Do you regret becoming Catholic?

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I wasn’t sure where to post this, and since it deals with people who were another religion and then became Catholic, this seemed the logical place.

Does anyone who has become Catholic regretted their decision? Do you know of someone who became Catholic and then decided to go back to what they were?

I am not meaning to be disrespectful, I am curious. I am in RCIA right now, and plan to be reconciled to the Catholic church in the spring. While I cannot imagine becoming unhappy in my decision and I feel that God is leading me here, I have given up a great deal to follow this path. It has been difficult at times and I’ve been wondering about other people’s experiences after being in the Catholic Church for a while.

Thank you in advance for your answers.
Pam
 
I’ve never been Catholic, so, I can’t share that. What I will say, however, is that if you believe that God is leading you to the Catholic Church, I honestly doubt you will regret that decision. Catholics that I have interacted with here are wonderful, spirit filled Christians. That’s not to say you won’t have doubts. But, stay strong in the Lord. And, if you hit problems, talk to your priest, talk to the members here.
 
pkrjenkins said:
Does anyone who has become Catholic regretted their decision?
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No, never. But it’s like a romance. First you see and experience the wonder of it all. You only notice his hairline is receding and he chews with his mouth open later on. But he still has all those wonderful qualities you fell for.

This is where Jesus is. This isn’t about joining a church, it’s about being with God.
 
Becoming Catholic was the best thing that I ever did and I’ve never regretted it for a moment. It’s been over 6 years. I’m the only Catholic in my family and many of my Protestant friends gradually disappeared from my life. They were so disappointed in my decision and a few still try to win me back, but I could never leave the Church. I am praying for my family and friends and waiting patiently for God to bring them in. The Catholic Church is HOME! 🙂
 
Not even once: what springs forth from love makes every burden light. It is very nice that you will soon be in full communion :hug1:

"*Vocem meam audient, et fiet unum ovile, unus pastor.

Ut omnes unum sint, sicut tu, Pater, in me, et ego in te, ut et ipsi in nobis unum sint.*"
 
nannygirl said:
Becoming Catholic was the best thing that I ever did and I’ve never regretted it for a moment. It’s been over 6 years. I’m the only Catholic in my family and many of my Protestant friends gradually disappeared from my life. They were so disappointed in my decision and a few still try to win me back, but I could never leave the Church. I am praying for my family and friends and waiting patiently for God to bring them in. The Catholic Church is HOME! 🙂
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Hi nannygirl. It is extremely nice to hear that. 🙂 Can I ask you a little question considering that you are the only Catholic in your family and continue to become one despite how you friends abandon you. It is quite a price to pay.

What is the most single important thing that made you decide to be Catholic?

God bless you+.
 
It’s been 30 years now, and I haven’t regretted it for a moment, and I find that Catholicism still brings me even closer to Christ as time goes by, and that it’s intellectual consistency is deeply satisfying - ie. the way it seems to handle every question in theology, the sciences, etc.

However, to answer your question fully, I have know two people who joined Catholicism and left. One was my ex-wife, and I think that she mainly joined as rebellion against her strict Protestant parents, which was a large part of her reason for marrying me also. Another person was a woman who was always quite fervent, as both a Protestant and then a Catholic, and joined a lay religious community. My guess is that she was disappointed with the lack of personal community in Catholicism, compared with her Protestant background - which seems to be a problem many converts experience. Be forewarned… 🙂

While I haven’t regretted the change, I do find it bit painful not being so close to my old Protestant friends, and I miss Anglican church music.
 
I was Protestant, converted to Roman Catholic, and then six years after became Orthodox. Whether I regret being Roman Catholic is difficult to say.

I don’t think I regret being Roman Catholic because it taught me a lot of things that I never had heard of as a protestant. It taught me the importance of and love of liturgy, history, tradition, saints, Sacraments, and other things.

However, if I had become Orthodox right away I would’ve been Orthodox six years earlier than I was and my college ‘career’ would’ve been easier to handle. I also would’ve learned all of those things above that I learned in Roman Catholicism.

But if I hadn’t been Roman Catholic I wouldn’t have been able to explain Orthodoxy to Romans in the (admittedly limited still) way that I can. On the other hand I wouldn’t have endured the six years of loneliness that Roman Catholicism…led to? Caused? I don’t know what word to use.

I was not the only Roman Catholic in my family, though I was the only practicing one. I had no Roman Catholic friends, and as almost every Roman Catholic knows community is very limited in Roman Catholicism. Nobody thought my beliefs were weird though. I didn’t loose any friends because of it - I just didn’t have any friends who shared my beliefs.

But the lonely thing, meh, I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t have my Orthodox life to compare it to. That is not what would’ve caused me to regret having been Roman Catholic. The only thing that could possibly do that is the knowledge that I could’ve been Orthodox six years earlier than I was.
 
I converted about 12 years ago, after a lifetime of looking through the Protestant denominations - Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, AOG, Brethren. All disappointed. I never considered becoming a Roman Catholic, as I had had a convent education with many bad experiences, but God chased me into a corner, and there was nowhere left to go.

I do not regret converting - the proof is that my spiritual life took off like a rocket, I am, however, extremely disappointed in the Church’s response to child abuse allegations by the clergy - and find it difficult to trust my spiritual life to a church which seems to be involved in cover-ups and neglect of the victims. I left other denominations because of their progression into appointing female clergy, and gay clergy.

My first parish was very welcoming, but when I moved to another country, I missed the company and personal involvement. I have not found a spiritual home yet, after 8 years, though I attend a cathedral. I miss my first Catholic family.
 
My only regret is that I did not convert sooner.

It has been almost 3 years since I converted.

At the moment I am the only catholic in my family.

My protestant church was the focal point of my
life before I converted, and as a result I have lost
many friends due to my converting. However, despite
the costs, nothing can compare to
receiving the Eucharist.
 
Falco said:
My first parish was very welcoming, but when I moved to another country, I missed the company and personal involvement. I have not found a spiritual home yet, after 8 years, though I attend a cathedral. I miss my first Catholic family.
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This is a very valid point that has been brought up by many converts. The Church should see this as an important feedback from her parishioners.

Talking about parish, have you tried to involve yourself in some of the church movements and join them if there are suitable one in your parish? That can be a source of very important support not only spiritual but also social. Some are family based or single based, depending on your needs.
 
pkrjenkins said:
I wasn’t sure where to post this, and since it deals with people who were another religion and then became Catholic, this seemed the logical place.

Does anyone who has become Catholic regretted their decision? Do you know of someone who became Catholic and then decided to go back to what they were?

I am not meaning to be disrespectful, I am curious. I am in RCIA right now, and plan to be reconciled to the Catholic church in the spring. While I cannot imagine becoming unhappy in my decision and I feel that God is leading me here, I have given up a great deal to follow this path. It has been difficult at times and I’ve been wondering about other people’s experiences after being in the Catholic Church for a while.

Thank you in advance for your answers.
Pam
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Hello Pam,

First off, welcome to the Church, and congratulations on being in RCIA. I pray all works out for you and that you are able to come into full communion with the Church.

To answer your questions, that would be a BIG NO. I know I haven’t been in the Church all that long (not even a year yet), but I know this is the best decision I’ve ever made.

I made a really good friend at work during the time I was going through RCIA. He was a cradle Catholic, but non-practicing now. He asked me kind of a similar question, “do you think you’ll ever switch to another religion again?” I said, “Since I’m coming from a Christian background (pentecostal/non-denom), I don’t really consider myself to be switching religions. I’m simply going to the Church that I was meant to be in, the Church that has the complete understanding of true and authentic Christianity.”

I love the Church. I love what Christ has given us and what the apostles have passed down. Yes there have been some obstacles along the way, disagreements I’ve had with some individuals. But that isn’t the Church…that’s what happens when sinful men and women try to serve God the way they think will be best, and that difference in opinions sometimes results in frustrations, arguments, and grudges. The thing to do is forgive, forgive, forgive, and pray, pray, pray, because it is not about us, it’s about God and the work of Christ on the cross.
 
I converted to Catholicism from being a non-practicing Jew. It was a long, hard journey that I would never wish to repeat, but I’ve never regretted it. Its been 20 years since my baptism, first communion and confirmation. My husband, an atheist most of his life, followed me into the Church. We LOVE being home at last. And being able to raise my son Catholic (he is now 16 years old with Down syndrome, homeschooled through Kolbe Academy)… well, that’s the icing on the cake.

Congrats on being in RCIA - the journey may not always be easy, but it is worth the struggle. There is not a day goes by I don’t thank the Holy Spirit for calling on me and never giving up on my hardheadedness.

Catholicism totally rocks!
 
pkrjenkins said:
I wasn’t sure where to post this, and since it deals with people who were another religion and then became Catholic, this seemed the logical place.

Does anyone who has become Catholic regretted their decision? Do you know of someone who became Catholic and then decided to go back to what they were?

I am not meaning to be disrespectful, I am curious. I am in RCIA right now, and plan to be reconciled to the Catholic church in the spring. While I cannot imagine becoming unhappy in my decision and I feel that God is leading me here, I have given up a great deal to follow this path. It has been difficult at times and I’ve been wondering about other people’s experiences after being in the Catholic Church for a while.

Thank you in advance for your answers.
Pam
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Ahh yes! as St. Agustin stated “Lord make me chaste, but not just yet”?
 
First off, I’m so glad you’re in RCIA! 😃

Second, I have never regretted becoming Catholic. As several others have stated before me, I am also the only Catholic in my family. I, too, have lost some Protestant and non-believer friends in the process but I figure if they’re going to leave me when I’m doing something that is making my life so much better, that says a lot!

Being Catholic has opened me up to a whole new world and a whole new and much stronger relationship with God than any other denomination I had experienced in the past. No regrets here! 😃
 
Welcome Home!!!

I’ve been Catholic less than a year. I’ve never regretted my decision. I really don’t think I ever will.

My family is mostly Catholic, but they live 5 hours away. Where I live now is very, very Baptist. One of my best friends is Assembly of God. No one knew that I was studying the faith. I didn’t go through RCIA. Needless to say a lot of flies were caught when I told everyone. Jaws hit the floor. So far I haven’t lost anyone in my life over it. My AOG friends sat me down to ask questions about doctrine. They were surprised that my answers weren’t what they had always thought the Church taught. My friends know my faith in God and how much I love Christ. So they are fine with my decision.

Do I wish there was more fellowship at my Church? You bet, that is something I miss. It’s not something to make me go back though. That’s not why I’m there.

Were there difficult times before confirmation? Yes, the biggest was that I knew that once I swam the Tiber there was no going back. Once I was sure that God was calling me home it was all good.

I’m praying for your journey. It’s wonderful and it never ends. I still have many WOW moments when I learn something new.
 
Reuben_J said:
Hi nannygirl. It is extremely nice to hear that. 🙂 Can I ask you a little question considering that you are the only Catholic in your family and continue to become one despite how you friends abandon you. It is quite a price to pay.

What is the most single important thing that made you decide to be Catholic?

God bless you+.
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Hi Reuben J. I would have to say it was 2 things: Authority and the Eucharist. 🙂
 
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