Newt Gingrich Speaks on His Conversion [NCReg]

[Catholic_Press]

Former Congressman and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was received into the Catholic Church on March 30, 2009, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Washington. Yesterday I spoke with him about his decision to convert from being Baptist to Catholic.

Here’s part of what he had to say. To read the entire interview, you’ll have to obtain the print edition of the Register.

How does a Baptist come to be Catholic?
It was a pretty long progression. My Ph.D. is in European history. You can’t engage in understanding Europe and America without trying to understand the Bible, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. From that standpoint, you inexorably have to engage the Church, and you come to realize that it’s this 2,000-year-old structure.

More…

 

[A.Pelliccio]

Although President’s personal lives are not necessarily a reflection of their leadership ability, where does the Speaker stand within the Church in regards to his divorces. By no means am I judging, but since he converted to Catholicism after his two divorcees is he clear for the reception of the Blessed Sacrament?

Reagan was a divorcee, but probably the finest leader this nation had in the 20th century. Carter could have been a Baptist preacher and yet was the most destructive of that same time, and Bush was devout but poorly prosecuted just wars and fumbled conservative domestic policies.

 

[Holly3278]

Well, I can tell you how this* former* Baptist became a Catholic. This former Baptist became a Catholic when she learned about Church history. When I learned about how the line of popes goes all the way back to Peter, I decided to become Catholic.

 

[The_Cardinal]

where does the Speaker stand within the Church in regards to his divorces.

I would hope that since he married such an avid Catholic they were married in the church which means(even though he was a protestant) he had to have his marriages annulled by the Church before they could have done so. Don’t know for sure just a guess on my part.

 

[MercyMia]

I appreciate the fact that he credits his conversion, in part, to having a Ph.D. in European history. Hits the nail on the head!