Should I be able to explain my conversion?

[andyklein]

I have just started taking my RCIA classes. But I don’t really have some intellectual answer as to why I want to become Catholic. I can’t explain why I am converting. When other people have asked me why, I have always said something like, “I just am” or “I don’t really know why.” Other people don’t seem to have a problem answering this question, but I shirk away from it when people ask and I hope I never am put in a position where I have to answer it, since I don’t have an answer.

Passion and faith seem to be driving me into conversion. I really want to join the Church, participate in the sacraments, and have everlasting life, which converting will do for me. I get goosebumps when I hear a moving hymn, and I feel humbled being inside a Catholic church or staring at a crucifix. I keep Jesus, His church, and His mother in my thoughts frequently.

I have heard of other converts that intellectually agonized over this decision, but I only know that it is right, period. Should I start rationalizing why I want to become Catholic, or is just accepting Jesus as my savior, his Church as the key to salvation, and feeling spiritually reborn enough?

 

[pablope]

I have just started taking my RCIA classes. But I don’t really have some intellectual answer as to why I want to become Catholic. I can’t explain why I am converting. When other people have asked me why, I have always said something like, “I just am” or “I don’t really know why.” Other people don’t seem to have a problem answering this question, but I shirk away from it when people ask and I hope I never am put in a position where I have to answer it, since I don’t have an answer.

Passion and faith seem to be driving me into conversion. I really want to join the Church, participate in the sacraments, and have everlasting life, which converting will do for me. I get goosebumps when I hear a moving hymn, and I feel humbled being inside a Catholic church or staring at a crucifix. I keep Jesus, His church, and His mother in my thoughts frequently.

I have heard of other converts that intellectually agonized over this decision, but I only know that it is right, period. Should I start rationalizing why I want to become Catholic, or is just accepting Jesus as my savior, his Church as the key to salvation, and feeling spiritually reborn enough?

I think you do not have to rationalize. Answer from the heart…I think which you have already done…just keep praying for guidance.

From what you posted…I would say, it is obedience which is what is getting you moved to enter the Church…you are just obeying what God wants you to do…and cite this passage about odedience…1 Samuel 15:22-23
22 But Samuel replied:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.”

 

[Bill_Martin]

I have just started taking my RCIA classes. But I don’t really have some intellectual answer as to why I want to become Catholic. I can’t explain why I am converting. When other people have asked me why, I have always said something like, “I just am” or “I don’t really know why.” Other people don’t seem to have a problem answering this question, but I shirk away from it when people ask and I hope I never am put in a position where I have to answer it, since I don’t have an answer.

Passion and faith seem to be driving me into conversion. I really want to join the Church, participate in the sacraments, and have everlasting life, which converting will do for me. I get goosebumps when I hear a moving hymn, and I feel humbled being inside a Catholic church or staring at a crucifix. I keep Jesus, His church, and His mother in my thoughts frequently.

I have heard of other converts that intellectually agonized over this decision, but I only know that it is right, period. Should I start rationalizing why I want to become Catholic, or is just accepting Jesus as my savior, his Church as the key to salvation, and feeling spiritually reborn enough?

Tell people this.

 

[Della]

Since this is an apologetics forum you’re going to see most people talking about the intellectual reasons they became Catholic. I have a few, myself. But, the Holy Spirit draws people through many things. Having a sense that something is right is as good a reason as any as long as that sense doesn’t fly in the face of sound reason. There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to what is attractive in the Church. The Church wisely allowed stained glass and statues and beautiful music to be part of its culture for the very purpose of giving every aspect of our being entrance into God’s grace. Our senses are as important as our intellects, although, in the end, knowing that the truth subsists within the Church should be part of what draws us to it, IMHO. Welcome to the RCIA experience. I hope and pray it is a good one for you and that you will be able to have a good foundation for becoming Catholic by Easter Vigil.

 

[hannajomar]

I’ve met some converts who have simply said they felt drawn to it, or they just feel in their heart it’s where God wants them. I met a man who said he just felt home when he went into a Catholic Church. God touches each of us in a very unique way. It’s a very beautiful thing, and I want to say welcome, andyklein!

 

[dje101]

I have just started taking my RCIA classes. But I don’t really have some intellectual answer as to why I want to become Catholic. I can’t explain why I am converting. When other people have asked me why, I have always said something like, “I just am” or “I don’t really know why.” Other people don’t seem to have a problem answering this question, but I shirk away from it when people ask and I hope I never am put in a position where I have to answer it, since I don’t have an answer.

Passion and faith seem to be driving me into conversion. I really want to join the Church, participate in the sacraments, and have everlasting life, which converting will do for me. I get goosebumps when I hear a moving hymn, and I feel humbled being inside a Catholic church or staring at a crucifix. I keep Jesus, His church, and His mother in my thoughts frequently.

I have heard of other converts that intellectually agonized over this decision, but I only know that it is right, period. Should I start rationalizing why I want to become Catholic, or is just accepting Jesus as my savior, his Church as the key to salvation, and feeling spiritually reborn enough?

I was speaking with my pastor a while ago about the RCIA program. During this conversation, he said that…

“people are different. Some people, like me, are more intellectual. They need reasons and proof and explanations. Other people, like my mother, are more of the spiritual and emotional type. They might not have all the answers to all the questions, but they know what is right based on their faith and the movements of the Spirit.”

I think this might refer to you. Just because you can’t rattle off theological or scriptural reasons why you are converting doesn’t mean you don’t have a reason. You are being led by the Spirit of God. I think it is a testament to the amount of faith you have in God by the fact that you are following Him to the Church. That is a bit daunting for a lot of people (it was for me). It kind of reminds me of the faith that Mary had: she didn’t have all the answers, but she submitted to God’s will. It would probably be a good idea to do a little studying of the Church because someone will probably ask you one day why THEY should convert, not why YOU converted, and that’s when you want to have a response ready. But to answer your question…don’t fret about it. Just answer honestly. I think it is better to give an answer that has heart and truth behind it than to give an answer based on what you think people want to hear. People want to hear truth, even if your answer is simply, “I dunno, God just led me here.”

 

[Linusthe2nd]

Passion and faith seem to be driving me into conversion. I really want to join the Church, participate in the sacraments, and have everlasting life, which converting will do for me. I get goosebumps when I hear a moving hymn, and I feel humbled being inside a Catholic church or staring at a crucifix. I keep Jesus, His church, and His mother in my thoughts frequently.

Sounds like a pretty good explanation right there! Obviously God is calling you, that should be sufficient. Just tell people just what you said there but only if they ask. You don’t need to feel like you have to go around telling everyone. I think you have the best reasons anyone could have.

Peace and Blessings

 

[Delaine75]

So happy that you’re taking RCIA classes!! May God bless you through this journey!

As for explaining why you’re converting, as someone else mentioned, just answer from the heart. You seem to have some pretty solid reasons why in your post! That was one of the first questions they asked us when I took RCIA and I felt so nervous at the time (I knew there were TONS of reasons why I wanted to convert) that I just ended up saying something like, “I feel like this is the one true Church that was founded by Christ.” Yes, I could have come up with something more, but the priest said that answer was good enough.

Don’t worry about it at all, just know why you are converting and be at peace with it. As you go forward on this faith journey in your RCIA classes and learn more about everything, you will find so many more reasons for wanting to convert and you will be more at ease in explaining why!

 

[PJM]

=andyklein;9784610]I have just started taking my RCIA classes. But I don’t really have some intellectual answer as to why I want to become Catholic. I can’t explain why I am converting. When other people have asked me why, I have always said something like, “I just am” or “I don’t really know why.” Other people don’t seem to have a problem answering this question, but I shirk away from it when people ask and I hope I never am put in a position where I have to answer it, since I don’t have an answer.

Passion and faith seem to be driving me into conversion. I really want to join the Church, participate in the sacraments, and have everlasting life, which converting will do for me. I get goosebumps when I hear a moving hymn, and I feel humbled being inside a Catholic church or staring at a crucifix. I keep Jesus, His church, and His mother in my thoughts frequently.

EVENTUALLY yes,

BUT don’t spend time worrying about it. God’s WILL; will be done. Just stay close to Him.

The surest answer is God everywhere and everytime taught with consistancty:

Believe in only One God:
Malachias 2:10 “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why then doth every one of us despise his brother, violating the covenant of our fathers?”

Mark 12:29 “And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God”

ONLY One set of Faith beliefs:

Genesis 17:2 “And I will make my covenant [singular] between me and thee: and I will multiply thee exceedingly”

Ephesians 4:5 " One Lord, one faith, one baptism."

And always ONLY ONE chosen people

Exodus 6:7 “And I will take you to myself for my people, I will be your God: and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the work prison of the Egyptians”

Mt. 10:1-4 " And having called his twelve disciples together, he gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of diseases, and all manner of infirmities. And the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the publican, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him

Mt. 16: 18-19 “And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.”

CHRIST DOES THIS FOR NO ONE ELSE BUT HIS CC

Mt. 28: 16,18-20 "And the eleven disciples [APOSTLES] went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I [CHRIST]am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world"

John:20: 19-23 " [19] Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. [20] And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.

[19] The doors were shut: { Explaination] *The same power which could bring Christ’s whole body, entire in all its dimensions, through the doors, can without the least question make the same body really present in the sacrament; though both the one and the other be above our comprehension. *

He [Jesus] said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.[MEANS WITH CHRIST OWN POWERS AND AUTHORITY][When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: **Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."

So my friend you have GOOD REASONS for responding to God’s Call to you persoannly to join His ONLY Church.

Look for a private message from me as a follow up.

God Bless,
pat /PJM here on this forum

 

[Nigel7]

Passion and faith seem to be driving me into conversion. I really want to join the Church, participate in the sacraments, and have everlasting life, which converting will do for me. I get goosebumps when I hear a moving hymn, and I feel humbled being inside a Catholic church or staring at a crucifix. I keep Jesus, His church, and His mother in my thoughts frequently.

Tell people this. ^

My thoughts exactly. Looks like a fine explanation to me, andy.

 

[Qwestions]

Welcome, andyklein!

Matthew 22:14 “For many are called but few are chosen.”

We can’t always immediately verbalize our thoughts in regards to life-shifting events. You have a certainty, a peace, and a strong gut feeling that you are doing the right thing. Go with it.

Place your trust in the Holy Trinity. Abide in them. Spending time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is helpful. I think of it as faith-strengthening by osmosis, or a Catholic B-12 shot…

Give yourself time, andy. Continue to pray and contemplate. Jot down questions and issues that you think of, in order not to forget them when you have discussion opportunities in RCIA. You’ll be better able to articulate your thoughts when RCIA has concluded. You’ll also learn oodles on the Internet.

You are responsible for your soul. You owe no explanations to anyone other than God. Keep talking to Him and you’ll be more comfortable in your choice as time passes.

Best wishes to you.