Calling all Converts and Reverts!

[Riley259]

I forgot to mention in my previous reversion story the part CA played. I actually didn’t start reading and/or listening to CA until well after my reversion about 5-6 years ago. However, CA and CA Live have played an integral role in my continued faith experience. I try to listen to the CA Live archives whenever I have the chance and I consistently read Karl’s e-letters and back issues of This Rock magazine. What a great apostolate! God Bless.

 

[YinYangMom]

I believe I’ve shared my story before, but for this thread I’d say it played a huge role in my reversion.

Relevant Radio gets first billing credit. It is through Catholic Answers Live aired there that I learned of these forums.

From there I visited, joined, and have been posting since. I’m close to addicted to it, but I am getting better!

There are still positions CA takes which I do not support fully, but that is because those positions are based on their interpretation of Church writings/teachings, and they are on matters which have room for such varying interpretations (Just War Doctrine, Voter’s Guide, Social Justice). But even when I don’t agree with them completely, I can trust their sources, I can trust they have reached their conclusions with the purest of intentions, and I can trust they believe in them wholeheartedly - and I can see no harm would result from adopting their positions so they certainly have my respect.

These forums, and the knowledgeable, charitable posters therein, are responsible for my accepting the Pro-Life position after 30+ years of siding with the Pro-choice camp. I’m not 100% fully on board yet, with regard to making abortions illegal, but that’s my hang up and I’m still working on it.

These forums, and the knowledeable, charitable posters therin, have been instrumental in my understanding, appreciating and respecting the magesterium of the Catholic Church, they’ve helped me to appreciate the rich history of our faith and most important, they’ve helped me reach my teen children at such a crucial stage of their development to also appreciate and respect the magesterium.

I am a forum supporter though I’m still waiting for the news to hit the forums so I can have my member name updated . Maybe my response to the email didn’t really go through???

 

[YinYangMom]

La-Petite-Fleur:

Then I visit Catholic Answers, I find out the whole truth, and then suddenly I can sleep better at night.

The peace of mind CA has provided has been invaluable to me as well. To know the Truth is so empowering.

 

[Strider]

YinYangMom:

These forums, and the knowledgeable, charitable posters therein, are responsible for my accepting the Pro-Life position after 30+ years of siding with the Pro-choice camp. I’m not 100% fully on board yet, with regard to making abortions illegal, but that’s my hang up and I’m still working on it.

Hi, Mom,
It’s been a while. I praise God for the above because I remember the first time we crossed swords. It was during the presidential campaign, and we went a few courteous but sincere rounds over that topic.
I’ve told my story before also, but I’ll give an outline here.
My wife & I, cradle Catholics, were returning to the Church after a few years away, mainly for our kids. We got blindsided by the dissenters and abuses of Vatican II. We stuck around long enough to get all the kids First Communion, then, disgusted, quit attending.
I’m amazed how many, like us, never considered any other denomination, and, if asked, we’d say we were Catholic, but not practicing.
One evening in 2001, my wife was channel surfing. She called me into the room to watch a Catholic Mass. Some Franciscan priests were saying Mass.
After the Mass, a little old nun wearing a habit just like the nuns who taught us wore, came on. (Guess who) She read from her Bible, she joked, she scolded, and by the time the show was half over, we had decided to come back home. It had been 25 years.
I’ve learned more about my faith in the intrvening four and a half years than I did in twelve years of Catholic school. A lot of that learning has come from CA, especially the apologists.
As an aside, in 1973, when the Roe and Doe decisions came out, it was a huge yawner for me. I was away from the Church, working and happy.
Then stuff happened. I had to retire with a disability but got a grant to go to college - major, zoology.
So at age 33 or so, I’m in a 300 level biology class and we’re studying development ( fetology, if you will ).
EPIPHANY! That’s a miracle! Look at what’s happening, and we don’t understand it. ABORTION IS MURDER! Every discovery, every advancement since then merely serves to reinforce that conviction in me…the HGP (Human Genome Project), Cloning, stem cells, etc, etc, etc.
So my irrevocable pro-life position came from science classes at a very large secular university. It can happen.
Hang in Mom. Glad to “talk” again.

 

[YinYangMom]

Strider:

Hi, Mom,
It’s been a while. I praise God for the above because I remember the first time we crossed swords. It was during the presidential campaign, and we went a few courteous but sincere rounds over that topic. Hang in Mom. Glad to “talk” again.

Back at ya, Strider…
those were good threads back then. thank goodness for patient, intelligent and courteous posters who were able to post clearly. often times it’s the return trips to various threads which allows the message to finally sink in.

I actually dread the next election. other than that, life is great!

Hope to ‘talk’ again soon.

YYM

 

[Strider]

Mom,
Why wait for the election? This Supreme Court battle is going to be a beauty. My gosh, Bush nominated another Catholic! :bigyikes:

 

[YinYangMom]

Strider:

Mom,
Why wait for the election? This Supreme Court battle is going to be a beauty. My gosh, Bush nominated another Catholic! :bigyikes:

Well that would be a different thread…
If you’re already discussing that somewhere on the boards, point me to the link and I’ll add my 2 cents.

 

[Strider]

Here you go.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=82765

 

[LSK]

gracelife:

How has Catholic Answers played a part in your conversion or reversion? What other influences did you have?

Share your story!

Yes.

I am a recovering alcoholic. I started back to the Church with a telephone call to my old pastor when I was 2 years sober. I had some questions that had come up during my 5th step that my sponsor could not really answer. He had suggested I speak to a priest. My old pastor, a wise and holy man, had me speak to a practicing Catholic who was also 37 years sober in the program of AA. That started my reconversion.

BUT - at six years sober I moved to the Central Valley of California. For the first time I was in an area that is filled with a lot of people who are anti-Catholic. I had never been around these types before and it shocked me. While I was still not practicing, I did not consider myself anything but Catholic, just not a very good one.

At 8 years sober I had a very tough thing happen to me; I was conned by someone who I thought was a trusted, sober member of my homegroup. I lost a great deal of money. A dear family member was seriously injured in a car accident. I came very close to chucking it all, the idea of staying sober, the idea of staying close to my family, everything. Then two things happenned: I got a little scotty dog that seemed to have an incredibly odd talent for obedience training and I was openly attacked for calling myself Catholic by a Bible Fundamentalist (I was told I was a spawn of the devil, the Pope was the Anti-Christ and all Catholics were evil, pagan, statue-worshiping, demons in human form…no, I am not kidding).

My dog loved me despite of the fact that I had been so stupid as to let someone con me out of 30 grand (me! The Central Valley Sobriety Princess!) and the guy calling me names made me incredibly mad. I did not know how to answer him, though I was pretty sure punching him right in the nose would be frowned upon by the Pope. SO…I happenned one day to turn on Catholic Radio and heard Tim Staples. He spoke about this website. I started reading everything I could find on it. I found the Catechism online. I read it…all 700 pages. I also started competing the dog in obedience trials and went back to school to get my degree in business so no one would ever be able to con me out of money again.

Because of my dog loving me (proved to me that if one of God’s creatures could love me, maybe God didn’t make junk) and Catholic Answers, today I am an obedient daughter of the Holy Mother Church, a practicing Catholic (I say practicing because I am far from perfect and must practice practice practice, every day) and part of the RCIA team at my parish.

And I am still sober and still the Central Valley Sobriety Princess.

My scotty died last week, of cancer. He did exactly the job God created him to do. Somewhere out there is another little scotty being created just for me. And I know God will lead me to him exactly when the time is right.

 

[maggieodae]

YinYangMom:

I am a forum supporter though I’m still waiting for the news to hit the forums so I can have my member name updated . Maybe my response to the email didn’t really go through???

Just go to your Profile and choose Clubs. You can put it in yourself. I don’t think the Forum does it. I sent my donation by mail, and changed my Club to Forum Supporter the same day.

 

[YinYangMom]

maggieodae:

Just go to your Profile and choose Clubs. You can put it in yourself. I don’t think the Forum does it. I sent my donation by mail, and changed my Club to Forum Supporter the same day.

Yes, as you can see, I managed to make it happen :clapping:
Thanks to Administrator Martin

 

[kayla]

I’m a Revert…I grew up Catholic with poor instruction as a young child. I stoped going to mass when I started college, but didn’t convert to another denomination.
A few years ago…The movie “The Passion of Christ” came out…I didn’t go see it, “I was scared if I went, a bolt of lighting would strike me for all my sins as I sat in the theather” no kidding!..two months later I had a very strong desire for confession and prayed to the Holy Spirit for help… “OMG” I cryed my eyes out in front of the priest.:crying: …he put his hand on top of my head and said to me “Welcome home daughter” since then I have fallen in love with my Catholic faith that I left so long ago, I went through RCIA …and still can’t get e-nuff, I’m hungry for the Truth and CA has been a blessing. I love Relevent Radio and EWTN. My return to the Chruch has been a wonerful journey and my “gift of faith”… is by far the best gift I have ever received!

 

[YinYangMom]

kayla:

I’m a Revert…I grew up Catholic with poor instruction as a young child. I stoped going to mass when I started college, but didn’t convert to another denomination.
A few years ago…The movie “The Passion of Christ” came out…I didn’t go see it, “I was scared if I went, a bolt of lighting would strike me for all my sins as I sat in the theather” no kidding!..two months later I had a very strong desire for confession and prayed to the Holy Spirit for help… “OMG” I cryed my eyes out in front of the priest.:crying: …he put his hand on top of my head and said to me “Welcome home daughter” since then I have fallen in love with my Catholic faith that I left so long ago,** I went through RCIA** …and still can’t get e-nuff, I’m hungry for the Truth and CA has been a blessing. I love Relevent Radio and EWTN. My return to the Chruch has been a wonerful journey and my “gift of faith”… is by far the best gift I have ever received!

You can go through RCIA if you’re already a Catholic? I didn’t know that. Did you just sit through the classes or were there some sacraments you hadn’t received before college that you needed to catch up on?

In any case WELCOME HOME!!!

 

[kayla]

Hi YinYang Mom,

I did receive all the sacraments years ago…however in our chruch the Priest teaches all the RCIA classes and encourages anyone to come if they just want to learn more about their faith…It was awesome b/c I learned sooo much! At first I thought I’ll just go to a few…but then I was hooked and went to all of them

 

[YinYangMom]

kayla:

Hi YinYang Mom,

I did receive all the sacraments years ago…however in our chruch the Priest teaches all the RCIA classes and encourages anyone to come if they just want to learn more about their faith…It was awesome b/c I learned sooo much! At first I thought I’ll just go to a few…but then I was hooked and went to all of them

That’s wonderful!

 

[djrakowski]

gracelife:

How has Catholic Answers played a part in your conversion or reversion? What other influences did you have?

Share your story!

Oh goodness, Catholic Answers in general, and CA Live in particular, played a tremendous role in my conversion (which is still in process, as we’re in RCIA). The guests on CA Live over the past year have cleared up nearly every misconception I had about the Church before I started studying it. When I reached sticking-points, members of these forums were here to un-stick me. In fact, one member had a contact within CA, and this person sent me a number of materials (including a signed copy of “The Salvation Controversy” by Jimmy Akin) that were absolutely essential in my conversion.

If I hadn’t discovered CA Live on local Catholic radio, I don’t know if I’d be preparing to enter the Church right now.

Two books have also played a significant role in my conversion: “Where We Got the Bible” - this is a book EVERY Bible-only Christian MUST READ - by Henry Graham (an early 20th century convert from the Church of Scotland), and “One Shepherd, One Flock,” a journal that detailed a Congregational minister’s thoughts in the year leading up to his decision to enter the Church.

OH! And, how could I forget my parish priest - the first Catholic clergyman who was willing, and most importantly, able, to answer my questions. And I asked a lot of priests before I found this gem!