Share your "Moment of Change"

[JRKH]

I’m new to Catholicism, and new to this board - my faith is stronger ever day, but I’m wondering if this is the right place for me.

I do hope that you are refering to the boards and not your Catholic Faith.

Yes this thread started out a bit rough. That is my fault I am afraid. But there are a growing number of stories being posted and I hope you will share yours.

Blessings

James

 

[VoxOrion]

I mean the board. I don’t even mean that as a broad criticism, I’m just not finding what I expected here for “newer” Catholics seeking to strengthen their faith in fellowship with others. I percieve a lot of walls (typical to internet message boards, not special to the folks here, or Catholics), and many topics of discussion that are a distraction to me at this point in my spiritual growth, although I look forward to learning more and more as I grow.

Ironically, I saw the thread title and thought “that’s what I’ve been looking for” - but you know how it goes

 

[LilyM]

I’m kind of surprised at the resistance, almost hostility, toward the idea of individuals sharing a moment about their conversion - I see numerous “Tiber Swim Team” footers for posters - I can’t believe that converts are unable to put something together. At some point many of us were not Catholic, then determined that we were Catholic - isn’t that the very definition of change? I don’t know whether to take it as some kind of extraordianry piety, or being contrarian for contrarian’s sake (or the whiff of protestantism associated with discussing a change).

Perhaps some of you who are converts have forgotten the strength and visibility of Christ working in people’s lives you experienced when hearing other’s tell of their conversion stories, or perhaps it’s hard for a cradle Catholic to appreciate them.

I’m new to Catholicism, and new to this board - my faith is stronger ever day, but I’m wondering if this is the right place for me.

Not hostility, but perhaps misunderstanding. The simple fact is for an awful lot of people faith, understanding, and a relationship with God, grows slowly over time - so much so that many of us can’t really point to any one moment where it started.

The other is that such emotional ‘experiences’ of or about God are notoriously untrustworthy as guides to our faith or lack thereof - witness the staggering number of false apparitions of Mary or Jesus, and the endless parade of deluded people claiming to be speaking in His name due to some so-called ‘epiphany’ they’ve had.

Many of our greatest saints, even great mystics like St Teresa of Avila or St John of the Cross, repeatedly teach us that the emotions are no barometer at all as to how your faith life is growing or progressing.

And in this day and age where an endless parade of televangelists regularly attempt to, and often succeed in, manufacturing just such experiences in people, it is right to be somewhat suspicious of 'em.

 

[Ceil-1]

I had one of those conversion experiences I think you are looking for.

I came from a Catholic family, but my mother dabbled in new age, astrology, that sort of thing. We grew up in a Protestant area. I came from devout people on both sides, but we were living in a rural area away from Catholic influences.

These people made nice friends, but they took it for granted that the Catholic church led us “the other way”. Mary was a particularly sore point with them. Eventually, the confusion between new age beliefs purported by my mother, and the anti-
Catholic sentiments of my friends and acquaintances caused me to abandon religion all together. I had a quasi-unitarian view of the world by the time I went to college. My morality went downhill pretty fast with nothing to rein me in.

This philosophy I adopted taught that we humans work our way to Divinity by perfecting ourselves. It gave a passing nod to Christ, though it denied that He suffered actual pain on the Cross. It claimed He was once a person like us, but through perfecting Himself became the most perfect being. Honestly, there were some Mormon beliefs thrown in there for good measure. All this seems too stupid for words now, but there are actual settlements of professional people who hold to this philosophy. They have children and families and everything. I think this guy must have taken from about every religion and philosophy known to mankind. Oh, and it purported reincarnation as a main tenet. This all sounded pretty intruiguing to me, being naive of all the dangers and heresy.

Eventually, I got married and had children, but by then, I was pretty much morally tapped out. I didn’t realize this, of course, but by then I had begun to realize this philosophy was more or less bogus. Deep in my heart I knew something was wrong.
I met a nice lady who invited me to her Christmas concert at her Lutheran church. The concert, of course, sang about Jesus, and deep in my soul this part of me began screaming out for Jesus.
I did not change anything at that point, however.

Shortly after that, I was invited to the wedding of a childhood friend
(one of the Protestants who led me away from the Faith). It was a touching ceremony, I won’t bore you with the details, but it influenced me deeply. During the sermon, the pastor quoted the passage that talked about the house that was built on the rock instead of the sand withstanding the storm. At that moment, I felt something I call holy shock go through me. I realized that I had been building my house on sand, not the rock of the Church. Suddenly, all the muddled thoughts I had been laboring under all those years fell away. The “scales” fell from my eyes, so to speak. I had a complete and total conversion at that very moment. What is more, at that time I “heard” with my heart the Lord (or was it an angel), “You will work to affirm the family”. I knew this was in reference to my husband’s refusal to have more children.

At first I thought I should be in the Wesleyan church because that is where I had my conversion. Yet, every time I passed a Catholic Church, my heart ached for Communion. I had never been told that the Eucharist was the Body and Blood. I had never even heard the term. Yet, I couldn’t shake it. I eventually saw a holy priest who really knew his stuff. I have never turned back, not once. I have evangelized my husband and children as well. My children are theological experts compared to me at their age.

Of course I attribute my conversion to my Godmother’s prayers to the Blessed Mother who interceeded in this special way on my behalf. Thank you, BMV! I love you.

 

[JRKH]

Ceil-1

It’s interesting some of the points about your sojourn into philosophy that parallel my own. Particularly in the area of trying to discern the relationship between Jesus’ humanity and Godhead.

Thanks for sharing

James

 

[LISA_Annette]

I have been debating on whether I should write this, because it really isn’t a tear-jerking story, and it isn’t as if I have been a paragon of spirituality since then—it is just that as Jesus said of Lazarus, I was dead and now had come to life (been ressurrected), but have some infirmites of soul still

When I was twenty I was involved in much immorality and trouble-making. I came back home after a period of having left to do my thing, and I was laying in my parents room, knowing that I was going nowhere really—wanting to figure out a way to tell them I needed help, and needed to stay with them. I believed they would be mad at me.
I saw from beneath may parents bed, some clutter of old magazines and other stuff, and a yellowed newspaper. I picked it up thinking to myself that this is the limit—saving an OLD NEWSPAPER from 1936! I flipped through it, and a picture of the Sacred Heart popped right out at me----I had never seen something so odd—Jesus holding out his HEART. But He looked so benign and meek, I continued to read out of curiosity. It was the “dialogue fo Jesus” speaking to the weary soul—maybe you have seen this before. I read it, and my heart began to thump. In short He said in the article that I needed to turn myself over to Him, as HE wanted to be Lord of My soul, and I nodded "YES". I looked over at the Immaculate Heart of Mary—Who is THAT? This is my mother, it read—and she will help you too. Pray the rosary daily. I had NEVER prayed it, so I was very curious.

I ran to the kitchen, and asked my mom about the rosary—and she said “What??” I said, How do I pray a rosary???" She was VERY confused because I never cared before about praying. She mumbled something but looked disintrested. I could barely sleep that night—my heart was thumping as if it had been revived! I must have slept becasue I awoke with the same excitement.

The article encouraged me to go to confession, so I went to confession, and asked the priest how to say the rosary. He gave me a booklet from the rectory office.

My parents accepted me home again, with reservations, but were very very suprised to see that I did not party anymore, but went to daily mass instead—(Is she gonna be a nun NOW?? My dad said critically with a sarcastic laugh)—I went to college, and studied to be a teacher. Didn’t skip a beat, didn’t ditch a class—honest I threw away every article of clothing that was immodest (almost everything) , and wouldn’t dare sell it in a garage sale, like my mom suggested—how could I let someone else wear what I thought inappropriate for myself and the Lord?? I bought myself some new inexpensive clothes. I quit my bad friends who only partied, was lonely for about a year, but eventually found some good friends in a Catholic Youth Conference. I met my husband there.

 

[VoxOrion]

Not hostility, but perhaps misunderstanding. The simple fact is for an awful lot of people faith, understanding, and a relationship with God, grows slowly over time - so much so that many of us can’t really point to any one moment where it started.

The other is that such emotional ‘experiences’ of or about God are notoriously untrustworthy as guides to our faith or lack thereof - witness the staggering number of false apparitions of Mary or Jesus, and the endless parade of deluded people claiming to be speaking in His name due to some so-called ‘epiphany’ they’ve had.

Many of our greatest saints, even great mystics like St Teresa of Avila or St John of the Cross, repeatedly teach us that the emotions are no barometer at all as to how your faith life is growing or progressing.

And in this day and age where an endless parade of televangelists regularly attempt to, and often succeed in, manufacturing just such experiences in people, it is right to be somewhat suspicious of 'em.

I can’t help but think that while each of your points is valid and correct, they are off-point non sequiters, and deliberately so. How much time is spent on EWTN television and radio dedicated to conversion stories? How many books exist on the subject of conversion? What is Rome Sweet Home, or Crossing the Tiber? Are you suggesting there is no place for this because it’s a distraction, or worse some kind of risk to sin? Should our conversion of faith and joy in finding Christ through His Church something we should keep secret and internal so as not to appear like televangelists? That reeks of insecurity to me. Are you suggesting that the joy one experiences when joing the Church should be distrusted, instead of seen as Christ’s work in His child?

I don’t disagree that Christ works in us throughout our lives, but dismissing the power of conversion to spite that fact (and I agree that you assert a fact) not only seems unreasonable, but discouraging for reasons that remain unclear and certainly unproductive. Of course one is childlike in their understanding of their faith upon conversion versus many years of living life through Christ, but that seems to be an observation that doesn’t require suppression of discussing one’s conversion.

It seems as though a lot of baggage was inserted into this thread with the purpose of spiting the person who originally posed the question, instead of allowing the question to go answered for what it is “Share your “Moment of Change””.

I believe you are raging against something no one has suggested.

 

[JRKH]

I have been debating on whether I should write this, because it really isn’t a tear-jerking story, and it isn’t as if I have been a paragon of spirituality since then—it is just that as Jesus said of Lazarus, I was dead and now had come to life (been ressurrected), but have some infirmites of soul still…

What a story.
Thank you for sharing it.
Your testimony about still having infirmities of soul re-enforces the journey aspect.

May God continue to Bless you on your Journey

James

 

[AngelsAmongUs]

I can’t help but think that while each of your points is valid and correct, they are off-point non sequiters, and deliberately so. How much time is spent on EWTN television and radio dedicated to conversion stories? How many books exist on the subject of conversion? What is Rome Sweet Home, or Crossing the Tiber? Are you suggesting there is no place for this because it’s a distraction, or worse some kind of risk to sin? Should our conversion of faith and joy in finding Christ through His Church something we should keep secret and internal so as not to appear like televangelists? That reeks of insecurity to me. Are you suggesting that the joy one experiences when joing the Church should be distrusted, instead of seen as Christ’s work in His child?

I don’t disagree that Christ works in us throughout our lives, but dismissing the power of conversion to spite that fact (and I agree that you assert a fact) not only seems unreasonable, but discouraging for reasons that remain unclear and certainly unproductive. Of course one is childlike in their understanding of their faith upon conversion versus many years of living life through Christ, but that seems to be an observation that doesn’t require suppression of discussing one’s conversion.

It seems as though a lot of baggage was inserted into this thread with the purpose of spiting the person who originally posed the question, instead of allowing the question to go answered for what it is “Share your “Moment of Change””.

I believe you are raging against something no one has suggested.

So, post your “moment of change.” I did post but I guess my answer was too generic for you or something. As for the conversion stories like those on the Journey Home and such they have at least 30 minutes worth of talking and explaining. Their lives and discoveries aren’t comprised in a single moment either. They tell of many different moments in their lives when things changed for them. Every moment leading them to the next. It’s not fair to say because we aren’t picking “one” particular moment in our lives that we are being insincere or reluctant to share our stories. Yes, people have written books talking about their conversions…BOOKS. If their conversion stories were narrowed down to one date and time in their lives they wouldn’t need to write a book. It would be more like a paragraph or two.

By the way, I was being sincere with what I posted. I’m sorry that it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. But I listed several moments that were important in my life.

 

[LISA_Annette]

What a story.
Thank you for sharing it.
Your testimony about still having infirmities of soul re-enforces the journey aspect.

May God continue to Bless you on your Journey

James

Thanks JRKH—after twentysomething years, the thumping of my heart (at that time) is still such a vivid memory—and since I have not had such vivid experiences like that since, I am glad to think back on it when I am tempted to disbelieve in the Power of God—Thank you for this thread. .:hug1: — to remember that, gives me courage to go on with my journey.

 

[VoxOrion]

So, post your “moment of change.” I did post but I guess my answer was too generic for you or something. As for the conversion stories like those on the Journey Home and such they have at least 30 minutes worth of talking and explaining. Their lives and discoveries aren’t comprised in a single moment either. They tell of many different moments in their lives when things changed for them. Every moment leading them to the next. It’s not fair to say because we aren’t picking “one” particular moment in our lives that we are being insincere or reluctant to share our stories. Yes, people have written books talking about their conversions…BOOKS. If their conversion stories were narrowed down to one date and time in their lives they wouldn’t need to write a book. It would be more like a paragraph or two.

By the way, I was being sincere with what I posted. I’m sorry that it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. But I listed several moments that were important in my life.

I don’t question your sincerity and wasn’t referring to your post, story, or any of that. I apologize for upsetting you, although I’m not following your logic at all.

I logged back in specifically to apologize to the group and to LilyM for arguing, it served no purpose and was a waste of all of your time.

 

[Coreopisis]

I mean the board. I don’t even mean that as a broad criticism, I’m just not finding what I expected here for “newer” Catholics seeking to strengthen their faith in fellowship with others. I percieve a lot of walls (typical to internet message boards, not special to the folks here, or Catholics), and many topics of discussion that are a distraction to me at this point in my spiritual growth, although I look forward to learning more and more as I grow.

Ironically, I saw the thread title and thought “that’s what I’ve been looking for” - but you know how it goes

VoxOrion,
Welcome to the Catholic faith.

I to was surprised at what felt like resistance to this persons request at hearing about spiritual turning points. However we must do our best not to judge, instead try to lead by example. Besides it is really to easy to misinterpret what someones intention was in writing where you can’t hear their voice or see their face. After all, we would want anyone to jump to conclusions about what we write either. *

Instead of confronting anyone or posting what I thought might have been going on I instead approached it with my own sincere post and as you will see some people then posted afterward.

You are going to find on these boards that what you get out of it is what you put in. Even though you are a new convert you could be further along in your spiritual journey than other convrets. Who is to say? So when you come accross something that is a distraction, ignore it, or if you feel inspired to do so voice your opinion but try to do so gently and you’ll find people willing to listen and perhaps agree and follow.

Maybe you should start a thread calling to new converts for their fellowship?

Peace be with you VoxOrion, God bless and welcome. These boards aren’t perfect but they are human and we are all here to learn.*

 

[JRKH]

Coreopisis and VoxOrion and all,

I appreciate all the feedback and hope that no one is feeling “jumped on”. I am encouraged by the posts I’m seeing and hope that it will continue.

Perhaps I erred in copying Ginger’s post in my OP. It seems that it created an initial fear among some that I and/or Ginger was just trying to get a rise or start a debate. That was not and is not my intent.

I would love for this thread to be a non-controversial place to share moments, events, even people who were significant in their journey into or back to The Church. I hope that I can rely on those who have already shared to help me welcome others who wish to share.

God Bless All on Their Journey

James

 

[Stylteralmaldo]

Did any Catholic ever experience that moment of change when you finally understood, and began to long for God with your whole heart and soul? I mean REALLY long for Him - for His will to be fulfilled thru you. To be able to give something back to Him.

Faith is a continual process so I can’t p(name removed by moderator)oint any one moment. That “moment of change” seems to be constantly penetrating my soul. I’ll list a few:

• My dad took me on a trip to our cottage in northern Wisconsin. There was a bald eagle high above and my dad said to watch him closely. As I watched I saw the eagle start to dive towards the car and then grabbed a small animal from the side of the road. I never was so close to that magnificent bird than before then. It wasn’t so much incident of seeing the eagle as it was a moment I was able to share with my father from my youth.
• My sister’s two-year old daughter fell into a pool and was in critical condition as the result of drowning. I never prayed so hard in my life. I asked God for everything to be alright. As I was praying the rosary I felt a sense of calm and knew in my heart everything was going to be alright. Although my little niece did die that day, my sister’s family became much closer in their relationship with God. I had no doubt after that in God’s working to make better a situation that was not good to start with.
• I had been suffering through some anxieties that for the longest time I had been excusing as being the result of others as opposed to my own self-imposed weaknesses. I have come to realize that even though anxieties may be caused initially by others, I have the choice to let those anxieties control my life or to allow God to make them better for not only myself but for the sake of others as well.
  These lessons are a reminder to me that throughout life we are continually being called closer to God if we would just allow God to work through us. Each moment is a moment of change. There is no “one” moment. Perhaps the “one” moment was when I was Baptized as an infant. I am thankful for that gift. The gradual walk with Christ is awesome. God knows me better than I know myself. For this I am thankful as well.

 

[Susan1006]

I am a confirmed convert of five years. But I was always fascinated with the “smells and bells” of the Church, when I attended a Mass for any reason as a young person. I remember commenting on that, once and someone said to me that the Catholic Church appeals to all our senses because God created us as sensing beings, and wants us to experience His love with all our abilities.
I was a desperate spirituality junkie until I was 50 years old, searching high and low for a way to get closer to God. For some reason, I thought I would have to find some kind of esoteric truth no one else could explain or experience to get next to God. True to form, I still sometimes believe I am the only person who REALLY appreciates that Jesus died a hideous death for us. Seriously, I was pretty amazed to discover that God was alive and well in the Catholic Church and just waiting fro me to suit up and show up. I believe that the Christian experience should express a desire to please the One who created and redeemed us. This may be taken as playing a word game, but God is changeless, and created us in His image. Why should we look for change in ourselves? We need to discover more who we really already are and quit embarassing ourselves by not living up to our birthright.
God actually put me in a small Catholic town in the midwest where the church community was welcoming and I was encouraged to learn the truth about the faith and discern if I would be able make the commitment. I began to learn, chose to make the commitment and I was and am still enchanted with what I have found in the church. But it is my commitment to that church and its Head that makes me a Christian, not my enjoyment of the whole experience.
I may sound like a prunefaced legalistic Christian, but I am not. I have been blessed with joy and I have the ability to laugh easily and often.
I am the happiest of persons, a woman who is able to serve her father, God, and who is secure in His love and protection…most of the time.