I have a question for converts

[Tenebrae]

First of all, let me say that I really admire your faith and commitment to the Church. You put lukewarm cradle Catholics to shame.
Since many of you converted over the objections of family and friends, I was just wondering if the recent scandals involving the priesthood have had any impact on your faith. Do your family and friends throw this up to you? And how do you answer them?

 

[mercygate]

First of all, let me say that I really admire your faith and commitment to the Church. You put lukewarm cradle Catholics to shame.
Since many of you converted over the objections of family and friends, I was just wondering if the recent scandals involving the priesthood have had any impact on your faith. Do your family and friends throw this up to you? And how do you answer them?

I came into the Church in 2001, and the scandals broke in January of 2002. Yes: I have had the scandals thrown up at me.

My response has been uniform: Sin is in the Church, but sin is not of the Church.

I’m not sure people understand that, but that’s how I respond.

I

 

[kage_ar]

My side of the family - having been very involved with ministry in their respective denominations they are painfully aware that these terrible things are not exclusive to the Catholic Church.

My FIL tends to bring it up occasionally with DH, DH continues to discuss facts with him (they are both very logical people who share a distain for the mainstream news outlets). The famlily continues to love each other around these discussions.

 

[mbc96]

I am fortunate no one has thrown it in my face.

If you think about it, there were sex scandals with other faiths here in the U.S.

Remember the 80’s? Baker? Swaggert? Small town pastors? What difference does it make if it is priest or pastor that acts immorally? The expectation is to behave morally, to uphold the covenant of priesthood or the covenant of marriage.

My opinion - Any faith (Catholic and non - Catholic) should be about a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, Christ and God - Not with “the church”.

 

[RichT]

I was confirmed on November of 2001. The sex scandals were never really brought up in relation to my faith change, but they have been brought up in conversation. I always tell people that I refuse to let the crimes of a few ruin the beauty of my church as well as my relationship with Christ. I also remind them how small the numbers really are in relation to the big picture. Thats not to belittle what happened, but to point out that there are thousands og dedicated priests in our faith.

 

[Teakafrog]

I converted in the middle of it. Didn’t bother my faith at all.

The Church is made of people. People sin. No getting around it. BUT, Jesus promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against the Church. Bad things can and do happen, but the Church herself is still the one, true, holy, and apostolic Church founded by Jesus. The bad popes in the middle ages couldn’t destroy it, neither will this.

And I usually state my own opinion also that even though every case of abuse is horrible and not to be tolerated at all, I do think a lot of it was faked, after the first cases got such a big payout, dishonest people took advantage of the media outrage to get a big monetary payout from the Church even though a priest had never so much as looked at them funny.

 

[keri6789]

I converted this past Easter. My response is that this happens in other religions and that a couple bad apples spoil the bunch. Not all preists do this. The entire Catholic Chuch should not be punished for these actions.

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

**I converted in 2005. I have had a few people bring up things like the sex scandals, the crusades, and the “greed” for money and power of the Catholic Church. I usually end up saying that I converted in spite of the bad members of the Church. To the best of my ability, I will try to correct any misperceptions or direct them to a source that can (CAF comes up alot, lol).

I found out very quickly that getting angry and defensive doesn’t do any good. So I do my best and then just focus on MY relationship with the Church. Some non-Catholic family members have commented on the change (for the better) in me and wonder where it came from…

Malia
**

 

[dhgray]

I came from an Evengelical background. My family could not wait to hit me with the Sex scandle. I just simple point out that Priests are people too and make mistakes. But let’s look at all the great work the Catholic Church has done.

 

[jmcrae]

First of all, let me say that I really admire your faith and commitment to the Church. You put lukewarm cradle Catholics to shame.
Since many of you converted over the objections of family and friends, I was just wondering if the recent scandals involving the priesthood have had any impact on your faith. Do your family and friends throw this up to you? And how do you answer them?

The sex scandals haven’t affected my faith because worse things than that went on at my old church, and nobody ever made any kind of big deal out of it. My family still goes to my old church, and they can’t figure out what the big deal is with this stuff. They just thank God that their church isn’t Catholic, because who knows what kind of mud they would get dragged through, if they were.

 

[kquinn]

First of all, let me say that I really admire your faith and commitment to the Church. You put lukewarm cradle Catholics to shame.
Since many of you converted over the objections of family and friends, I was just wondering if the recent scandals involving the priesthood have had any impact on your faith. Do your family and friends throw this up to you? And how do you answer them?

As a convert, I would like to point out…not all cradle Catholics are luke warm and many have been of great help in my journey to God. Also, as others have said…The sins of man should never sway us from the truths of God. God bless!

 

[jmcrae]

As a convert, I would like to point out…not all cradle Catholics are luke warm and many have been of great help in my journey to God. Also, as others have said…The sins of man should never sway us from the truths of God. God bless!

That’s a good point. All of my best role models are cradle Catholics.

 

[Mag_Uidhir]

They just thank God that their church isn’t Catholic, because who knows what kind of mud they would get dragged through, if they were.

Good point, don’t worry we can take it, actually I read your conversion story, I find it inspiring and uplifting and reminds me not to take my faith for granted, sinner that I am.

And to all those that have no sin…fire away !