Do people convert to Catholicism for "emotional" reasons?

[Holy_Roller]

Amen, brother! Having been involved with a number of Catholics who have left for various reasons I have found just as much emotion displayed in leaving as for joining. Coming home is not just a feeling by converts to Catholicism, our brethren going the other way often feel the same way. I am still very solidly Catholic but the dismal lack of a balance of emotion and reason always leaves me very puzzled as to why it has to be that way.

Richard too. Maybe Richards have a problem.

Thanks for the support. Being honest and posting an emotional response that I heard over and over again from those divorced catholic women, “Their Jesus is hanging on the wall”. However, that is not my view of the Catholics because of me being an older man now, but we must also accept the emotional response from our exiled women.

Someone here was offended by me calling the Eucharist a wafer. Well, that was exactly what it was to a 35 year old widower with an emotional problem that even the parish clergy tried to side step. No one wanted to talk to me on the Catholic side, but the Charismatic greeted me with open arms, fellowship, and personal prayers while laying their hands on me.

I’m not bitter or resentful about my early days, but I do give the Catholic Charismatic Renewal my support by joining them during Healing Masses. The Bishop must also see a need to renewal, because he will be at one of our healing masses next month. Praise God!

EWTN on short wave radio kept me interested in my lost Catholic Faith through the years. I have a ham radio in my RV for emergency use, and listen while camping out in the Nevada Desert.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but there is probably more emotion in leaving because of a feeling of being rejected by the laypeople. It didn’t take me long to figure out that they had been my wife’s friends. Guess, all widowers experience that, but I was pretty young at the time.

Richard

 

[MarcoPolo]

I am beginning RCIA this month, and I decided to convert because of the doctrine- especially on the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Eucharist.

Outstanding…continue your pursuit always for the Truth!

The “wafer” IS Jesus Christ, so I don’t understand your claim. Also please do not ever refer to the Eucharist as a “wafer.” That’s offensive. If you don’t want to say “Eucharist” say “host.”

Exactly. And if I could dovetail from here…once one knows that the Eucharist IS HIM, then can enter the emotional awe. In Scott Hahn’s conversion story, he was only awe-struck because he knew what Scripture had described. He had the knowledge, and the puzzle materialized before his eyes at his first mass, which resulted in an emotional move.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Well, that was exactly what it was to a 35 year old widower with an emotional problem that even the parish clergy tried to side step. No one wanted to talk to me on the Catholic side, but the Charismatic greeted me with open arms, fellowship, and personal prayers while laying their hands on me.

Sorry if I offended anyone, but there is probably more emotion in leaving because of a feeling of being rejected by the laypeople.

I will keep you in prayer Holy Roller. I would also encourage you…if you were not treated up to par by clergy or laypeople…do not let that stand in your way of the Truth. The Truth remains the Truth regardless of anyone’s sins.

 

[Rabbititus]

And the traditions–yes, it was an NO Mass, very contemporary as Masses go, and the church building was ultra-modern. I know that many of you consider these Masses bereft of tradition and heretical and abusive and all the rest, but to an evangelical Protestant like me, it seemed like medieval times, and very welcome and peace-filled after years of “Seeker Services” in the evangelical churches!

Actually, I could believe this. I once asked a non-denominational friend what they did at church. He said they projected praise and worship music lyrics on a screen and sang, followed by some preaching and then more praise and worship stuff. While I’m sure some Catholic curches abuse their liturgy to the point that it might look like a protestant service - the vast majority do not go nearly that far, so I would imagine if this friend attended a Catholic church it would seem very formal and stuffy.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing that Catholicism can strike an emotional cord and push someone over the edge. I knew with all my heart that I wanted to be confirmed after attending a Benediction where “Tantum Ergo” was sung. I’d never sung anything in latin before, and there were no musical instruments other than the voices of the congregation (whoever said no one will sing Latin is an idiot - voices filled the air). The whole moment (the Blessed Sacrement in the monstrance, the singing, etc) struck a cord in me.

Durring confirmation I had to fight back tears as soon as the line approaching the Bishop began to form.

 

[THutch04]

I don’t know if I really converted for emotional reasons. There are certainly factors that had they not been present, I probably would not have decided to convert. I’ve questioned a lot if I really made the right choice, and if I did it for the right reasons. I thought I did at the time, but now I’m not so sure. Not like there’s too much I can do about it now, considering I’m already Catholic. Most converts who I’ve talked to though converted for some doctrinal reason, not simply emotion alone. I don’t think one could truly be a Catholic if he soley converted on emotional factors.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I don’t think one could truly be a Catholic if he soley converted on emotional factors.

Amen.

 

[Icarus210]

I have been a catholic for around 4 years, being a very young 56. My first ever introduction to the faith was the TLM. That was the catalyst. I am a very logical person, so discussing and researching was my way of converting. The TLM was emotional yes, but the research totally convinced me of the truth. And why did I see it as the truth, because there were no Grey areas. It was all black and white. This is the truth, and that isnt… full stop. No debate, No; well if a or b or c mixed with d and e, we can get L. Our lives today are run in the greys, we have been convinced that there is no right or wrong, everyone has the “divine right” of seeing their own reality and we must respect and accept it. Hence the ridiculous “political correctness” of today.

The catholic church is the Universal church… but it is universal in two separate ways. 1st physically (of course) and 2ndly and even more importantly Timewise… the faith NEVER changes and is totally relevant in EVERY era of human history; it need not change for the times. Truth NEVER changes, because God never changes… and for that matter nor does our human nature.

So my emotions were first agitated yes, but Catholic Truth was the sword which sliced through the dross of my heart and mind and bought me to the true Word of God, and His Church.

 

[BritishCatholic]

I have been a catholic for around 4 years, being a very young 56. My first ever introduction to the faith was the TLM. That was the catalyst. I am a very logical person, so discussing and researching was my way of converting. The TLM was emotional yes, but the research totally convinced me of the truth. And why did I see it as the truth, because there were no Grey areas. It was all black and white. This is the truth, and that isnt… full stop. No debate, No; well if a or b or c mixed with d and e, we can get L. Our lives today are run in the greys, we have been convinced that there is no right or wrong, everyone has the “divine right” of seeing their own reality and we must respect and accept it. Hence the ridiculous “political correctness” of today.

The catholic church is the Universal church… but it is universal in two separate ways. 1st physically (of course) and 2ndly and even more importantly Timewise… the faith NEVER changes and is totally relevant in EVERY era of human history; it need not change for the times. Truth NEVER changes, because God never changes… and for that matter nor does our human nature.

So my emotions were first agitated yes, but Catholic Truth was the sword which sliced through the dross of my heart and mind and bought me to the true Word of God, and His Church.

Very well said.

You’re very fortunate that your first exposure to the Faith was through the Tridentine Latin Mass. I myself for years thought that the only Mass was the Novus Ordo; and I just wasn’t satisfied. Before I even knew about the Tridentine Mass, I somehow knew that there were so many abuses in the liturgy.

And then when I went to my first Tridentine Latin Mass, there was no stress, no vain popping out of my head, no sweat, no twitching, no worrying what the priest is going to do next, no stressing over the fact that the altar girls were wearing high heels and their albs like skirts- it was just peace. I knew this was the Mass I have been yearning for. I felt so…well, at peace. And to be completely at peace with yourself and world, even if it is only for an hour, is truly priceless.