Calling all converts!

[The_Reginator]

Now, all our peace in this miserable life is found in humbly enduring suffering rather than in being free from it. He who knows best how to suffer will enjoy the greater peace, because he is the conqueror of himself, the master of the world, a friend of Christ, and an heir of heaven.

Thanks for sharing that Pitch.
It reminds me of a number of selections in my Marian Missal at the end of each set of Mass Propers entitled
“My Daily Thought From the Following of Christ”

Reg.

 

[Pitcharan]

Dear Dolores and Distracted,
I take this opportunity to share a relevant excerpt from the SINNER’S GUIDE by Louis of Granada. (Please see correction below)
It is no great thing to associate with the good and gentle, for such association is naturally pleasing. Everyone enjoys a peaceful life and prefers persons of congenial habits. But to be able to live at peace with harsh and perverse men, or with the undisciplined and those who irritate us, is a great grace, a praiseworthy and manly thing. Now, all our peace in this miserable life is found in humbly enduring suffering rather than in being free from it. He who knows best how to suffer will enjoy the greater peace, because he is the conqueror of himself, the master of the world, a friend of Christ, and an heir of heaven.

Dear Reg, Dorothy, Distracted and others who read my quoted post, there was an error which I am correcting now. The excerpt is from IMITATION OF CHRIST, by Thomas A. Kempis.

 

[BlackJack774]

Since the Popes visit 2008, I become extremely interested in the Catholic Faith. So much so that I have order books, CDs, spoken with co-workers that are Catholic about their faith, watching EWTN TV, listening to Catholic radio, attended Mass and praying the Rosary daily. I just feel a longing to known more about the Catholic faith. One of my co-workers recommended RCIA. So I’ve been in RCIA inquiry since Oct 09 and was welcomed into as a candidate in April 2010. I expect to be confirmed Easter 2011.
I am utterly convinced that Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church. That really did it for me. If Jesus founded a chruch, wouldn’t all that profess to follow him be in it, once this revelation is realized. John 6 started my convergence. The Bread of Life discourse, it is so much more then just a symbol. It is life it self. Matt 16 verified it for me that Christ did found a chruch, and it has been with us since then. Christ says he would build his church. This is a profound promise. And Christ keeps all of his promises. HE IS GOD!
Catholicism just makes so much sense. Catholicism used all of scripture, including the 7 deuterocanonical books. Where as a protestant I noticed that some scriptures are highlighted more then others. That leads to a misinterpretation and detriment of the hole.
When I put down my protestant glasses and read scripture, catholic literature, and what Catholics say about Catholicism, every issue I thought I had fell away like dominions, and I drove as fast as my car could get me to the nearest Roman Catholic parish!!!

 

[Angels_Eyes]

I was raised a Catholic and did my Communion and Confirmation, and attended Catholic schools. It was a happy time in my life, I remember that.

In high school I started to question…and after that remained a Catholic probably until I was about 23, but did not attend Church anymore.

I looked into the Occult (Witchcraft) and called myself ‘Pagan’ for about 5.5 years, but still felt this wasn’t enough. I looked into Spiritualism (I have always been very interested in New Age things) and was even ‘dedicated’ into Spiritualism and remained in that Church for over 3 years.

Today, the yearning continues. I do not attend the Spiritual Church anymore. My first born has started his first year of school this year at a Catholic school. He sings me all the gorgeous songs he learns, and we say the ‘Our Father’ together every night. It brings tears to my eyes, tears of happiness.

I feel I am drawn back to the Catholic Church and have recently finished a Catholic Returning home program. I am still not 100% sure of what is holding me back, I am sad and lost by this as I think I DO want to be a Catholic again.

So I was a convert or revert for a short time…I pray to God every night that he guides me and eases my confussed mind.

 

[Pitcharan]

…I am still not 100% sure of what is holding me back, I am sad and lost by this as I think I DO want to be a Catholic again. So I was a convert or revert for a short time…I pray to God every night that he guides me and eases my confused mind.

My case is not very different (see link forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6839524&postcount=35). My son too was instrumental for my return to God. I just want to share this: God does everything to enable us choose freely but does NOT make the choice on our behalf; it is for us to choose. Confusion is invariably the wage of pride, and mind you, pride can be hidden and you may be under the impression that you are humble. Have a word with our Divine Mother and advocate, who is humility personified. I’m sure you will be able to come out of your confusion. You can effectively use the below prayer to her:
Remember Holy Mary, twas never heard or known,
That anyone who sought thee and made to thee her moan,
That any one who hastened for shelter to thy care,
Was ever yet abandoned and left to her despair.

And so to thee my Mother with filial faith I call,
For Jesus dying gave thee as Mother to us all.
To thee O Queen of Virgins, O Mother meek, to thee
I run with trustful fondness, like child to mother’s knee.

See at thy feet a sinner, groaning and weeping sore.
Ah, throw thy mantle over me and let me stray no more.
Thy Son has died to save me, and from His throne on high
His heart this moment yearns for one even such as I.

All His love remember, and oh, remember too,
How prompt I am to purpose, how slow and frail to do,
Yet scorn not my petitions but patiently give ear,
And help me, O My Mother, most loving and most dear.

 

[bly]

Since the Popes visit 2008, I become extremely interested in the Catholic Faith. So much so that I have order books, CDs, spoken with co-workers that are Catholic about their faith, watching EWTN TV, listening to Catholic radio, attended Mass and praying the Rosary daily. I just feel a longing to known more about the Catholic faith. One of my co-workers recommended RCIA. So I’ve been in RCIA inquiry since Oct 09 and was welcomed into as a candidate in April 2010. I expect to be confirmed Easter 2011.
I am utterly convinced that Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church. That really did it for me. If Jesus founded a chruch, wouldn’t all that profess to follow him be in it, once this revelation is realized. John 6 started my convergence. The Bread of Life discourse, it is so much more then just a symbol. It is life it self. Matt 16 verified it for me that Christ did found a chruch, and it has been with us since then. Christ says he would build his church. This is a profound promise. And Christ keeps all of his promises. HE IS GOD!
Catholicism just makes so much sense. Catholicism used all of scripture, including the 7 deuterocanonical books. Where as a protestant I noticed that some scriptures are highlighted more then others. That leads to a misinterpretation and detriment of the hole.
When I put down my protestant glasses and read scripture, catholic literature, and what Catholics say about Catholicism, every issue I thought I had fell away like dominions, and I drove as fast as my car could get me to the nearest Roman Catholic parish!!!

A very nice story! Welcome home!
Driving too fast is a sin according to the Church…

 

[lutherlic]

I was raised a Catholic and did my Communion and Confirmation, and attended Catholic schools. It was a happy time in my life, I remember that.

In high school I started to question…and after that remained a Catholic probably until I was about 23, but did not attend Church anymore.

I looked into the Occult (Witchcraft) and called myself ‘Pagan’ for about 5.5 years, but still felt this wasn’t enough. I looked into Spiritualism (I have always been very interested in New Age things) and was even ‘dedicated’ into Spiritualism and remained in that Church for over 3 years.

Today, the yearning continues. I do not attend the Spiritual Church anymore. My first born has started his first year of school this year at a Catholic school. He sings me all the gorgeous songs he learns, and we say the ‘Our Father’ together every night. It brings tears to my eyes, tears of happiness.

I feel I am drawn back to the Catholic Church and have recently finished a Catholic Returning home program. I am still not 100% sure of what is holding me back, I am sad and lost by this as I think I DO want to be a Catholic again.

So I was a convert or revert for a short time…I pray to God every night that he guides me and eases my confussed mind.

Angels Eyes, the Holy Spirit has guided you back. He is showing you the truth through your son’s songs, saying the Lord’s Prayer and the “pull” that you feel. Your journey was like a voyage, you were overboard and the Holy Spirit has thrown you a life line. Don’t leave go!

The other things you dabbled in were not (as you know) of God. Like all sin, they offered only appealing lies. For those things you need to “die to self” and put God’s will truly first, which I sense you are struggling to do. Don’t give up and push through whatever doubts or attractions Satan puts in your way. The rewards are not only eternal, but joy and peace right now.

Find the “spiritualism” you long for in Jesus. He waits for you in the tabernacle (and possibly in exposition for adoration) at your local church. Spend time (at least an hour per week) with Him, praying and studying.

May God bless you and your family as you fully complete your return home. You are very close!

 

[yosephdaviyd]

After the initial awakening to the feeling that God was reaching out to me after some rather bizarre occurrences i think the thing that convinced me to seek out Christ in the Catholic faith was after praying to God and asking him to show me which church he could be found in.
That night i had the oddest dream, in which it was made explicit that i should continue in my search for Jesus within the Catholic church. Apologies if i sound a little vague in the details but some of it would sound pretty weird.
A year on, since the strange stuff started occurring, i’ve never been happier.

There is very interesting - I had a very similar experience, but it intrigues me to no end as to how many other people ask that question or one similar to it (e.g. Joseph Smith - founder of the Mormons), but are led in a different direction than us, either because of lack of discernment on their part, trickery by Satan, or simply God moving them along the pilgrimage of life according to his good, patient, pleasing, and perfect will. Fascinating!

David L. Gray
(Yoseph Daviyd)​

• Blog - yosephmdaviyd.blogspot.com/
• Articles - associatedcontent.com/user/871946/david_l_gray_yoseph_david.html

 

[distracted]

I have been in my parish for three-and-a-half years now. The first priest who was there (and received me into the Church) retired almost two years later. We never had a chance to chat a lot, but we got on SO well; he was my “spiritual daddy”. Then my present parish priest came, and it was a different story. We are VERY opposite in personality and I was tempted to dislike him and get mad at him a lot (though hate is much too strong a word; I just got irritated). But then I realised it would be of no use to make enemies with someone who would be my pastor and give me the Eucharist – and just because he is different! So I was determined to look on the positive side at the things I liked about him – and there were some great things to like about him! As a sacristan in my parish, I interact with him a lot, and despite having disagreements, we actually get on fine. With relationships it helps to have people who test you, so you can grow more like Jesus.

Friends are people who you can be yourself around, who accept and love you as you are. To have friends, you also have a part in accepting and loving others as they are. It is really about helping each other up the “ladder” to heaven, if you know what I mean…

It also is necessary to accept yourself as you are. I have been prone to self-contempt and when I went through a period of this, it had a damaging effect on my relationships with others, because I then tended to be suspicious and alienate myself from others; closing myself off from them. When I did this it seemed as if people were not accepting of me and disliked me. It was only when I accepted myself again that others seemed friendlier.

Dolores
+

thanks for your interesting post…

its strange though… whne i started accepting myself more (because Jesus does …) the opposite happened… it seemed that i got along w/ fewer people… i think it was cuz i no longer let people treat me like dirt w/o attempting to know the reason why… as ifthere IS a reason to treat pepole like dirt I wasn’t rude in response to rudeness… but they probably (mostly) took it that way… (sigh) Who needs friends like this?

so anyhow… no great loss…

I now get along fine w/ the priest i was telling you about… by not talking to him…

works great…

 

[distracted]

There is very interesting - I had a very similar experience, but it intrigues me to no end as to how many other people ask that question or one similar to it (e.g. Joseph Smith - founder of the Mormons), but are led in a different direction than us, either because of lack of discernment on their part, trickery by Satan, or simply God moving them along the pilgrimage of life according to his good, patient, pleasing, and perfect will. Fascinating!

David L. Gray
(Yoseph Daviyd)​

• Blog - yosephmdaviyd.blogspot.com/
• Articles - associatedcontent.com/user/871946/david_l_gray_yoseph_david.html

i could be wrong but i think Joseph Smith just started another religion cuz there is $$ in doing so… and from the results of this “new religon”… I’d say the devil is the one who influenced him… Ever read about victims of the (F)LDS?? the fundamnetal LDS??

yeah, i know, the regular LDS will tell you that they don’t condone their polygamy and all that stuff… but they are a break off from the LDS… the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…

In any case, even the regular LDS is way off, theologically… and biblically…

there isonly ONE Church…

i think in all this talk of ecumenism… even Catholics forget just how true that is…

 

[yosephdaviyd]

i could be wrong but i think Joseph Smith just started another religion cuz there is $$ in doing so… and from the results of this “new religon”… I’d say the devil is the one who influenced him… Ever read about victims of the (F)LDS?? the fundamnetal LDS??

No, I have always been intrigued with Smith’s original question - I say original because the more he told the story the more changes and color it took on, but originally, while he was in a wooded area, he said that God the Father and by his Son Jesus Christ appeared to him and he asked, “Which of the churches is true?” To which, they told Joseph “None of them”.

As the story goes, where he grew up there were many various protesting churches and traveling prophets - so the 14 boy was confused - understandably. So he asks God which Church of all these churches in my town are the true church.

As Catholics we clearly the better question that Smith did not ask, ‘Where is the true Church’ or ‘Is there a true Church’. if there was no Catholic church in that small town in upstate NY then the answer that he said God gave him makes all the sense.

Life is all about asking the right questions to other and self - Joseph missed it and was affected greatly for it…

David L. Gray
(Yoseph Daviyd)​

• Blog - yosephmdaviyd.blogspot.com/
• Articles - associatedcontent.com/user/871946/david_l_gray_yoseph_david.html

 

[Dolores_IHS]

Remember Holy Mary, twas never heard or known,
That anyone who sought thee and made to thee her moan,
That any one who hastened for shelter to thy care,
Was ever yet abandoned and left to her despair.

And so to thee my Mother with filial faith I call,
For Jesus dying gave thee as Mother to us all.
To thee O Queen of Virgins, O Mother meek, to thee
I run with trustful fondness, like child to mother’s knee.

See at thy feet a sinner, groaning and weeping sore.
Ah, throw thy mantle over me and let me stray no more.
Thy Son has died to save me, and from His throne on high
His heart this moment yearns for one even such as I.

All His love remember, and oh, remember too,
How prompt I am to purpose, how slow and frail to do,
Yet scorn not my petitions but patiently give ear,
And help me, O My Mother, most loving and most dear.

Thanks for sharing. It is a beautiful prayer!

 

[Pitcharan]

Thanks for sharing. It is a beautiful prayer!

CAF gives us all the opportunity to serve with love at NO cost.

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

Green Tree Frogs