For converts from Protestantism

[Jim_Dandy]

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.

That NEVER happens at an EF Mass. Coming late, leaving early, not dressing properly, is exclusive to the Ordinary Form of the Mass, and I don’t know why. It urgently needs to be fixed. But do attend a Latin Mass if you can. The experience is wunnerful, wunnerful.

Jim Dandy

 

[Georgia]

That NEVER happens at an EF Mass. Coming late, leaving early, not dressing properly, is exclusive to the Ordinary Form of the Mass, and I don’t know why. It urgently needs to be fixed. But do attend a Latin Mass if you can. The experience is wunnerful, wunnerful.

Jim Dandy

I have wondered why that isn’t fixed. In my old Baptist church, the pastor would have no problem addressing people directly while delivering his sermon. No, I am not at all for humiliating people in public, but I wonder why something could not be said about participating in the Mass, about dressing decently, about showing up on time, or about leaving early.

Our last parish once had a pastor who told people that singing was not optional. On occasion, I have heard a priest ask people to allow him to process out. Those announcements don’t happen often.

In fairness, some of that may not be seen by the priest, though some has to be. The shorts as abbreviated as nature and state law allows should catch a priest’s eye. Some of the other things are distracting, but showing as much skin as one would at the beach is really over the line.

To this day at my old Baptist church, most men wear ties, women wear dresses, and the kids wear collared shirts with slacks. There is no worry about inadvertently seeing body parts that should never be seen by others at church. I’m not at all for people having to get dressed up in finery they perhaps could not afford, but that’s not what I am talking about.

 

[7_Sorrows]

i grew up in the episcopal church which is very similar to Catholic in that holy communion or the Eucharist was the main point of our service. i didn’t attend any church for about 20 years and in my 40’s, returning to a spiritual life seemed important to me. i tried various evangelical protestant churches and i would begin very enthusiastically and have a wonderful feeling that this was so much better than how i was raised. however, after a couple of months, i always knew that there was something missing - and that was the Eucharist. after awhile, the protestant services all resembled one another and seemed shallow. there are many well meaning people in all protestant congregations and may God bless them all. being Catholic is difficult, not easy and it is tempting to look back and reminisce about the protestant way. i think it is good that you are honest about your feelings and you should remember what brought you to the Catholic church and look forward and study and learn more about your faith. i have been Catholic for only 3 years, but i prepared for close to 10 years before converting. transitioning is not easy and it takes time. giving up something that is comfortable and trying something new is a challenge. we are challenged everyday in our Catholic faith.

 

[Newsy]

I joined the Catholic Church at Easter vigil this year, I absolutely love being Catholic! I do miss some of the people from my old church. Most of them I get to see in my prayer group, but there were also those who shunned me after my conversion.

The sacraments are a gift, never had them before.

I went to church with my sister before Easter, it just seemed like something was missing. It was a church like I was leaving, but I missed the Eucharist even though I wasn’t receiving the sacrament yet.

The biggest change that I noticed was in the theology. I had some problems with my former church theology. Some ideas just didn’t feel right, I couldn’t put my finger on it. When I started RCIA, all the sudden the wrinkles were smoothed out of the theology rug. It just made much more sense in the Catholic Church.

 

[mark_a]

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.

Rejection is tough. Get some Catholic friends.

 

[Newsy]

The notion of transubstantiation is but one of many beliefs that are part of the Catholic belief system. I have received Communinon at several Catholic churches in the last several years at the urging of my uncle, a Catholic priest. He knew my stance with regard to my status as a non-Catholic yet he also respected the larger picture of Communion as co-union in the body of Christ.

This “notion” is spelled out explicitly in John 6.

BTW, just because your uncle urged you to do wrong, it is not excused just because he is a priest. Priests are not the Church, therefore he should not have urged you to receive communion. This would be covered by I Corinthians “whoever partakes in an unworthy manner is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of Christ” -I Cor. 11:27

The Catholic Church does respect the “larger picture of communion”, but cannot offer the Body of our Lord to people who don’t believe the Church.