Priest telling potential converts to remain protestant

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Rachael_in_Okla

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My husband is a Baptist and has been reading Catholic material and watching The Journey Home. He has seen a couple of times and I have as well, that when a potential convert has gone to visit with a priest, the priest has advised him/her that they should remain protestant and be a good protestant and that the priest should remain a good Catholic priest. This was mentioned in Scott Hahn’s conversion story as well as others. Why would a priest say this?
 
Rachael_in_Okla said:
My husband is a Baptist and has been reading Catholic material and watching The Journey Home. He has seen a couple of times and I have as well, that when a potential convert has gone to visit with a priest, the priest has advised him/her that they should remain protestant and be a good protestant and that the priest should remain a good Catholic priest. This was mentioned in Scott Hahn’s conversion story as well as others. Why would a priest say this?
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I’m not sure why… I personally, would tell them “Welcome Home”.

Some have even said they feel that they are a better Catholic do to those years spent as a non-catholic after talking to a priest. so maybe it’s was part of God plan… We get told that we should do what God wants not what we want.

Although, others never do end up becoming Catholic, because of what the priest said… So maybe the priest was influenced by something else.

I don’t know it hard to judge.

Although, if God is Really Calling you to be Catholic, why should you disobey God, just because a man told you not too???
 
Probably because the priest didn’t want to do any work. Many protestants wrestling with conversion go into priest to overcome the hurdles they haven’t been able to get over. Unfortunatley, many times a priest will say “Just do what you feels right” rather than to try and explain the Faith to them. Maybe they just don’t know their apologetics very well.😦
 
It’s a joke, if these priests actually took the faith seriously they would jump at the opportunity to save someones eternal soul. I can only imagine these priests don’t actually believe what the Catholic Church teaches.
 
Rachael_in_Okla said:
My husband is a Baptist and has been reading Catholic material and watching The Journey Home. He has seen a couple of times and I have as well, that when a potential convert has gone to visit with a priest, the priest has advised him/her that they should remain protestant and be a good protestant and that the priest should remain a good Catholic priest. This was mentioned in Scott Hahn’s conversion story as well as others. Why would a priest say this?
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Maybe the priest in question saw something troubling in the potential convert. By that, I mean, the convert could be converting for all the wrong reasons. e.g. Convert simply for conversions sake because this new religion looks cool is not a good reason for converting. If the convert is sincere in his or her desires to accept all that this new religion has to offer then I would have a problem with a priest trying to disuade that person from doing so. Maybe that sincere person should seek another confessor for his conversion.
 
Maybe the priest just wants him to make sure he’s doing it for the right reasons. Converting is a serious process, it needs to be taken seriously, and it’s very important that the person who will be converting is certain that it’s what they want to do and that they will be able to live as a Catholic for the rest of their life.
 
Rachael_in_Okla said:
My husband is a Baptist and has been reading Catholic material and watching The Journey Home. He has seen a couple of times and I have as well, that when a potential convert has gone to visit with a priest, the priest has advised him/her that they should remain protestant and be a good protestant and that the priest should remain a good Catholic priest. This was mentioned in Scott Hahn’s conversion story as well as others. Why would a priest say this?
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I wouldn’t really know; but I would do what Scott Hahn did: look for a priest that’s orthodox and very much open to people who want to enter the Church. I think that’s the practical thing to do.
 
You know when I first started looking into becoming a Catholic I ran into the same thing. The priest I spoke with seemed to zero interest in me converting. This was certainly off putting. In the end it didn’t stop me, but I could see where that it would be confusing.

When someone is seeking to change religions or accept a new one. They’re leaving their previous community to seek another. Having a Priest give the impression that they either don’t care or reject you is just hurtful.
 
I think the priest probably wants to make sure that this fellow is serious about what he is doing. Converting because one’s family wants one to is not a good reason. A person who converts to the Catholic faith must make the decision on his own without outside pressure. I know this because one of my cousins married a man who had no religion and had never been baptized. My cousin never made any suggestions or threats for him to become a Catholic. He finally did become a Catholic when his son was preparing for his first Communion. This guy saw what a wonderful gift the Eucharist is, and out of the blue, he joined the RCIA. He was baptized, confirmed and received the Eucharist the same year that his son received his first Eucharist. Now, then boy has been confirmed, another child, a girl has made her first Holy Communion. The father, who was a non-Christian is an usher at church. The boy is also an usher, and the girl is an altar server. If it is God’s will, the Holy Spirit will call nonbelievers to the faith. It is not up to us, it is up to Him. In the meantime, we just need to provide a good example in how we live out our Christian lives. :love: :amen: :gopray2: :bible1: ❤️
 
A priest turning away a person who wants to enter the Church is not making sure that the person is serious about his conversion; in fact, he may even be discouraging it. If a priest is really serious about looking into a person’s sincerity, then he should have a talk with that person, analyze his intentions, and give him advice as to the best course of action, and not just refuse the one inquiring. In fact, he should actually encourage the conversion, since we Catholics affirm that the Catholic Church is the true Church which Christ has built.
 
Rachael_in_Okla said:
My husband is a Baptist and has been reading Catholic material and watching The Journey Home. He has seen a couple of times and I have as well, that when a potential convert has gone to visit with a priest, the priest has advised him/her that they should remain protestant and be a good protestant and that the priest should remain a good Catholic priest. This was mentioned in Scott Hahn’s conversion story as well as others. Why would a priest say this?
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Sadly, I think many of the priests in these stories are in disobedience to the Church. I think, when a person thinks about converting, go to several parishes and find a parish with a priest who teaches what the Church teaches and celebrates the Mass reverently. If a potential convert does this, he shouldn’t run into any problems like that.

However, it is possible, IMO, for a priest to tell a person not to convert at a certain time, because they are not ready or their motives are wrong. The priest at my parish, where I went through RCIA, told the catechumans and candidates, “If you’re not ready to go to Mass every Sunday, you’re not ready to become Catholic.” Notice he didn’t say that the person could never become Catholic, but he was making sure that they are truly ready to live the Catholic life. He told them that, if they wern’t willing to go to Mass every Sunday, then the Holy Spirit needed more time to work on them, and once they were willing and ready to do this, then they would be welcomed into the Church with open arms.

However, sadly, I don’t think the priests in the story were doing this. I think that they were disobedient to the Church, and had incorrect ideas about conversion.
 
I agree that the priest has the duty to encourage and facilitate a proper conversion. Christian charity should move him to help his brother to come to the fullness of truth, and desire for the fullness of unity in the Mystical Body of Christ, as Christ and the essence of the Eucharist calls us to.

Let’s pray for our priests and the converts. 🙂
 
Sadly many priests do not believe. It has been this way since the beginning. We should pray for their conversion to the one true faith of Christ and for the salvation of their souls.
 
Milliardo said:
A priest turning away a person who wants to enter the Church is not making sure that the person is serious about his conversion; in fact, he may even be discouraging it. If a priest is really serious about looking into a person’s sincerity, then he should have a talk with that person, analyze his intentions, and give him advice as to the best course of action, and not just refuse the one inquiring. In fact, he should actually encourage the conversion, since we Catholics affirm that the Catholic Church is the true Church which Christ has built.
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Exactly, why would a priest not want to explore the faith with him? It would make it seem the faith is more of a burden than a joy? No matter how faithful a protestant is in their faith is it not better to have recourse to all the sacraments and graces the Lord offers through His Church?
 
I KNOW this is going to be a minority opinion. . .but I think it may be worth some thought.

While I certainly agree that some priests would not encourage conversion for a number of the reasons mentioned above–too much work, not enough apologetic experience, defect in convert, etc., I can think of another reason.

Conversion isn’t like changing your brand of toothpaste. What you must give up and “lose” in the midst of conversion if often catastrophic. And while it would be nice if one could knock on a church door and have it opened wide, that is not indicative of how many, if not most, modern conversions occur.

Perhaps. . .PERHAPS. . .a priest’s advice to stay a “good Protestant” could be a strategic effort to open a potential convert’s eyes to the life-changing and often difficult road that is conversion. If then, the potential convert realizes that they can no longer really be a “good Protestant,” then they have just encountered one of the first crosses on their journey towards the Church.

Now, while some priests, surely, would advise a potential convert to remain a “good Protestant” without this strategic intent, it is not beyond our loving Father to use this circumstance for His ultimate good.

Things that are worth doing are often hard and veiled in difficulty which is not understandable from our perspective. For a potential convert to have to overcome the disappointment of inhospitality and still seek the Truth can be a very purifying lesson.

Please note, this in no way excuses the bad behavior of some parish priests, but it certainly gives a different spin on how God can use this lemon for his divine libation!
 
Milliardo said:
A priest turning away a person who wants to enter the Church is not making sure that the person is serious about his conversion; in fact, he may even be discouraging it. If a priest is really serious about looking into a person’s sincerity, then he should have a talk with that person, analyze his intentions, and give him advice as to the best course of action, and not just refuse the one inquiring. In fact, he should actually encourage the conversion, since we Catholics affirm that the Catholic Church is the true Church which Christ has built.
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I agree completely. Someone very close to me, a Lutheran minister, actually approached a priest to discuss possible conversion. A Lutheran minister converting would be leaving his profession, not just another Christian denomination. And unfortunately, as was the case for a number of people who have posted already, the priest was not at all welcoming or receptive or even interested. While it is true that every priest is not like this, the fact that many priests act this way is not at all embracing. This behavior ends up being representative of the Catholic Church to the possible convert, whether it is actually what the Church stands for or not.
 
THutch04 said:
Maybe the priest just wants him to make sure he’s doing it for the right reasons. Converting is a serious process, it needs to be taken seriously, and it’s very important that the person who will be converting is certain that it’s what they want to do and that they will be able to live as a Catholic for the rest of their life.
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That’s why we have RCIA.
 
dch1983 said:
I agree completely. Someone very close to me, a Lutheran minister, actually approached a priest to discuss possible conversion. A Lutheran minister converting would be leaving his profession, not just another Christian denomination. And unfortunately, as was the case for a number of people who have posted already, the priest was not at all welcoming or receptive or even interested. While it is true that every priest is not like this, the fact that many priests act this way is not at all embracing. This behavior ends up being representative of the Catholic Church to the possible convert, whether it is actually what the Church stands for or not.
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This kind of knowledgeable convert can scare the incumbents.

As a convert who came intjo the Church after training as an Episcopal priest, I was not made unwelcome but, believe me, there certainly wasn’t any red carpet or fatted calf!

They’re not necessarily thrilled to see somebody coming who can quote Scripture, the Fathers, the *Catechism, *the GIRM, and Canon Law even before they’ve signed on the dotted line.
 
I had this happen to me early in my process. I ran into the associate pastor in a local store and told him what I was doing, and he pretty much said the same thing, without the part about a priest remaining a good priest. I was too shocked to respond.

Now I would say something like, “Okay, either you think I am not worthy to start receiving the sacraments, or you think the sacraments are not necessary for a complete spiritual life. Which is it?”

Fortunately, the pastor of our parish was more than welcoming–he more than made up for the associate. However, until I see the fruit of repentance in the associate, I won’t trust him any farther than I can throw him.

DaveBj
 
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