Those of you that are converting from other Religious traditions

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adamhovey1988

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What is it that brought you home to the Church? Have you had any trouble accepting Church teachings? Are you already baptized? The last one I asked because I had a friend (God rest his soul) that was raised Disciples of Christ and was worried he would not be able to get proof of his Baptism. Well, turns out that he was on record as being Baptized at the age of 12, so I guess at least some Disciples of Christ keep baptismal records. (He was worried, because he did not want to be conditionally re-baptized). Were you ever Catholic before? Were you ever Anti-Catholic? Or did you just never give Catholics much though? Happy Ash Wednesday. God bless.
-Adam
 
I was greatly attracted to the sacraments- especially the Eucharist. What sealed the deal for me, though was Church authority. Who had the right to define doctrine? How do we know our beliefs are true? No Protestant church could sufficiently answer that question.

I was never anti-Catholic. I respected the Church’s tradition, but simply didn’t understand all her beliefs. My faith journey started last year and I’m happy to say that I’m entering the Church this Easter. I quickly realized that this is where I’m supposed to be and haven’t looked back since!
 
I was born again in the 1990s and attended Word of faith denominations. I was very anti catholic. I cooled down from 2000 onwards and from 2002 to about 2006 attended the catholic charismatic prayer meetings and protestant groups at the same time. I then joined an inclusive group of christians whose doctrines are similar to the plymouth brethren group. I am still with them today and have been very committed.

I have however attended one mass this year and i thought it was good. I must admit part of the reason i enjoyed it afterwards was some of my former colleagues from work go to this church and there was so much love not to mention the presence of rich people( It is in a wealthy neighborhood). Yeah sorry i am a bit of a social climber as i am in sales and marketing.

I also attended a charismatic meeting but was not impressed by them. I no longer believe in tongues and falling all over.

I struggle with the prayers to mary and the saints and do not see myself becoming catholic. I might however join the anglicans.
 
iansek #3
I was born again in the 1990s and attended Word of faith denominations. I was very anti catholic. I cooled down from 2000 onwards and from 2002 to about 2006 attended the catholic charismatic prayer meetings and protestant groups at the same time. I then joined an inclusive group of christians whose doctrines are similar to the plymouth brethren group. I am still with them today and have been very committed.
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I struggle with the prayers to mary and the saints and do not see myself becoming catholic. I might however join the anglicans.
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Would it not be wise to get to know Jesus Christ Himself as He taught and founded His own Church, and no other, on St Peter?

After all He was very clear and specific:
**All four promises to Peter alone: **
“You are Peter and on this rock I will build My Church.” (Mt 16:18)
“The gates of hell will not prevail against it.”(Mt 16:18)
I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 16:19)
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” (Mt 16:19) [Later, also to the Twelve]

Sole authority:
“Strengthen your brethren.” (Lk 22:32)
“Feed My sheep.”(Jn 21:17).

“Go and teach all nations….teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). That is the purpose of Christ making St Peter His Supreme Vicar – to safeguard all of His teaching.

Peter is conspicuously involved in all the Church’s important “firsts.” Peter initiated the election of the first successor to an Apostle ( Acts 1:13-26). Peter preached the first sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:14), and received the first converts (Acts 2:4 1). Peter performed the first miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3:6-7), inflicted the first punishment upon Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11), and excommunicated the first heretic Simon the magician (Acts 8:2 1).

“So great fear came upon all the Church and upon all who heard these things. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.” (Acts 5:11-13).

Peter is the first Apostle to raise a person from the dead (Acts 9:36-4 1). Peter first received the revelation to admit Gentiles into the Church (Acts 10:9-16), and commanded that the first Gentile converts be baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

Christ’s Catholic Church is the only Church with Christ’s Supreme Vicar, the Pope (St Peter was His first Pope); has all of the seven sacraments, the priesthood with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Christ’s complete teaching with His mandate to teach on every new fancy such as IVF or cloning, abortion, and all we need.
 
Abu said:
Would it not be wise to get to know Jesus Christ Himself as He taught and founded His own Church, and no other, on St Peter?

After all He was very clear and specific:
**All four promises to Peter alone: **
“You are Peter and on this rock I will build My Church.” (Mt 16:18)
“The gates of hell will not prevail against it.”(Mt 16:18)
I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 16:19)
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” (Mt 16:19) [Later, also to the Twelve]

Sole authority:
“Strengthen your brethren.” (Lk 22:32)
“Feed My sheep.”(Jn 21:17).

“Go and teach all nations….teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). That is the purpose of Christ making St Peter His Supreme Vicar – to safeguard all of His teaching.

Peter is conspicuously involved in all the Church’s important “firsts.” Peter initiated the election of the first successor to an Apostle ( Acts 1:13-26). Peter preached the first sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:14), and received the first converts (Acts 2:4 1). Peter performed the first miracle after Pentecost (Acts 3:6-7), inflicted the first punishment upon Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11), and excommunicated the first heretic Simon the magician (Acts 8:2 1).

“So great fear came upon all the Church and upon all who heard these things. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.” (Acts 5:11-13).

Peter is the first Apostle to raise a person from the dead (Acts 9:36-4 1). Peter first received the revelation to admit Gentiles into the Church (Acts 10:9-16), and commanded that the first Gentile converts be baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

Christ’s Catholic Church is the only Church with Christ’s Supreme Vicar, the Pope (St Peter was His first Pope); has all of the seven sacraments, the priesthood with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Christ’s complete teaching with His mandate to teach on every new fancy such as IVF or cloning, abortion, and all we need.
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My closest female friend belongs to a Conservative break-away Anglican denomination and prays the Rosary (broke away from the Episcopal church in the United States). I told her something that, I think may have upset her, but I was charitable. I told her that since her pastor (probably) doesn’t have a valid ordination (most Anglican clergy don’t, but there are some oddities like the Old Catholics) that she is not really receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. I did remind her that her baptism is indeed valid, and if God wills that she gets grace from that communion I don’t see why he would withhold it. But I did in fact explain that what she receives is not the Body and Blood of Christ. I was charitable in my attitude, and though she (to the best of my knowledge) still believes it is, she seemed to have no trouble understanding why I disagree with her. She is very Catholic in her thought process with regards to Sacraments, and part of the reason she joined her denomination is because she wanted to be part of a liturgical tradition. I remember she told me the first time she went to that church with a friend of hers that she had “never been to a church with candles”. Know this friend. Anglicanism can be very beautiful. In fact, we Catholics have many clergy that are former Anglicans. We even have a Mass using the Anglican rite (if you get the chance, go to one, I haven’t yet, but I found out there is an Anglican-use Mass celebrated once a month near where I live, maybe I’ll check it out). But what Abu said is correct: It all boils down to authority.
 
The intelligence of certain priests and apologists that post on Youtube- Fr Rob Barron, Jimmy Akin, Scott Hahn and the realisation through them that the Eucharist is more than i thought it was and it was more than Peter’s faith that Christ established the Church on.
 
iansek #3
I struggle with the prayers to mary and the saints and do not see myself becoming catholic.
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Why should anyone fight against the reality that Jesus chose His Mother and therefore she is conceived without sin as the Angel Gabriel announced: “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee.” [Lk 1:28]. The Greek indicates a perfection of grace. How could the Christ have been conceived with Original sin?

Just as we can pray for those who have died and may be in Purgatory, so can we pray to those who are already saints in heaven enjoying the Beatific Vision of God.

Which other “church” has been given the fullness of truth that Christ guaranteed to the Catholic Church which he founded on St Peter? How could anyone else claim this without His authorisation?
I might however join the anglicans.
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Why?

They were among the first to throw away the practice and doctrine against contraception in 1930 at the Lambeth Conference. They lost the Magisterium and the priesthood with the rupture by Henry VIII, and therefore the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, most of the sacraments, and have now chosen what they call women “priests” and “bishops”, and have no clear teaching on many vital moral questions such as abortion, euthanasia and more.
 
adamhovey1988 said:
What is it that brought you home to the Church? Have you had any trouble accepting Church teachings? Are you already baptized? The last one I asked because I had a friend (God rest his soul) that was raised Disciples of Christ and was worried he would not be able to get proof of his Baptism. Well, turns out that he was on record as being Baptized at the age of 12, so I guess at least some Disciples of Christ keep baptismal records. (He was worried, because he did not want to be conditionally re-baptized). Were you ever Catholic before? Were you ever Anti-Catholic? Or did you just never give Catholics much though? Happy Ash Wednesday. God bless.
-Adam
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It was first and foremost taking the words of Scripture seriously. Secondly that the notion that God would have left His Church in darkness for a thousand years or more became repugnant to me. Thirdly even as I became more and more liturgical I found myself asking the question of authority. Finally the peace in my own soul was the final push.

God Bless.
 
Great thread for lent.

I love converts, what immense motivation their witness brings. Many times, quite appreciative of their past, but wanting fullness in life.

What strength to move on it.

Thanks for sharing.

Have a great Lent!
 
ffg said:
Great thread for lent.

I love converts, what immense motivation their witness brings. Many times, quite appreciative of their past, but wanting fullness in life.

What strength to move on it.

Thanks for sharing.

Have a great Lent!
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Thanks. I am actually a convert myself
 
Catchy (for lack of a better word) thread title. I actually clicked just to find out whether “other Religious traditions” meant just non-Christians, or whether it also included non-Catholic Christians.
 
But why do people bring saint’s bones (e.g. St. Willibrord) inside of a chest to walk with it around the city? I know that st. Willibrord is the patron saint of my country, but still…
 
I haven’t converted just yet but intend to soon. All of my family are Baptist (SBC) I couldn’t help to wonder why we did what we did at church. (Alter call, communion once a quarter, once saved always saved etc.) I felt that I was saved, baptized, and slammed in a pew. So, I started doing my own research as to why we did the things we do. Come to find out we had our own traditions created by a man from England who didn’t like the church teaching he was in (anglican). So he started his own denomination thus Baptizing himself. That didn’t sit well with me nor could I find OSAS clearly defined in scripture. So I visitied the methodist, same thing there. Then the Episcopal Church USA. I was told they are Catholic lite, so I visited a Roman Catholic Church, it felt good like I was where I needed to be but, Wow so much to learn from my Baptist faith up bringing. So here I am on CA (lurking mostly but learning tremendous amounts from some of you.) as for my old church teaching anti Catholic rhetoric…it didn’t happen. My family still to this day says to me that I must go where the Lords leads me. My biggest hurdle was praying to anyone else but Jesus alone, I have since gotten way past that. To put it in a nutshell…Jesus started the Catholic Church and that’s where my wife, kids and myself will be going. :signofcross:
 
Larryk113 said:
I haven’t converted just yet but intend to soon. All of my family are Baptist (SBC) I couldn’t help to wonder why we did what we did at church. (Alter call, communion once a quarter, once saved always saved etc.) I felt that I was saved, baptized, and slammed in a pew. So, I started doing my own research as to why we did the things we do. Come to find out we had our own traditions created by a man from England who didn’t like the church teaching he was in (anglican). So he started his own denomination thus Baptizing himself. That didn’t sit well with me nor could I find OSAS clearly defined in scripture. So I visitied the methodist, same thing there. Then the Episcopal Church USA. I was told they are Catholic lite, so I visited a Roman Catholic Church, it felt good like I was where I needed to be but, Wow so much to learn from my Baptist faith up bringing. So here I am on CA (lurking mostly but learning tremendous amounts from some of you.) as for my old church teaching anti Catholic rhetoric…it didn’t happen. My family still to this day says to me that I must go where the Lords leads me. My biggest hurdle was praying to anyone else but Jesus alone, I have since gotten way past that. To put it in a nutshell…Jesus started the Catholic Church and that’s where my wife, kids and myself will be going. :signofcross:
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Larry-

Read good Catholic books every night before turning out the light.

Welcome home!
 
Larryk113 said:
I haven’t converted just yet but intend to soon. All of my family are Baptist (SBC) I couldn’t help to wonder why we did what we did at church. (Alter call, communion once a quarter, once saved always saved etc.) I felt that I was saved, baptized, and slammed in a pew. So, I started doing my own research as to why we did the things we do. Come to find out we had our own traditions created by a man from England who didn’t like the church teaching he was in (anglican). So he started his own denomination thus Baptizing himself. That didn’t sit well with me nor could I find OSAS clearly defined in scripture. So I visitied the methodist, same thing there. Then the Episcopal Church USA. I was told they are Catholic lite, so I visited a Roman Catholic Church, it felt good like I was where I needed to be but, Wow so much to learn from my Baptist faith up bringing. So here I am on CA (lurking mostly but learning tremendous amounts from some of you.) as for my old church teaching anti Catholic rhetoric…it didn’t happen. My family still to this day says to me that I must go where the Lords leads me. My biggest hurdle was praying to anyone else but Jesus alone, I have since gotten way past that. To put it in a nutshell…Jesus started the Catholic Church and that’s where my wife, kids and myself will be going. :signofcross:
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This is really cool!
 
ptisme said:
Very good book… Check out ALL of Scott Hahn’s books as well:)
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I’ve read Scott’s book Rome Sweet Home. It was hard to put down, It related so well to my current self. What are some other good books by him that you know of.
I’ve also read Lead, Kindly light by Thomas howard, another good book.
 
bogeydogg said:
It was first and foremost taking the words of Scripture seriously. Secondly that the notion that God would have left His Church in darkness for a thousand years or more became repugnant to me. Thirdly even as I became more and more liturgical I found myself asking the question of authority. Finally the peace in my own soul was the final push.

God Bless.
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That’s the Mormon argument, I believe. What did you struggle the most with?
 
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