayers in the arsenal of spiritual warfare -- the Hedge Prayer. Hosea had a wife who was committing adultery and running around on him. Hosea was convinced that he not divorce her but to pray for her return. This prayer is particularly useful in praying for a wayward spouse, child, or friend who has gone astray from the Faith and from God, has left to lead an improper life, and/or is estranged from the proper relationship they should have with you.

It should be noted, as it is with all prayer, the Hedge Prayer is not a magic bullet. There are no guarantees that the person prayed for will return. We must always remember that God has given his children the freedom to choose -- even the freedom to choose wrongly. No one, not even God, may force a person against their will to do anything. God, however, is a mighty persuader and although He will not intrude upon one's freedom to choose the course of one's own actions, He may provide the person with great incentive, motivation, and circumstances to help them decide to come back to the place they should be.

For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.' Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns; and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths. She shall pursue her lovers, but not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better with me then than now.' --Hosea 2:5b-7]

Here is the prayer copied here for your convenience:

Hedge Prayer for Return of Wayward Person

Trusting in the promise that whatever we ask the Father in Jesus' name He will do, I now approach You Father with confidence in Our Lord's words and in Your infinite power and love for me and for     [person's name]     and with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, Blessed Archangel Michael, the guardian angels of myself and     [person's name]    , with all the saints and angels of heaven, and Holy in the power of His blessed Name, as ask you Father to send forth Your Spirit to convict     [person's name]     and to allow him to see any and all wrongs that he has done and how they offend Your infinite goodness.

Father I ask in sorrow, knowing that You do not intrude upon free will, but that You can give Divine Influence like you did with Hosea's wife, that You send a hedge of thorns and wall around     [person's name]     so that he cannot find the paths that lead him away from me and our     [i.e. friendship, relationship, etc.]    ; and though he shall pursue his     [i.e. lifestyle, sinful ways, etc.]    , he will not     [i.e. practice improper lifestyles, engage in sin, etc.]    ; though he shall seek     [i.e. improper lifestyles, sin, etc.]    , he shall not find     [i.e. his desired lifestyle, the sin that draws him, etc.]    ; that no matter what path or what     [i.e. lifestyle, sin, etc.]     he seeks he shall not find satisfaction or happiness until he returns to me, his     [i.e. friend, girlfriend, parent, etc.]     where he may then be taught by Your Holy Spirit the true meaning of     [i.e. friendship, family, etc.]    , and to be a good and loving     [i.e. friend, child, etc.]    , and to know the ways of righteousness and true     [i.e. friendship, family, etc.]    .

Father, I am powerless against these spiritual forces and recognize my utter dependence on You and Your power. Look with mercy upon me and upon     [person's name]    . Do not look upon our sins, O Lord; rather, look at the sufferings of your Beloved Son and see the Victim who's bitter passion and death has reconciled us to You. By the victory of the cross, protect us from all evil and rebuke any evil spirits who are attacking or influencing us in any way. Send them back to Hell and place a wall of protection around this     [i.e. friendship, family]    . Send your Holy Angels to watch over us and protect us.

Father, all of these things I ask in the most holy name of Jesus Christ, Your Son. Thank you, Father, for hearing my prayer. I love You, I worship You, I thank You and I trust in You. Amen.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary