Regret becoming a Catholic?

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HomeschoolDad

HomeschoolDad

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Did anyone here, after having been received into the Church as an adult (i.e., baptized or received voluntarily, not as an infant), regret the decision to become Catholic? And if so, why?

I am NOT condoning this, nor am I condoning leaving the Church. The Catholic Church is the one true church of Jesus Christ, and anyone who leaves it, knowing and understanding that it is, indeed, the one true church, objectively speaking, cannot save their soul. I am just asking “did you regret it?”. It would be more a case of “I didn’t realize what I was getting myself into” or similar thoughts.
 
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No, I can honestly say that I have never regretted it. This is home. This is where I belong. I knew that as a child, it just took a long time to make it happen.
 
angel12 said:
No, I can honestly say that I have never regretted it. This is home. This is where I belong. I knew that as a child, it just took a long time to make it happen.
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I could literally say the exact same thing. No regrets for me.

When I converted, it did not make everybody in my life happy. However, I’ve never regretted the decision to convert.
 
A few years after I had initially converted, I left. It wasn’t regret (and I’ve been trying to “catholicize” every church I’ve been in since–my first Lutheran pastor and I had a long conversation about the Rosary, he condemning it and I defending it. We argued both in person and email.), but a foolish, youthful compromise between my wife and I.

No, what I regret is that compromise I made. I’ve gotten myself into more trouble because of it than I would have if I had just been patient and waited for my wife to come around.
 
No. As a Protestant there was something missing. Catholicism is straight forward but very deep.
 
No. Did the world magically change to look different when I got baptized? Has every day been full of sunshine and rainbows? No. There have been days I have experienced great pain from being Catholic. But I would not and with God’s help I will never regret it nor leave it.
 
As a convert from Hinduism, I can tell you that I have had to face so my struggles. In addition to that, life throws a million things at you and devil is obviously looking to destroy your faith. Illness, loss of money, fraud, losing friends and family, you name it.

But not once I have regretted joining it. Even if the whole Catholic Church should somehow suddenly be full of unholy pastors, I wouldn’t leave it. The Son of God has built this Church and it is sustained by the Holy Spirit of God, nothing will ever make me leave it.

Sometimes I feel horrible about life but I still give thanks to God for being a Catholic. Most of the times being Catholic is my only consolation.
 
I cannot locate the study right now, but, I read one that half of those who come in at Easter Vigil are non practicing a year later. That period right after reception is a time of great temptation, people have been in fellowship with others for many months of prep, weekly meetings, socializing, they have built a community.

In 99% of parishes, it ends at the Vigil reception, if there is even a reception.

By encouraging those brand new Catholics to get involved with some part of the parish life, be it prison ministry, singing in the choir, ushers, helping cut the grass or with VBS/Rel Ed, it can help with that “cut adrift” feeling.
 
8 years on and I’ve no regrets whatsoever. Thank God he called me into his Church. Yes, it’s been very challenging at times, but growth is never easy. That’s what shepherds are there for. Thank you my Lord.
 
From my own experience and sorry to say this, but unless the new convert goes out of his way to get involved, there is no support whatsoever.

Given how much the convert had to give up to become Catholic, this is a shame.

But this shouldn’t stop any convert from seeking out the faith on his own. This is when I discovered prayer and now I’m in a much better position.
 
TheLittleLady said:
I cannot locate the study right now, but, I read one that half of those who come in at Easter Vigil are non practicing a year later. That period right after reception is a time of great temptation, people have been in fellowship with others for many months of prep, weekly meetings, socializing, they have built a community.
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newconvertcatholic said:
From my own experience and sorry to say this, but unless the new convert goes out of his way to get involved, there is no support whatsoever.

Given how much the convert had to give up to become Catholic, this is a shame.
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I struggled with this too. You go from loads of support and fellowship to no support once you’ve converted. It felt like it took years to figure out how to make being Catholic a real and meaningful part of my life.
 
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newconvertcatholic said:
From my own experience and sorry to say this, but unless the new convert goes out of his way to get involved, there is no support whatsoever.
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I had an amazing RCIA preparation process (which I did voluntarily, as a baptized and educated, practicing Christian, I could have been received with private instruction, pastor gave me the choice).

After a couple months of sessions, people from various groups, apostolates, orgs came to speak to the RCIA prep sessions. They invited us to become involved (there were a few things where one had to be formally Catholic, but, we were encouraged to come to their meetings and be ready to jump in after Easter in those groups).

One of the parishes involved had a schola choir. They invited any of us to join, told us they would teach us how to chant. There was a rosary making group. Prison ministry.

When I have been involved with RCIA prep sessions I do try to arrange at least one “ministry fair” sort of session.
 
HomeschoolDad said:
Did anyone here, after having been received into the Church as an adult (i.e., baptized or received voluntarily, not as an infant), regret the decision to become Catholic? And if so, why?
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Kinda. My Biggest hurdle right now is while I accept the church makes mistakes I don’t see the hand of God tapping people to act in His name. I’m further frustrated by people who claim I’m just missing it but will be the first in line to slap me down if I move to correct a wrong.

Excuse me but you can’t have it both ways.

As such I don’t feel if God is God. If He is all just then He wouldn’t let there be a unfair chance to find the truth. Allowing entire lifetimes to pass, generations in sadness and pain before some goes “Hey we should fix that.” Is unacceptable.

If there were martyrs, saints, prophets sprinkled in that time trying but failing then sure.
 
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35 years, and not one single, solitary second of regret, not even on the darkest of days for me, or the Church.
 
This is a common part of RCIA, during the Mystogia phase, the four weeks of class AFTER the vigil. Bringing in representatives of the various ministries of the parish to help the recent converts get involved with the parish.

I don’t know if there is an RCIA program out there that doesn’t include this.
 
This is not exactly what the OP was looking for, but I grew up United Methodist and attended both Orthodox and Catholic churches at the same time in college. I ended up being received into Orthodoxy at age 22 and have deeply enjoyed the last 7 years as an Orthodox Christian. It fits me seamlessly, like a glove. Multiple times I’ll think to myself, “This is exactly what I was born for. This is everything I’ve ever wanted in a faith from my youth onward.” So, there’s that.
 
Anrakyr said:
Allowing entire lifetimes to pass, generations in sadness and pain before some goes “Hey we should fix that.” Is unacceptable.
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If you are referring to the abuse crisis. This has certainly upset me. It has caused me to rethink my view of Catholicism, but I still have no regrets about converting.

It feels like God is telling me “Pay more attention!” Being Catholic on some level means being on guard against this type of thing. This is what Jesus directly told us to do in Luke 17:1-3.
 
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Ours didn’t. But the RCIA folks recommended getting involved, which I wanted, too, so I joined the Ladies of St. Blank. Once you say you want to donate some time, you get invited. I now work on the annual garage sale, the annual crafts sale, the fish fry, and the Shoebox Santas (small gift boxes going to Appalachia). There are also men helping out there, mainly for lifting and schlepping the heavy stuff. Guys’ contributions will be appreciated.
 
Still, people have joined the Church mainly to worship God. Joining groups is a good thing, of course, but aren’t we there primarily to converse with God and be in communion with him? So, that statistic of half of new converts dropping out is pretty depressing. It means that those who dropped out didn’t find the joy in talking with God that they expected to find. They didn’t get fulfillment in their prayer life, after taking the time and trouble to join the Church. That is really sad, I think.
 
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