Question for Catholics who've "come back" to the Church

[Maria1993]

I stopped attending church after my first communion. Then it was just rarely going to mass. I grew older, angrier, bitter, and confused teenager. I started to be interested in God more. Last year I got really sick with food poisoning, suffered anxiety attacks, and thought I had ‘commited the unforgivable sin’. I was basically in a loop on my phone and computer ‘researching’ if I had committed it, from evangelical web pages, protestant videos, and blatantly anti catholic websites, they just fed my fears. I was relying on feelings saying the ‘sinners prayer’ and it would ‘not feel right’, I took very short comfort in once saved always saved, while being mentally harassesed by blasphemous thoughts. I watched a protestant video, an hour long about the unforgivable sin and it just shattered me. It made no sense to me. I started to attend Mass to ask God to forgive me. Then I wandered onto here, got some help from lovely people and others who suffered the same. I read more about my faith that this IS the one true church. Apostolic succession, the Sacraments, Peter is the rock, you are NOT ‘once saved always saved’ that is false comfort, someone could live all their lives thinking they are saved and continue in sin, up until judgement day.

I went back to confession after 6-7 years. I’ve never felt better.
My scrupulosity rarely comes back.

 

[fbl9]

The thing i missed on my first service as an “offical” run-a-way was the the Truth. He just wasn’t there. Trying to prove my new fellowship as the true church from scripture showed me that the Catholic Church is the true Church.
My logic dictated to me that if the eucharist is true then everything else has be. Otherwise i couldn’t even accept the Eucharist as being what it is.

 

[crcath]

I’m sure every revert has a different story, but I just heard that call & felt the tug from the Holy Spirit. After visiting the Catholics Come Home website, I realized that I wasn’t alone.

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut, garn. Am so happy to hear about the Holy Spirit’s tug! Also didn’t know about the Catholics Come Home website. I checked it out, and it’s absolutely terrific. I pray our son will get that beautiful tug that you got!
May Our Lord keep you always in his amazing care.

 

[crcath]

I was going to a non-denominational church with some friends I met when I moved to FL. They began a study of the Gospel of John, and when they got to the Institution of the Last Supper I realized that I could not stay away from the Eucharist any longer.

Real glad to hear that, Seeker. I pray our son gets that very same desire back! Welcome home to you, and keep up the good work.

 

[AskSeekKnock]

Of course the Holy Spirit

I was away about 12 years. I attended various Protestant churches during that time and never felt a sense of belonging or of being ‘fed’.

I work with high schoolers preparing for Confirmation and most are ambivalent. 85% of teens confirmed in the Church ultimately leave. That’s a scary stat and although my kids are very young, I wonder how I would/will react when they go through their own spiritual wanderings.

I appreciate my Catholic faith so much more now than I think I could have if I had never left. It know it was hard on my mother when I married outside the Church, but I did come back and that process was important for my spiritual growth. Pray, and pray, and pray, and trust their Father.

 

[andy92]

If you’re a Catholic who was away from the Church and has now returned “home,” could you please tell me what the most influential thing (or things if several) was that caused you to come back? Our adult son has turned away from the Church to his wife’s “born again” church, and I’m looking for ideas that helped turn others around.
Thanks so much.

I grew up in a Catholic household but was never surrounded by holiness. When my parents got divorced and hatred started spewing, I wasn’t surrounded by Love or love either. After years of depression and distance from the Church my pride lead me to meet a supremely holy person who is currently a seminarian in our diocese. He showed me the Love of Christ and that began my journey back.

 

[crcath]

Im a proud Catholic love that my family has alweays been Catholic. I think that you hit it in the nail. The Eucharist in my humble is the most important part of Mass. Being able to eat God’s body and his blood. To be able to feel his presence in you is a motion that no words, or expression can describe, bc God himself do this in memory of me.

Very true, chero. So glad to hear you and your family has always been Catholic and how important the Eucharist is in your life. It is really an amazing gift from God. I pray our son will want to come back to that gift!
God bless.

 

[crcath]

I came home in 2011 after feeling an inner pull to do so. I had been away from the Church for 17 years because I disagreed with it on social issues. But I remembered how happy I had been as a Catholic and how the sacraments helped me in hard times. In 2010-11 my cat was dying and I was going through that. I met with a deacon and his wife in May 2011 to discuss coming back and then I made my confession to a priest.

I left the Church again in December 2011 and I don’t know if I’ll come back again. I feel like I’m a Protestant at heart. I am active in a women’s ministry at a Lutheran church and I attend Sunday services at an Episcopal church. Those experiences feed me spiritually.

In the end your adult son’s faith decisions are his own.

Thank you for sharing that, Lisa. I’m sorry to hear all you’ve been through. I pray for peace for you and that you might always remember how amazing and comforting the Sacraments are. May Our Blessed Mother help intercede to her Son for you whenever you may need her. She’s always there for us.

 

[crcath]

#1 Mom’s prayers for me, and her letting me know about it, every chance she got, "
#2 Mom and Dad’s exemplary Catholic living and their devotion to the Community of Saints and our Blessed Mother.
#3 My own cynicism: I observed the world hates the Church and that means the Church must doing something right.
#4 The power of the Eucharist. Even when I was in mortal I began to receive in a sort of “Lord I want to believe, help my unbelief!” desire (which I have since confessed) Christ was able to break through my heart of stone.

You don’t know how I loved reading what you wrote, Obsculta!!! All four reasons are absolutely marvelous and give me so much encouragement for our son to come home to the Church one day. Also very interesting about #3… I never thought of it in quite that way, but you’re so right!
I’m real happy you came back. God bless you always - and your parents, too!

 

[kkollwitz]

The circumstances of meeting and marrying my wife seemed so inescapably the result of Divine Intervention that I reverted to Catholicism. I never quit believing what the Church taught, but chose to ignore it.

 

[crcath]

My children brought me Home. I could not imagine how I would raise them without the Church. I began to realize that Catholic was more than just a set of rules, it is who I am.

Beautiful, 7armyrugrats! I don’t know how we would have raised ours without the Church either and am eternally grateful. Maybe that’s why so many families today seem more stressed than they need to be. I pray many will “come home” to Our Lord’s open arms. They may have no idea yet how comforting those arms are.
Thank you for being who you are, and God bless.

 

[bobbyhillisabro]

My Dad became Catholic when he was like 28. He left for Protestant churches because he felt they had more enthusiasm for God (which was because of the large amount of purely nominal “Catholics”, and a bad RCIA program). But that’s when he started seriously studying the Bible. He studied it to the point where he could recite 7 books of The Bible off the top of his head. He was active in bible studies and found that the things they taught at the Protestant churches were not supported by The Bible. This is how he came back.

 

[crcath]

When I came back it was simply a question of what I knew God expected me to do.

Interesting, mountee. I can only hope and pray our son sees it that way some day. I’m sure God is very thankful you listened to him from deep in your heart.
God bless!

 

[crcath]

I was away from 18-34. (I knew very little about the catholic church)
I joined a evangelical/ fundamentalist church when I was 29 because it was fun and fit my view of not liking authority. Along with my future wife being a member.

A couple of events took place
1- I read the bible and found versus I couldn’t answer (many)
2- my grandfather died and made me remember how my grandmother went to mass daily and was the most loving person I ever met.
3- at the evangelical church they constantly bad mouthed Mormons which made me uncomfortable since I didn’t want to talk bad about anyone
4- finally we where sharing who where the most influential people in our spirtual grow. I hadn’t talked like a catholic or had catholic thoughts in over fifteen years and I said my grandmother was the strongest christain I ever met and went on to explain the details of her catholic faith. The pastor jumped up and yelled at me “Catholics aren’t christains and the catholic church is a cult”. I responded in front of the crowd. “are you sure we aren’t a cult”
5- since I had been taught true Christianity was lost with Constantine. I thought this should be pretty easy. I’ll read what the first christains believed (but not from catholic or orthodox sources. So I read the early church fathers from places such as the London museum of history.
5- I had no choice other to be Catholic after that.

The story is long and complex but that’s te short version

I except 100% of the catholic teachings and drive my family way more nuts now. With my evangelizing, daily mass, weekly confession and so on.

Great story of your return to the Church, Adamski! Thanks so much for sharing. So sad that a Christian Church would badmouth other religions…or ANYONE for that matter. I’m very happy I haven’t encountered that with the Catholic Church. Your Grandmother must be very proud of you. Even from Heaven if she’s not here on earth any longer.
Keep up the great work!!! Our Lord must be very pleased. God bless you always.

 

[crcath]

For me or any of us for that matter, through the grace and mercy of God is the only reason I’m back. Jesus left with us the Holy Spirit to guide us and he got a hold of me one glorious day, threw Satan out of my way; and brought me home safely. I had no more strenghth to pull back. I am much happier than I have been in many years. To be able to receive him again is soooooooooo awesome. I do have a problem with forgiving myself sometimes. I am working on it.(meaning I am praying about it) I am for sure his prodigal child. Brenda

Glad to be back with you, my computer was off for a while. Was having some financial difficulties.

Thanks so much for sharing that, flower lady. Very happy that the Holy Spirit called you home to the Church. May that awesome Spirit remain with you always!
God bless.

 

[crcath]

As a child we went to church every weekend. 1989 my youngest brother was born with a severe disability that made going a little more difficult. At the time there was still religion in schools and I was going to a Catholic school. In 8th grade, I was “too cool” to bother with preparing for my confirmation. High school years I never thought sbout the church at all. Early 20’s I was just plain terrible and when it came to the church I wasn’t kind at all. My late 20’s I had my daughter, my youngest brother passed away and my nerves were shot. I was a ball of anxiety.

I was up many nights fraught with worry. (Later to learn it was post traumatic stress) when I happened to catch 100 Huntley street. Sure not Catholic but it caught my attention and my heart and from there I began reading. My sister had become a Pentecostal pastor. I thought about joining her at her church. I asked questions to everyone tryin to find my spot.

Then I saw a Catholics Come Home commercial. And I knew.

Now, my husband has moved on (though amicably) my sister is no longer a pastor but I am still at the church with my daughter. I found myself complacent the last half of the year but feel renewed again. I look forward to this years Easter vigil.

Hopefully some of that made sense. On the phone it’s difficult to see everything I have typed./QUOTE

Thanks so much for sharing that insight, Mom2em. So glad you came home after everything you went through. Cheers for the Catholics Come Home commercials! I wish they’d broadcast more of them (maybe my son would listen!!!). I rarely, if ever, hear or see them where I am in the US.
Keep up the good work with Our Blessed Mother by your side, and God bless!

 

[AshJade]

I originally converted from the Mormon church when I was 19, but left after suffering some family and personal problems. After being an agnostic, a wiccan, and even trying out the Episcopal church, I realized that nothing could compare to the Catholic Church. I feel like I am part of something so amazing and universal. I love the fact that I can go anywhere in the world and it is the same church. I love the values that my children are learning from the church.

After my grandma died, I felt like she was somehow nudging me towards God. She wasn’t even Catholic, but somehow I feel like she is helping me back to my faith from the afterlife. I also had a dream that my great-grandparents, who were Mormon also, were sitting in a Catholic church. I asked them why they were there, because they weren’t Catholic in their earthly lives. They explained that there is only one Church in the afterlife. I feel very blessed that I have people on the other side helping me.

 

[crcath]

Wll the first answer, of course, is the Holy Spirit.

I know my Dad had been praying for me for years, and I think that his (deceased) mother, who was a very holy woman, had been praying for me too.

In addition to that, there was John 17:21. I was completely unsatisfied with the Protestant concept of the “invisible unity of believers” because it does not, in the words of Jesus, help us become “perfectly one, so that the world may know that Thou hast sent me.” It doesn’t show the world any unity at all, and the Catholic Church is the only one that seems to think visible unity is even desirable. In any case there can’t be any unity without authority, so without a Pope, you see continued fractures, like in so many Protestant denomenations. I guess Jesus knew something about human nature.

Another was the concept of Mary having more children. I couldn’t find any Protestant explanation for why Jesus would give His mother to John if He had natural brothers. I heard a few attempts at explanation, but none that satisfied. It would be cruel, it would be rude, and it would be un-Jewish. I just can’t see it.

But really, I had been prompted by the Spirit to do some reading, like Scott Hahn. It helped me see that the reasons I had left the Church in the first place were based on false information. How could I reasonably reject Papal Infallibility without actually knowing what it meant? That sort of thing.

So that is a very abridged version of my story. But what brought it about, and I think probably all you can do about it, is prayer. Pray for your son to be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit and for his wife to be listening too. These “born again” churches are generally full of a lot of holy and kind people, who just happen to misunderstand the nature of the Church Jesus founded and its authority. Pray for them all.

Parents are, I think, pecularly poorly placed to talk about this to their adult children when they disagree, although I’ve had some really uplifting conversations with my Dad now that I’m back in the Church. Your best bet it to do spiritual reading (especially since it is Lent), perhaps the writings of the saints or Church Fathers, and possibly the catechism, if it’s been a while since you read it. Then if he comes to you with questions or makes a false statement about the Churchin your presence, you will be prepared to say a quick prayer for guidance from the Holy Spirit and respond with the correct information.

If you get EWTN, you would probably find The Journey Home interesting and comforting. I really enjoy it. On the east coast it is at 8pm on Monday.

Best of luck, and I will pray for you all.

–Jen

Thanks so much for all of your (name removed by moderator)ut and suggestions, Jen - and also especially for your prayers. That means so much, and it’s truly appreciated. I’m so happy the Holy Spirit reached through to you to bring you home to the Church, and I’m sure all of your Dad’s and Grandmother’s prayers helped a lot, too!
I’ve just finished reading Hahn’s book which was excellent and have ordered a few others for Lenten reading on the subject so that I can be real well prepared if and when the appropriate time comes. And I will definitely pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you suggest! I want to be able to speak lovingly to him about the subject and not with a “holier than thou” attitude, so everything I read will help me to say the right things, I hope.
God bless you always, and thanks again!

 

[Chantal25]

If you’re a Catholic who was away from the Church and has now returned “home,” could you please tell me what the most influential thing (or things if several) was that caused you to come back? Our adult son has turned away from the Church to his wife’s “born again” church, and I’m looking for ideas that helped turn others around.
Thanks so much.

Two people were praying for me apparently. Not my family sadly but two good persons. I also started to join a group of prayer with Mother Mary.

So here is what i advise to you. Pray Mother Mary and devote yourself in praying the mystery.

Don’t give up hope and prayer for your son! Prayer and fasting is far more efficient then words.

All the best!

 

[crcath]

I stopped going to Church soon after I was married (husband was Catholic, but wasn’t practicing and had issues with the Church. It made it hard to go).

After years of trying to get pregnant and doing everything I could do medically (and not getting much help from a barely interested husband). I gave up. I was on the verge of trying In-Virto (remember, I wasn’t going to Church, so I had no problem with that) when I just prayed.

I was pregnant the next month! So I started going to Church. Just slowly at first, but then more, in drips in drabs… finally went to confession after not going to Church for several years and it was all easy from then on.

I am so glad I had the Church to help me when my husband left me… to help me get though the pain of being abandoned and the pain of his same-sex attraction infidelity issues. I leaned on her so heavily and leaned on God and it got me though my darkest days. I must owe the priest I talked to a few boxes of tissues just from me crying in his office.

But the Church got me though it. It’s helping me thought it with the annulment process too (it’s like a period of healing). My life is great now and I am happy. I don’t forget it was God and his Church that got me though all those rough times. I will always be grateful.

Thanks so much for the (name removed by moderator)ut. Am very sorry to hear all you went through these past years, mellowcalico, but I’m real glad the Church was part of the very important process to help you back to much better days! I’ve found that myself all through my life (although I never left the Church) - I don’t know how I would have made it through without the Church, Our Blessed Mother, and all of the intercession by the Saints on so many different occasions. I think my son may now feel the “born again” church he attends meets all of his needs, but I pray he will one day come home to the Catholic Church instead and realize all that he’s missing.
May God bless you always and keep you in His awesome healing care!