Baptist feeling called to Catholic Church

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Hi all!

My name is Ben, nice to meet you! I am a 19 year old male in my second year of a Bachelor of Ministries at a non-denominational Bible College.

I know I am called to be in full-time Ministry - just not knowing what that looks like being on the fence denomination wise at the moment.

I currently attend a Baptist church, having been brought up in one for 8 years, then a Pentecostal church for 5 years, and I am now attending another Baptist church for the last year and a half.

I strongly feel like making the leap to Catholicism, having lived with a beautiful Catholic family for the last year and a half, (having been to 3 or so Catholic Mass’).

Throughout my theological studies at my non-denominational Bible College, I find myself incredibly drawn towards the tried and tested Catholic theology.

I would absolutely love prayer for guidance as to what GOD’S will is in this situation I am in, and would also love to hear any personal advice for myself in this situation.

Thank You!

GOD Bless and Protect you all and all your beautiful family and friends! ❤️❤️❤️
 
It sounds like you are on an exciting journey Ben 🙂
God bless ,and I will pray for your intentions .
 
you ak for prayers: i will pray for you

you ask for advice: read the works of Dr Scott Hahn & watch “The Journey Home” on EWTN; (tuesday night?)

contact Marcus Grodi through his ministry

and… welcome home to Mother Church…
 
I certainly will pray for you.

When you think you are ready, you could contact your local parish and inquire about their RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) program which will help you to discern through a deeper exploration of the faith.

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/who-we-teach/rite-of-christian-initiation-of-adults/

@mrsdizzyd could also offer you some advice as she is a former Baptist who is (as her profile says) COMING HOME. She will probably see your post soon and drop in to say hello.
 
Monday is The Journey Home (Marcus Grodi)
Tuesday is Mother Angelica (Mother Mary Angelica)
Wednesday is EWTN Live (Fr Mitch Pacwa, SJ)
Thursday is The World Over (Raymond Arroyo)

All of the above at 8pm (Eastern)
 
ok thank you for the correction

TJH is a great program

i watch it on the rebroadcast;
 
In addition to the shows I gave in my previous post, other good ones to watch are:

Sunday Night Prime (8pm Eastern)
EWTN Bookmark (various times throughout the week, gives good Catholic books to read)
Called To Communion With David Anders (Mondays, 2pm Eastern)
The Church Universal (Fr Joseph Mary Wolfe, Tuesdays, 5am Eastern)
Apostolate For Family Consecration (Francis Arinze, Jerry Coniker, Tuesdays, 5:30am Eastern)
Scripture and Tradition (Fr Mitch Pacwa, SJ, Tuesdays 2pm Eastern)
Web Of Faith 2.0 (Frs Trigilio and Breghenti, Fridays, 4am Eastern)
Catholic Answers Live (Saturdays, 5pm Eastern)
Life Is Worth Living (Bishop Fulton J Sheen (Sundays, 5:30pm Eastern)

If you can’t view them when they air, many of these repeat at various times during the week.

God love you.
 
The best advice I can think of:

Talk to a wise Catholic priest and pray.
 
Lately, they’ve been airing The Best Of The Journey Home on Sundays. I found that out a couple of weeks ago when I turned it to EWTN and there was Fr Andrew Apostoli being interviewed by Marcus Grodi. What a happy surprise.
 
Come Holy Spirit! Come into Ben’s heart and inspire and guide him in the right direction to follow God’s will.

I’d check out RCIA if I were you…
 
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I was raised with a strong Baptist influence, and these readings were instrumental in bringing me home to the Catholic Church:

Catholicism and Fundamentalism, by Karl Keating
Faith of the Early Fathers, by William A. Jurgens

I also suggest:
Story of a Soul, by St. Therese of Lisieux
Frequent Confession: Its Place in the Spiritual Life, by Benedict Baur

And of course, The Catechism of the Catholic Church.

I often felt great emotional distress as I began to realize that the Lord and my brain were leading me to become a Catholic, and had to constantly remind myself that I needed to follow Truth where it took me and let my gut catch up later. Glad I did, because the Catholic faith satisfies like nothing else.
 
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Oh how exciting!

I’m so happy you’ve decided to come home! I am also come from a Baptist background, but the Catholic faith is so reasonable and consistent and edifying I could not help but study more and more. The more I studied the less Baptist I felt, and now I’m coming home, too! @Dlee is another former baptist who may have some words of encouragement for you.

You are in good company. Many Baptists have crossed the Tiber.

I will also recommend The Journey Home. Marcus Grodi, the host, is an evangelical pastor who converted. He has interviewed several Baptists (many of whom were ministers) over the years. It was very helpful for me to hear those stories. I also really love anything by Stephen (Steve) Ray, Dr. Scott Hahn and Dr. Tim Staples. I believe all three are former evangelicals who are now catholic apologists/scholars. But most importantly, find a good parish and a good priest. He will help you the most!

May the Lord bless you and keep you on your journey into the fullness of the faith that Christ himself founded. Come Holy Spirit!

If you ever have any questions, shoot me a PM. I will pray for you at Mass this morning!
 
OP, You are not the only one who studied Theology and realised that the Catholic Church is the original Church 😀. Welcome home.
 
Will be praying for you.

One thing to meditate on is something I’ve noticed in my mumble-mumble years as a Catholic: every former Catholic I’ve met was angry about something or someone in the Church. I have yet to meet a convert to Catholicism who was angry at anything in their former church.
 
Welcome to CAF! I hope it helps your journey into the faith. Keep in mind that we’re still an Internet social forum, and while we are a great resource and community we still have some of the pitfalls you find on the Internet by its very nature.

I hope it helps foster your journey. I’m personally deeply drawn to scholastic theology and find Patristics (Church writings up to the 8th century) fascinating!
 
_Ben said:
I know I am called to be in full-time Ministry
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Praise God Ben, this is great news that you feel the call to come into communion. Surely, it is a sign of the Holy Spirit.

I encourage you discern the Roman Catholic priesthood and religious life.

Pax Christi,
 
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Ben, I pray that God will lead you home to the Catholic Church. As a Catholic, wherever you go in the world you’re part of a huge family. You can attend Mass in any little village and feel grounded amongst fellow-Catholics. It’s a wonderful thing.
 
I’ve had almost similar background as you. The good thing for you is that your early in you ministry studies.

I got my BA in Pastoral Leadership Studies and a MA in Theology 10 years ago as I felt the call of God to be a minister. But shortly after graduating I fell away from my denomination because I could no longer preach what they believed in. Today I’ve come back to the Catholic Church of my youth just last month.

I now wish I would of went to a Catholic University or Seminary because I find myself having to learn all the deeper doctrines of the Catholic Church that my schools didn’t cover.

Pray, pray, and pray for God to direct you, especially if you are considering Priesthood.

Sadly, I can never be a Priest because I’m married now. I’m personally praying to possibly pursue at least becoming a Deacon. Just need my wife to support me in this, which she currently doesn’t as she’s still an Evangelical.
 
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