Confirmed Today - Friends not happy but I am!

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Seeking33

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I was confirmed this morning an am officially a Catholic!!!

I was so nervous and overcome with emotion and anticipation at taking the Eucharist for the first time, that I had taken my glasses off and forgot they were still in my hand when I got up there to receive the communion. Woops!! Then when the deacon said the Body of Christ, I forgot to say Amen. And I forgot to say Amen when I took the Blood of Christ. I apologized to the lady and said I’m sorry I forgot to say Amen. She just was sweet and squeezed my hand and said that’s okay. Anyway, I felt pretty bad about it, but it was still the most awesome, intimate time with Christ I have ever experienced and I’m coming from a Baptist background, then Pentecostal/Charismatic for about 8 years. I just THOUGHT I knew what being intimate with the Lord was, but now I KNOW!!! Catholics, in general, do not realize what a Great Treasure they have…The Pearl of Great Price!!! I feel so blessed that God has allowed me to partake.

I’m excited although my friends are not… They just don’t understand. When I told a Baptist friend tonight, that, oh, by the way, I joined the Catholic Church this morning, she was SOOOO disappointed and hurt. I’ve been going to Bible studies at her house and going to RCIA since last spring. I guess she thought (and probably praying fervently) that I would eventually see the error of my way and I would stop considering the Catholic Church.

Tonight she really almost lost her composure with me. She accused me of never going to enough bible studies in the past and not really studying the scripture enough on my own under the influence of previous churches!!! Like being raised in a solid Baptist home, backsliding, then coming into a very demanding pentecostal church who was very pressured about attending every “Bible” related event that could possibly take place wasn’t enough. That now, I guess I’ve been brain-washed by the mean ole Catholics… She acted like I had not given Protestantism a chance (after 33 years???). GOOD GRIEF!!! :eek:

Just thought I’d share my story… It hurts when people just act like you don’t know how to hear from God. Like she gave me a story about a friend that goes to her church now who came out of the Catholic church. This friend says that God led her out of the Catholic church. I just can’t comprehend that it could be God telling this woman to leave his Church. My friend told me she can’t understand how God would tell this woman to leave, and tell me to come into the Catholic faith. I told my friend that I can’t speak to what God was saying to someone else, that I can only say what God told me. For the first time in my life, I can say I honestly don’t believe that woman was hearing from God. It just doesn’t make sense. I would have never said someone wasn’t hearing from God before. But now I’m sure I can say that.

Anyway, I just had to vent. Thanks for listening!! (reading)
 
Hi! I am very happy for you, that you are now part of the Catholic Church!

I was born and raised Catholic, and I am afraid I cannot understand what it must have been like for you. However, I can understand how it is to have a friend who has such strong religious disagreements. Hopefully that you both believe in God will keep you friends, as your goal is one and the same, to seek God.

God Bless!!
 
Welcome home! Wonderful story. Your enthusiasm is jumping out of the screen.
 
Praise be to God! Welcome home! I share in your joy and your enthusiasm! I also share in your sadness and disappointment with our seperate brothers and sisters in Christ. May you continue to proclaim the Good News through the teachings of our Saviour Jesus Christ and live with happiness in the fullness of the Truth! 👍
 
Welcome Home, and remember to pray for your friends the next time you receive Holy Communion (if you can remember to do that) 😛 (nervousness does funny things to people, you were probably so excited and overcome you couldn’t think straight.)
 
Welcom Home, your joy will be evident to those around you as you receive communion, and will be a means of converting others, as I can attest. I was a lukewarm Catholic at best until I witnessed a newly baptized Catholic returning from communion with a look of absolute joy on her face which lit up the whole church. I spoke to her after Mass, apologized for the personal question on why she looked so radiant. She explained she was a brand new Catholic and what it meant to her, and gave her testimony. From that moment I approached holy communion in an entirely different attitude and my own min-conversion began.
 
First, Welcome Home!
Second, Welcome to the Forums!
Third, continue to pray for your friends. Don’t try to force anything at them…(I am sure you were in that position as a Protestant).

Let the Holy Spirit do the work, you just plant the seeds and someone else will water them as the Holy Spirit leads.

Have you listened to Tim Staples, either here or on other programs? Tim came from the same background as you.

Offer up a Fasting for one of your froends.
Charitable discussions is needed now.

I am sure we will continue to pray for you in your spiritual adventure with the Catholic Church.
 
Welcome home! I converted 2 years ago. Let your light shine! Just know that not everyone will be happy for you. Sometimes it brings to light their own lack of commitment to their church. Here is something for you…"Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divide; father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother (Luke 12:51-53)
 
Seeking 33, I admire your courage and steadfast search for Truth. You are a rare Christian, one who is prepared to suffer for what you believe in. As for your friend, if she will allow you continue to be her friend and let her do the talking to express her sorrow and confusion. I have lost relatives to Protestant churches, one cousin even became a Jehovah Witness, but keeping the lines of communication open is tantamount. As already munitioned, without prayer you can do nothing.

Another little idea, is trying to pray to her guardian angel to prepare her heart so she is properly disposed to listen to you. In the end though you have to trust that the Holy Spirit may use any one or any means to enlighten her and it may not necessarily be you. Your life will be your greatest witness.
 
33!

It is us who need to thank you for opening up and sharing your story. Beautiful. God has poetry planned for every life.

Welcome Home! And I’m sure you’ll be part of the new evangelization. Help us Cradle Catholics see the faith as new!

God bless us all.

in XT.
 
Wow, that sort of social pressure would be too much for me to bear. I couldn’t take it. I admire the fact that you continue to interact with your friend. I would definately retreat, I just couldn’t handle that sort of attack.

Welcome to the Catholic Church! God Bless you on your journey. Don’t get discouraged either by those outside, or those inside of the Church.
 
👍

I’m afraid I will probably get a good deal of this myself… luckily I am moving soon after graduating from grad school and am timing my conversion to the Catholic Church to occur then - so I don’t have to address the issue with anyone at my current church (who will probably react worse than my parents - I think I’m predicting worse than will actually happen with my parents - actually with a few of the books I’ve read I think my parents might eventually come to Catholicism as well - but I’m still waiting to bring it up with them until I’m out from their household)

Anyway, I will probably still attend protestant services when I am home visiting or visiting some other protestant friends (go to Saturday night mass - I know its supposed to be for even more serious reasons than that - but I think keeping the peace is a pretty good reason) I probably will not tell many people until after I have joined and probably not until I’ve been in the church a while - other than my parents who i will need to tell right away - I don’t see that my friends and acquaintances whom I won’t see very often need to know right away - how would I do that anyway, send out a mass e-mail saying “look-y I became a Catholic”

Anyway - my point is - I totally think I have a small clue of what you are going through - which is why I am being a “wimp” and being thankful that I am moving anyway, and that it will coincide with giving myself enough time to fully investigate the Catholic church before deciding officially to join…
 
Congratulations and welcome! I can imagine how powerful
this experience was for you! I would say keep praying for your
freinds and take advatage of all of the wonderful materials offered
on Catholic.com. Who knows, maybe they will come into
the church someday too! 🙂
 
Welcome home!!! I almost wish that I had waited to experience my first Eucharist until I was much older and actually understood the power of what I was receiving…but I’m a cradle Catholic, and still proud of it, so it’s so nice to look on at those who finally are able to experience the great glory I’ve been blessed to know for so long. It’s so beautiful, and it helps confirm the glory and Truth of our great faith. Congratulations, I am soooo happy for you!
 
Blessed, Blessed, Blessed be the Holy name of the Lord!! 😃

I praise you for your deep faith!! I have reverted and went through RCIA and was accepted as a full-membered Catholic this Easter, so I sort of know how special it truly is.

No where else will you find Malachi 1:11 than right home, in Mother Church!!

Praised be the Lord Jesus Christ, His Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity!!
 
Seeking33:

I’m glad to hear that you made it and that you REALLY appreciate being able to receive our Lord in the Eucharist. No wonder you were nervous - that’s sometimes called “Awe”. Thomas Aquinas tried to express that in the Tantum Ergo. What you got is a small taste of what heaven is like - Congratualations!
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Seeking33:
I was confirmed this morning an am officially a Catholic!!!

I was so nervous and overcome with emotion and anticipation at taking the Eucharist for the first time, that I had taken my glasses off and forgot they were still in my hand when I got up there to receive the communion. Woops!! Then when the deacon said the Body of Christ, I forgot to say Amen. And I forgot to say Amen when I took the Blood of Christ. I apologized to the lady and said I’m sorry I forgot to say Amen. She just was sweet and squeezed my hand and said that’s okay. Anyway, I felt pretty bad about it, but it was still the most awesome, intimate time with Christ I have ever experienced and I’m coming from a Baptist background, then Pentecostal/Charismatic for about 8 years. I just THOUGHT I knew what being intimate with the Lord was, but now I KNOW!!! Catholics, in general, do not realize what a Great Treasure they have…The Pearl of Great Price!!! I feel so blessed that God has allowed me to partake.

I’m excited although my friends are not… They just don’t understand. When I told a Baptist friend tonight, that, oh, by the way, I joined the Catholic Church this morning, she was SOOOO disappointed and hurt. I’ve been going to Bible studies at her house and going to RCIA since last spring. I guess she thought (and probably praying fervently) that I would eventually see the error of my way and I would stop considering the Catholic Church.

Tonight she really almost lost her composure with me. She accused me of never going to enough bible studies in the past and not really studying the scripture enough on my own under the influence of previous churches!!! Like being raised in a solid Baptist home, backsliding, then coming into a very demanding pentecostal church who was very pressured about attending every “Bible” related event that could possibly take place wasn’t enough. That now, I guess I’ve been brain-washed by the mean ole Catholics… She acted like I had not given Protestantism a chance (after 33 years???). GOOD GRIEF!!! :eek:

Just thought I’d share my story… It hurts when people just act like you don’t know how to hear from God. Like she gave me a story about a friend that goes to her church now who came out of the Catholic church. This friend says that God led her out of the Catholic church. I just can’t comprehend that it could be God telling this woman to leave his Church. My friend told me she can’t understand how God would tell this woman to leave, and tell me to come into the Catholic faith. I told my friend that I can’t speak to what God was saying to someone else, that I can only say what God told me. For the first time in my life, I can say I honestly don’t believe that woman was hearing from God. It just doesn’t make sense. I would have never said someone wasn’t hearing from God before. But now I’m sure I can say that.

Anyway, I just had to vent. Thanks for listening!! (reading)
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Regarding your Prostestant friends _ I don’t believe they’re going to be very happy at all abourt what you’ve done. They’ve been taught that the Catholic Church is a False Church and the Pope the Antichrist. As far as they’re concerned, you’ve willingly alligned yourself with the enemy of God.

Leave this article around for them:

In need of a pope?
D. Stephen Long
D. Stephen Long teaches at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois.

findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_10_122/ai_n14858475/print

An then, for those who say they are Methodists or Anglicans:

VII. Remarks on certain Passages of the Thirty-nine Articles - a.k.a Tract 90
John Henry Cardinal Newman (before his coversion to Catholicism)

newmanreader.org/works/viamedia/volume2/tract90/

Let them read these - just make sure that you’ve read and understand them so you can answer any questions. I’ll tell that the Newman piece is quite sophisticated and answers a lot of Protestant objections to the Church.

I’m sorry your friends are giving you such grief. I think that, even with the teaching they’ve undergone, their love and regard for you should be enough for them to help them to overcme that old prejudice. I’m sorry and dissappointed it isn’t.

I hope this helps.

Thank you for your enthusiasm for our Savior. may He guide you always.

In Christ, Michael
 
My boss is a non-Catholic who, before I went to work for him 18 months ago, was an anti-Catholic. Last week I overheard him talking to a recent Catholic convert that we both know and he told her that he has now come to the belief that the Catholic Church is the one TRUE Church.

Yesterday we had a work-related meeting with a Christian couple. I had mentioned my work background which includes working for a Catholic pro-life organisation, and the man asked my boss if he was a Catholic as well. He said ‘No’. Then he turned to look at me and said ‘Not yet, anyway.’

He said that after listening to me explain what Catholics believe and looking at material (and Scott Hahn’s book) he was surprised to find that almost everything he had been told about Catholicism was wrong.

I usually wait until he brings an issue up rather than bombard him with material, but the Holy Spirit is working and it will be in God’s time.

Every encounter I have with non-Catholics and even ignorant Catholics serves to deepen my own Faith because I have to continually study Church teaching and apologetics in order to be able to ‘give a reason for the hope that is in [me].’

God bless you and keep you.
 
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Seeking33:
I was confirmed this morning an am officially a Catholic!!! …]
I was so nervous and overcome with emotion and anticipation at taking the Eucharist for the first time, that I had taken my glasses off and forgot they were still in my hand when I got up there to receive the communion. …]it was still the most awesome, intimate time with Christ I have ever experienced and I’m coming from a Baptist background, then Pentecostal/Charismatic for about 8 years. I just THOUGHT I knew what being intimate with the Lord was, but now I KNOW!!! Catholics, in general, do not realize what a Great Treasure they have…The Pearl of Great Price!!! I feel so blessed that God has allowed me to partake…]
…]This friend says that God led her out of the Catholic church. I just can’t comprehend that it could be God telling this woman to leave His Church. My friend told me she can’t understand how God would tell this woman to leave, and tell me to come into the Catholic faith. I told my friend that I can’t speak to what God was saying to someone else, that I can only say what God told me. For the first time in my life, I can say I honestly don’t believe that woman was hearing from God. It just doesn’t make sense. I would have never said someone wasn’t hearing from God before. But now I’m sure I can say that.

Anyway, I just had to vent. Thanks for listening!! (reading)
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Amen! And welcome home!! 😃
 
Thanks so much guys for the encouragement. You can imagine I felt really awkward. I had walked down that line many times, arms crossed over chest, to received a blessing. But, when it was finally time to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, I felt like a child who had no idea what to do. Even though I had received prepartation in RCIA, all of it flew out the window when the awesome time came!! The days before, I felt like I was getting married…One hour I would feel like I was getting “cold feet”, then the next I could hardly wait. It was an experience I will never ever forget, and the most important one of my life. Even when “friends” don’t agree, no one can ever take that gift away.

I know that I must live the Catholic faith to the fullest if I ever desire to see my friends come to the faith because of my witness. If I do not live the faith, my light will not shine. Help me, Lord!

Thank you again for your encouragement. God bless you all!!! 😃
 
I am so happy for you! You must be so excited. I can hardly wait for that day myself. I am in RCIA at the moment and going through the annulment process so I’m not expecting to get to the point you’re at even by Easter but I’m just going to believe it’s in God’s hands and not worry about timing. Enjoy your Catholicism and please do not let your friends get to you. My parents don’t really understand why I’m becoming Catholic but I just try to explain it to them in a positive way and hope they are not too bothered for their sake. Like you, I have to do what God is leading me to do and joining the Catholic Church is it. My best wishes to you.

Amie
 
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