Question for Converts, or Reverts

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I’m interested in hearing the logistics behind your conversion/reversion. How did you tell people you were converting/reverting? When? Who? Were you active in your previous church before you converted? Did you tell people? Did you just leave? That kind of thing.

Right now I go to a United Methodist church, but I’m considering becoming Catholic. I’m not really sure yet, I’m still trying to sort out some issues, but I feel myself getting closer and closer to being ready. There will be a class for the already baptized starting right after Labor day at the perish where I’ve been going to mass and I’ve been thinking about signing up. I need to do that soon since I’ll have to ask to get off work early that night.

But beyond the theological issues are the issues about how to deal with my old church. I’m REALLY active there right now and have lots of friends. I’m also fairly close to one of the pastors and feel like I need to (and want to) talk to her about this all at some point. But I’m not sure how to start that conversation, or what exactly to say.

Encouragement and thoughts and stories would be great.
 
I’m interested in hearing the logistics behind your conversion/reversion. How did you tell people you were converting/reverting? When? Who? Were you active in your previous church before you converted? Did you tell people? Did you just leave? That kind of thing.
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Hi there, I’m going to try to see if I can answer some of your questions. I suppose I’m reverting back to Catholicism, though I was never really far away. I never joined another church, though so many of my colleagues and friends, always tried to get me to come to their churches, mostly bible based ones. I always said, no thank, I’m Catholic and quite comfortable with my own religion. And I’ve always believed that. I’ve always known that I could never be anything but Catholic. So much of that goes hand and hand with the way I was raised, I’m in Northern New Mexico and Catholicism is strong culturally as well as religiously (if the that makes sense) so despite the fact that I went to church mostly for weddings/funerals/holidays, I still felt tied to Catholicism culturally anyway. My mom goes to church regularly, Dad sometimes, mostly because of his health, he can’t sit still for more than an hour without feeling badly. On top of my real job, I’m a writer and for some reason I made a main character a priest. I can’t say that was the catalyst for my suddenly going back to church, but I think it’s part of my journey. I went at Easter and have been pretty much a regular at Mass. I even participated in a novena last month, it was a spiritually and culturally rewarding experience.

I wasn’t overly active in church before and as I make my way back, I will probably get involved. The parish where I go, I already know a lot of people, the pastor graduated from my high school three years before I, so it’s comfortable place to worship.
Right now I go to a United Methodist church, but I’m considering becoming Catholic. I’m not really sure yet, I’m still trying to sort out some issues, but I feel myself getting closer and closer to being ready. There will be a class for the already baptized starting right after Labor day at the perish where I’ve been going to mass and I’ve been thinking about signing up. I need to do that soon since I’ll have to ask to get off work early that night.
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Hee… my neighbor is a Methodist. She really loves it, though I think she’s still a Catholic at heart. I think I have an idea why she left the church, but that’s a long complicated story. She’s excited about TLM coming back. I guess I’ll be going with her to Latin Mass soon. We talk about religion all the time. I think honestly, talking with her so much about religion has helped me on my journey. Who knows maybe I’ll bring her back, 😉

I think if going to Mass feels right and you feel like you’re called to Catholicism, you should keep going, sign up for the RCIA classes and pray. You’ll know what’s right for you. As I believe I’ve always known what was right for me.
But beyond the theological issues are the issues about how to deal with my old church. I’m REALLY active there right now and have lots of friends. I’m also fairly close to one of the pastors and feel like I need to (and want to) talk to her about this all at some point. But I’m not sure how to start that conversation, or what exactly to say.
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I can see how that it might be difficult to broach. As I said, I’ve never been anything else but Catholic, so I really can’t offer any suggestions how to broach the subject with them. I hope that someone provides you with better suggestions than I here.

Mia
 
Hi Karen

I am a revert. I fell away from attending Mass in my mid-teens. Looking back I think it was because, in my Catholic school education, the nuns didn’t know how to answer my questions. I was a difficult child, always wanting to know why? in everything from math to religion.

In my early 20’s, as a young married woman, two Mormon missionaries came to my door. They left the BoM and I put it on top of my piano, feeling a sort of concern. At this stage I wasn’t even sure there really was** a God. I have always been a bookaholic, eagerly devouring every book that I came across. That being the case I prayed that if the BoM was TRUE, God would put a burning desire in my heart to read it.

At that time I don’t think I was aware that the “burning desire” was a part of LDS testimony, which was quite curious in looking back.

Anyway, a week later they returned and I handed them the unread book, thanked them kindly and shut the door. The problem was that I realised that if there really was a Creator God, then He deserved to be worshipped, and worshipped the way He wanted to be worshipped.

Let me make it quite clear that I really, really hoped the Catholic Church’s claim to be the One True Church was proved wrong to my satisfaction. Contraception, divorce & remarriage, Sunday worship whether I felt like it or not… oh, please, NO!

I researched, and read voraciously. Although I didn’t know it until many years later, I came to the proof of the existence of God much as St Thomas of Aquinas did.

The fact the Jesus was/is God made man was evident from history (the apostles and early martyrs acceptance of horrific deaths). So I accepted Christianity.

Reading the Apostolic & Early Church Fathers as well as other Saints through the ages, the history of Christianity, I became convinced that the Catholic Church was indeed the True Church.

Once I came to that conviction, I bowed to God and, for the last 30years, have regularly attended Mass every Sunday, whether I was in the mood or not, accepted the children He gave me, with resignation if not always immediately joy (6 living from 11 pregnancies) and given Him thanks for every grace and blessing He has bestowed on me, and also for the bad things which have made me a stronger person.

For many years now, I have lived my life trusting in His Divine Providence. Imperfectly at times it is true, but more surely as i get older.

If I was not a Catholic, I would not be a Christian at all.**
 
I was a Catholic through infant baptism. Then I received first Holy Communion when I was 8 or 9. I strayed from the Church at a very young age and did not practice, but always had a seed of faith in me. When I needed it most, the Lord watered that seed and it bursted. Bringing me back to the fold. It may be a tough road for me, but where else am I to go, for He has the words of eternal life. Tim
 
KarenElissa said:
I’m interested in hearing the logistics behind your conversion/reversion. How did you tell people you were converting/reverting? When? Who? Were you active in your previous church before you converted? Did you tell people? Did you just leave? That kind of thing.

Right now I go to a United Methodist church, but I’m considering becoming Catholic. I’m not really sure yet, I’m still trying to sort out some issues, but I feel myself getting closer and closer to being ready. There will be a class for the already baptized starting right after Labor day at the perish where I’ve been going to mass and I’ve been thinking about signing up. I need to do that soon since I’ll have to ask to get off work early that night.

But beyond the theological issues are the issues about how to deal with my old church. I’m REALLY active there right now and have lots of friends. I’m also fairly close to one of the pastors and feel like I need to (and want to) talk to her about this all at some point. But I’m not sure how to start that conversation, or what exactly to say.

Encouragement and thoughts and stories would be great.
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I am a Convert. Conversion was easy on me. My family was not highly religious and some of my best friends were Catholic. So it made for an easy transition for me. What I did not understand at the time was the amount of anti-Catholic sentiment out there. Once I told some co-workers that I was in RCIA to become a Catholic, and they all wanted me to come to their church because, they thought I had been misled. I’ve never felt that way.

If you wish to remain active with your present church you will be disuaded by some, questioned by others, and possibly ridiculed by a few, if they find out you are planning a change. How do you think your family will think about it?

RCIA starts out as informational. There is no commitment about conversion until the final stages near Easter. I strongly urge you to go to RCIA to understand the truth about the Church. There is a lot of misinformation out there. It’s a personal choice as to what you tell anyone about what you learn or feel. I can’t keep track of who I told what to, and what my excuses might be… so I stick with one story. What I am doing, why, and let the cards fall where they may. They will find out, soon enough. You will find out who your friends really are. And you may have to learn to let them go. At least for a while.

I am from the RCIA class of 1988. It was the best thing I could have done for myself. And now, my wife and children, too!

There are many conversion stories on these Forums. All have different issues. But all were hearing a calling. I always recommend “Rome, Sweet Home” by Scott and Kimberly Hahn. It will open your eyes to what a convert can be subject to from friends and family… Trust, me. it has a very happy ending!

And you will always have CAF as a support group if you need it! As a friend says: It’s not easy, just worth it!

May the Lord’s Peace be with you. And keep us posted!
 
Was raised in Church of Christ. At age 16 I felt called to the Catholic church. Took instructions and became Catholic. My family is Church of Christ, Lutheran, and Baptist. They supported me and there were no difficulties. But I could see where some Protestants would have a difficult time. There is alot of Catholic bashing coming from the Protestant pulpits. If you have a religious public access station, sometimes it’s amazing to hear what comes out of their mouths. To many of them the CC is the church of Satan. Out of thousands of Masses I have attended, the Protestant churches were never mentioned, much less attacked.
I really believe we should all get along, and if you do decide to join the CC, you probably will have some friends who will shun you. Just because you are Catholic. Ridiculous, isn’t it?
 
I have noticed some of the anti-Catholic stuff. I went on a trip to Bolivia at the beginning of the summer with a group from my church and since Bolivia is such a Catholic country, there were a few interesting discussions and comments. And I don’t really know many Catholics. I work with a few, but they seem to be more the Christmas and Easter types than anything else.

I do trust my closest friends enough that even though they may not understand, they will still support me. I just don’t know how to start the whole conversation. And things like when I should stop teaching Sunday School and that kind of thing. Sometimes it would be easier to not be so involved and then I could just stop going, not so big a deal! 😉 But I would have missed out on too much. 😃

And I need/want to talk to my pastor. I’ve been trying to write her an e-mail, but haven’t gotten very far. I just don’t know how to start it and what to say…

I’m not so worried about family, I’m a single young adult so I don’t have a spouse or children to worry about. My parents aren’t Christian (I started going to church in high school), so they don’t really understand, but there isn’t much they can do. And I live a thousand plus miles away from so while I talk to them at least once a week, they aren’t exactly a part of my daily life.

And about RCIA, my parish actually has different classes for baptized Christians who are interested in becoming Catholic and Catholics laking confirmation. Then one for becoming Catholic starts in the beginning of September and ends right before Thanksgiving. I’m sure it is no pressure either, but since I have to get off work early, I want to be at least somewhat committed to it before I sign up.
 
Hey Karen!

Wife and I are in Tucson, cradle Catholics, both of us. Which parishes have you looked at? We’ve only been to two, really. Newman Center at U of A, I went to the ASU one before I moved down here, and went to Newman Center here until about when DW and I got engaged. Since then, we’ve been going to Sts. Peter and Paul. Sort of my family’s church…my folks got married there, me and both brothers got baptized there, I got married there, my son got baptized there…funerals, other weddings, etc. Beautiful stained glass in the chapel (the chapel is being repainted this week).
 
KarenElissa said:
And about RCIA, my parish actually has different classes for baptized Christians who are interested in becoming Catholic and Catholics laking confirmation. Then one for becoming Catholic starts in the beginning of September and ends right before Thanksgiving. I’m sure it is no pressure either, but since I have to get off work early, I want to be at least somewhat committed to it before I sign up.
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Listening to the Fundamentals of Catholicism might help you with your decision. You’ll get an idea of what to expect in RCIA.

trueteaching.net/
 
I feel for you, I understand the anxiety. I am a convert, but I had a very different scenario than yours. I had already stopped going to church, kind of an ultimatum I made with God, you can read some of my story here :forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=2499316#post2499316

My anxiety was more about how to tell family, and it was difficult. They knew I was going through a searching phase in my spiritual life, and they knew I was taking classes at the Catholic Church, they didn’t understand what it meant until I invited them to my confirmation at Easter Vigil. That didn’t go well. But I come from a more Fundamentalist background, from what I can see from the Methodist friends I’ve had through the years, I don’t believe you will experience the hostility I encountered.

But, in all fairness, if you make the committment to become a Catholic, which it sounds like that’s what going to RCIA means to you, you should probably stop teaching Sunday School at that time. You need to keep your head and heart focused in one direction. The separation is probably going to be difficult for you, I don’t know of too many converts who haven’t experienced it, but I can tell you, when you know this is where you are being led, you won’t be happy until you take the plunge, and try not to look back, it just makes it more painful.

I will pray for you and for the courage and peace you need to have the conversations you need to have.

God Bless!
 
Karen, I was delighted reading your post. I am a 75 year old man that was brought up in a fundamentalist Pentecostal church and later converted to Baptist. I thought Sunday School in every church. Later after moving I joined a United Methodist church. There I led the adult Bible study. I have served as a deacon in several churches including my last one. Only upon retiring and having some time I began researching church history. I NEVER expected to be examining catholism!! Always knew that they were wrong. However because of my pentecostal upbringing I was curious about what early church history had to say about the Gifts of the Spirit. So about 4 1/2 years ago I discovered the Catholic Church. I really did not want to accept what I was coming to believe so I took my time. At this time I was very active in my church. And evangelical church and I was a deacon there. On the Sunday after Easter 2006 I went to the catholic mass for the first time. I have never gone back to my old church since!! That summer I began RCIA and this past Easter Vigal (2007) I became Catholic!!! Praise the Lord! What a wonderful experience. Yes, many of my old friends do not talk to me any longer. My two sisters are in shock!! I have so many great catholic friends now. You will make so many friends in the class. And I was amazed at how the catholic beliefs were proved by the Bible. Recieving the Lord in the Eucharist is so good. It gives you more strength than you knew you had. The Lord wonderfully worked out so that my relationship with my kids did not suffer. I have 5 children. I was so fearful that I would be shut out of their lives. Being Catholic is worth anything that you may have to go thru. Praying for you as you continue on the Journey.

Love in Christ, Dave
 
I am a revert and my family are converts. We were active in our previous church before coming home to the Cathoilc Church. However, due to a change in pastors and then direction at that church, we become somewhat disillusioned about how decisions were made. My dh was very busy at work so he began to skip going to services. I started ‘church hopping’ and attended services with various friends. Around that time I also began to go to daily Mass (without receiving the Eucharist).

Our pastor did finally come to talk to us and I mentioned that I was going back to Mass. My dh however at the time was not interested in becoming Catholic. The pastor was very suprised at my ‘confession’ but because we started coming back to church there I think he dismissed it.

Eventually however, the changes at that church in particular and the denomination in general got to both of us and dh agreed to start going to Mass. He still wasn’t totally ready to convert though.
He finally began studying and so did our dc (under my direction). They entered the Catholic Church this Easter after almost 2 years of attending Mass and several months of private instruction. We finally sent a ‘letter of resignation’ right before Easter. It would have been better to do it sooner. But this also forstalled lots of questions and attempts to ‘get us back.’

I had taught Sunday School every year that we attended there, so I was ready for a break anyway. When I started attending daily Mass, I slowly dropped various commitments. As soon as a session of something ended, I would not renew for it. As it worked out, I ended out the year of SS and simply did not sign up for the next year, even though we attended sporadically that fall. Since you are considering RCIA in the fall, I would drop out of SS now so they can find someone to replace you before the new school year starts.

We are still friends with many of the people from our previous church. People we have known for many, many years. However, we don’t miss anything about the church!
 
I’m a convert. I was really active in my previous parishes before becoming Catholic. Between being involved in music ministry and keeping up to date on the current events of the Church, I was really busy.

It actually wasn’t that difficult for me to leave my old positions, because once I started college, I was never home anyway. I did have a discussion with my priest, but it wasn’t a really difficult discussion to have, because he has had very good relations with Catholics, and has only positive things to say about the Church. He and I were pretty close, so it wasn’t hard to just approach him. None of my friends at that church had anything bad to say to me, and they all wished me luck. I still go back there when I get the opportunity (it’s 50 minutes away from my house, so it’s not something I can do all the time because of gas…I don’t know how I did it more than once a week before 😛 ).
 
Big_Dave said:
Karen, I was delighted reading your post. I am a 75 year old man that was brought up in a fundamentalist Pentecostal church and later converted to Baptist. I thought Sunday School in every church. Later after moving I joined a United Methodist church. There I led the adult Bible study. I have served as a deacon in several churches including my last one. Only upon retiring and having some time I began researching church history. I NEVER expected to be examining catholism!! Always knew that they were wrong. However because of my pentecostal upbringing I was curious about what early church history had to say about the Gifts of the Spirit. So about 4 1/2 years ago I discovered the Catholic Church. I really did not want to accept what I was coming to believe so I took my time. At this time I was very active in my church. And evangelical church and I was a deacon there. On the Sunday after Easter 2006 I went to the catholic mass for the first time. I have never gone back to my old church since!! That summer I began RCIA and this past Easter Vigal (2007) I became Catholic!!! Praise the Lord! What a wonderful experience. Yes, many of my old friends do not talk to me any longer. My two sisters are in shock!! I have so many great catholic friends now. You will make so many friends in the class. And I was amazed at how the catholic beliefs were proved by the Bible. Recieving the Lord in the Eucharist is so good. It gives you more strength than you knew you had. The Lord wonderfully worked out so that my relationship with my kids did not suffer. I have 5 children. I was so fearful that I would be shut out of their lives. Being Catholic is worth anything that you may have to go thru. Praying for you as you continue on the Journey.

Love in Christ, Dave
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I find your story inspiring!

My parents are 67, they are not Catholic, (Baptist and AoG) and my concern is that they are too set in their ways to ever consider this kind of change (they actually told me that in a fit of anger when they were losing a theological discussion). But, you prove that to be a false argument! I will not give up hope! Praying to St. Rita for them.
 
Jeanette L. I am so glad that you have recieved inspiration from my story. I still have a thrill just reciting it. So YES!! Keep praying and believing. If I can be converted anyone can be. I will include them in my prayers.

Love, Dave
 
KarenElissa,

What a blessing to have such a thoughtful, Christ-seeking soul moving ever closer to the fullness of truth! Heres’a capsule version of my life, to show how the Lord works over the decades, drawing you ever closer-in preparation for an eternity together.

I had absolutely no religious upbringing, not even Baptism. Only by looking back can I see that the Catholic (“universal”) church was my destiny. As a young boy, my best friend was an Italian Catholic. Then, the Lord built a parish across the street from my house. My boyhood Catholic friend was best man at my marriage to the Catholic wife that he sent. The Holy Spirit then steered me into a completely unexpected encounter with John Paul II. As the Pope passed by, he was blessing the crowds. I was just one of the many. The following year, I entered RCIA. The year after that I entered the church, but was not active-just attending. Then, He sent a charismatic priest who “baptized” me in the Holy Spirit. Since then, my faith has been on fire! I am now calling those I meet to the Lord. Amazing how many fallen away Catholics he sends! Co-workers are some of the most surprising. Keep seeking the truth and the Lord will graciously lead you. Don’t worry about friends in your current church-the Lord will provide even MORE as you draw ever nearer to Him. Some of your old friends will also be inspired by your courageous example.

Ever notice that your faith life has steadily grown? Your seeking of the full truth is but one sign of that maturity. God Bless you and “Let not your heart be troubled”

May God richly bless you!
 
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