Converting (PLEASE HELP!)

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ukdal1

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Hi, this is my first post so im VERY nervous!!! Basically, I am 27 years old and married with 3 children and I have been thinking and praying really hard about converting to catholicism for a long time now. I contacted a local church and spoke to the RCIA director and I am having my first meeting with him tomorrow. I have been raised as a Baptist my whole life and i dont know anything about Catholic traditions. I have not been living right and I feel horrible but I want to change my life and live for Jesus. But i am so worried that I have sinned too much to get into the church. If anyone out there could help me I would GREATLY appreciate it. Thank you in advance!
David
 
I was 28 with a wife and four kids when I converted last Easter Vigil. I was also one who did not lead a saintly life. If you have any specific questions please feel free to private message me and we can correspond via email.
 
Hi David!

I’m Cathy. I’m 21 and have been raised Baptist my whole life also. I was, not long ago, in the EXACT same position you are. Still am in many ways, as I am not yet Catholic. I have, however been studying the faith since last April.

Trust me, you are not too sinful to be accepted! Look at all the sinful people in the Bible God took and made amazing Church leaders and saints!

He accepted them lovingly into His arms and he most definitely will for you!

I know its very hard moving from Baptist to Catholicism, especiallty when faced with family and friends who in no way understand Catholicism and will persecute us for it. My family is much less than understanding and accepting of it.

Please, if you have any questions or would just like to talk feel free to PM me!

The step into Catholicism is scary, yes. But oh, it is so very beautiful and exciting as well!

Gob Bless,
homewardbound
 
If you can, please pray this prayer for nine days. Ask the Holy Ghost to lead you to the Truth. If at all possible seek an Traditionalist priest to teach you the Holy Faith. I will pray for you!

Novena Prayer to the Holy Ghost for a Special Favor

O HOLY GHOST, Thou art the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity! Thou art the Spirit of truth, love and holiness, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and equal to Them in all things! I adore Thee and love Thee with all my heart. Teach me to know and to seek God, by whom and for whom I was created. Fill my heart with a holy fear and a great love of Him. Give me compunction and patience, and do not let me fall into sin.

Increase in me faith, hope and charity, and bring forth in me all the virtues proper to my state of life. Help me to grow in the four cardinal virtues, Thy seven Gifts and Thy twelve Fruits.

Make me a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, an obedient child of the Church, and a help to my neighbor. Give me the grace to keep the Commandments and to receive the Sacraments worthily. Raise me to holiness in the state of life to which Thou hast called me, and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Grant me also, O Holy Ghost, Giver of all good gifts, the special favor for which I ask (name it), if it be for Thy honor and glory and for my well-being.

Glory be to the Father and, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
 
Go here… renewalministries.net/choices_tv_archive.php

and listen to the testimonies of these two priests, Fr. Steven Mattson, who shares his story of conversion to Catholicism and vocation to the priesthood but even more importantly for you, Fr. Donald Calloway who was into drugs, sex and booze as well as committing major felonies before becoming a Catholic.
 
Hello and Welcome!

It has been said many times that ‘Church is a hospital for sinners; not a haven for Saints!’

You have done the right thing by contacting the RCIA program representative. They will get you started in the right direction in regard to what you need to do next.

Don’t worry, Jesus forgives and He always says, “Welcome Home!”

God bless you,

Kelly
 
ukdal1 said:
Hi, this is my first post so im VERY nervous!!! Basically, I am 27 years old and married with 3 children and I have been thinking and praying really hard about converting to catholicism for a long time now. I contacted a local church and spoke to the RCIA director and I am having my first meeting with him tomorrow. I have been raised as a Baptist my whole life and i dont know anything about Catholic traditions. I have not been living right and I feel horrible but I want to change my life and live for Jesus. But i am so worried that I have sinned too much to get into the church. If anyone out there could help me I would GREATLY appreciate it. Thank you in advance!
David
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There is no such thing as sinning too much to get into Jesus’ Church. Remember, he was frequently found in the presence of tax collectors (who were considered the worst sort of person, both because of collaboration with the occupying Romans and because of their extortionate taking of more than just the taxes that were truly due) and prostitutes. All of His disciples fled Him on the night of His Passion, and St. Peter openly denied Him three times that very night – after having proclaimed Him the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

Jesus loves you and wants you to grow closer to Him. The way may be narrow, but it is open. He has granted you the grace to grow closer to Him; come on in!
 
ukdal1 said:
Hi, this is my first post so im VERY nervous!!! Basically, I am 27 years old and married with 3 children and I have been thinking and praying really hard about converting to catholicism for a long time now. I contacted a local church and spoke to the RCIA director and I am having my first meeting with him tomorrow. I have been raised as a Baptist my whole life and i dont know anything about Catholic traditions. I have not been living right and I feel horrible but I want to change my life and live for Jesus. But i am so worried that I have sinned too much to get into the church. If anyone out there could help me I would GREATLY appreciate it. Thank you in advance!
David
Click to expand...
There is no such thing as sinning too much to get into Jesus’ Church. Remember, he was frequently found in the presence of tax collectors (who were considered the worst sort of person, both because of collaboration with the occupying Romans and because of their extortionate taking of more than just the taxes that were truly due) and prostitutes. All of His disciples fled Him on the night of His Passion, and St. Peter openly denied Him three times that very night – after having proclaimed Him the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

Jesus loves you and wants you to grow closer to Him. The way may be narrow, but it is open. He has granted you the grace to grow closer to Him; come on in!
 
ukdal1 said:
I have not been living right and I feel horrible but I want to change my life and live for Jesus. But i am so worried that I have sinned too much to get into the church. If anyone out there could help me I would GREATLY appreciate it. Thank you in advance!
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                                        David
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Forgive me, cause we don’t know each other, but I’m overwhelmed with the desire to give you a great big hug…that’s the attitude of Jesus to people who have “sinned too much”. - He embraces them. All He asks is for true repentance.

Welcome to the perfect church for people who “have sinned too much”! We’ll be praying for you.:love:
 
David,

Don’t just take our word for it. Look at what Jesus Himself said: “They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. For I came not to call the just, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

And St. Paul testifies: “A faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners.” (1 Tim. 1:15)

Concentrate not so much on the greatness of your sins as on the greatness of God’s infinite mercy and love. Remember, God loves you so much He died for you.

Maria
 
ukdal1 said:
I have not been living right and I feel horrible but I want to change my life and live for Jesus. But i am so worried that I have sinned too much to get into the church.
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                                        David
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David;

Have no fear. There are very, very few things that could cause someone to not be able to join the Church - and even in those cases, it’s more a matter of patience and time than that they actually can’t.

Most people take quite a while to become Catholic - a year or two, and sometimes even longer - so even if you are in one of those tricky situations, nobody other than your priest and sponsor will even notice.
 
There is no limit to God’s Mercy!

Catholics have this great sacrament called confession or reconciliation - because we are all sinners.

Welcome!
 
David my brother,

When you think of God the Father, his son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit you have the answer to all your fears.

You are being led to the Church because of God’s love for you. You are being led to the Church because of God’s infinite mercy. God is calling you and you are listening.

God’s mercy and love always come first. You are an adopted son and he is calling you to the household. When you arrive and repent the angels in heaven will be rejoicing. It will be something like the father of the prodigal son throwing a banquet and rejoicing that his son has returned to the household.

It is with great joy that we read your post and your desire to please God and repent. It is with great joy that we read of your desire to join the Church. Your future in the household will include receiving the body, blood, soul, and divinity of your savior Jesus in the Eucharist. Do not fear…simply move forward each day by way of God’s grace.

My prayers are with you my brother.
 
Hi David! You are not alone! I was Southern Baptist for many years before I converted just before my 45th birthday. I encourage you to go to RCIA and especially go to Mass! You don’t have to know everything right away. Just watch for awhile and then as you feel more comfortable join in! That is what I did. And this website is fabulous for learning about the Catholic faith! There any many books out there to help you. I would suggest you get “The Catholic Source Book.” I have found this book to be invaluable to me when I wonder about something I see or hear about in the Church. Even more important than that is the Catechism. This book covers all the doctrine of the Church. For an easier read get the Compendium of the Catechism. It is a shorter version and I find it easy to read. And don’t forget to read your bible! Last of all, don’t give up! I began my journey into the Church just about 2 years ago and was confirmed last July. I have been so happy to be Catholic!

As for having too much sin in yourself to “get in to the church”, well not one of us is sinless, only Jesus is. God forgives us when we make mistakes. All you have to do is ask. When you get to go to confession the first time, afterwards you will feel like a great weight has been lifted from your shoulders. God is much more forgiving than we are of ourselves and others. Always remember, Jesus died for your sins and is waiting for you to come home. Good luck on your journey and welcome!
 
Welcome David! I myself am a Catechumen (hope I spelled that right), and am currently in RCIA. RCIA classes can be very helpful if your teachers are knowledgable, but I suggest that you (and suspect you already have) also study outside the classes too with the writtings of the saints, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Holy Bible. Some of the saints have some elegant works (my current favorite being St. Anselm’s) that really helped me apreciate and futher understand the faith you and I are heading towards.

As the others said, there really is no such thing as having sinned too much for the Church (you may think this from excommunications maybe? In which case you should understand that those are for the unrepentant sinners already in the Church, to get them to repent, in which case they can come back) . Christ just asks for your humble repentance, and to sin no more. *Luke 5:31-32 * *Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.” * Let your sin die, and turn to righteousness in Christ, in which path you obviously seem to have already started on in seeking His One Church. Confession may be hard, but remember who it is who wants to keep you away from Christ. May you stay true to the narrow path of righteousness brother and listen to the advice of other catholics as well, I know they’ve helped me alot. My prayers are with you and your family.
 
I’m pretty sure that you won’t find one sinless person among us. Thank God for his mercy! Another story you might want to read is Fr. Corapi. fathercorapi.com/

And remember, when it comes to confession, there’s nothing these priests haven’t heard. I know that confession can be a big obstacle to conversion but it’s worth it. There are other obstacles to but in the long run, you will see why the Church’s teachings on these issues are a blessing for us.
 
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