For converts from Protestantism

[Link0126]

I converted over 28 years ago and do not miss it one bit. When we go home to visit my parents we go to their services, Sunday school included, and after 2 ½ to 3 hours later I walk away feeling empty. I try to see the best in it and make the best out of it, but truly I feel empty. There is no structure, no sense of approaching the throne of God, no Sacraments, and no Eucharist. There is a lot of socializing and verse citing but it is all a little ho hum in a way. I am not trying to seem insensitive, just my feelings.

I totally agree with this. I’m not strictly a convert, rather a revert as I was raised Catholic. But I spent roughly 6 years as a protestant and before that a number of years as an agnostic/hard-core anti-Christian.

The lack of structure you mention is the EXACT reason I looked into the Catholic Church again. The wake up call was when I attended a service that was held in a movie theater on Christmas Eve. There was not one single Bible verse read, the crackers and grape juice were passed out as soon as we sat down with no verse or anything said. Just passed out and everyone ate it. There was a lot of comtemporary music (I think they even played the goo goo dolls) and some clips from Charlie Brown’s Christmas were shown on screen. They also passed out cookies before hand and some people decided to purchase some popcorn and have a snack during the service…

I left thinking “how can this be?”, “how did this happen?” and then realizing that anyone can make themselves a pastor, start a church and do whatever they want, being held accountable to absolutely no one. At this point I started to have a completely different opinion of the structure that I remembered in the Catholic Church.

 

[mamamimi]

I totally agree with this. I’m not strictly a convert, rather a revert as I was raised Catholic. But I spent roughly 6 years as a protestant and before that a number of years as an agnostic/hard-core anti-Christian.

The lack of structure you mention is the EXACT reason I looked into the Catholic Church again. The wake up call was when I attended a service that was held in a movie theater on Christmas Eve. There was not one single Bible verse read, the crackers and grape juice were passed out as soon as we sat down with no verse or anything said. Just passed out and everyone ate it. There was a lot of comtemporary music (I think they even played the goo goo dolls) and some clips from Charlie Brown’s Christmas were shown on screen. They also passed out cookies before hand and some people decided to purchase some popcorn and have a snack during the service…

I left thinking “how can this be?”, “how did this happen?” and then realizing that anyone can make themselves a pastor, start a church and do whatever they want, being held accountable to absolutely no one. At this point I started to have a completely different opinion of the structure that I remembered in the Catholic Church.

I’m sorry for that experience…I’ve had them too and like you, I also was uncomfortable. Much of this is no doubt a retaliation of the overly strict, over-structured churches from years past. I am not fond of the casual attitude that I see in MOST churches nowadays…Catholic included. But I don’t think you can judge all of Protestantism by a bad Christmas service you sat through, just as I can’t judge all of Catholicism by the abusively strict Catholic churches I attended while growing up.

 

[Legal_Eagle]

Hi

I was wondering, for those who converted from a Protestant background, do you ever miss the way things were before conversion.

I grew up Baptist. I don’t miss “worship service” at all. I love Mass. I love the Sacraments. I love my Catholic faith.

I do miss the people. I grew up in a small country Southern Baptist church in rural Mississippi. The people there were proud, independent, resourceful and full of a love for Jesus and the Scriptures. With two notable exceptions (aren’t there always exceptions?) I loved and miss my old pastors. I’ve had occasion to see some of them recently. They know I’m Catholic now, and they all go out of their way to speak, smile an say kind words to me.

Good people. Good pastors. Good memories.

Would I go back? Not on your life. Not because I was traumatized there. Quite the opposite. I was loved and nourished. It’s just that what I have found in the Church Jesus built is infinitely more wonderful.

Peace,

 

[mamamimi]

I grew up Baptist. I don’t miss “worship service” at all. I love Mass. I love the Sacraments. I love my Catholic faith.

I do miss the people. I grew up in a small country Southern Baptist church in rural Mississippi. The people there were proud, independent, resourceful and full of a love for Jesus and the Scriptures. With two notable exceptions (aren’t there always exceptions?) I loved and miss my old pastors. I’ve had occasion to see some of them recently. They know I’m Catholic now, and they all go out of their way to speak, smile an say kind words to me.

Good people. Good pastors. Good memories.

Would I go back? Not on your life. Not because I was traumatized there. Quite the opposite. I was loved and nourished. It’s just that what I have found in the Church Jesus built is infinitely more wonderful.

Peace,

Good, but one thing…Jesus built my church, too.

 

[thequeen]

No not at all.

 

[Beautiful_Day]

Hi

I grew up Protestant and converted to Catholicism while in college. I was wondering, for those who converted from a Protestant background, do you ever miss the way things were before conversion. The vast majority of my friends are from places like the Baptist Student Ministry on campus, and from various non-denominational and Bible churches. I still go to the BSM to teach English and stuff but a lot of friends are kind of sad that I just stopped going to those churches and started going to St. Mary’s all of the sudden, and it’s kind of difficult to talk about it because I think it seems weird to them. Not that I would ever leave the Church because I know it is the ultimate fulfillment of the Christian faith and it’s the only place I’ve ever really felt really spiritually steadfast (I used to waver a lot between belief and unbelief). And I think if I did I would miss the CC way more. But even now, when I am in mass and hear one of the more contemporary P&W songs, I get a sort of nostalgia, and think about all the Bible studies, and the pastors I used to love listening to.

I am a cradle Catholic, but I can empathize with some of your posts. I used to go visit a relative at Franciscan U in Steubenville for the festivals of praise. 1500 Catholics in the field house singing praise and worship was just amazing. Sometimes I really yearn for those times. I recently went through a spiritual valley, and I’ve pulled myself up by. having praise and worship on almost all the time, studying the bible at home (Jeff Cavin’s bible study), and reading lots of Catholic books. Today’s book is Confessions of a megachurch Pastor. I also yearn to be at a vibrant thriving parish for my sake and for my children. We are waiting on a move that might happen. If it does, we will be at one. I am prepared for God to say, no that is not My will, I want you elsewhere. If He does that and does not put us at a vibrant parish with bible studies, praise and worship, adoration, great youth ministry, etc… then I will supplement at home with my family and try to start new things at church when I can. God may be calling you to stat something new at your parish. In the meantime meet your needs in other ways.

God Bless.

 

[Laurie_86]

The lack of structure you mention is the EXACT reason I looked into the Catholic Church again. The wake up call was when I attended a service that was held in a movie theater on Christmas Eve. There was not one single Bible verse read, the crackers and grape juice were passed out as soon as we sat down with no verse or anything said. Just passed out and everyone ate it. There was a lot of comtemporary music (I think they even played the goo goo dolls) and some clips from Charlie Brown’s Christmas were shown on screen. They also passed out cookies before hand and some people decided to purchase some popcorn and have a snack during the service…

I left thinking “how can this be?”, “how did this happen?” and then realizing that anyone can make themselves a pastor, start a church and do whatever they want, being held accountable to absolutely no one. At this point I started to have a completely different opinion of the structure that I remembered in the Catholic Church.

This is the main reason I left the Protestant faith. It was not over major doctorial issues in the beginning, just the realization that I could go to five different Protestant denominations and get five different interpretations. I grew up Protestant and loved my faith growing up. I had some amazing men and women who taught me to love Christ so I do not regret my upbringing. But as an adult I learned anyone could interpret the Bible to fit what they wanted it to say. Over the course of my RCIA I learned much more that caused me to fall in love with the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

What I do miss from being Protestant though is relating to my family. I am the only Catholic in my family (on DH’s side there are 6 practicing Catholics). Whenever they come to visit or we go to visit we always go to Mass on Sunday. My family has graciously understood this but I feel like at times they have felt left out.

At our wedding we did our best to involve them (my Dad was a reader), made huge 12 page programs with all the Mass parts but I know (from comments I heard afterwards from my sister) they felt alienated when we were able to receive the Body and Blood of Christ and they weren’t. I know when we baptize our children they can be Christian witnesses but I will have to explain why they cannot be Godparents. These things are hard because my family is just as passionate about their Protestant faith as I am about my Catholic faith.

 

[hizstory]

Hi

I grew up Protestant and converted to Catholicism while in college. I was wondering, for those who converted from a Protestant background, do you ever miss the way things were before conversion. The vast majority of my friends are from places like the Baptist Student Ministry on campus, and from various non-denominational and Bible churches. I still go to the BSM to teach English and stuff but a lot of friends are kind of sad that I just stopped going to those churches and started going to St. Mary’s all of the sudden, and it’s kind of difficult to talk about it because I think it seems weird to them. Not that I would ever leave the Church because I know it is the ultimate fulfillment of the Christian faith and it’s the only place I’ve ever really felt really spiritually steadfast (I used to waver a lot between belief and unbelief). And I think if I did I would miss the CC way more. But even now, when I am in mass and hear one of the more contemporary P&W songs, I get a sort of nostalgia, and think about all the Bible studies, and the pastors I used to love listening to.

I was brought up in various churches: Church of Christ, United Methodist, & Churches of Christ in Christian Union. However, I now know that what my parents and I “believed” was a primarily Southern Baptist worldview. I miss the companionship of certain individuals, but none of the actual churches. In fact, I feel lied to during those years.

BTW, my parents joined a Southern Baptist church after I joined the Catholic Church.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

You know, it’s a funny thing but that whole idea of transubstantiation and Communion has not been an issue for me ever since my children were old enough to be baptized, etc. When we were contemplating that, I suddenly realized that if my children weren’t raised as Catholics, they wouldn’t get to “make their first Communion, wear the little veils and dresses, etc.”. And all of a sudden, the Lord burst into my thought process and told me flat out, “I’M NOT A CATHOLIC”!! What liberation I found in that…the Lord does not belong to ANY denomination, He is a sovereign being who gave us His word.

I “take” communion at our church and have a far deeper experience because I know that the spirit of the Lord lives in me 24-7. Far too much emphasis is placed on the whole process of communion and that brief moment when the host is physically in your body. It has to be a constant presence which I most definitely have. I think Catholics sometimes think they have a monopoly on God’s presence…it’s refreshing to find out He wants to be in our hearts all the time, not just at Communion.

Plus, I have learned a much deeper experience of communion. The very word implies that we are all together. And that is something we do as a group at our church. It gives us that spirit of fulfillment with each other in the Lord since we all take it together.

I’m not missing anything!

Pssst. That may not have been God who told you He isn’t Catholic. That would mean He isn’t a member of His own Church!

If one knows the history of Christianity and the history of the Bible, it seems impossilbe to me that one could find fulfillment in a man-made organization. Each of these many thousands of conflicting and competing Protestant ecclesial communities is based on an incomplete Bible cut by Martin Luther, yet no two of them agree about what the Bible means.

If it’s TRUTH one seeks, it is not to be found in Protestantism. If it’s socializing, Protestants are very good at that.

“Where the bishop appears, there let the people be, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church” Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, A.D. 107. Ignatius was a student of St. John the Apostle, who died c. A.D. 100. Seven years later. Ignatius was being taken from Antioch to Rome in chains by Roman guards, to be thrown to the lions for his Faith – his Catholic Faith. He wrote letters to the Churches along the way. This is one of them.

Where We Got the Bible, Our Debt to the Catholic Church
catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/wbible.htm

Jim Dandy
Ex-Southern Baptist, ex-agnostic, ex-atheist, ecstatic to be Catholic!

 

[Jim_Dandy]

Good, but one thing…Jesus built my church, too.

There is only one Church, founded by Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world – the Catholic Church. All others are ecclesial (church-like) communities. founded by men (or women). That’s historical fact.

 

[Jim_Dandy]

I have noticed that when my Catholic family is asked to pray spontaneously, they usually have difficulty and frequently resort to rote prayers. Not that God doesn’t hear those…but I do think that a big part of the benefit of prayer is the speaking your heart to God in a way that only you can do.

When I was a Baptist, I experienced those “spontaneous,” repetitious prayers. I called them the “Lord I just” prayers.

Lord, I just praise you, and Lord I just thank you, and Lord I just . . .

I found the beautiful, formal prayers of the Catholic Church to be wonderfully written works of art, like a gorgeous tapestry. As a Catholic, I can pray sponteneously or use one of the prayers that are now as familiar to me as my own words, or both. Or, I can find in a book of prayers the sentiments that that my own mind is unable to put into words, particularly at times of stress like illness or tragedy.

As for the Liturgy, the Catholic Mass grew out of the liturgy of the synagogue. It’s 2,000 years old, y’know.

I LOVE THIS CHURCH!

 

[LinuxUser]

Hi

I grew up Protestant and converted to Catholicism while in college. I was wondering, for those who converted from a Protestant background, do you ever miss the way things were before conversion. The vast majority of my friends are from places like the Baptist Student Ministry on campus, and from various non-denominational and Bible churches. I still go to the BSM to teach English and stuff but a lot of friends are kind of sad that I just stopped going to those churches and started going to St. Mary’s all of the sudden, and it’s kind of difficult to talk about it because I think it seems weird to them. Not that I would ever leave the Church because I know it is the ultimate fulfillment of the Christian faith and it’s the only place I’ve ever really felt really spiritually steadfast (I used to waver a lot between belief and unbelief). And I think if I did I would miss the CC way more. But even now, when I am in mass and hear one of the more contemporary P&W songs, I get a sort of nostalgia, and think about all the Bible studies, and the pastors I used to love listening to.

Yes I do miss things myself.

 

[CompSciGuy]

I am a cradle Catholic, but I can empathize with some of your posts. I used to go visit a relative at Franciscan U in Steubenville for the festivals of praise. 1500 Catholics in the field house singing praise and worship was just amazing. Sometimes I really yearn for those times. I recently went through a spiritual valley, and I’ve pulled myself up by. having praise and worship on almost all the time, studying the bible at home (Jeff Cavin’s bible study), and reading lots of Catholic books. Today’s book is Confessions of a megachurch Pastor. I also yearn to be at a vibrant thriving parish for my sake and for my children. We are waiting on a move that might happen. If it does, we will be at one. I am prepared for God to say, no that is not My will, I want you elsewhere. If He does that and does not put us at a vibrant parish with bible studies, praise and worship, adoration, great youth ministry, etc… then I will supplement at home with my family and try to start new things at church when I can. God may be calling you to stat something new at your parish. In the meantime meet your needs in other ways.

God Bless.

Actually my parish is very good, one of the best known campus ministries in the nation as a matter of fact. The problem isn’t my parish. The problem is just that it’s really, really hard for me to break old attachments and make new ones. And now that I’ve grown so much in the Catholic Church, even going to baptist bible studies or worship services mean more to me than they did when I was a protestant. And I just happen to have more (and closer) friends in the bsm than I do at my parish. I think this is the key difference.

 

[CompSciGuy]

Yes I do miss things myself.

Off-topic: I’m intrigued by your username. I take it you’re a fellow geek. What distribution do you use? (me: ubuntu)

 

[LinuxUser]

I use PCLinuxOS going between KDE and XFCE

 

[Beautiful_Day]

Actually my parish is very good, one of the best known campus ministries in the nation as a matter of fact. The problem isn’t my parish. The problem is just that it’s really, really hard for me to break old attachments and make new ones. And now that I’ve grown so much in the Catholic Church, even going to baptist bible studies or worship services mean more to me than they did when I was a protestant. And I just happen to have more (and closer) friends in the bsm than I do at my parish. I think this is the key difference.

Ask God to help you form attachments at the Catholic parish. Ask God to send you some good Catholic friends. He will do it.

 

[Georgia]

There are things I miss in the Baptist church and I always will. The first is going to services with my extended family. They are all Baptist, mostly the independent KJV-only version. Second is the fellowship. I discuss that one more fully.

Baptist churches tend to have Sunday School and one main service on Sunday morning. You get to know everyone there and they get to know you. You know the names and something of the lives of a few hundred fellow members.

Everyone has what might as well be reserved seating. If you are not there, people notice. That led to a funny and a bit irritating moment one time when I returned for a visit. The Sunday morning service may see attendance of close to five hundred people. I got there early, found an empty seat and sat for seconds. Someone came over and whispered “Mrs. XXXX usually sits there.” I moved. The same thing happened a second time. I finally found the right spot on the third attempt. Needless to say, you are much more anonymous in a Catholic parish.

My old church has a board of deacons, not quite the same office as that in the Church, composed of 12 active deacons and more inactive deacons. The active ones are assigned families to contact with outreach, assistance, and for other needs. Members are pretty tightly and lovingly shepherded. Our parish has robo-calls. Oh, that is something, but it isn’t quite the same.

Another thing that surprised me on crossing the Tiber was that respect for church seems to be higher in my old faith. No one gets there late, absolutely no one. No one leaves early either. In fact, in more than 35 years before converting, I never saw a single person leave early. Anyone not picking up a hymnal and joining in would be thought a strange duck indeed. People dress decently always. They may not have the expensive fashions, but they would not think of wearing the very immodest clothing I have lately seen at Mass.

Now to what I don’t miss and why I will never revert: I love the richness of the Mass. I love that we are following the faith established by Christ Himself and passed to us by an unbroken line. I love that the Church reaches out to all of God’s children, no matter their situation or station in life. I love that we can receive the Body and the Blood of Christ. I love that we have a priesthood ready with reconciliation. I love that we have an unwavering set of morals that never move with the political winds. I love that we can commune with the holy saints as we ask them to join us in prayer. I love that the Church reaches around with world joining all people in faith.

 

[TrueLight]

When I was a Baptist, I experienced those “spontaneous,” repetitious prayers. I called them the “Lord I just” prayers.

Lord, I just praise you, and Lord I just thank you, and Lord I just . . .

You had me cracking up!

My sister and I used to laugh about this all the time and ask ourselves why when people got all spiritual, they would pray, “Lord I just.”

Also, at one point I attended a very large, well known megachurch with a large Latino population and when people would pray, they would take on a Spanish accent, even if they were German! That was interesting.

 

[TrueLight]

Another thing that surprised me on crossing the Tiber was that respect for church seems to be higher in my old faith.

I found just the opposite, but that’s because my first mass was in the EF, which tends to be very quiet and respectful.

 

[Brywan]

Another thing that surprised me on crossing the Tiber was that respect for church seems to be higher in my old faith. No one gets there late, absolutely no one. No one leaves early either. In fact, in more than 35 years before converting, I never saw a single person leave early. Anyone not picking up a hymnal and joining in would be thought a strange duck indeed. People dress decently always. They may not have the expensive fashions, but they would not think of wearing the very immodest clothing I have lately seen at Mass.

LOL. We must have been attending the same church! I came into the Catholic Church in 1999 and I am still a little incredulous that people start leaving the church during the closing hymn. This may sound a little crude, but I liken this mentality to having sexual intercourse with your spouse and immediately rolling over in bed and starting to snore. " So good to have THAT over with!!!" !LOL