Y
YoungTradCath
Guest
Yep.
- Status
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faerie114
Guest
Only you know if you are prepared to fully accept the Eucharist and Christ in your life. If you feel you are not very ready, then don’t do it this year. You are always welcomed to study more and discern more. If it’s only your parents you are worried about, then why not ask them to go with you to your next RCIA class, so they can witness for themselves what a great thing you are doing. Maybe it will even open their hearts to take classes.
I will include you in my prayers, I am also praying for my husband’s conversion (although he is not quite as close to confirmation as you). :harp:
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Tridentinum
Guest
I laughed at this post
.
Z
Zeldarocks
Guest
I received a PM recently that just completely demotivated me… I’m not going to reveal the sender out of courtesy and decency, but this is what was said:
There is a reason why your parents are right to be concerned about how quickly you make the decision to swim the Tiber, and it has to do with the average American Protestant who converts to Catholicism. Please allow me to tell you something about this average person- and by all means, run it past your RCIA director or priest or whoever. It’s true.
The average American Protestant who converts to Catholicism is a devout Christian who takes his/her faith very seriously, has impeccable character, and researches Catholicism diligently for at least a year or two before deciding to be baptized Catholic. During that time, this person (probably you) will wrestle with whatever misgivings and disagreements they have without taking shortcuts. You might even have to deal with some personal cost within your own family, or social stigma with unpredictable friends. You are already well-rooted in Bible study and prayer, and you have a personal relationship with God. But now you’ve discovered and fallen in love with the things that Catholicism offers and Protestantism doesn’t really have- men like Augustine, Aquinas, Newman, JP2, B16. The beauty of European architecture, the sculptures, paintings, and basilicas. The solemnity of the Mass, the feeling of reverence you get from Gregorian chant and things that are said in Latin. Maybe some of those things seemed weird to you before, but now you love them and you feel incomplete without them. And- perhaps more than anything else- you’ve come to believe in the authority of the Catholic clergy and their ability to dispense grace through the sacraments. They can assuage guilt, connect you to the Body of Christ like nothing else, and make you feel full and complete. (Or so you’re thinking right now). Basically, for you, it’s not about doing it before you change your mind. It’s about doing it because you know you’ve found what you need and you can’t imagine being anywhere else.
There’s a lot of people who have been where you are. (Three times as many Americans are moving in the opposite direction at any time, but that’s not the point). Most of them get baptized on Easter, which as you know is quite the event in a Catholic parish. Again, all of these people are as devout as you, most of them have spent more time on it than you, and nearly all of them have more reason than you to think a Catholic baptism will lead to them being Catholic for the rest of their lives.
But here’s the thing. For half of those Tiber swimmers, the Easter of their baptism will be the only Easter that they spend in a Catholic parish. Half! Will leave Catholicism (nearly all returning to some form of Protestantism). Within the first year! That number goes up to 60 after two years, 65 after three, and rises to over two-thirds somewhere between year 4 and 5. So in your class of Tiber swimmers- all of them being converts to Catholicism, mind you- 1 in 2 will be Protestant within a year and it will be a 2:1 ratio of Protestants to Catholics within 5 years. Also, you might be wondering if college-age kids are more likely to revert (in the unconventional sense of the word). The answer is yeah. Yes, you are. Also, there’s several different ways for an American to become a Catholic, which allows you to group them as Cradle Catholics or converts or reverts and so forth. You want to know what you have to do in order to have the very best odds of converting from Catholicism to Protestantism? This is it- just start as a Protestant, convert to Catholicism, then wait for it to happen.
Now we get to the part where we try to figure out why. This is where I’m going to come up with very different answers than what you’ll get from any Catholic you talk to. Here’s the deal- I’ll keep it short and sweet. **There are two main reasons why Protestants usually don’t stick with Catholicism. One- the sacraments don’t do the things you’ve heard about. They just don’t. You’ll see. Keep an eye out for it. Catholic priests rely on their efficacy almost exclusively, and they usually don’t offer much else. Problem is, the sacraments don’t do what they say they do. **The results are predictable- see the above paragraph. Two- with your experience as a Protestant, you do, in fact, know what you’re missing. You might not feel this way now, and you might not see it until after you convert, but Protestantism does it better. The whole thing with helping you be close to God, live out your faith in a way that’s complete and genuine, and have a meaningful connection to fellow Christians. You’ll find out. You in the right Protestant church is a better Christian than you in any Catholic parish could ever be. Odds are pretty good that you find that out rather quickly, too.
Of course, there’s a slim chance that the way you feel now is exactly how it will really be in the long term. But probably not. Least you can do is take the time to better your odds from their currently abysmal state. Or you can look before you leap- and decide not to leap.
My faith was completely shot on reading that post, I feel almost depressed…
There is a reason why your parents are right to be concerned about how quickly you make the decision to swim the Tiber, and it has to do with the average American Protestant who converts to Catholicism. Please allow me to tell you something about this average person- and by all means, run it past your RCIA director or priest or whoever. It’s true.
The average American Protestant who converts to Catholicism is a devout Christian who takes his/her faith very seriously, has impeccable character, and researches Catholicism diligently for at least a year or two before deciding to be baptized Catholic. During that time, this person (probably you) will wrestle with whatever misgivings and disagreements they have without taking shortcuts. You might even have to deal with some personal cost within your own family, or social stigma with unpredictable friends. You are already well-rooted in Bible study and prayer, and you have a personal relationship with God. But now you’ve discovered and fallen in love with the things that Catholicism offers and Protestantism doesn’t really have- men like Augustine, Aquinas, Newman, JP2, B16. The beauty of European architecture, the sculptures, paintings, and basilicas. The solemnity of the Mass, the feeling of reverence you get from Gregorian chant and things that are said in Latin. Maybe some of those things seemed weird to you before, but now you love them and you feel incomplete without them. And- perhaps more than anything else- you’ve come to believe in the authority of the Catholic clergy and their ability to dispense grace through the sacraments. They can assuage guilt, connect you to the Body of Christ like nothing else, and make you feel full and complete. (Or so you’re thinking right now). Basically, for you, it’s not about doing it before you change your mind. It’s about doing it because you know you’ve found what you need and you can’t imagine being anywhere else.
There’s a lot of people who have been where you are. (Three times as many Americans are moving in the opposite direction at any time, but that’s not the point). Most of them get baptized on Easter, which as you know is quite the event in a Catholic parish. Again, all of these people are as devout as you, most of them have spent more time on it than you, and nearly all of them have more reason than you to think a Catholic baptism will lead to them being Catholic for the rest of their lives.
But here’s the thing. For half of those Tiber swimmers, the Easter of their baptism will be the only Easter that they spend in a Catholic parish. Half! Will leave Catholicism (nearly all returning to some form of Protestantism). Within the first year! That number goes up to 60 after two years, 65 after three, and rises to over two-thirds somewhere between year 4 and 5. So in your class of Tiber swimmers- all of them being converts to Catholicism, mind you- 1 in 2 will be Protestant within a year and it will be a 2:1 ratio of Protestants to Catholics within 5 years. Also, you might be wondering if college-age kids are more likely to revert (in the unconventional sense of the word). The answer is yeah. Yes, you are. Also, there’s several different ways for an American to become a Catholic, which allows you to group them as Cradle Catholics or converts or reverts and so forth. You want to know what you have to do in order to have the very best odds of converting from Catholicism to Protestantism? This is it- just start as a Protestant, convert to Catholicism, then wait for it to happen.
Now we get to the part where we try to figure out why. This is where I’m going to come up with very different answers than what you’ll get from any Catholic you talk to. Here’s the deal- I’ll keep it short and sweet. **There are two main reasons why Protestants usually don’t stick with Catholicism. One- the sacraments don’t do the things you’ve heard about. They just don’t. You’ll see. Keep an eye out for it. Catholic priests rely on their efficacy almost exclusively, and they usually don’t offer much else. Problem is, the sacraments don’t do what they say they do. **The results are predictable- see the above paragraph. Two- with your experience as a Protestant, you do, in fact, know what you’re missing. You might not feel this way now, and you might not see it until after you convert, but Protestantism does it better. The whole thing with helping you be close to God, live out your faith in a way that’s complete and genuine, and have a meaningful connection to fellow Christians. You’ll find out. You in the right Protestant church is a better Christian than you in any Catholic parish could ever be. Odds are pretty good that you find that out rather quickly, too.
Of course, there’s a slim chance that the way you feel now is exactly how it will really be in the long term. But probably not. Least you can do is take the time to better your odds from their currently abysmal state. Or you can look before you leap- and decide not to leap.
My faith was completely shot on reading that post, I feel almost depressed…
F
faerie114
Guest
The results are predictable- see the above paragraph. **Two- with your experience as a Protestant, you do, in fact, know what you’re missing. You might not feel this way now, and you might not see it until after you convert, but Protestantism does it better.
**First of all, I was born Catholic, I am always Catholic and I will always be Catholic. That said, I don’t know how it is to ‘feel that I’m missing something’. I never really considered looking/searching for another religion. So I will not pretend to know how you feel, although I will acknowledge your feelings of confusion and being torn.
Reading the message sent above, I feel the sender is angry at the CC. (maybe I’m wrong). I don’t know why he/she said that ‘Sacraments don’t do what they say they do’. What sacrament is he/she talking about? What don’t they do? Anyway, those questions are more for the writer than for you. I think he/she is playing devil’s advocate.
Still, I think you should discern more and if you still feel ‘confused’ and maybe a little frustrated about this, you can always postpone your conversion to next Easter (2012 is not the end of the world
) And again, talk to your parents more and invite them to go with you to RCIA. Or maybe ask your parents if your RCIA coordinator can come to your house to have a chat with them, if your parents feel awkward going to Church.
C
casey_zia
Guest
Quite the coward, sending you this whole message by PM. This forum is a good place to ask for converts to share their stories, for edification and light, rather than being brought down by one ranter who wants to be a stumbling block in your faith journey. There’s no rush in officially joining the Church; if you’re not sure, keep praying, keep asking questions, read good books on apologetics and the saints, keep praying, and repeat these four steps (especially the praying part!). I know of some missionary priests who prepare their catechumens for at least 2 years before baptism–nothing wrong with prayerful preparation over time. It is Christ you are moving towards, and He will never abandon you or deceive you. He loves you and draws you in…into his embrace, into his Sacred Heart, into His sacramental presence in the Church. God bless your journey, and I will be praying for you!I received a PM recently that just completely demotivated me… I’m not going to reveal the sender out of courtesy and decency…My faith was completely shot on reading that post, I feel almost depressed…
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Zeldarocks
Guest
I don’t understand why I’m feeling like this; I was feeling just fine until I read that message, then I was struck with a deep depression. I’m trying to remind myself of the ECFs and the Role of the Church (as those two are my biggest supports at the moment) but I still feel lethargic and depressed; I can’t bring myself out of it no matter what I do…
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TheRealJuliane
Guest
Go to be with Jesus! Find an Adoration Chapel and go there! Pour out your heart to Jesus and He will soothe you! That forum member will be dealt with, the mods here are very careful to nip that sort of thing in the bud.
As for not being ready…I have news for you. Even when you get married, NO ONE is fully ready! No matter how many details you cover, when it comes time to actually take your vows, there will be panic in your mind! “Can I even do this? What will happen to us? Is this really the right time?” Neither when you decide to have children, will you have peace of mind. Because both steps are HUGE changes and a commitment you cannot fully understand until you have made it and it’s too late to turn back. It’s called TRUST, and it’s scary as heck. You take the hand of your Beloved, and you jump into the rushing river. Jesus is waiting for you! Jump!
You will NEVER be fully prepared, nor will you be at ease. And one more year gives your parents one more year to sow doubt into your mind and heart. The Church demands everything from you but the rewards will be greater in proportion. It isn’t going to be easy, and your parents and friends may never understand this. Do it anyway!
We’re in the middle of the river, no one has really crossed to the other side, so jump on in and join us!
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Veronica97
Guest
My suggestion to you is to pray the Rosary for an answer. The rosary has never failed me. Like I said before, I am a convert. My main reason for converting 20 years ago was because my husband was Catholic. I guess you can say that I became “lukewarm” over the years, and about 6 months ago I had a "reawakening’. I am so glad I am Catholic b/c (and I mean this as no offense to Protestants) sometimes when Protestants have a “reawakening” or are “born again” they start out with the best of intentions but they can’t “stay on the path” so to speak b/c they don’t have the Sacraments to impart Grace upon them. I am in no way suggesting that Protestants aren’t privy to God’s Grace–I’m only saying that the Sacraments make it EASIER to stay on the path. Not easy–but easier. Last summer I went to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time in 7 or 8 years. Afterwards, the LIGHT TURNED ON! I suddenly could see clearly even more mistakes I had made in my life and all the church teachings began to make sense. I don’t think that would have happened had I simply “asked God for forgiveness” on my own! And there are just so many devoted saints you can read about for inspiration and there is the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the REAL PRESENCE of Jesus in the Church. It takes a lot of faith to believe that Jesus is really there–you have to ASK for the faith to believe. And if you ask me, I notice that the CONVERTS in my church are some of the most dedicated people you can imagine. I think part of this is because many Cradle Catholics take their faith for granted or have forgotten many of the things they learned growing up or their minds weren’t developed enough to grasp it at the time. Don’t let ANYONE discourage you–you’ll find a lot of opposition to the Catholic Faith in this world. Don’t feel despair. Just pray and know that no matter what–you are saved by the blood of Christ and He will hold you in his arms safely as He makes His will known to you in good time.
J
JoArtist
Guest
My family wasn’t very happy about me converting to the Catholic Church.I got excommunicated from the Church I grew up in (a non-denominational) and almost got disowned for converting, but it was worth it. I still did it though because I couldn’t ignore all that I had learned and the seeds that had been planted over many years that were sprouting. I couldn’t ignore what the Lord was doing in my life.
Now I agree it isn’t good to rush into things, especially a religion which has such a big impact on your life. Pray about it, talk to your Priest about it, and make up your mind.
Now I agree it isn’t good to rush into things, especially a religion which has such a big impact on your life. Pray about it, talk to your Priest about it, and make up your mind.
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dconklin
Guest
Come on in! Very often, feelings like this are the devil doing whatever he can to keep you out of the Church. Big things like your faith are not always about being ready, but rather they are about what you you will receive as a result of joining the Church.
C
Castello
Guest
Continue the process - that is why it is a long process, for you to get to know the Church, for you to understand that profession of faith (I’d suggest you print out the profession that is made at the Vigil and read it every day, praying that you are able to state it).
There is no reason not to go through the Rites, your Rite or Welcome should be coming up soon, then come the scrutinies, it is not “too late to say ‘wait’” until the Easter Vigil. Prayerfully walk the path, go to Adoration, pray, surround yourself with your fellow Catholics - stay after RCIA to talk more or ask the group to go to coffee. You can always say “not today” right before the wedding
There is no reason not to go through the Rites, your Rite or Welcome should be coming up soon, then come the scrutinies, it is not “too late to say ‘wait’” until the Easter Vigil. Prayerfully walk the path, go to Adoration, pray, surround yourself with your fellow Catholics - stay after RCIA to talk more or ask the group to go to coffee. You can always say “not today” right before the wedding
po18guy
Well-known member
When the devil speaks, he always uses persons with “good intentions”. From the content of the PM, it was fairly clear that the sender was not Catholic, and relied on either falsified or erroneous information. This poor soul has either fallen prey to anti-Catholic bigotry, or might have had a negative experience with a Catholic, the Church, or maybe a Priest. That, or they believe that Catholics are not true Christians, and therefore felt that they were somehow keeping one of the sheep from wandering astray.
The devil’s main weapon is discouragement.
The devil’s main weapon is discouragement.
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Nigel7
Guest
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MadMax73
Guest
I have been reading messages for a while but this is the first one that I have posted on because my heart goes out to you.
I am 38 and went through RCIA when I was 19 so I have officially spent more than half my life in the Church.
Before I joined the church my parents were very negative and accused me of a) being brainwashed b) being foolish for believing in the sacraments c) that I would grow out of the phase given enough time. Sounds familiar right?
For me the Church offered one thing in primacy. The Real Presence!!! Their denial of this is what will always separate the Catholic church from man made churches.
I agree with the poster who said go to the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration and ask yourself the question, “Lord, to whom can I go?” Read the Bread of Life discourse and remember the disciples who could not accept the teaching left and the apostles remained. “You alone have the words of eternal life.”
I am questioned by my Protestant or non believing friends about my faith which forces me to give a reflection on my faith and I always return to this question. “To whom could I go?”
God Bless
I am 38 and went through RCIA when I was 19 so I have officially spent more than half my life in the Church
.Before I joined the church my parents were very negative and accused me of a) being brainwashed b) being foolish for believing in the sacraments c) that I would grow out of the phase given enough time. Sounds familiar right?
For me the Church offered one thing in primacy. The Real Presence!!! Their denial of this is what will always separate the Catholic church from man made churches.
I agree with the poster who said go to the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration and ask yourself the question, “Lord, to whom can I go?” Read the Bread of Life discourse and remember the disciples who could not accept the teaching left and the apostles remained. “You alone have the words of eternal life.”
I am questioned by my Protestant or non believing friends about my faith which forces me to give a reflection on my faith and I always return to this question. “To whom could I go?”
God Bless
M
MadMax73
Guest
Did Simon Peter and Andrew rush into Catholicism when the Lord came and called?
Absolutely, the cast down their nets immediately.
This is an extension of what I mean by the True Presence. He IS with us, not figuratively, not only spiritually, but physically. This is the rock the church is built upon. If you want strength in your conviction you can go to it, if you want inspiration to follow your call meditate upon that.
Absolutely, the cast down their nets immediately.
This is an extension of what I mean by the True Presence. He IS with us, not figuratively, not only spiritually, but physically. This is the rock the church is built upon. If you want strength in your conviction you can go to it, if you want inspiration to follow your call meditate upon that.
T
TheRealJuliane
Guest
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shainski
Guest
wow,
it sounds to me like someone really doesn’t want you to take this journey. Is is possible that the sender knows you personally? (can you tell his/her join date?)
I can’t address the PM directly because i honestly don’t know how or why you are on this journey. But i am curious about the first issue:
I don’t know if most Protestants leave the Catholic church shortly after joining. I suppose if they are on this site, you are more likely to hear about Protestants that have stayed. My wife was a Methodist who converted 8 years ago. I wonder if she has any insight.
May i ask why you are on the journey to convert? Has someone led you in this journey? are you converting because of marriage? Or have you just felt that there was something missing in your life and you are trying to find out what it is?
it sounds to me like someone really doesn’t want you to take this journey. Is is possible that the sender knows you personally? (can you tell his/her join date?)
I can’t address the PM directly because i honestly don’t know how or why you are on this journey. But i am curious about the first issue:
Can you tell me what you personally have heard that the sacraments do? It almost sounds like people are told that there is some magic involved, and when you get a peek behind the curtain, you see it is a trick. But I’ve never thought of the sacraments that way, so i just don’t know.
I don’t know if most Protestants leave the Catholic church shortly after joining. I suppose if they are on this site, you are more likely to hear about Protestants that have stayed. My wife was a Methodist who converted 8 years ago. I wonder if she has any insight.
May i ask why you are on the journey to convert? Has someone led you in this journey? are you converting because of marriage? Or have you just felt that there was something missing in your life and you are trying to find out what it is?
M
Mystrx
Guest
Quit over thinking and just listen to your heart. You’re 19, a grown man, your parents advice on this subject is irrelevant. Only you can know what you need spiritually. As far as this mysterious PM goes, ignore it. Why let percentage stats with no offered proof and broad statements on the sacraments turn your head around. Talk to your priest again (this time in great detail) about your feelings. Pray the rosary until you get your answer, the rosary always helps.
H
Hat4
Guest
I’m not sure where this person is getting their stats from. I know many converts and they tend to be great Catholics and love it. I’ve never seen anyone convert back in any time frame but especially not that quickly so I would take these “stats” with a grain of salt. They are right though that usually converts to Catholicism are people who have studied and tried to find the truth with an open mind. The few I know who became Protestant weren’t going to church for years, didn’t really know their faith and end up in a random church because of a friend or co-worker. They don’t tend to know any more about their new faith than they did their old one. I won’t claim any stats, just personal observation. Don’t get discouraged, you have a lot of people on this board praying for you no matter what you decide.
- Status