Converted to catholicism/ former catholics

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I’m in the process of RCIA right now (from Lutheran to Catholic). My main reasons are -

1 - As I was studying about Catholicism, I found myself agreeing with so many of their views. The studying started partially because I wanted to find out about the early church, but mostly because a Catholic neighbor had asked my mom when I was younger to rent a video from the library on the Virgin Mary. Curious, I started research on the Internet way back in 1994/1995.

2 - Watching Catholic Mass on EWTN, I started to feel that something was missing in the Lutheran church, especially in communion. The Catholic Mass was much more reverent.

I suppose that one quote is right - something about “…to learn the history of the Church is to cease being a Protestant.”. After awhile, I really didn’t see the point in “protesting” something that may have happened 500 years ago.
 
I was baptized Catholic as an infant, but that was the extent of my Catholic upbringing. Like many out there, our family was non-practicing.

When I was about 9 or 10, a Protestant friend invited me to Sunday School at a Mennonite church. It was staunchly conservative, but I enjoyed Sunday School and the social interaction (all my friends went). I was about 12 years old when I first “accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior” at a Summer Bible Camp put on by the church. It was then that I became interested in following Jesus and I (and my friends) would go for weekly 20 minute discipleship meetings with the pastor. He would give us the infamous Chick tracts which we read with fervor. This was the basis of my Catholic teaching.

Shortly after, I met a Pentecostal man who continued to feed our fervor for Christ and in short, I became a member of a Pentecostal Church. I read my Bible vigorously and attended Bible Studies and “Revival Meetings.” I got involved with whatever task came at hand. I became a Youth Leader, helped with finances, ushered, and even sang on the worship team on Sunday mornings and evenings. You name it, if I was asked to help with anything, I was there. After a few years though, I got burnt out, discouraged, and disillusioned. I began to back out of activities and responsibilities until I was no longer involved whatsoever.

I did not lose my faith in God - I just simply lost my confidence in the church and myself. This led to what I will call a “spiritual laziness.” I was no longer hungry for the things of God.

I love music and I was a huge fan of Rich Mullins and I read that he was interested in the Catholic Church and had gone through the RCIA program. I did a quick study online regarding the Catholic Church and came to catholic.com. But I was so set in my Protestant beliefs that I quickly dismissed it. Some of the doctrines sounded atrocious. Despite my dismissal, something nagged at me to look a little further so I did. The more I read, the more I realized that what I had been taught (by Protestants) about the Catholic Church was actually erroneous. I was shocked (and relieved) that Catholics did not worship Mary. As Scott Hahn put it, it was still a nightmare for me as I began to discover that my misconceptions were simply being trashed by sound reason and/or Scripture. I also met with a local priest to “debate” a few things. At first we agreeably disagreed, but the more I pondered what he said, the more I saw that his arguments were much stronger than mine.

In addition, I also googled early church teachings and fathers and you can guess where it primarily pointed to…yes, the Catholic Church. The Early Fathers’ writings have been very helpful to me in discovering what the New Testament Church did believe. After all, who better would know - those only a few years removed from Christ or we who are 2000 years removed?

This is all still “scary” to me, but also exciting. I’m still “mulling” a few things over, but I’m definitely strongly leaning to the Catholic faith. Being a Pentecostal for over 20 years doesn’t make the decision easy, but it is becoming more logical and appealing. Yes, I will be hounded with condescension (disguised as questions & concerns) and I may lose some friends, but it is a path that I seemed to be destined for despite my own hesitation. I simply want to be sure that this is right and I’m continuing to pray for answers (and maybe a sign or two http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon11.gif).
 
CSJ,
God Bless You, I will keep you in my prayers. I know it can be terrifying, but keep listening to that thing that’s gnawing on you and drawing you because it is the Holy Spirit.
 
CSJ said:
This is all still “scary” to me, but also exciting. I’m still “mulling” a few things over, but I’m definitely strongly leaning to the Catholic faith. Being a Pentecostal for over 20 years doesn’t make the decision easy, but it is becoming more logical and appealing. Yes, I will be hounded with condescension (disguised as questions & concerns) and I may lose some friends, but it is a path that I seemed to be destined for despite my own hesitation. I simply want to be sure that this is right and I’m continuing to pray for answers (and maybe a sign or two http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon11.gif).
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Ya, I understand the scary part too. Many days it seems totally crazy that I would even think about being Catholic, much less actually become one! I’m slowly getting used to the idea though and it is become more exciting than scary or crazy now. 👍 But I’ll be praying for you! :signofcross:
 
I was raised Catholic, went to a Catholic grammar school, was confirmed, and loved my faith until I got to the age of about 13. Then I became more interested in worldly things and really didn’t believe in God anymore, so I asked my parents if I could leave Catholic school and switch to public school in the 8th grade. That’s what I did, and I rarely went to Church after that. After the age of 14, I became an atheist/agnostic, and if I spoke of the Catholic Church at all, it was usually something scornful, bitter, or hateful.

Life went along okay although there was always a nagging doubt about my atheistic tendencies. A lot of different things happened that now I can see were ways God was leading me back into the Catholic Church. One way God lead me was through the example of very good, holy Catholics, particularly my aunt and uncle who loved their faith, knew the Bible, and would do anything to help anybody. My aunt died, and when I saw how many people loved her and attended her funeral, I decided I wanted to follow the same path she did. In about 10 months I returned to the Church. At this point, I knew practically nothing about the Church–I couldn’t remember even the most basic prayers like the Hail Mary or the Our Father. I knew nothing about the Bible and had no idea what to do in Mass. But it didn’t take long for it to come back to me. I started reading the Bible every day. I still do that.

When I first returned to the Church, I didn’t think there was any difference between Catholics and other Christians. I had a real hunger to learn about Jesus and the Bible, so I started to watch Protestant televangelists. I liked a lot of them (still do, though I don’t watch them anymore) so I started thinking more like a Protestant than a Catholic. I remained Catholic because that was what was most familiar to me, but I really thought that the more I read the Bible and studied it, the more I would be drawn away from the Church. For a while I thought I would eventually become a Protestant. Then I discovered Catholic apologetics.

My uncle (the one married to the aunt who died) asked me to attend a lecture give by Scott Hahn, a former Presbyterian minister now Catholic. I was amazed to see someone defend the Catholic Church using the Bible. How very different from the Protestant instruction I was getting on television. Well, after Scott I discovered Pat Madrid, EWTN, etc. I then got involved teaching RCIA at my parish.

Now I have been back in the Church for 8 years. I’m still a struggling sinner, but I know I’m in the right place. I thank God I was born into a Catholic family and I had the good sense to follow God’s promptings that lead me back home to the Catholic Church. This is where I will stay until I die and eternally thereafter (God willing).
 
cranster said:
Miss Lollipops, you should never be treated with anything but the utmost love and respect. I respect your decision and I’m glad your here.
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Indeed! As the Holy Spirit is guiding her and our other Protestant friends back to the Holy Catholic Church, I am very glad they she is here! I keep her and the others in my prayers weekly, when praying before the Blessed Sacrament in my hour of adoration.

Pax,
Robert
 
misslollipops said:
This is my story and it is true.
Please don’t attack.
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I believe this is true, more people leave the Catholic Church because of bad Catholics and lousy examples of teaching than anything else.

As a Catholic I encourage you to keep reading the Bible and also look into where it came from. You are certainly welcome here and you will find that not all Catholics or Priests are bad. It all depends on who you meet and what your perspective is.

If I seek good I will find good, if I seek bad I will find bad. Test everything and hold onto what is good.

May God Bless you and keep studying,
Scylla
 
Thanks to all for your prayers and for the helpful audio links - I plan on downloading a bunch and listening to them in my daily commute.👍
 
guardian1 said:
for those of you who don’t know, i was raised a protestant and am one today. i came to this forum to learn about catholicism and i am also learning about the faith from some books as well. but i am curious as to why those of you who have swam the tiber decided to convert. what was it about the catholic faith that made you decide to become a catholic. i’m also wondering why those who have left the church decided to leae. what was it about the church or it’s teachings? please, if you can list scripture and or ccc as to the reasons for leaving / joining the church. oh, and please, no fighting over who’s right and who’s wrong. Santa doesn’t like it when we fight! and thanks to everyone who posts too!
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I left in my early teens and returned in my early 20s after talking to a couple of LDS missionaries.

I realised that if there really was a God, he deserved to be worshipped as He wanted to be worshipped. I went through the proofs for the existence of God etc and accepted the proof of the early martyrs that Jesus really was God made man.

That left which Church was the True Church. I didn’t want it to be the Catholic Church, but history and the ECF convinced me it was. I returned home and my Faith has continued to grow.

A few years ago, after hearing Scott Hahn’s conversion story I recognised a lack in my life. His story and those of other converts put me to shame. I began to study, both Bible and apologetics, *in order to be able to give a reason for the Faith tha is in me. *

I witness to others who the HS sends my way, both with actions and, when the time is right, words.

Devout Catholics are among the most Bible-believing Christians I have met, even those who may not read it every day. The amount of Scripture we hear at Sunday and daily Mass is simply amazing, add to that 20-30 minutes meditating on the Gospel while praying the rosary every day, and living the Gospel through corporal works of mercy based on the Beatitudes.

God bless those Mormon boys, not to mention the converts who teach us our Faith is bible-based. I am now able to witness to Protestants using Scripture to explain Catholic Doctrines.
 
Eileen_T said:
I left in my early teens and returned in my early 20s after talking to a couple of LDS missionaries.

God bless those Mormon boys, not to mention the converts who teach us our Faith is bible-based. I am now able to witness to Protestants using Scripture to explain Catholic Doctrines.
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God works in mysterious ways. Thanks for your testimony.
 
Well, I became Catholic for a lot of the same reason the previous posters had stated. The Catholic Church contains TRUTH. But, I try to explain it to family and friends like this who ask me why I became Catholic…

It’s like I have been admiring this beautiful painting on the wall my whole life. The painting is so beautiful it’s hard to take your eyes off of it. I would sit and just stare at the painting thinking nothing could be more beautiful. Until one day I heard someone walk into the room and asked me, “What are you doing?” My reply was, “Well, I’m admiring this beautiful painting on the wall.” Then, they responded back and said, “Well, maybe if you turned the lights on you could see it better.” And with that, they flipped on the light switch. Suddenly, I was amazed that the beautiful painting I had been staring at my whole life wasn’t just a painting in a 11 x 14 inch frame, but rather a mural that covered the entire wall and ceiling. I never knew there was more to the painting than what I had been looking at my whole life. As it turns out, the mural was even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I had only been looking at the painting through a spot light this whole time and never knew it.

I grew up Baptist and am thankful that my Baptist family and friends showed me the painting (truth). But it was a Catholic Priest who turned on the lights and showed me the mural (the fullness of truth and complete picture).

(I hope this makes sense)

God Bless !
 
misslollipops said:
I was baptized catholic and confirmed. Catholic grammar school.
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MLP,

I hear your frustration with people in the Catholic Church. They don’t act very Christian sometimes. It doesn’t mean they aren’t. The man-on-the-street Catholic doesn’t always faithfully represent the Church nor reflect those principles. It’s true, they (and I) are sinners.Even going so far as to make Church observances a “piece in the game.” (The Easter observances you noted.) All true. We are wheat and tares all growing together.

God’s Bible is sacred and true. It is part of the Catholic Church and is not easily understood outside of it. They belong together. I appreciate that you have held onto the stable part of the Catholic faith, the Bible. It doesn’t change what it says, it is safe. I encourage you to cling to Scripture! The scariest part is the lies that people tell about Scripture. How do you know what to believe?

However, please realize that you have put ALL your faith in a book. A sacred book, true, but one that is interpreted by the reader, as any book is. We each of us bring our own interpretation to what we read. It seems for example that you have already decided that every story is literally true. That concept isn’t in the bible itself, so I am not sure where that came from. Catholic teaching doesn’t contain it either.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I hope this post isn’t interpreted as an attack. God Bless.
 
guardian1 said:
for those of you who don’t know, i was raised a protestant and am one today. i came to this forum to learn about catholicism and i am also learning about the faith from some books as well. but i am curious as to why those of you who have swam the tiber decided to convert. what was it about the catholic faith that made you decide to become a catholic.
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For me, the moment of enlightenment came when I realized that the Catholic Church is the one that Jesus was talking about in John 17 and in Matthew 16:18-19, and that the St. Peter who was the first Pope of the Catholic Church (in that long list that we always see whenever there is a Papal election) is the same Peter that Jesus was placing in charge of His Church in John 21:15-19. :newidea:

Once I realized that, I also realized that I had no choice but to become Catholic - either that, or else cease to be a follower of Jesus, and become a follower of myself and my own ideas of what Jesus “ought to” have done, if I were in charge. 😃
 
I’m so glad a question/topic like this one has come up. I actually just joined today to find out exactly how I can leave the Catholic Church permanantly (and all of Christianity and religions), as I’m not exactly sure how I can do this, and I’ve heard different people say different things about it. My beliefs are non-religious and contrary to what the Catholic Church teaches, let alone all of Chrisitanity. I have no fear at all of leaving the Church as I don’t believe in things like hell or sin, but I still believe in God, but only not in the Trinity.
 
dkdempsey said:
I actually just joined today to find out exactly how I can leave the Catholic Church permanantly (and all of Christianity and religions), as I’m not exactly sure how I can do this, and I’ve heard different people say different things about it. My beliefs are non-religious and contrary to what the Catholic Church teaches, let alone all of Chrisitanity. I have no fear at all of leaving the Church as I don’t believe in things like hell or sin, but I still believe in God, but only not in the Trinity.
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You don’t have to do anything more. You already have left. You are not a Catholic. That may or may not be permanent. There is no way to know this at this time.
 
I really hope so. I just want to be sure that I’m no longer Catholic. Sometimes people say “Once a Catholic, Always a Catholic”, which bothers me so much, since I don’t want to be Catholic at all, let alone a Christian. I was worried that I may have had to convert to another religion or had to go through the process of being excommunicated. I didn’t know it was as simple as it is to leave.

Yes, it is a permamnet thing, now that I know that I no longer am Catholic for sure. I became aware of certain facts over a year ago that will prevent any future return to the Church, and any/all denominations of Christianity. Facts that I only perceived from a very early age, but now I know are certain.

I re-read what I had posted just a little while ago and I should have clarified that I joined the forum today. I was baptized Catholic as an infant. Just to eliminate any future confusion if this be the case. Thank you very much for answering my question.
 
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