Protestants who have converted to the catholic faith

[rtconstant]

I’m currently in RCIA and loving it. I have always had a love for the ECFs eventually I came to realize that dispite what I had been raised to believe they were really and truly Catholic. Then of course the historical record is pretty powerful.

Eventually I also came to like the Catholic approach to the Bible. It just seemed more honest. Honestly dispite a lot of the lies about the Church claiming all these hidden agendas I’ve found the RCC to be very open and honest. The RCC doesn’t jump through theological hoops to convince you of their doctirne.

Finally it just makes sense once you see the whole picture.

Since we’re all here. I’ve noticed something since attending the RCC I’ve noticed that I and my fellow converts tend to have more traditional or conservative views of Catholic doctrine than those raised in the Church. Have you guys noticed that? I know I’m stereotyping a bit and it certainly isn’t universal its just a trend I’ve noticed.

 

[jemfinch]

Wow. Many of the posters in this thread are among some of the more active posters in these forums. It makes me wonder if cradle catholics use Catholic Answer Forums or is it simply converts to Catholicism and Protestants?

Converts are always the loudest; just look at Paul

Jeremy

 

[RCCDefender]

Well, let’s see. Maybe I’m not such a good one to ask because what got me started looking at the Catholic Church had to do with a little of a rebellious streak in me.

My SBC Sunday School teacher said it was a sin to be a Catholic.
My grandfather said they pray to Mary, and he and I DID NOT get along.

So, I thought I knew better than them. Wow, for once I was right!!

I read Why Do Catholics Do That? by Kevin Orlin Johnson.
I read Surprised By Truth by Patrick Madrid.
I read Catholicism by Boettner (coughidiotcough!) and laughed my tail off!
I listened to the Scott Hahn conversion story.
I read parts of The Faith of the Early Fathers by William Jurgens.
I read Chick tracts and laugh so hard I cried!
I read the Bible and opened my eyes.

American by birth.
Catholic by the grace of God.

 

[Lillith]

Wow. Many of the posters in this thread are among some of the more active posters in these forums. It makes me wonder if cradle catholics use Catholic Answer Forums or is it simply converts to Catholicism and Protestants?

I think you’re right in this perception of yours…it might make an interesting poll.

(I think) The people who use internet this Forum are seekers. Personally, I think they are the most intelligent type of person. Protestant or Catholic alike (even our resident atheists…tho they don’t want to admit it)…We have a lot of Protestants on CA who will never convert, but wanted understanding, and do consider us Catholics brothers and sisters in Christ. Every now and then you might find a protestant who seeks soley to convert, but they rarely last long. Some visit thinking they’ll confound and convert, but quickly understand the impossibility of this, and stick around finding understanding.

There are some Cradle Catholics, but they are seekers too. Seekers are people who continually have God in their hearts and minds. Throughout their days their is a prayer on their lips, and they understand that there is nothing more important in this life than a Relationship with God our Father.

 

[rr1213]

I was listening to a talk that James White gave on his sister’s conversion to Catholicism. In it, he made the observation that most Catholics convert for emotional reasons. This thread would prove otherwise to him as most of us converted after reading the bible or the early church fathers.

Good point. But the folks who frequent Catholic Answers are going to be more interested in Apologetics and, perhaps, more intellectual in their approach than other people.

 

[rr1213]

Converts are always the loudest; just look at Paul

Jeremy

True.

 

[Montie_Claunch]

I would have to say that it was Fulton J. Sheen (Both reruns of his old show on EWTN and his book your life is worth living) that got me interested and Books like that of Karl Keating and this forum that answered enough questions for me to make the jump.

 

[neophyte]

Damo,

The bottom line is that the question of the teaching authority of Christ’s church did it for me. Even the Reformers said that Jesus gave the oficers of the Church the authority to determine matters of the faith - but then they rejected many of the determinations of the first 1500 years of the Church.

When I finally began to actually study Catholic teaching (rather than rely on what I’d always been told of it) I found it perfectly rational and elegantly in line with the Bible and the extra-biblical evidence of history. And when I did the same with Protestant teaching I found it to be irrational and inconsistent with the Bible and the evidence of history.

Today I find it very comforting to have Protestants call me a heretic and mock me because I cling to the Church, and I wonder how it is that I could have ever believed so much of the nonsense I used to believe.

The moment I received our Lord in the Eucharist, it was like something opened up inside of me and swept me away. Fear not.

 

[Saint_Sinner]

I came for the authority. I stay for the eucharist.

 

[Rawb]

I decided before going off to college to get my beliefs firmly set. I did, and while talking about what I believed (I live in California, and even though it’s a highly conservative part amongst my best friends I had several Catholic, Several Protestant, at least one Buddhist, a few athiest, a couple of pagans and many new-agers so we all discussed beliefs often) a Catholic friend told me that I sounded like I was arguing the Catholic position. I looked into it (about.com first) and found that it was everything I had always thought my ideal church would be; a lifestyle, not a sunday meet and quit. Reverent, not entertaining, and part of a tight knit group because protestantism was WAY to broad for me (I used to wonder why my Catholic friends would never go to youth group with me, why they were so tribalistic, and now I TOTALLY understand). It was perfect, well, it still is.

The great pat was discovering things I didn’t even know anything about, like the Eucharist (never had heard that anyone believed it was actually the body and blood, but it makes so much sense!) and Sacred Tradition (I always thought that the Bible couldn’t be the sole authority, that sounded wrong to me).

Oh! and there’s so much more spirituality (IMHO) in Catholicism…there’re too many reasons to count, in the end! v

 

[NotWorthy]

Wow. Many of the posters in this thread are among some of the more active posters in these forums. It makes me wonder if cradle catholics use Catholic Answer Forums or is it simply converts to Catholicism and Protestants?

Although there are many exceptions ( I consider myself one), converts are usually more knowledgable about their faith, where as cradlers tend to be more lackadaisical.

This is the thing I would most like to change about my parish.

 

[Ruthie]

In my case, I had been searching for the right church since my conversion to Christianity some 15 years ago. I had always assumed it would be a Protestant denomination.

On a Bible study forum, someone posted an attack on the Catholic church, based (as I now know) on those ludicrous Chick tracts. I wanted to refute the attack, so I researched Catholicism.

I was led right here, to the article in the CA Library about those Chick tracts. After reading that, I read more.

What I found was a Church that is totally Christ-centered.

Many of my Christian friends could almost be called “Paulians,” they spent so much time in the Epistles. I was always saying, “Wait a minute; what do the red letters say?” (For those who don’t know, some Bible publishers print Jesus’ words in red.) I found myself wishing for a source that would authoritatively tell me what some seemingly ambiguous verses meant. I had problems form the beginning with the “Bible only” doctrine.

Then I found that the Catholic Church had the Apostolic Tradition.

Next, I discovered that Catholics had good reasons why “once saved, always saved” wasn’t correct; OSAS was another thing I felt was wrong from the beginning.

At this point, I decided to check into the things I knew I disagreed with: the Church’s stand on birth control, homosexuality, and the male priesthood. Since I now knew she was right on the fundamentals, I wanted to know why she taught what she did.

Now, I am quite strong minded. I can be very stubborn. But whaddayaknow, I discovered that the Church was right; her teachings not only made sense, but were full of God’s love. Glory Be!

I was accepted into the Church on this year’s Divine Mercy Sunday.

to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Romans 16:27 (RSV)

 

[THutch04]

My story is pretty boring actually, but basically I saw that the Church was the only truly universal Church, and I wanted to be part of that.

 

[mtk76]

A general observation I have found is quite powerful to me and that is that usually Catholics who become Protestant do not know the faith, the bible or much of anything related to it through either poor Catechesis or their own neglect. Usually Protestant converts know The Bible extremely well and were leaders in their Churches before becoming Catholic. Although generalized I have found this to be true and I believe logic and true soul searching especially by thinking of history and the beginning of Christianity it leads one to being a Catholic.

 

[catsrus]

I’m a history buff.
After being “out of a church” (grew up lutheran, fooled around with the jws for about 18 months) for years and feeling the need for Christ in my life, I took the historical approach for investigation.
Excuse the pun; the rest was history!

 

[cathgal]

Me, I was always a Catholic but didn’t realize the church Christ founded was the Catholic Church. You can imagine what an eye opener it was when I found out ! I felt so lucky to be born into it !

Alot of cradle Catholics don’t know how fortunate they are !

It’s like it was a ‘given’ to them from birth and they don’t appreciate it.

 

[RonRule]

Shortest Version: I got saved when I was 9. I got more saved when I entered Christ’s Church and received His Sacraments.

Short Version:

I am a PK (Pastor’s Kid), raised by loving Christian parents who attempted to instill in me a dedication to the Bible and a relationship of faith with Jesus Christ. It was on this foundation of evangelical Protestantism that I began studying the claims of the Catholic Church and realized the necessity of Sacred Tradition and submission to an authority passed on from the apostles. After a sojourn in Anglicanism, I met with a local Catholic priest for instruction and was received into the Church on the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul.

Long Version: Chad Is Not Enough

 

[SORROWS]

Wow. Many of the posters in this thread are among some of the more active posters in these forums. It makes me wonder if cradle catholics use Catholic Answer Forums or is it simply converts to Catholicism and Protestants?

As a life long Catholic baptized at 1month of age, I have grown up knowing and understand and LOVING the Catholic Church.

I've never needed to search out answers because my faith in all that is taught is ingrained.  I'm one of those Catholics that people can instantly tell is Catholic.  I believe everything and have no doubts.

Most of my friends are Catholic and I belong to Prayer Groups where everything is discussed. The Rosary is the central prayer.

At the same time I wanted to learn even more and I found Catholic Answers.

The Spirituality section is my favorite but Apologetics has blown me away with the knowledge and intelligence of the members. All I can think is that the Holy Spirit is working within all of you for the clarity and comprehension of Catholicism. I never cease to be amazed at the devotion of all of you who love Our Lord Jesus and His Beloved Mother Mary.

Just wanted to say how proud I am of all the Catholic Converts. I know many and they are truly incredible and courageous people who are on fire to know everything of the Church that our Dear Lord Jesus left us.

 

[e-catholic]

Would protestants that have converted to the catholic church, tell me what it was that that made them make such a great leap.I know that i am going to, based upon the history of the church in particular the apostolic succession and the formation of cannon. Even though i have already been called a heretic for believing the catholic church and have had to defend my decision so many times.

I am not a convert, however, one of my favorite apologists is. Here are two links, the first one is a directory of audio files by Scott Hahn, the second is the audio of his conversion story from that same site.

Scott Hahn is a former Presbyterian Minister, he is now a biblical scholor at the Franciscan University. I have found no one who knows the Bible better than he does. His conversion story is amazing, and you can also find his wifes story on this site.

One conclusion that I have come too from listening to Dr. Hahn is, that if God is calling you to the Catholic Church, you’ll soon be here. God gives incredible strength to overcome the difficulty with other protestants. Persevere, and follow God. I admire those who convert in the face of all of the anti-Catholicism that is found in many Protestant Churches.

You will be in my prayers.

salvationhistory.com/bookstore/audioRsrcs.cfm

ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/resolve.asp?rafile=iq_729.ra

 

[e-catholic]

Although there are many exceptions ( I consider myself one), converts are usually more knowledgable about their faith, where as cradlers tend to be more lackadaisical.

This is the thing I would most like to change about my parish.

I think that us cradlers are just very comfortable in what we have grown up in. Most aren’t questioning, and we haven’t come to faith from questioning usually, so we have no reason to become knowledgeable about many of these things.

I also consider myself an exception, I don’t always post as much as many others do, but I enjoy apologetics, and defending the faith. I grew up around a lot of protestants, not may Catholics where I grew up (there were a few). I found myself questioning, and then I found out what all of these converts have been telling us. Nothing makes more sense, Catholicism is what the Bible teaches, and History is certainly not protestant.

I find that listening to conversion stories from people who have come from many different faiths gives me many different views. Many roads all leading to the same place.