CONVERTS, do you have a moment?

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I had a few different light-bulb moments, but one is a short enough story to fit nicely into this thread:

I was sitting in a Lutheran Service, listening to our pastor give his sermon. My ears perked up when he said the words: “…because Truth doesn’t change.”

Now he was probably talking about why this particular sect had split from that particular sect when the more liberal of the two had slid towards acceptance of homosexuality or whatever. Splintering on and on over different viewpoints on different issues.

But when he said “Truth doesn’t change” I just said to myself “Then, what in the world am I doing here??”

You know, llike go back to the beginning…before Truth was edited and edited and edited, forty million different ways, by MAN!

I am surprised I didn’t walk out right then and there.

(I’m sure that was not the effect the pastor was going for with that as his sermon theme. LOL!..But you would think he could see the bigger picture of what he was saying. ?? If it is true for two steps away, it is true for two hundred steps away from the original.)🙂
 
catholickat4 said:
I had a few different light-bulb moments, but one is a short enough story to fit nicely into this thread:

I was sitting in a Lutheran Service, listening to our pastor give his sermon. My ears perked up when he said the words: “…because Truth doesn’t change.”

Now he was probably talking about why this particular sect had split from that particular sect when the more liberal of the two had slid towards acceptance of homosexuality or whatever. Splintering on and on over different viewpoints on different issues.

But when he said “Truth doesn’t change” I just said to myself “Then, what in the world am I doing here??”

You know, llike go back to the beginning…before Truth was edited and edited and edited, forty million different ways, by MAN!

I am surprised I didn’t walk out right then and there.

(I’m sure that was not the effect the pastor was going for with that as his sermon theme. LOL!..But you would think he could see the bigger picture of what he was saying. ?? If it is true for two steps away, it is true for two hundred steps away from the original.)🙂
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God had special words for you that day!
 
Nabooru said:
I think that perhaps it may be easier for people who have never had that “hellish” experience to diminish the need for salvation through Christ. I can’t speak for the fate of others with certainty, but I can say that being in that place is very dangerous. Maybe that explains why the convert is often more eager to proselytize than the cradle Christians - we’ve seen the consequences, albeit only a very small taste of it - which should only emphasize how bad it really is. I wouldn’t want to risk someone else making the same mistakes I did.
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As a cradle catholic I never had those kinds of difficulties. I was born with the “silver spoon” of catholicism in my mouth. I’ve never been where you have been and so I didn’t understand how much God had given to me because I thought everyone was sort of where I was.
Little did I know how wonderfully and specially he treated me because I was never deprived in any of knowledge and love that I now see others had to fight for. Now that I am doing some Monday morning quarterbacking, I can see clearly now how kind and gentle he was.

I just want to mention one more thing. I have worn the miraculous medal since I was a boy.
I’ve always worn it at all times. And I have had a love of Mary all during that time, not once every doubting that. The promises she made concerning it she lived up to. I cannot think of anything else that kept me constantly from confusion or from seeking some other dangerous paths in this world.

Just a thought on about “silver spooners” and the Miraculous Medal.
 
You are a lucky boy Fred Conty. I now wear the Miraculous Medal too. While I watch the other members of my family, and my mother and father…still on the other side.

And not seeming to be able to to anything about it. Can’t MAKE it happen for them.
Wish I could orchestrate their “light-bulb moment.”

And yes, I have gifted them books and such but…still nothing.

Meanwhile, for a convert: “honour thy father and thy mother…”

You can’t know how hard that is as they spout their ignorance and are mired in it.
(Heavy Sigh.)
 
TexCatholic4JMJ said:
Have a friend who is on a journey and every now and then will say, I’m not saying I’m not
going to end up in the Catholic Church, but I have serious issues.
I asked her what some of them were and amidst the usual, Mary, saints, etc she said
“And going to Mass everyday (she knows a few Catholics who do this), I don’t want to
have to do that!”

Little does she realize that those of us who go to Mass daily, do so because of the
awesomeness of being with our Lord and because we WANT to, not because we HAVE
to.
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So true!
 
Nabooru said:
Well, tbh I do know the history of the Anglican church, and it does bother me. Not only Henry VIII’s selfish motivations, but the Elizabethan religious “settlement”. Not a conviction or a confession, but a settlement. An attempt to make everybody happy while still having the monarch run the church, which to me increasingly doesn’t make sense - what if the president made our bishops’ appointments and guided our religious thinking? He’s a politician, not a theologian or a priest. Not to say that Elizabeth was not religious, and I have a great deal of admiration for her, but does “sovereign” automatically imply “head (or governor) of the church”?

I would like to attend RCIA classes, preferably at a conservative parish, but the fact is I’ve made many friends at my current Anglican church, and they care about me a great deal, and have given me a lot. I don’t want them to feel as though I am tossing them aside. I know I can’t serve two masters. But I don’t know what to do, honestly.
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All of my Anglican friends surprised me a great deal when I converted. They were very sweet about it all. It’s up to us to keep close to our friends of various denominations…just like I bet you do now. I bet they’d surprise you.
 
Just as an aside I find the very word “convert” offencive. I much prefer Catholic by choice.

So many times being called convert makes one seem like a second class Catholic. I was rejected by a religous congregation for not being born Catholic.

Yet most of us know more about the faith than poorly catechised cradle Catholics.
 
Della said:
The only sins you are obligated to confess are mortal sins. And the criteria for committing a mortal sin is three-fold: You must know it is a grave sin, you must do it with full knowledge, and you must do it of your own free will. The mortal sins are based on the Ten Commandments and the Seven Deadly Sins: 1. lechery/lust, 2. gluttony, 3. avarice/greed, 4. sloth, 5. wrath, 6. envy, 7. pride. The Church clearly defines what they are in the CCC. They require a priest because committing them disconnects us from Christ and the Church. Most Christians don’t commit these on a regular basis and the closer to God you grow the less likely it is you’ll have any inclination to commit them, although no one should fall into sloth on that account. 😉
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Nabooru, this is true, and it’s only required once a year, not once a week.

Some people choose to go once a week. It can be quite liberating to unburden yourself.

As to the “why” of it all… we were commanded by God to confess our sins to one another, not just directly to Him. Further, He gave his priesthood the power to forgive sins in His place and by His power (“what sins you forgive will be forgiven”…etc). There is a wealth of information in the apologetics section of this website about it, if you’re interested.

Thanks for sharing your doubts and questions with us.
 
catholickat4 said:
I had a few different light-bulb moments, but one is a short enough story to fit nicely into this thread:

I was sitting in a Lutheran Service, listening to our pastor give his sermon. My ears perked up when he said the words: “…because Truth doesn’t change.”

Now he was probably talking about why this particular sect had split from that particular sect when the more liberal of the two had slid towards acceptance of homosexuality or whatever. Splintering on and on over different viewpoints on different issues.

But when he said “Truth doesn’t change” I just said to myself “Then, what in the world am I doing here??”

You know, llike go back to the beginning…before Truth was edited and edited and edited, forty million different ways, by MAN!

I am surprised I didn’t walk out right then and there.

(I’m sure that was not the effect the pastor was going for with that as his sermon theme. LOL!..But you would think he could see the bigger picture of what he was saying. ?? If it is true for two steps away, it is true for two hundred steps away from the original.)🙂
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I felt like cheering when I read this!!

I love your light bulb moment! love love love! And yes, you’d think he’d have gotten the same message, but we can pray for him too.
 
andrewstx said:
Just as an aside I find the very word “convert” offencive. I much prefer Catholic by choice.

So many times being called convert makes one seem like a second class Catholic. I was rejected by a religous congregation for not being born Catholic.

Yet most of us know more about the faith than poorly catechised cradle Catholics.
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Wow! That kind of rejection must have really stung. It surprises the heck out of me. That is not very Christian, now is it? :mad:

Sorry that happened to you.
 
catholickat4 said:
You are a lucky boy Fred Conty. I now wear the Miraculous Medal too. While I watch the other members of my family, and my mother and father…still on the other side.

And not seeming to be able to to anything about it. Can’t MAKE it happen for them.
Wish I could orchestrate their “light-bulb moment.”

And yes, I have gifted them books and such but…still nothing.

Meanwhile, for a convert: “honour thy father and thy mother…”

You can’t know how hard that is as they spout their ignorance and are mired in it.
(Heavy Sigh.)
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It is difficult when you find yourself in hard territory constantly. I’ve had a few of those times where it would be so nice to feel at home in your faith with others. When people are really spiritual it is a blessing that isn’t appreciated until it dosen’t happen any more.
A faith shared is a faith kept. A breath of fresh air to be around true believers.

Maybe try sneaking a green scapular of Mary into their proximity. I’ve had success with Mary on using this on several occasions with others. She did promise. So I trust her. Here are a couple of true stories.

saint-mike.org/qa/sw/viewanswer.asp?QID=1384Th

A young girl was very agitated and upset. It seems her mother had in her possession some
tarot cards. The girl was given a green scapular and within a couple of minutes regained
quiet and peace returned to her. For the story refer to the above site.

site.forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=620449
(From an atheist)
How did you come to embrace Catholicism?
Strangely enough, it was the Blessed Virgin Mary. That friend of mine had sneakily snuck in a scapular under my mattress. I didn’t know until about 1 year into my conversion. I imagine that she had something to do with it. I think it was the green scapular.

Mary appeared and spoke with Sister Justine Bisqueyburu, a
Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, in 1840, about a green scapular.

Mary herself made promises to those who would keep the scapular on them, and would say a certain prayer everyday, and believe that Mary would obtain those favors from her Son. Here are the favors she promised:
  1. Conversion of those who do not have the faith
  2. Reconciliation to the Church for those who have lost/strayed from the faith
  3. Assurance of a happy death
  4. Strengthening of the faith for those already in the Church
  5. Protection from Satan.
On your part you must pray, at least daily:
“Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.”,
once for yourself, and once for each person you give this to, every day.

Here are the VERY words of Mary to Sister Justine:
“The GREATEST graces come from using the scapular, but these graces come
in direct proportion to the degree of CONFIDENCE in ME which the user has.”
The user is the giver in this case, the trust depends on you for it to work well.

Fear is a sign of lack of trust.
What kind of confidence? Mary showed this herself at the annunciation of Gabriel.
“Yes, blessed is she who BELIEVED that the PROMISE made her by the Lord would be FULFILLED.” (Lk. 1;45)
St. Elizabeth extolling the absolute trust of Mary in God’s promise. Mary believed without doubt that it would happen as the angel said it would.

You may get a free one by googling “Green Scapular”. Get one for yourself as well.

Be at peace with Mary helping you. It’s what she wants. Just give her an excuse to do it.
 
fred_conty said:
Mary herself made promises to those who would keep the scapular on them, and would say a certain prayer everyday, and believe that Mary would obtain those favors from her Son.
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I don’t want to derail the thread, but I need some clarification here if that’s ok. If I am praying for someone, then I put the scapular close to that person or I wear it myself?
 
Contra_Mundum said:
I don’t want to derail the thread, but I need some clarification here if that’s ok. If I am praying for someone, then I put the scapular close to that person or I wear it myself?
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No problem!

I love hearing about scapulars. I have a green one in someone’s pillow case right now…

You can wear it yourself, if you like. But if it’s for someone else, put it in their house or belongings.
 
andrewstx said:
Just as an aside I find the very word “convert” offencive. I much prefer Catholic by choice.

So many times being called convert makes one seem like a second class Catholic. I was rejected by a religous congregation for not being born Catholic.

Yet most of us know more about the faith than poorly catechised cradle Catholics.
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What a shame that happened. In a Catholic parish?

I tell Catholics all the time that I am a convert. They think it’s great. They also tell me I probably know more than them about the Church (which isn’t true) and how much they enjoy the new Catholics.
 
Nabooru said:
Who sins without some idea of knowing that what they are doing is wrong? Now admittedly, I may have a very strong obsessive disorder, but I weigh a lot of what do every day. If I say this in jest, am I a sinner? Should I repent specifically for that? What about when I sigh with tiredness or boredom, or really wish someone would leave me alone? There’s a voice in my head saying that I shouldn’t be doing that, and yet I can’t help it. I can’t help being imperfect. And because of that, I can’t beg forgiveness every time I know I’ve done something wrong - I’d be begging all day, and skipping sleep to beg some more.

To me, the question isn’t, “Jesus, in Your mercy, would You forgive my sins?”, but, “Jesus, in Your mercy, would You forgive me?”
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This is where a priest would guide you, and the teachings of the Church would give you parameters so you don’t go overboard on this issue.

As for being obsessive, you may wish to consult a doctor about that, if you haven’t. There’s no shame in needing medical aid for such things. 🙂
 
CleverUserName said:
No problem!

I love hearing about scapulars. I have a green one in someone’s pillow case right now…

You can wear it yourself, if you like. But if it’s for someone else, put it in their house or belongings.
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Good answer. Under their mattress, behind something in their room, in their sitting chair, or somewhere else where they will be close to it a lot of times.

Talking about pillows, I gave some couple a green scapular and told them to put it under their pillow case. They wanted a child and tried for several years without success. With Mary’s help, within weeks the wife was with child.

Just a thought of a great thing from Mary.
 
CleverUserName said:
Sometimes it’s not passionate theological debates that shifts the position of people who are against Catholicism. Sometimes it’s just a poignant…moment.

Will you share yours?

Example: I was a new Christian, going from church to church, never fully comfortable in any. I was studying scripture voraciously. My Reformed Episcopal Priest said to me, in conversation : “I love Protestant theology”. :newidea: That was a “moment” for me, when something shifted. Because I realized at that very moment the crux of my problem: I did NOT love Protestant theology. This sent me in an entirely new direction…

That was a very significant moment for me personally.

Please, folks, this is not a place for debate or judgment. I would just really love to hear your “moments” when something shifted…

Thank you in advance for sharing.

God bless
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In one of those debates where I was on the side that was saying, you can belong to any Church, Jesus doesn’t care, as long as you trust Him, someone posted, “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church,” - just that, nothing else - and I realized in a moment of clarity that he was right. That was my moment.

But I had been building up to it for nearly two decades of interaction with Catholics, and attendance at Mass. (I knew right from the beginning that Sunday Mass attendance was essential for my soul, but I didn’t understand why, and I didn’t see the need to actually be a Catholic in order to do so.)
 
Miriam1947 said:
What a shame that happened. In a Catholic parish?

I tell Catholics all the time that I am a convert. They think it’s great. They also tell me I probably know more than them about the Church (which isn’t true) and how much they enjoy the new Catholics.
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No it was a Catholic religous community of brothers, when you don’t take solemn vows you are in a congregation, not an order.

It was a Franciscan community not part of OFM, it was one of the many third order congregations.
 
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