Moody Student Reverting to Catholicism

  • Thread starter Thread starter David1223
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

David1223

Guest
Hi everyone,

I’m new to this forum and my name is David.

I am a Junior at Moody Bible Institute, a Protestant 4-year Bible College in Chicago, IL.

But on September 5th, I prayed to God that He would do whatever it takes to bring my wife and I closer to the Lord. Three days later, on September 8th, I’ve been reverting back to Catholicism.

I was brought up Catholic until I was in the 5th grade, went atheist, New Age, then got born again in a non-denominational church on December 11th in 2009. But ever since September 8th of this year (nearly two months ago) I have been growing in the conviction that the Catholic Church’s affirmations of being the True Church of Christ are really true. It is so bittersweet.

I am feeling so many emotions because everything is finally making sense intellectually, theologically, spiritually, and emotionally now that I am encountering the real theology of Catholicism and practicing it. I am gaining so much strength spiritually to resist sin, the Lord is answering prayer, and He is giving me more grace than I’ve ever experienced in my life. But at the same time, my whole life seems to be crumbling; or rather, my whole life is being shaken. My calling to be a Protestant Pastor is fading and nearly gone, my Protestant wife thinks I am crazy and this is just a phase and that I am no longer the spiritual leader of the family. I don’t feel right to go to Moody anymore because I wouldn’t feel right taking more of the donor’s money and agree to their doctrinal statement when I graduate.

I just need help. I’ve visited a Mass but didn’t talk to the Priest. I am so busy this semester and so it’s hard to take time out to even wrestle with God on these issues but at the same time I am feeling less and less drive to put effort into fulfilling school at this Protestant institution. All of my information about Catholicism is through my online research on this website, other sites, and through the Lord’s confirming words that He speaks to me in prayer. He keeps telling me, “Hold on dear son, to what I am bringing you through. Love your wife and be patient with her. Follow me and listen to me and I will fulfill your request to bring you and your wife closer to Me. Trust Me, dear son.” I ask Him if I should leave Moody and He says yes. I ask Him what He wants me to do to provide for my wife instead of being a Pastor and He says that He won’t reveal all of His plans yet, but that I need to go with Him step by step, praying all the way.

I’m sorry if I am ranting, I just need some advice from other Catholics in the Faith, and I pray that the Lord may use some of you to comfort and advise me in this soul-shaking time.

I thank you guys for your help. Amen.
 
I will pray for you David.

I wonder if its a coincidence that you decided on Our lady’s Birthday to come back to the faith.
 
If you go to Google and type in the journey home marcus grodi, you will find many converts to Catholicism from all kinds of backgrounds. You may find much consolation and support there.

God bless and keep you through this time of upheaval! 😃
 
Praying for you from today’s Liturgy of the Hours:

(Bits and pieces that I’ve put together)

Psalm-prayer

Father, accept us as a sacrifice of praise, so that we may go through life unburdened by sin, walking in the way of salvation, and always giving thanks to you.

Ant. I want a loving heart more than sacrifice, knowledge of my ways more than holocausts.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

You will hear the word from my mouth.
– You will tell others what I have said.

This is a faithful and wise steward: the Lord entrusted the care of his household to him, so that he might give them their portion of food at the proper season.

Words of advice below from St. Charles Borromeo:

“Would you like me to teach you how to grow from virtue to virtue and how, if you are already recollected at prayer, you can be even more attentive next time, and so give God more pleasing worship? Listen, and I will tell you. If a tiny spark of God’s love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out. Keep the stove tightly shut so that it will not lose its heat and grow cold. In other words, avoid distractions as well as you can. Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter.”

Father,
yours is the harvest
and yours is the vineyard:
you assign the task
and pay a wage that is just.
Help us to meet this day’s responsibilities,
and let nothing separate us from your love.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.

:amen:
 
Welcome (back) Home, we missed you! You might want to read “Rome Sweet Home”, by Scott Hahn. He found himself in almost an identical situation as yours about 20 years ago. The Holy Spirit was in charge and everything turned out ok for him and his wife, in the end. Also, you can call and make an appointment to speak with a priest anytime; he will be in the best spot to advise you on the next step. I hope you can quit school soon.
 
PennyinCanada said:
If you go to Google and type in the journey home marcus grodi, you will find many converts to Catholicism from all kinds of backgrounds. You may find much consolation and support there.

God bless and keep you through this time of upheaval! 😃
Click to expand...
The Journey Home is the show on EWTN hosted by Marcus Grodi, but
the “Coming Home Network” (Marcus Grodi was one who helped found the organization)
is of special help for Protestant pastors or others who have similar problems such as yours
when converting or reverting. Get in touch with them.
I’ll be praying for you and your wife on your journey. Welcome home!
 
Wow, that’s a major life shaker! Contacting the Coming Home Network mentioned above sounds like a smart move. While married men can’t be priests, there are certainly careers in ministry in the catholic church. They just tend not to pay very much. One guy I know is both a youth minister (w/ benefits) and is also a real estate agent to supplement that income. It takes that kind of creative thinking to get by.

Would you mind sharing instances where you found Moody-ish Protestant theology lacking and the catholic explanations more convincing and/or consistent with the entirety of Scripture? Is Moody Calvinist or what’s the major influence there?
 
David1223 said:
Hi everyone,

I’m new to this forum and my name is David.

I am a Junior at Moody Bible Institute, a Protestant 4-year Bible College in Chicago, IL.

But on September 5th, I prayed to God that He would do whatever it takes to bring my wife and I closer to the Lord. Three days later, on September 8th, I’ve been reverting back to Catholicism.
Click to expand...
Hello.

When I first saw the title of your post I thought you were a student with emotional swings - didn’t know there was a school called “Moody.” So, what do I know… 😉

Do you have a good, orthodox priest around you can make an appointment with? And I know they have an apologetics phone line associated with Catholic Answers and I guess you could call them and get some direction from that.

Have you been going to Adoration? Saying the rosary? That is guaranteed to help.

And that Coming Home network with Marcus Grodi sounds like a really good idea.

Will keep you in my prayers, and here’s one for the road:
Prayer of Abandonment.
Click to expand...
Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Click to expand...
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Click to expand...
Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.
Click to expand...
Charles de Foucauld
Click to expand...
 
Here is the link for the Coming Home Network: chnetwork.org/

It was formed by people who have been in your shoes, and they want to help you in your journey toward the Catholic Church.
 
You’re in a REALLY tough spot.

The problem is. . . you can’t just go along as before. The truth always wins in the end, and you can’t just plug away pretending it’s not there.

And honestly, would the school (and other churches) want you if they felt you were Catholic? You’d be doing all your Protestant friends a favor by just upping it and finding your life’s next direction.

The chief challenge, though, isn’t changing this career direction. It’s dealing effectively and compassionately with your wife. In your shoes, I wouldn’t try to do serious argumentation with her. I think I’d just point out the things that brought me to my conclusions, over the course of a nice meal at a nice restaurant. It would be helpful to her for you to have some sense of what your next step will be.
 
Oh, I forgot. You’re fortunate to live in Chicago. There should be some very good Catholic resources around you. . . resources being helpful church leaders, priests, etc.
 
I agree with the PP who suggested Scott Hahn’s work. Scott’s wife, Kimberley, had a hard time dealing with his conversion initially, although she also converted and assists her husband in his work. Your wife might find it helpful to read about Kimberley’s experiences.
 
I understand in part how you feel. I made the mistake of getting into a relationship with a fundamentalist girl at an unsure time in my life and my becoming Catholic really threw her for a loop. We’re still together today, but it has been a rough journey and we’ve broken up many times and inevitably gotten back together again (not a model for a healthy relationship). However, she has softened up with time. Whereas she was hostile before to anything that challenged what she had been brought up to believe (even non-controversial things, such as that Christ really did die on Friday rather than Wednesday), she now generally acknowledges that either I am correct or at least make a lot of sense, though she still has some reservations. If I have learned anything, it is that no matter how much sense we may think we make, we cannot change anyone’s minds apart from God’s grace. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. Have faith that the truth will be victorious.

I think you would like the book The Catholic Controversy by St. Francis de Sales. I am in the middle of it right now, but I think it is probably the best general apologetic for Catholicism contra Protestantism that I have read so far.

archive.org/details/catholiccontrove00sain (free PDF)
tanbooks.benedictpress.com/index.php/Catholic-Controversy (paperback)
 
Update 01/06/14:

Well, a lot has happened since my initial first post on November 4th, some 2 months ago.

I’ve contacted the Coming Home network just before replying to this post, now just going to wait for a reply.

I have discontinued from Moody Bible Institute and I withdrew early so that I could spend time with my wife and be there emotionally through this time and to help pack because we needed to move out of our dorm by December 20th. I sought counsel from a couple priests at St. Peter’s in the Loop which has a lot of Franciscan monks and brothers on staff. They were really helpful. I was advised to not really talk to my wife about Catholic things because it would always end up in a bitter argument. So I was advised to just express love to her and have patience with her and try to participate in spiritual things that we both agree on like praying to God and reading the Bible. But even those things were hard to do because now my wife is extremely bitter towards me and God because we both went to Moody, thinking I was going to become a Pastor that that was God’s will, and now we are not going anymore and I don’t feel called to be a Pastor anymore.

Now my wife doesn’t want to pray or read her Bible or fast, or do anything spiritual. And I feel that it is all my fault. There are moments that I wish that I would have never sought the truth and found it fully in the Catholic Church, but I know that that is bad thinking.

We’ve now moved back home in Cleveland, Ohio with my family so that we can save up some money and find a new place for us. It’s all become so hard and complicated now. We went to our old Protestant church and it’s so awkward explaining to everyone what happened. These are the same people that 2 years ago prayed for us and sent us out and blessed us with money to go to Moody and serve in full time ministry, and now we’re not doing it anymore because I’m becoming Catholic! I never would have thought it would ever happen, but it is, and sometimes is seriously feels like a nightmare. But it is bittersweet. Because I know that the Catholic Church has the fullness of grace and truth and is the True Visible Church of God.

My wife threatens to leave me so often now because it is so hard for her to deal with all of this, all of these changes, and most of all because her once Protestant Pastor in training husband is now becoming Catholic. But I keep praying and encouraging her that we can get through this and that our love for each other can make it through this. Last night she said that I need to choose Catholicism or her. I don’t want to go against my conscience and I don’t want to lose my beloved wife whom I love!

I’m going to try and find a priest nearby that will be able to help me get through all of this. But even going to a Catholic church or telling my wife that I’m going to talk to a priest makes her angry and upset.

Lord please help us get through this hard time. Dear Lord, send your holy angels to comfort us and keep us from saying evil words from our mouth but permit only lovely and healing words to pour forth. Dear God, help us.
 
P.S. In reply to your questions manualman:
manualman said:
Wow, that’s a major life shaker! Contacting the Coming Home Network mentioned above sounds like a smart move. While married men can’t be priests, there are certainly careers in ministry in the catholic church. They just tend not to pay very much. One guy I know is both a youth minister (w/ benefits) and is also a real estate agent to supplement that income. It takes that kind of creative thinking to get by.

Would you mind sharing instances where you found Moody-ish Protestant theology lacking and the catholic explanations more convincing and/or consistent with the entirety of Scripture? Is Moody Calvinist or what’s the major influence there?
Click to expand...
Being Protestant, I was quite proud of living in the tradition of focusing on the Bible only, and believed that every heresy and false religion came to be because they didn’t follow the Bible and only the Bible, including Catholicism. I used to be very anti-Catholic. Every so often I would research how in the world Catholics could believe the things that they believe if they really read the Bible. And when I would do this research I always expected an easy reason, such as them not reading the totality of the Bible or taking things way out of context or just ignoring verses. But every time I would research why they believed in Purgatory, or the Adoration of Mary, or repetitious praying, I would be confronted with very reasonable and Biblical answers… totally not what I was expecting.

So there was many a time during these researchings where I would be at a halt and I would question my Protestant faith, but I would just always pray to God, “God, I know that you’ve brought me to Moody for a reason, and that I have faith that you know what you are doing with me,” and so I would just cast the research aside because I didn’t have enough time to deal with it.

Then, on September 8th, 2013, three days after I prayed for God to do whatever it takes to bring my wife and I closer to Him, I for the first time began giving the benefit of the doubt to Catholicism in the research.

The beginning of the fall of Protestant thinking in my mind was on that 8th of September. It began with two changes in understanding: the illegitimacy of Sola Scriptura and the possible legitimacy of a Holy Tradition from the Early Church Fathers. A big factor in my thinking was reading the conversion story of A. David Anders. I also listened to an Eastern Orthodox sermon that taught that there are two types of traditions, the Tradition of Man and the Tradition of God or Holy Tradition. After this, I began to read synopses of Catholic and EO theology and found that my own personal understanding of God through my personal prayer and worship of Him was much more similar to Catholic and EO theology than what I was being taught at Moody.

Moody is not officially Calvinist, but nearly every teacher has a Calvinist leaning. This was really hard for me for I could not give up my belief that we have a free-will. The ideas of God’s sovereignty and Man’s free-will, predestination, and other similar ideas were always in the forefront of my intellectual musings and when I was reading Scripture, sometimes even getting in the way. But during that initial week of studying EO and Catholicism, I finally had peace: it is a MYSTERY! And I am finally willing to accept it: Man has a free-will, yet at the very same time, God is supremely sovereign.

I juggled for awhile between which Holy Tradition was true, either EO or Catholicism, but I ended up conceding to Catholicism being true because of the Early Church Fathers and Eastern Orthodox understanding of Papal Supremacy and the fact that Catholics are still developing doctrine in response to the current cultures while Eastern Orthodoxy is still living in the past; which coincides with Scripture for it seems to me that Eastern Orthodoxy is no longer “being led into all truth” by the Holy Spirit, while Catholicism is still even to this day through the office of the Pope and Magisterium.
 
A previous psoter mentioned it before but if you haven’t already, get a copy of Scott Hahn’s Rome Sweet Home. There are many parallels between his story and yours.
 
jlc2k2 said:
A previous psoter mentioned it before but if you haven’t already, get a copy of Scott Hahn’s Rome Sweet Home. There are many parallels between his story and yours.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the additional encouragement for that book.

Right now I have a list of books to read:

-Youcat (the Youth Catechism, one of the Friars recommended it to me to read)
-Rome Sweet Home
-The Catholic Controversy
-When Only One Converts
 
Hi David,

It’s funny that you mentioned St. Peter’s in the Loop. I was going to tell you to go there, if you didn’t know where to go to talk to someone.

But, I am glad that you found it, and that you got help there. I used to enjoy going to Mass there on my lunch break when I worked downtown, many years ago.

If it’s any comfort to you, I come from a family that is both Protestant and Catholic. My parents were Catholic converts, and I was born a “cradle Catholic.” Some other family members converted, too, but my remaining family remembers were mainly Protestant. So, I had the benefit of both upbringings, in my opinion.

I will keep you and your wife in my thoughts and prayers.
 
Thank you for the update David and welcome back to the Catholic Church! People here are praying for you and your wife. May the Lord bless you and give you peace in your marriage as you revert to the Catholic Church. May you wife see you living more Christ-like during this time of major change and beyond, and may she draw closer to both you and Christ in the process.
 
There has not been an update in a while. I hope and pray that it will go well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top