Christian wanting to convert.......

[shun]

steve b:

Hi Shun,

She’s a smart gramma

It sounds like your gramma, your Dad’s mom, is the link to Catholicism in the family.

You’re on the right path

WOW!!! I’m impressed. Does that mean she participates here as well?

I’m not sure. I am going to call her when my mum leaves. I think she listens to the radio program though. I want to go visit her, but I’m not sure my Dad will let me. My grandma can’t see me because she is trying to sell her house. (PRAY FOR HER!!!) If worse comes to worse, then I will have to wait until I’m 18.

 

[CARose]

Shun,

I am so impressed that you recognise that you may need to wait. The Holy Spirit is working well within you and you show an ability to listen. That is the first and foremost thing you can do, listen, and discern correctly what God desires from you.

Respect for our parents is something that is of utmost importance, so more than anything else, I’d like to second that you need to have their permission before you convert. If they are OK with you simply exploring what Catholicism is, then I would encourage you to continue to come to us with your questions.

If they forbid you to come here, we will pray for you that they have a change of heart, but God would not want you to disrespect the authority he has rightly placed over you. They are there for your personal protection. But know that there are times where the child leads in matters of Faith, so you may become just what your parents need to return (for your father) or enter into (for your mother) the fullness of what it is to be Christian.

God Bless you for your interest and your willingness to explore Catholicism.

CARose

 

[DanB]

Shun,

Welcome home. As tradition of the early Christians, the usual time for initiation was nearly a 3 year long journey. However, today R.C.I.A. is about an 8 month journey. As a previous member stated entry into Catholicism from another Christian denomination is more than converting, but completing. This means you will be entering into the fullness of truth as it has been handed on perfectedly for 2000 years through the Holy Spirit, but not always through perfect men. This journey is one of daily conversion, always in the pursuit of the deep mysteries and a growing in your faith. God bless you on your first footsteps and may the many ahead of you reap a rich harvest.

 

[shun]

CARose:

Shun,

I am so impressed that you recognise that you may need to wait. The Holy Spirit is working well within you and you show an ability to listen. That is the first and foremost thing you can do, listen, and discern correctly what God desires from you.

Respect for our parents is something that is of utmost importance, so more than anything else, I’d like to second that you need to have their permission before you convert. If they are OK with you simply exploring what Catholicism is, then I would encourage you to continue to come to us with your questions.

If they forbid you to come here, we will pray for you that they have a change of heart, but God would not want you to disrespect the authority he has rightly placed over you. They are there for your personal protection. But know that there are times where the child leads in matters of Faith, so you may become just what your parents need to return (for your father) or enter into (for your mother) the fullness of what it is to be Christian.

God Bless you for your interest and your willingness to explore Catholicism.

CARose

My parents allow me to explore Catholoicism, I just can’t “convert” to it. Good news is that it gives me time to research. MY Dad gave me examples are things that are wrong, like praying to Mary.

 

[shun]

DanB:

Shun,

Welcome home. As tradition of the early Christians, the usual time for initiation was nearly a 3 year long journey. However, today R.C.I.A. is about an 8 month journey. As a previous member stated entry into Catholicism from another Christian denomination is more than converting, but completing. This means you will be entering into the fullness of truth as it has been handed on perfectedly for 2000 years through the Holy Spirit, but not always through perfect men. This journey is one of daily conversion, always in the pursuit of the deep mysteries and a growing in your faith. God bless you on your first footsteps and may the many ahead of you reap a rich harvest.

I thank you. I did have a queston though. I attend a public high school, and I am taking biology. A few weeks ago, we were learning about fossils. How does the Catholic Church explain that?

 

[mercygate]

shun:

I thank you. I did have a queston though. I attend a public high school, and I am taking biology. A few weeks ago, we were learning about fossils. How does the Catholic Church explain that?

It doesn’t. Catholics are free to understand creation either as a 6-day event or as an event taking place over “days” that do not correspond to a 24-hour day. Ain’t that grand? :yup: There are only 7 or 8 passages in Scripture which the Catholic Church interprets dogmatically. Readers have a lot of freedom. An example Karl Keating uses in his book, Catholicism and Fundamentalism, is the story of Jonah. Catholics are free to accept this as a literal, true story or as a parable. The Resurrection of Jesus, however, is NOT up for grabs!

 

[mercygate]

shun:

I thank you. I did have a queston though. I attend a public high school, and I am taking biology. A few weeks ago, we were learning about fossils. How does the Catholic Church explain that?

It doesn’t. Catholics are free to understand creation either as a 6-day event or as an event taking place over “days” that do not correspond to a 24-hour day. Ain’t that grand? :yup:

There are only 7 or 8 passages in Scripture which the Catholic Church interprets dogmatically. Readers have a lot of freedom. An example Karl Keating uses in his book, Catholicism and Fundamentalism, is the story of Jonah. Catholics are free to accept this as a literal, true story or as a parable. The Resurrection of Jesus, however, is NOT up for grabs!

 

[Amadeus]

Mercygate:

The Resurrection of Jesus, however, is NOT up for grabs!

That’s one of the best puns (or allegory!) on Christ’s resurrection I have read this side of Chicago, even if you did not intend it to be!

 

[CARose]

shun:

My parents allow me to explore Catholoicism, I just can’t “convert” to it. Good news is that it gives me time to research. MY Dad gave me examples are things that are wrong, like praying to Mary.

Then you are in an excellent position to learn and help yourself and your parents grow closer to God.

I’m sorry your Father misunderstands the Catholic position regarding Mary.

Let’s see if this helps.

Mary is the Mother of Jesus, Jesus is God, therefore Mary is the Mother of God. This has to account for something. It doesn’t make her divine, and we DON’T worship her, she show her the honor and respect that is due to the woman who cared for our Lord, from his conception to his crucifixion and through to the prayers in the upper room with the Apostles, Mary was there for Christ.

I believe that most Christians agree that we are to follow in Christ’s footsteps. I think most also agree that Christ was free from sin and followed the Law as given to the Jews, for he came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.

That being established, we know that the 10 Commandments state that one must Honor your Mother and Father. Therefore, we know that Christ Honored Mary.

We are to follow Christ, and we know that from the Cross Christ gave Mary to his beloved Apostle (and through him to all humanity, for we are all to be his beloved Apostle in our own way).

Hence, we have been called by Christ himself to give Honor to his mother, for she is our mother.

The word Worship in English is used where in Latin you will find three different words to describe what we mean. It is important to understand that the Worship due only to God remains reserved to Him alone. This worship is Latria and only God is worshipped in this way. The next, and significantly lower form of honor is that shown to Mary. It is known as Hyper Dulia. She is the highest among all the Saints, and is even above the Angels. Of all Creation, Mary, Jesus’s mother, holds the highest place. She was raised just as David raised his mother to be Queen Mother.

The remainder of the saints are given the honor of Dulia, which is the respect due to someone who can assist us with their unending prayers on our behalf.

I hope this helps.

God Bless,

CARose

 

[shun]

CARose:

Then you are in an excellent position to learn and help yourself and your parents grow closer to God.

I’m sorry your Father misunderstands the Catholic position regarding Mary.

Let’s see if this helps.

Mary is the Mother of Jesus, Jesus is God, therefore Mary is the Mother of God. This has to account for something. It doesn’t make her divine, and we DON’T worship her, she show her the honor and respect that is due to the woman who cared for our Lord, from his conception to his crucifixion and through to the prayers in the upper room with the Apostles, Mary was there for Christ.

I believe that most Christians agree that we are to follow in Christ’s footsteps. I think most also agree that Christ was free from sin and followed the Law as given to the Jews, for he came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.

That being established, we know that the 10 Commandments state that one must Honor your Mother and Father. Therefore, we know that Christ Honored Mary.

We are to follow Christ, and we know that from the Cross Christ gave Mary to his beloved Apostle (and through him to all humanity, for we are all to be his beloved Apostle in our own way).

Hence, we have been called by Christ himself to give Honor to his mother, for she is our mother.

The word Worship in English is used where in Latin you will find three different words to describe what we mean. It is important to understand that the Worship due only to God remains reserved to Him alone. This worship is Latria and only God is worshipped in this way. The next, and significantly lower form of honor is that shown to Mary. It is known as Hyper Dulia. She is the highest among all the Saints, and is even above the Angels. Of all Creation, Mary, Jesus’s mother, holds the highest place. She was raised just as David raised his mother to be Queen Mother.

The remainder of the saints are given the honor of Dulia, which is the respect due to someone who can assist us with their unending prayers on our behalf.

I hope this helps.

God Bless,

CARose

It did…kinda…I think my Dad as a child didnt like Catholicism and decied to “ignore " it, but Im not sure if ignore is the right word. I was reading an old bible, and I was told that for communion, the bread once consumed, becomes the actual flesh of christ…***“Take, eat: This is my body.” -St. Mark 14:22
***Im trying to discover what thta means…sigh It seems so depressing to me. My grandmother called today asking for me.
My mum and Dad asked: " did you call her?”
me: “yes.”
them: “About Catholicism?”
me: “no. I just wanted to say hello…Don’t worry about me. Im sticking with Christanity.”
now, I know I lied. But I wasn’t in the mood to argue with them.
I still want to talk to my Grandma. My Dad and Grandma always get into disscusions about religion. What are some good books about people in my same situation ( Prodistant to Catholicism), I would greatly appericate it.

 

[steve_b]

shun:

…I think my Dad as a child didnt like Catholicism andMy Dad and Grandma always get into disscusions about religion. What are some good books about people in my same situation ( Prodistant to Catholicism), I would greatly appericate it.

Try reading anything from Scott Hahn. He’s a professor of Theology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. He has great CD’s as well on all the key topics of the bible.

marianland.com/stjosephcom078.html

mindspring.com/~jdarcy/files/drhahn.html
On this second site, you’ll find subjects on audio free, plus answers to many questions you might have, particularly the sacraments. Everything on the first site is material for sale. Some of the items on the first site are offered free on this second site. i.e. “answering common objections” and some others. I think he is a great teacher and evangelist. I think you’ll like him as well. He’s a convert from Presbyterianism.

His first book was “Rome Sweet Home”. I enthusiastically recommend it as a primer.

 

[DeFide]

Besides printing out the tracts in the “Library” section of Catholic.com, you may want to buy (or look in local library for) the book “Any Friend of God’s Is a Friend of Mine” as a great, simple resource to explain the communion of saints, to show that saints in heaven pray with us just like we pray for each other on earth.

Conversion story books (“Rome Sweet Home”, “Crossing the Tiber”, “Suprised by Truth”, etc.) might also be compelling for your Dad as they’re more like a novel than a textbook. As you know, it can be hard to discuss religion differences with family members, so books can be a good way to explore the Catholic faith with your family without pressure.

We’ll keep you and your family in our prayers. Pray for patience and wisdom.

Communion of Saints
Eph 1:22-23 - he is head of the Church, which is His body
Eph 5:21-32 - Christ is the head of the Church, Savior of the body
Col 1:18, 24 - He is head of the body, the Church
1Cor 12:12-27 - if I suffer, all suffer; if I am honored, all rejoice
Rom 12:5 - we are one body in Christ, individual parts of one another
Eph 4:4 - one body, one Spirit, called to one hope
Col 3:15 - you were called in one body
Rom 8:35-39 - death cannot separate us from Christ
Rom 12:10 - love one another with mutual affection
1Thess 5:11 - encourage, build up one another
Gal 6:2 - bear one another’s burdens
Gal 6:10 - let us do good to all, especially those in family of faith

Intercessory Prayer of Saints
Rom 15:30 - join me by your prayers to God on my behalf
Col 4:3, 1Thess 5:25 - pray for us
2Thess 1:11 - we always pray for you
2Thess 3:1 - finally, brothers, pray for us
Eph 6:18-19 - making supplication for all the saints & for me
Tob 12:12 - angel presents Tobit & Sarah’s prayer to God
Ps 148 - David calls upon angels
Zech 1:12 - angel intercedes for Jerusalem
Mk 12:25, Mt 22:30 - men in heaven are as the angels
Rev 5:8 - those in heaven offer prayers of the holy ones to God
Mk 12:26-27 - he is God of the living, not of the dead
Mk 9:4 - Jesus seen conversing with Elijah & Moses
Lk 9:31 - Elijah & Moses aware of earthly events
Rev 6:9-11 - martyrs under altar want earthly vindication
Heb 12:1 - we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses
Lk 16:19-30 - departed rich man intercedes for brothers
Rev 20:4 - saw the souls of those who had been beheaded
Wis 3:1-6 - the souls of the just are in the hand of God
2Macc 15:7-16 - the departed Onias & Jeremiah pray for the Jews
Jas 5:16 prayers of righteous man
1 Cor. 13:12 - I shall understand fully
1 John 4: 20-21 - whoever loves God must love his brother
1 Cor 12:21 - parts of Christ’s Body cannot say to other parts, “I do not need you”.
1Tim 2:1-7 - offer prayers, petitions for all men

 

[scylla]

If you want some free reading on conversion here is a good website to read. Just so you don’t have to spend so much money on books. There are many out there, I found when I came back to the Catholic Church I spent enormous amounts of money on books (because I love to read) and there is sooooo much. I think if you like to read, the Catholic Church is a goldmine of books and knowledge.

chnetwork.org/

God Bless
Scylla

 

[TheGarg]

shun:

My parents allow me to explore Catholoicism, I just can’t “convert” to it. Good news is that it gives me time to research. MY Dad gave me examples are things that are wrong, like praying to Mary.

First off, we don’t pray TO Mary, we ask Mary to pray FOR us, intercessory prayer don’t ya know.

Hang in there kid, study, tradition, and history will lead you to the Catholic Faith. The only thing that stops people from converting to Christ’s Church is pride.

 

[Callie]

Dear Shun,

C. S. Lewis’s writings might be helpful for you and your parents. He was not a Catholic, but his writings have brought many into the Church. My mind is a blank this early in the morning to say which books would be best. Maybe some of our fellow forum members would help. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. Welcome, Shun. Callie

 

[Little_Mary]

Shun

First of all, welcome

You asked for some book suggestions about converting from protestant to Catholic. Scott Hahn and Marcus Grodi are two good authors. Also By What Authority? by Mark P. Shea. Mr. Shea was an evangelical protestant who set out to prove the Catholic church wrong and through his research he ended up converting instead. This book describes the process he went through.

Also, you might search these forums, or start another thread asking other converts from protestantism to share with you how they dealt with their families when they converted.

Hope that helps.

 

[CARose]

Shun,

I appreciate that you didn’t want to get into a battle with your Father, but you must believe that the Holy Spirit will guide you through your parents and not through disrespecting or lying to them. The next time he asks please say a quick “Please Jesus Help Me” prayer in your mind or “Holy Spirit guide me” before you answer, but be as honest as you possibly can. You may even want to tell him that since you’re exploring God, you don’t want to feel that you can’t be open and honest with them. If God is important, then being honest about God is especially important.

When it comes to books, if you’re on a budget you may want to try the library or to begin putting together your own library, you may want to try the local used book store. CS Lewis has a large number of titles that are good for helping you understand Christianity better and they are frequently available at the used book stores. Ask where their Christian / Catholic section is.

Did you say you have a good bible? Even if you do, having more than one translation is not a bad idea if you intend to study. These can often be found at a very reasonable price at the used book stores. Look for Catholic Bibles, we have 7 more books than the Protestants do, they dropped them in the reformation.

CS Lewis’s fictional work (the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe series) is quite a fun read and it is loosely based on the story of Jesus Christ. The Lord of the Rings Series is also excellent reading. And the last, but not necessarily least author for young people that I highly recommend is Madeline L’engle and her “Wrinkle in Time” series. These books are not about Catholicism directly, which may help ease the minds of your parents, but the themes are well founded on solid Catholic thought (the characters make sound moral decisions with some human frailty, there is good and evil, good ultimately triumphs).

As per the suggestion that you read Scott Hahn’s “Home Sweet Rome”, I would definitely like to second the recommendation! I loved it, as well as the 3 “Surprised by the Truth” books. Excellent and a really pleasant read.

God Bless,

CARose

 

[Ignatius]

shun:

I am a christian. And up until a few months ago, I spent a week with my Grandmother, who is a traditional catholic. And I began to talk to her about the catholic religion, and I decided that I wanted to convert because I strongly believe in tradition. The problem is that I want to become catholic too, but I dont know how.

Hi Shun. Someone has probably already mentioned it, but the Catholic Faith is the original Christian Church, founded by Jesus Christ. Here is something that may help you.

Do you have any idea when your church was founded and by whom? You may find this enlightening:

If you are a of the Catholic faith, Jesus Christ founded your Church in the year A.D. 30.

If you are Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk in the Catholic Church, in 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England (Anglican), your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.
If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded when John Knox brought the teachings of John Calvin to Scotland in the Year 1560.

If you are Unitarian, your group developed in Europe in the 1500s.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion branched off Puritanism in the early 1600s in England.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1607.

If you are a Methodist, your religion was founded by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are an Episcopalian, your church came from England to the American colonies. It formed a separate religion founded by Samuel Seabury in 1789.

If you are a Campellite Christian Church, your religion was started by Thomas and Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone at a revival held at Bushy Creek.

If you are a Mormon (Latter-day Saints), Joseph Smith started your church in Palmyra, N.Y. in 1830.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year your religion was founded by Mary Baker Eddy.

If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, your religion was founded by Charles Taze Russell in Pennsylvania in the 1870s.

If your Church of Christ, your church broke of from the Campellites in 1906.

If you are Pentecostal, your religion was started in the United States in 1901.

If your organization is “nondenominational Christian” your group started in the 1960s

Above all, pray every day. Ask that the Holy Spirit will lead you to the Pillar and Foundation of Truth. And we will all be praying for you as well.

God Bless you.

 

[CARose]

shun:

I was reading an old bible, and I was told that for communion, the bread once consumed, becomes the actual flesh of christ…***“Take, eat: This is my body.” -St. Mark 14:22 ***
Im trying to discover what thta means…sigh …

This is about the Eucharist, the bread of life that Jesus spoke of at the Last Supper and before that, in John 6:26-71, after the feeding of the Loaves and Fishes. He made it quite clear that we were to eat his flesh and drink his blood to have eternal life. This is the central theme of the Catholic Mass, the representation of the sacrifice at Calvary, where the priest again offers up the one sacrifice for all time to God the Father, in atonement for the ongoing sins of humanity.

There is a specific place during the Mass when the Host is Consecrated. At this moment, even though the host remains in the appearance of bread and wine (the accidence) it has truly and substantially changed to the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. God can do anything, including make his son look like bread and wine. If he can appear in the form of humanity, he can appear in the humble form of bread and wine.

This miracle occurs around the world at all hours of the day. It is truly a beautiful prayer offered up to God unceasingly.

CARose

 

[shun]

CARose:

Shun,

I appreciate that you didn’t want to get into a battle with your Father, but you must believe that the Holy Spirit will guide you through your parents and not through disrespecting or lying to them. The next time he asks please say a quick “Please Jesus Help Me” prayer in your mind or “Holy Spirit guide me” before you answer, but be as honest as you possibly can. You may even want to tell him that since you’re exploring God, you don’t want to feel that you can’t be open and honest with them. If God is important, then being honest about God is especially important.

When it comes to books, if you’re on a budget you may want to try the library or to begin putting together your own library, you may want to try the local used book store. CS Lewis has a large number of titles that are good for helping you understand Christianity better and they are frequently available at the used book stores. Ask where their Christian / Catholic section is.

Did you say you have a good bible? Even if you do, having more than one translation is not a bad idea if you intend to study. These can often be found at a very reasonable price at the used book stores.*** Look for Catholic Bibles, we have 7 more books than the Protestants do, they dropped them in the reformation.***

CS Lewis’s fictional work (the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe series) is quite a fun read and it is loosely based on the story of Jesus Christ. The Lord of the Rings Series is also excellent reading. And the last, but not necessarily least author for young people that I highly recommend is Madeline L’engle and her “Wrinkle in Time” series. These books are not about Catholicism directly, which may help ease the minds of your parents, but the themes are well founded on solid Catholic thought (the characters make sound moral decisions with some human frailty, there is good and evil, good ultimately triumphs).

As per the suggestion that you read Scott Hahn’s “Home Sweet Rome”, I would definitely like to second the recommendation! I loved it, as well as the 3 “Surprised by the Truth” books. Excellent and a really pleasant read.

God Bless,

CARose

Yes, my grandmother told me that. My Dad told me that ***“Protestants” ***don’t have those in the bible becuase those books were not written by Jesus’ disiplies. And as for some of the books you have suggested, I have: The Lord of The Rings, A Wrinkle in Time, and C.S Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. They are indeed good books. And I thank everyone for helping me out. I appreciate it very much.