A Question to Converts

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nevermore22
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
jem0715 said:
But as time went on I realized that it didn’t matter to me what anyone thought because I was so happy and I love the Lord so much; there was no turning back at that point!

God Bless 😛
Click to expand...
Exactly…
You no longer care what “man” has to say about you. You would much rather have Jesus pleased and in agreement with your actions than any “man”.

The Peace and Love in your heart automatically shows.

Congratulations…
And keep working on that Love with Jesus, our primary Guide.
Marcus.
 
Of course I told my wife (a non-Christian) because we always let each other know when we leave the house. So when I went to the Easter Vigil…

I told my mother because her new father-in-law is a devout Catholic and I thought he might like to know.

People at work probably know because they might have seen my Catholic calendar in my office. But so what; there are several other Catholics in my office (It’s interesting how we seem to “find” each other). 🙂
 
For me, I had been attending Mass for a couple years with my Catholic boyfriend and occasionally with Catholic friends. When I finally decided to convert, I had a lot of time- I joined the RCIA class late, so I decided to take it for 2 cycles before I received the sacraments. So there was plenty of time there. I think after I told my parents that I was in the class, that was it. Plus I asked two of my mom’s good friends to be my sponsors. Surprisingly, the more nerve-racking part was telling my boyfriends Catholic family- I didn’t want ANYONE to think that I was doing it for him. No one really did though so I worried a lot for nothing 🙂
 
It was a little uneasy telling my family that I decided to convert to a faith different then the one I was raised in. I calmly explained my personal reasons why I was interested in RCIA and that my decision was just that “mine” and that it was not a personal attack against their faith. In the end my parents understood that I am my own person and they still love and support me even if we differ on Christian views. I pray that as I make this conversion I will actually have the opportunity to correct some misconceptions my family might have about Catholicism.

As far as the whole process is concerned, I look forward to learning about the Catholic faith and becoming a part of something much greater than myself. I’m sure there will be many questions along the way and I am great-full there are sites like this one to provide support.
 
I didnt tell them right off, but eventually I did. They have been ok and respectful, but there still is a sense of “oddity” about it to them, and in many ways, cradle Catholics around me in my parish.

It’s an odd place to be in in some ways. I think back to the Gentiles during the time of Peter and Paul. OYYY, what a place to be in. Some believing one thing and are convinced that things should be thus and such.Others believing just the opposite and thinking that things HAVE to be this and that…

And then there are those of us in the middle. With sincere desire and intent, but under suspicion from some.

Thank GOD, and His Blessed Son, that They can see thru all that hard-heartedness and blindness and see the true and real intent of His children’s heart…

I find it stunning, yet instructful, esp in the era of St Paul, of what they were faced with.

Every night I thank our Blessed Lord for His love, His Mercy, and so much more.
 
Nevermore22 said:
(To any moderator, please move this thread if it is in the wrong place. But I hope it is!)

I am a new member, and this is my first thread so…

To all of the converts, or those converting to the Catholic faith… how did you tell the people around you (family, spouses, children, co-workers, fellow church goers, etc.) about what you wanted to do? How did they react?
Click to expand...
When I was first interested in becoming Catholic, I told them of my interest, and they reacted quite badly. I delayed coming into the Church because of how hurt they were. (That, and the fact that the priest who was leading my RCIA said, “Being Catholic is just like being Protestant,” and I believed him, and I thought, “Okay, so why am I offending my family, again?” So, I didn’t become Catholic at that time.)

Over time, they gradually got used to the idea that I was hanging around at the Catholic Church a lot, and when I finally couldn’t take it any more and had to convert , regardless of their opinions (because I finally figured out the meaning of “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church” and I realized that I had no choice), they actually took it pretty calmly, all things considered.

So, giving them time to get used to the idea, and involving them in the journey itself, was an important part of them accepting the idea. They also realized that I wasn’t trying to make them become Catholic, too, which I think is part of what they were worried about, at first.

And it’s not that I don’t want them to; it’s just that I’ve realized that you can’t drag people into the Church by the hair. The Church itself won’t allow that, first of all, and secondly, being a Catholic is not for sissies - it’s not like you just sign something and then that’s it - there’s the Sunday Mass obligation, there’s regular Confession, and there are holy days of obligation, and days of fasting, all of which, there is no way that I’m going to be the one responsible for making sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to do - I have a hard enough time remembering everything for myself, and keeping my own ducks in a row. So, I am totally leaving it up to them, what they want to do, and so far, they are perfectly happy where they are - and I am totally fine with that.
 
Some were supportive… some not. Honestly, I don’t think anybody in my family either cares or takes me seriously. I’m fine with that: their validation isn’t that which I seek.

The incredulous friends… and those self-styled intellectuals were, of course, foaming at the mouth… for them, I quoted CS Lewis and let it stand.

You must picture me alone in that room in Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.
 
joe_cool said:
…?
Click to expand...
Don’t worry, I believe you! I mean you presented what you went through in a dramatic, well-written form. It’s also very concise. Your post was very engaging with a good dramatic structure.
 
Lief_Erikson said:
Don’t worry, I believe you! I mean you presented what you went through in a dramatic, well-written form. It’s also very concise. Your post was very engaging with a good dramatic structure.
Click to expand...
He was quoting from C. S. Lewis, who, yes, is a very good writer. 😉
 
I think I’ve always been Catholic at heart, even if I didn’t know squat about the faith until a year or so ago. I told my family Easter afternoon last year (and my mother slightly before that) and the responses were rather discomforting. My grandfather said such things as “The Church has been corrupt ever since it started,” and my uncle frequently said reverence of statues constituted idolatry and thereby a breaking of the First Commandment. The topic of abuse was also bound to come up, as well… :rolleyes:

It was a rather rocky reveal, and it’s not like I came across as pompous. I just stated that I wanted to become Catholic… It all depends on how much prejudice your family has. Over time, they grew more accepting of it, and this Easter, the day after I was confirmed, I was invited to say grace for everyone, which I accepted :o
 
I really had no opposition. Most people in my family took the attitude that I was just going through a phase and would eventually come to my senses and abandon the whole idea. What has it been now, six years? I’m am not always a very good Catholic but I remain as fervent in my faith as ever. At any rate, I’m proud to report that my sister and her husband converted last year, and their daughter, this Easter. We are the first Catholics in the history of our family and since my niece is soon to be married, with God’s grace we won’t be the last.
 
Karmartia said:
I really had no opposition. Most people in my family took the attitude that I was just going through a phase and would eventually come to my senses and abandon the whole idea. What has it been now, six years? I’m am not always a very good Catholic but I remain as fervent in my faith as ever. At any rate, I’m proud to report that my sister and her husband converted last year, and their daughter, this Easter. We are the first Catholics in the history of our family and since my niece is soon to be married, with God’s grace we won’t be the last.
Click to expand...
That’s beautiful :).
40.png
joe_cool:
Now you can certainly imagine my confusion. =)
Click to expand...
😃 Yep!
 
It was a mixed bag. My mother, a devout Protestant who left the Catholic Church in college, was aware of all my searching, etc., and prayer, and knows I don’t do things off the cuff or to be quirky, so while she wasn’t “happy” for me, she was supportive of our family. She and my dad came to our children’s baptisms and our first Eucharist, and likes our priest and parish. My dad thinks we’re nuts but my mom tries to keep him quiet about it. 😃 Once while taking our kids on a play date they passed a Protestant church (one of those “the church of what’s happenin’ now” types) and he said to our kids, “I bet you’d like going to church there” and my mom really let him have it. So while it was not her dream come true for us to do this, she has been surprisingly supportive.
My husband’s family is made up of generations of Assembly of God pastors with cousins that are missionaries and so on. They haven’t said much (we only see them once a year) and that is just kind of what they do when they don’t like something. It is hard for me to be quiet about it as I am extremely happy to be Catholic and it just kind of comes out. I try not to make people uncomfortable with it, but I feel like God finally got me to the destination He had planned out for me all my life and I really can’t keep that a secret.
In all, we have had it very easy compared to a lot of people. The “cradle Catholics” are sometimes surprised that an evangelical/fundamentalist would face opposition from their family when converting, but the anti-Catholic thing runs deep. It is a huge change for the convert, and to many of their old church friends, they may as well have become Hindus or something. While our families have been as nice as they can be, we have lost friends and so have our kids. 😦 It’s a shame, but it’s one of the things you just have to deal with.
 
I was raised in the Catholic Faith through my grandparents, but never received the Sacraments until I was 35… My side of the family was thrilled I had finally come home- My husbands side of the family didn’t make an effort understand… They have not attended our sons First Communion or Mass at any time. We consistently have to listen to a good dose of “Catholic Bashing” any time we spend time with his family… so overall they haven’t been too supportive… I will say- It has made me a more educated Catholic… I do my research before any trips- so I will be armed with Truth…so I consider it a Blessing…and a chance to educate them on their misunderstandings of Catholicism…
 
Stepmomof2 said:
I was raised in the Catholic Faith through my grandparents, but never received the Sacraments until I was 35… My side of the family was thrilled I had finally come home- My husbands side of the family didn’t make an effort understand… They have not attended our sons First Communion or Mass at any time. We consistently have to listen to a good dose of “Catholic Bashing” any time we spend time with his family… so overall they haven’t been too supportive… I will say- It has made me a more educated Catholic… I do my research before any trips- so I will be armed with Truth…so I consider it a Blessing…and a chance to educate them on their misunderstandings of Catholicism…
Click to expand...
That’s a great idea, doing that research :). Remember also that prayer, a lot of prayer (especially to the Virgin Mary and some good apostles and evangelists), and mortification are the best ways to win them over.
 
i was raised by very strict protestants. i’ve converted and only told a few people in my family. my parents would have physically stopped my conversion or harmed me if they knew. some people in my life know about the conversion, others think i’ve always been catholic. it is between you and god. no need to be ashamed of your faith, but if some are not open to discussion or would only hurt or criticize you, don’t feel pressure to tell. that’s just my opinion.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top