Coming to the Catholic Faith

[easter88]

I think most people here are familiar with the numerous conversions of Protestants to the Catholic faith, and with the way that a love for the Bible can lead people into the Church. I have read that it is easier for Protestants to convert to Catholicism than the un-churched.

My question is this: Is it correct to say that the Catholic perspective is that an “ideal” conversion is one straight into Catholicism, rather than Protestantism first and Catholicism second?

For example, before the Protestant Reformation, before there was a Bible in everyone’s home, what motivated people to become Catholic?

From what I understand, the Catholic Church proclaims herself to be the one true Church. If this is the case, it would make the other churches unnecessary, although in view of all the conversions from these groups, not useless. So if this is the case, would there not be a path straight to it (the Church)?

And what do you think are ways that people could become Catholic without becoming Protestant first?

 

[fermat]

The primary mode of transmission for the gospels was, and is still in some places, word of mouth. The motivation was the prompting of the Spirit upon hearing the Word of God proclaimed.

There are many roads Rome. The path that a person takes to Catholicism is going to be dictated by the movings of the Spirit and that persons willingness to listen. I know a lot of Catholics who came from nothing, to Christianity in a generic sense, to Catholicism. I also know one person who was a pagan and then came straight into the church.

 

[puzzleannie]

I
My question is this: Is it correct to say that the Catholic perspective is that an “ideal” conversion is one straight into Catholicism, rather than Protestantism first and Catholicism second?

?

there is no such thing as one ideal journey, everyone starts from a different point, takes their own time, encounters their own challenges and obstacles, but all are headed in the same direction with the same goal, complete union with Christ and his Church.

Some Protestants are in a great place because they have a good grounding in scripture and may be farther along even than uncatechized but baptized Catholics preparing for Confirmation. Others take even longer than the unchurched, simply because they have more knowledge of their own faith expression and history, and hence, more obstacles to overcome in understanding and accepting key Catholic doctrines. No generalization you can come up with is going to work (in my experience over 10 years teaching and administering RCIA, and longer than that as sponsor and participant).

And what do you think are ways that people could become Catholic without becoming Protestant first?

for Catholics to do their job and obey their baptismal call to evangelize

 

[easter88]

Thank you.

No generalization you can come up with is going to work

I wasn’t trying to “come up with” generalizations, I was merely pointing out something I had read.

 

[puzzleannie]

Thank you.

I wasn’t trying to “come up with” generalizations, I was merely pointing out something I had read.

sorry I answered the question you posted
if you would like a post to the article in question we can discuss that thesis

 

[easter88]

It is from the description of a book…
The Belief of Catholics by Ronald Knox

“Ronald Knox was one of the most influential British convert-writers of the 20th century. Of his many works, The Belief of Catholics is his best-known book and his premiere piece of apologetics. While it deals extensively with Protestantism, its target is more the unchurched or lightly-church modern who, if he gives any thought at all to Catholicism, thinks it mildly foreign. As Knox knew, it is not the most difficult part of modern apologetics to convince the devoted Protestant that he has much of Christian truth but now needs to move on to the rest, which is found only in the Catholic Church. The most difficult part is convincing the nominal Protestant (or nominal Catholic), the vaguely religious person, or the person without any religious inclinations that God really does exist, that His existence matters, and that only knowledge of Him and obedience to Him can lead to answers to the questions that haunt everyone.”

 

[rebecca123]

To be honest, I have never known anyone personally who has converted from Protestantism to Catholicism. I was Protestant for 30 years and very involved. I know they are out there due to the internet and EWTN, but I don’t believe it’s all that many people. Many protestants I know are contented Christians who aren’t even questioning the basic elements of their “protestant” faith. They know the Bible very well and try to follow it. Some have given their very lives for the sake of the gospel.

Of course it is much more difficult to evangelize unbelievers than Protestants because they are UNBELIEVERS. Protestants are Christians, even if they are separated from the Catholic Church. If we’d stop trying to convert each other and focus on those who are truly separated from Christ, although it would be more challenging and we might actually have to use “words” as well as our loving actions, I think it would be more alligned with what Jesus had in mind when giving the Great Commission to his followers in Matthew 28.