For Catholic converts from Protestant denominations

[Truth_Faith13]

Thankyou for the replies!

Its nice to read some journies took a while! I’m so confused right now but its keeping me from church all together which is not good!

Pray for me to at least be able to know and follow Gods will!

 

[Jon_S_1]

Thankyou for the replies!

Its nice to read some journies took a while! I’m so confused right now but its keeping me from church all together which is not good!

Pray for me to at least be able to know and follow Gods will!

I know exactly what you mean. I became dissatisfied with my Protestant church, but couldn’t fully join the Catholic Church and I knew I needed to get plugged in somewhere.

So I got on my knees, asked God to put me where He wanted me. And to get me plugged in somewhere.

Then I called my mega church to try and get plugged in and they told me to come to a men’s group meeting that would start in about 3 months.

I then wandered to the nearest Catholic Church (first time there since I moved) and they were having a ministry expo that day, they greeted me ushered me to different tables and introduced me to the faith formation director. I even received a hug from someone! They were so warm and welcoming.

I truly believe God made it clear where I should go by placing me at that expo, the one weekend a year they have it.

I am confident that if you pray about your situation he will direct you too.

God Bless

 

[Randy_Carson]

I know exactly what you mean. I became dissatisfied with my Protestant church, but couldn’t fully join the Catholic Church and I knew I needed to get plugged in somewhere.

So I got on my knees, asked God to put me where He wanted me. And to get me plugged in somewhere.

Then I called my mega church to try and get plugged in and they told me to come to a men’s group meeting that would start in about 3 months.

I then wandered to the nearest Catholic Church (first time there since I moved) and they were having a ministry expo that day, they greeted me ushered me to different tables and introduced me to the faith formation director. I even received a hug from someone! They were so warm and welcoming.

I truly believe God made it clear where I should go by placing me at that expo, the one weekend a year they have it.

I am confident that if you pray about your situation he will direct you too.

God Bless

Jon-

Would you mind sharing your testimony here:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=928846

The OP really needs to hear this.

 

[Duane1966]

Thankyou for the replies!

Its nice to read some journies took a while! I’m so confused right now but its keeping me from church all together which is not good!

Pray for me to at least be able to know and follow Gods will!

NEVER EVER EVER let it keep you from going to church. The devil revels when we start missing church. Missing church once, becomes easy to miss it again and again, and that is a road you do not want to travel. Keep going, and praying, and searching. If you keep going, your prayers will either affirm that you are in the right place, or you will be convinced that you are not. Our prayers are with you to discern the truth.

 

[JRKH]

Thankyou for the replies!

Its nice to read some journies took a while! I’m so confused right now but its keeping me from church all together which is not good!

Pray for me to at least be able to know and follow Gods will!

NEVER EVER EVER let it keep you from going to church. The devil revels when we start missing church. Missing church once, becomes easy to miss it again and again, and that is a road you do not want to travel. Keep going, and praying, and searching. If you keep going, your prayers will either affirm that you are in the right place, or you will be convinced that you are not. Our prayers are with you to discern the truth.

What Duane said…

If I may…If you are confused by the many messages at different churches, consider going to mass instead.
Some people have problems with the mass because it is “repetitive” and the homilies are not very long…but…
The “routine” of the liturgy can be a wonderful time for contemplation. The amount of Scripture contained in the mass is phenomenal and there is a real peace when one leaves church.
Even though you cannot receive communion - you can still pray for the grace…

Just a thought.

Peace
James

 

[melissab1]

Thankyou for the replies!

Its nice to read some journies took a while! I’m so confused right now but its keeping me from church all together which is not good!

Pray for me to at least be able to know and follow Gods will!

Hello, I am in a similar situation to you.
I have been considering the Catholic faith for about 2yrs. We joined a Church of England congregation about that time after coming from an Evangelical background. We struggled with the lack of authority (amongst other things) at our evangelical church and I thought that The Church of England offered the authority I was looking for; I started researching church history (somethng I had never even thought of before) and as a natural progression it bought me to look at Catholicism in my research.

I was amazed, and scared all at the same time,and the more I looked the more scared I became. I eventually shared my ‘fears/joys’ with my husband (he doesn’t share my views, but issupportive of them) and I felt that I couldn’t go to my Church as it was just too confusing and I felt I just couldn’t stand being there, even though it’s filled with honest, genuine servants of Christ. It was easy for me not to go as I have an active two yr old and there isn’t a designated creche.

I continued to read my bible and pray whilst my husband and children attended church but eventually I have decided that this can’t continue so I plucked up the courage to write to the parish priest . He sent a very nice email back saying there is an RCIA class starting in Jan for anyone who is interested so I am really looking forward to that. He suggested that I attend Mass until then: I go to my first one tomorrow evening.

I honestly feel like a huge weight has been lifted; I don’t know if my confusion will cease (It probably won’t) but at least I know that I am not languishing in this situation any more. I am going to attend sat and sun eve Mass so my husband can continue to attend the Anglican Church. I have not told my Vicar or our friends of my feelings/research/actions as I am unclear myself (and as a lot of our friends thought we were mad joining an Anglican Church, I feel I need to be clear in my reasons before engaging them!!)

I fully understand and sympathize with your feelings about attending Church and I will pray for you. I hope it is some comfort to know that you are not the only one who feels like this.

Melissa x

 

[jesuspsr]

Truth_Faith13 I as a cradle Catholic always enjoy threads like this. I always read each and everyone of the post posted so much so, that I get goosebumps. (I like to think it’s the Holy Spirit moving inside me). Thank you very much.

I will pray for you, that the Holy Spirit guide you on your journey.

God bless

jesus g

 

[plainatheart71]

Just a couple of questions for converts to Catholicism…

When did you first feel called to Catholicism/What happened?

How long from first considering/looking into Catholicism did you convert officially?

What was the deciding factor?

Thanks

Question #1-2 years before we attended our first Mass the Lord began dealing with me about having a love and compassion for the Catholic people. We had been taught so much bad in the Messianic movement, so much anti-Catholic teaching, that I had a great dislike for Catholicism. After we left the last Protestant church we were in we didn’t go anywhere for 1 1/2 years and then attended our first Mass. It was at that point, November 20, 2011 that we both began to feel the pull to become Catholic.

Question #2-We both had to go through annulment processes, 2 for Joe and 1 for me. It would have been 2 for me but my first ex-husband was Catholic and we were not married in the Catholic Church so our marriage wasn’t recognized. We had gone to the Catholic Church for well over a year, went through RCIA and our annulments didn’t go through. So we didn’t believe this was where God wanted us. We left for 9 months and were miserable. We decided that even if the annulments didn’t go through we had to go back and go regardless of whether we ever joined. We began attending again in January of 2014, our annulments went through in February, we had our marriage blessed the week before the Easter Vigil Mass and we were confirmed Catholic April 19th, 2014.

Question #3-The deciding factor for us was how miserable we were in our time away from the Catholic Church. I can’t describe how miserable we were. We were attending a good Protestant Church with a wonderful pastor but the real presence wasn’t there. That was the biggest thing for us. Also, the women ran the church. The elders allowed their wives to control every part of what went on there to the extent that they have now ran the minister and his family off. A godly man, well versed in Scripture and a man who loves Catholics. He prayed a blessing over us when we told him we were returning to the Catholic Church.