Converts, what was it about the way that Catholics lived their life that attracted you to the faith?

[Jessie5000]

Ia m sure that many converted because of the actions and behavior of certain catholics. For instance, Mother Theresa impressed many.

I also think that we need to be concerned about our behavior because it is a witness to many and very powerful way to evangelize. That being said, we must also analyze that a faith believes. I grew up in a community with a large Mormon community. Their sense of community was very impressive… but after reading the book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price and other Latter Day Saints literature, I realized that the tenets of the faith were not for me, even though they sure had a neat community life. say the judgement of a religion should be based upon their doctrines, teachings…

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

… say the judgement of a religion should be based upon their doctrines, teachings…

Oh, absolutely. But it seems that many people were drawn to the church because of what they saw. That is a great 1st step for converts and we should always remember that we represent the church out there in the world so we really should do our best.

 

[LoveMercyGrace]

I am a returning- or have returned- Catholic.

I have never felt inspired by a Catholic to return.

For me, quite literally, it was the Holy Spirit that moved me to get out of bed one morning

and to call a priest.

 

[Kindness]

I am 44 but converted in my late teens.

I was going out a lot when I was around 16, nightclubs and parties. My mom had died when I was 13 and my dad was neglectful so noone was checking on me. Anyway, at house parties in the early hours of the morning lots of teens would be sitting around drinking and smoking (I was in London) and talking about various topics and trying to impress each other with their arguments. Well, in any discussion it was a forgone conclusion that there was no God - I knew absolutely nobody personally with any faith, although I had classmates who were Sikh, Hindu and Muslim that I realize now could’ve been practicing, but I definitely had never met a practicing Christian.

Anyway, after a while because I was the typical hard-hearted and opinionated teenager and to play Devil’s Advocate (!), I started taking the side of “Why can’t there be a God” (just to annoy everyone, because I loved a good debate and to be a real pain!) Well, after a while I started to convince myself with my own arguments, although I still had no faith I used to think “it would be great if there was a God, but of course there’s not”. So I suppose I moved to an agnostic stance. I used to wonder where all the Christians were and why you never met them down the pub.

Probably about a year after that I became really good friends with some young Irish women who had come to London to work and attend college. Our main focus was to go to nightclubs and hang out and have fun, but they also went to mass and would invite me along. I did go a few times but had absolutely no clue was what happening, although I’m sure God’s grace was working.

Finally one Saturday morning I met an Irish girl who was a good friend and she seemed to have a beautiful glow about her that was fascinating to me. I started trying to figure out what was going on - I thought she must’ve met someone the night before and was in love. She said no but was reluctant to tell me where she had been. Finally after much cross-examination from me she admitted that she had been to a prayer meeting. She told me a lot about it but I didn’t understand much of what she was talking about, I just asked her to take me the next week.

Opps have to go, next installment later!

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

For me, quite literally, it was the Holy Spirit that moved me to get out of bed one morning
and to call a priest.

I am always amazed when I hear of such things. It must have been a very deep need inside you and the time was right for a little nudge. Well done for making that call and deciding to come back. It is not always an easy thing to do

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

She told me a lot about it but I didn’t understand much of what she was talking about, I just asked her to take me the next week.

Opps have to go, next installment later!

I think that was really brave of you to decide and go with her to the prayer meeting. So many people have a fear of going anywhere near a church, even when they feel curious about it and feel the desire to learn more. I also converted in my teens. It will be 20 years this Pentecost

Please continue with your story, I would love to hear the rest.

 

[Convert2013]

Very long story but I’ll try to keep it as short as possible but my conversion was 20 years in the making… When I was in high school I met this girl and we were aquaintences/ friends thru other friends. I got to know her and started to really like her alot. We started dating - I was 17 and she was 16. After a short time I learned she was a …eh hmm …Catholic! Now I had no idea what exactly that was except for the misconseptions I had heard (which were few) and what I’d seen on TV & movies. Nuns & Priests and confession, etc. I was attending a Methodist church with my parents (forced to go) and although the people were nice enough I didn’t really like it. After about a year, one Saturday evening her and I wanted to go out. However she needed to go to Mass as her family was going out of town the next day. So I was invited to go. WOW …i had no idea what was going on. But I did like it. I was intrigued. It was after all a Christian Church. I attended Sat eve Mass with her for the next year and then went on Sunday with my parents - whether I liked it or not. I was out of my parents house and on my own @ 21 and STILL dating this girl but no church now except with her. Her family was wonderful and close knit and loving. I wanted that as I was from a broken home (parents remarried) and turmoil everywhere.

Skip ahead several years and her and I got married …in HER church! I pretty much didn’t care whether I went to church or not. I went with her to support her and though I considered myself a Christian it was pretty much for an hour a week. You know the type …I was just going thru the motions. However as years went by I went less and less with her and she started to attend less. This happened over 13 years of marriage. Until last year we decided we were going to go more as we have a daughter who was getting to the age of CCD. So we went most Sundays. Me not always. I was going thru a lot with my job and some other issues. I was so miserable that one Sunday Mass last Summer I got on my knees and asked God to take control of my life and that I’ve done all I could to do it my way and it wasn’t working. I gave up! Literally I gave up. I had contemplated suicide several times to give you an idea of where I was. Then I felt it …I felt the power of the Holy Spirit enter my heart and lifted me up. Like this black cloud was starting to fade. Later that day I read the bulletin which I never did. I saw the announcement about RCIA. I had thought about it before but always missed the start. To me this was the Lord hitting me upside the head with a 2x4 to wake me up and make it abundantly clear as to where he was leading me. And it certainly did! I started RCIA and within a couple of months I was praying the Rosary daily, 1/2 hr+ of daily prayer @ 5am, weekday Masses and Sunday Mass. WHAT?? I know! Crazy! My life has not been the same and I’m so thankful for that. I have been truly blessed! I would go to every Mass if I could. Btw, one thing that really inspired me is Fr. Larry Richards “Mass Explained”. I finally understood it and I will never look at Mass the same. Every Catholic should hear it.

So the answer to the question …my wife and how she was so forgiving and so supportive and loving. Always prayed for me! Never preached at me, and neither did her family. They were always so welcoming and so loving to me as though I was always part of their family. My wife inspires me everyday! I truly believe that God’s plan is amazing and it was no accident that she entered my life. Yes I’m a bit “slow”, but His plan is definitely working as it always has been.

Sorry so long of a story but I couldn’t help myself! I am now going to become a Lector starting this fall! And my wife and her family are now inspired to learn more about their faith from what I’ve learned @ RCIA. Praise God!

 

[CarolNoel]

I just want to say how very much I have enjoyed this thread. I am an old time Catholic and admire those who convert. God Bless you.

 

[FrancisBenedict]

The life of St Francis of Assisi

newadvent.org/cathen/06221a.htm

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

Convert2013,

what a wonderful story. You must be so happy now, on fire for your faith and married to a wonderful woman. What a reminder for us not to preach at people but to pray for them and lead by example.

I was so miserable that one Sunday Mass last Summer I got on my knees and asked God to take control of my life and that I’ve done all I could to do it my way and it wasn’t working. I gave up! Literally I gave up.

I did exactly the same thing about 4 years ago. The way I tried to live wasn’t making me happy and after many years of struggle I finally gave up. I asked God to help me and I gave Him my life. What a difference that made. I can’t even imagine going back to my ‘cafeteria Catholicism’. Good is great

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

The life of St Francis of Assisi

He does have that affect on people

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I just want to say how very much I have enjoyed this thread. I am an old time Catholic and admire those who convert. God Bless you.

I am so glad you have enjoyed it, and that the thread is still going.

I have been Catholic for 20 years now - and that is more than half of my life. I hardly consider myself a convert anymore But I absolutely love conversion stories, they are so edifying and show how most journeys to the faith are deep down the same story despite the differences on the surface.

I have to say that I love bumping into old time Catholics. It is really something wonderful to be raised in the faith and to stay faithful. This is what I hope for my children.

 

[CompSciGuy]

I think something that I admired about Catholics was their respect for the clergy. When I was in college a lot of my friends who were protestant seemed to have this ritual of bashing the pastor of every church that they didn’t go to. This may have been a maturity issue… But I had noticed among Catholics a profound respect for priests and bishops, even when they didn’t agree with something they said or did, like liturgical abuse, or poor teaching, etc. There was still this sense of reverence for the priesthood of God and people took much more care and tact when addressing issues within the church, instead of going around and badmouthing behind people’s backs.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I think something that I admired about Catholics was their respect for the clergy. There was still this sense of reverence for the priesthood of God and people took much more care and tact when addressing issues within the church, instead of going around and badmouthing behind people’s backs.

We need more of that attitude and willingness to pray for priests and bishops.

Did you convert from Protestantism?

 

[CompSciGuy]

We need more of that attitude and willingness to pray for priests and bishops.

Did you convert from Protestantism?

Protestantism > Agnosticism > Catholicism

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

Protestantism > Agnosticism > Catholicism

I’d love to hear what made you move from agnosticism to faith if you don’t mind.

 

[CompSciGuy]

I’d love to hear what made you move from agnosticism to faith if you don’t mind.

I was an agnostic for a number of reasons: I was unable to connect with the evangelical churches that were so prevalent in the college scene, which consisted mostly of altar calls and highly emotional/charismatic contemporary christian music worship services (and this was the only Christianity I knew). Also I had decided at the time that there wasn’t any way of knowing the truth about religion because of all the religions of the world, yet reason told me that God must exist so I wasn’t ready to call myself an atheist either. Church attendance is not required in Protestantism (they would consider this legalistic or works-based salvation) and since the nearest evangelical church was three miles away I saw no point in going. Obviously I lost interest in religion.

I discovered Catholicism almost randomly my junior year. I was fascinated by it because it was the first time I had ever heard of apostolic Christianity or a Church that existed from the time of Christ and wasn’t invented by someone who “just wanted to understand the Bible.” This completely changed the way I saw Christianity and made it much more believable since the Church has existed despite incredible odds for 2000 years. Furthermore I was (to be frank) hungry for spirituality that was missing from my life. I decided to step out on faith and decide that, if God really did want fellowship with his creation, then I need to at least step out and try to have a relationship with Him. And Catholicism appeared to be the best option. I spent about two years researching the Bible, apologetics, etc. and basically re-learning all the stuff I knew before but now it had a much deeper more profound meaning to me. I came into the Church in 2011 (as a grad student), two years after I started researching. I am still here.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I was an agnostic for a number of reasons: I was unable to connect with the evangelical churches that were so prevalent in the college scene, …

I discovered Catholicism almost randomly my junior year. I was fascinated by it because it was the first time I had ever heard of apostolic Christianity or a Church that existed from the time of Christ and wasn’t invented by someone who “just wanted to understand the Bible.”

for you being here. Thanks for sharing.

I am always surprised by how many people don’t seem to wonder where their church communities really came from and how come they believe things that are not in the Bible. I wonder if they ever ask themselves how did the early church cope without having the Bible. And of course, the sheer number of protestant groups who all claim to use the same method of understanding the Bible. Well done for asking the right questions and having the courage to follow where the answers led you.

 

[Convert2013]

Convert2013,

what a wonderful story. You must be so happy now, on fire for your faith and married to a wonderful woman. What a reminder for us not to preach at people but to pray for them and lead by example.

I am so happy. For the first time in my life I have a real relationship with Christ and experience Joy in my heart. I also have the true sense of being “home”. You know that satisfied, comforted feeling you get when you return home after a long trip. Take that deep breath and exhale and confident you are in the right place. I’m learning to live a life of J-O-Y …Jesus, Others, then Yourself. That has made a tremendous impact on me and my outlook. That along with giving thanks for every single blessing I have in my life every day, especially those moments when I start to fret over some small trivial thing.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

I’m learning to live a life of J-O-Y …Jesus, Others, then Yourself. That has made a tremendous impact on me and my outlook. That along with giving thanks for every single blessing I have in my life every day, especially those moments when I start to fret over some small trivial thing.

Lovely way to put it.