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KendraDZ1902
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Why put a label on it? Does it matter? One isn’t better than another, so what is the purpose?
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mayxanh
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Yes, none of them are better than the others but they usually have different spiritual perspectives and experiences.
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aidanbradypop
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I am good friends with the lady who taught the RCIA class at the parish. Everytime we are out at an event, she always introduces me as a “convert.” It kind of gets under my skin, but maybe she is just proud of me as a “student.”
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rfournier103
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It doesn’t matter. I’ll tell you this… you will likely know our Faith better than most ‘cradle Catholics.’ You should be proud of that.
In a way, I’m a little jealous of you. You CHOSE this path for yourself, whereas I was ‘born into it.’ I could have left if I wanted to, but knowing what I know, this is the path for me.
You investigated, learned, studied, and said; “I want to do this.” I don’t remember my baptism. I was forced to go to CCD. Except for confirmation, all my ‘Catholic decisions’ were made for me. You do all this of your own free will. That is special, and do not ever forget that.
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aidanbradypop
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Very well said fellow Red Sox fan!
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rfournier103
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I’m sure that’s the case. There’s a lady who taught the RCIA class at my parish until one of the priests took the reigns from her (now she just ‘assists’), and she gets under everybody’s skin. She means well, but we all take her with a grain of salt. It happens.
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KendraDZ1902
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I absolutely appreciate this. Sometimes if feels as if there are negative connotations to the word “convert.” There was a fish fry this past Friday and I went with my sponsor. I met other people and when some found out I was in RCIA it got awkward. They were like, “oh, well I’m a Cradle Catholic.” I didn’t and still don’t know what they meant by that.
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rfournier103
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Eh… that just means they’ve been Catholic all their lives. From when they were in the cradle. If they can’t deal with that, so what? You are NO different than them in the eyes of God and Christ. My girlfriend is going through RCIA right now, and the clergy (and the choir director) definatey treat her as well as anyone else in the parish.I absolutely appreciate this. Sometimes if feels as if there are negative connotations to the word “convert.” There was a fish fry this past Friday and I went with my sponsor. I met other people and when some found out I was in RCIA it got awkward. They were like, “oh, well I’m a Cradle Catholic.” I didn’t and still don’t know what they meant by that.
There’s no negative connotation on the part of any informed Catholic, and in time no one will remember you were in RCIA. In fact, with involvement in parish life you will put many of the ‘cradle Catholics’ to shame. Wear it as a badge of honor. It will suit you
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Iron_Donkey
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Yeah, that probably just means they’re trying to think of something meaningful to say that is related to you being in RCIA and can’t come up with anything because as cradle Catholics they have no experience of a conversion process. Likely nothing about you whatsoever.I absolutely appreciate this. Sometimes if feels as if there are negative connotations to the word “convert.” There was a fish fry this past Friday and I went with my sponsor. I met other people and when some found out I was in RCIA it got awkward. They were like, “oh, well I’m a Cradle Catholic.” I didn’t and still don’t know what they meant by that.
There is absolutely no difference when it comes to Catholic-ness or value or any such thing, but if anything (as a cradle Catholic) I look up to converts. I mean, we both believe the same stuff is true, but converts had to find it and study it and figure it out, risk all kinds of potential opposition from family and friends just for looking at Catholicism, and then, after all the work to figure out that it is what they believe, stand up amongst even more potential opposition and declare it true. Whereas all I had to do was confirm that I believe what I was raised to believe.
Any sort of looking down on converts is completely unjustified and no more than a sort of base snobbishness that ought to be purged - but I don’t think this is inherent in the words or the distinguishing themselves.
Not to mention that converts can count St. Augustine, Blessed John Henry Newman, G.K. Chesterton, Tolkien and many, many more among their ranks. Hardly a second class crowd.
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SonSearcher
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That is an interesting query.
In the groups I attend at my parish… Men of St. Joseph, ACTS, Knights of Columbus, our softball team, etc, this comparison comes up. Two things are stated all the time. Converts wish they were cradle Catholics having been raised in the faith…and cradle Catholics wish they were converts. As long as they both have a certain regard for each other I am all about it.
I don’t personally have a horse in the race because I am a revert. So obviously reverts are best anyway.
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aemcpa
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I think this is the reason why people make the distinction. I will say that our parish has been blessed with almost 400 adult converts in the 14 RCIA cycles since our current pastor arrived, and the average convert tends to be more devout, more involved, and more knowledgeable of the Faith than the average parishioner.
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HoosMommie
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Call me whatever you want, as long as you call me CATHOLIC. The people in my parish have been nothing but delighted that I am entering the church and I can feel no distinction whatsoever between us. On Easter Sunday not one person will remember that I am not a cradle Catholic when I’m standing in line for the Eucharist.
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robwar
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it is just terminology that people use to describe where that have come from in life. Cradle usually mean they have been Catholic all their life, Convert usually applies to adults coming from another faith or none at all. Different journeys of faith give different perspectives and there is nothing wrong with that. I’ve also seen the term “revert” which means the person was raised a Catholic, left or didn’t practice their Catholic faith and then came back or reverted back to full practice of the Catholic faith. There are strengths and perspectives from all three journeys of faith and it is not one is better than another but something to learn from all three journeys of faith.
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Goya
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This shouldn’t bother you, and I doubt that’s what’s going on (that is, I doubt that she’s proud of ‘her student’, or boasting this ‘fish’ she caught). More likely, she’s honored by your decision. We hold converts in the highest esteem, and are genuinely flattered and honored when those who come from outside, make a conscience, reasoned decision to join us.
FWIW, when I was growing up (cradle Catholic)–everyone I knew who was Catholic, was a cradle Catholic. It was the only kind of Catholic any of us knew. When I joined the Knights of Columbus, I remember one of the introductory statements was about having ‘the zeal of a convert’. ("may you always have the zeal of a convert’). I asked one of the elder brother knights who was involved with the initiation what the meaning of that was, and he explained what I just posted.
That was years and years ago; since then, I have had the privilige of knowing many converts, and had that brother knights’ words confirmed by many others. Additionally, I think at some level, many cradle Catholics are simply and genuinely curious about your perspective. You’ve seen the Church from without…and now you see it from within. I’ve never left home, and only seen the outside, from the reflection in outsider’s eyes, if you will. You have a perspective of which I can only speculate.
So please don’t take offense to that. I’m pretty sure your friend has the best intentions in her heart, when she boasts of your conversion perspective.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
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awsiukiewicz
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I suppose it really is only how one perceives the comment…one is definitely not any “better” than the other…I am a cradle Catholic, as distinguised from my loving wife who converted a few years before we acutally met…Interestingly enough most of the converts that I know are actaully a great deal more learned in their faith…and often times have a deep devotion to the Eucharist…so, I don’t think its a matter of bragging about being born into the faith…although I was away from the Sacraments for a number of years as a young adult…the ‘world’…I never lost the love for the Church…with all of the nonesense in my youth, I could never imagine being anything but Catholic…I honestly have a great deal of respect for ‘ANYONE’ having the interest, desire, faith, and some instances ‘guts’ to actively ‘chose’ to be Catholic…so,I honestly don’t believe that anyone of us who identify ourselves as ‘cradle Cathoics’ are in any way bragging…PAX
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aemcpa
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How could we? “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph 2:8-9
Any of us who are given the gift of faith and the gift of the Sacraments have only God to thank, whether he hires us at the first hour, the third, the sixth, the ninth, or the 11th.
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Goya
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Goya
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The sad truth of the matter, as awsiukiewicz alluded to, is that it takes so many painful years before so many of us cradle Catholics are able to fully even begin to appreciate the beauty the Faith that is handed to us, and the fortuitous providence of having it served up for us on a silver platter, without really having to fight for it.
I guess it’s like so many other things in life–if you don’t have to fight for it, work for it, sweat for it, suffer for it, etc., there is the extraordinary propensity to take it for granted (whatever ‘it’ may be–even something as profoundly powerful, as our Faith).
Also, as ausiukiewicz, I too never lost my love for the Church–but, I must confess, my appreciation and knowledge base, were a bit superficial and thin. I understood many of the central tenets, but was sorely lacking in historical and doctrinal foundation–which adds so much depth to one’s faith.
E.g.–it is one thing to believe in the Real Presence of the Eucharist; it is quite another to understand how we get there—and I don’t just mean ‘transubstantiation’–but rather how this was held from the beginning, how this belief alienated Christians so severely from non-Christians of every stripe, how so many died for this belief, how it sustained so many, etc., etc.
IMO, the deeper one digs into the foundations of the Faith, the more clearly its beauty is uncovered, and the totality of the beauty comes better into focus–kind of like an arecheologist excavating invaluable ruins, and coming into direct contact with evidence of his/her own ancestors.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
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dcc70
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