Was Rich Mullins Catholic?

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I have always been a big Rich Mullins fan and found him to hit the nail on the head in a very simplistic way about faith. I knew he wasn’t Catholic, but still could find God easily in his words and songs. I think I saw a glimpse of something somewhere when I was searching for a radio tribute done after his death that he was working on conversion to the Catholic faith. That would make even more sense to me. Does anyone know if that is true?
 
sjegts said:
I have always been a big Rich Mullins fan and found him to hit the nail on the head in a very simplistic way about faith. I knew he wasn’t Catholic, but still could find God easily in his words and songs. I think I saw a glimpse of something somewhere when I was searching for a radio tribute done after his death that he was working on conversion to the Catholic faith. That would make even more sense to me. Does anyone know if that is true?
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That is true, he was going through the process of becoming a Catholic

cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=5876

You can even see his intentions in this interview

audiori.com/richmullins/articles/catholic.html
 
sjegts said:
Thank you for the information.
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No problem 👍

I enjoy his music as well. I had a youth minister that I worked with that was a huge fan and he is the one that got me interested in Rich Mullins and the one that told me about his intentions to become Catholic.
 
I had an opportunity to see him once in concert and passed it up and will always regret that. I love his simplicity. I have a wonderful tribute that is a blend of his views on spirituality, family, government, etc. blended with his music that I treasure. Sometimes, when I am really struggling and find myself in the “arid prayer zone” I will pop that in and it restores me. I think he truly exemplified his faith more than any other Christian artist I have become familiar with.
 
I believe he also took a vow of poverty, as well. 🙂

I went to Lincoln Christian College before I converted, and the faculty and members of the college were big fans of his until they found out he was on the path to conversion. After he died, I actually had a professor there tell a class I was in that he thought God took him away because he was going to convert and God didn’t want him to. :bigyikes:

I still can’t believe that someone claiming to be a Christian would make a comment like that.

Scout :tiphat:
 
Maybe because of his impending conversion God thought he was finally ready?🙂
 
This article discusses his anticipiated reception into the Church. From the article:
“There was a sense of urgency,” said the priest. “He told me, ‘This may sound strange, but I HAVE to receive the body and blood of Christ.’ I told him, ‘That doesn’t sound strange at all. That sounds wonderful.’ … Of course, I’ll always remember that conversation. Rich finally sounded like he was at peace with his decision.”
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This took place a night or two before he died.
 
Elzee said:
This is from another thread…“cs lewis and rich mullins were very instrumental in pointing me toward rome. neither were catholic at the time, but both were on the rome side of me, and opened my mind to some of the things i misunderstood that catholics teach.”

This may seem like an odd question, but I ordered a Rich Mullins cd a few months ago because I love his music and especailly his lyrics, but was surprised when the booklet inside the cd had pictures of an old church, a rosary, a statue of Mary, etc. One of the songs on the cd "Screen Door’ also talks about the need for faith AND works. It seems like a very ‘Catholic’ cd in many ways.

Ever since I got this CD I’ve wondered if Mr. Mullins was Catholic or on the road to Catholicism when he died. Does anyone know? The post above seems to imply he was, but it also implies C.S. Lews became Catholic…something I didnt’ know either. Thanks!
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One week away.

Here’s the article:

tmatt.gospelcom.net/column/1998/05/06/
 
Rich Millins was in RCIA class. He wanted to become a Roman Catholic. He died shortly before he could. I believe that because he died with that desire of becoming Roman Catholic, he died a Roman Catholic.

Thats my understanding at least.
 
I have always loved his music, we seem to sing it often at my parish. He looked very young in that picure. How old was he?
 
As a Rich Mullins fan, I want to pass this along, I know it is a few years late, but I think it may remove some questions about his conversion to the Church.

tmatt.net/1998/05/06/rich-mullins-enigmatic-restless-catholic/

In Christ

FJ.

“If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now thy have seen and hated both me and my Father.” (Jn 15:24)
 
Hi All,

I will try to keep this short, but at the same time try to explain a question I have come across.

A while back I began listening to Contemporary Christian Music. I was immediately drawn to Rich Mullins and wanted hear his music and learn more about him. I began reading information on this site and also on various legitimate Catholic sites around the internet. They all said the same thing, that Rich was in RICA, preparing to become Catholic when he was killed in a car accident. I was so happy to hear that he had chosen our faith. I thought maybe that was why I connected so easily with his music and his message.

I am currently reading a biography about him. An Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Bryan Smith. The author states**…“Though Rich was drawn to Catholicism, he had trouble with some of its teachings. He went through seven months of catechism, but in the end he chose not to convert.” He goes on to say that “for Rich being faithful to Jesus was more important than where he worshipped”** Rich’s mother states that she would be Ok with him becoming Catholic, but his sister said **“he wasn’t becoming anything but closer to God.” **

When I compare the comments from the Catholic sites (that all said he was ready to convert to Catholicism) with the commments from the author of the book (who personally knew Rich) and those of his family, I get the feeling that it was wishful thinking on his family’s and author’s part that he not become Catholic.

I am hoping that someone knows a little more of the background and story behind Rich Mullins and Catholicism.

Thanks for reading and I am looking forward to reading your replies.
 
Many thanks to the person who attached my current post to a thread about Rich Mullins from several years back. The information was very helpful. 👍
 
I love Rich Mullins 🙂

I came across his music long before I became a Catholic, and while I was still a new Christian. What I liked most was not only his music but also his sincerity… he seemed very different from many of the Christian artists out there.

Yes, I read that he wanted to become a Catholic before he died… so it’s like he was in RCIA. It is sad that he never got to receive the Eucharist, but it sounds like he was Catholic in his intentions, and in his heart, and God took him home 🙂

my favourite song of his is “the Color Green”
youtube.com/watch?v=rhGOosxTLrY
 
Good afternoon everybody.

Am posting from Belgium where I’m born and where I also live with my wife and kids.

Having heard of Rich Mullins a lot and being a fan of Amy Grant, I also wanted to know if it was true that Rich had become a Catholic or not.

I read lots of things upon him but frankly, if I listen to his songs, if I have a look at what he wrote, if we consider the strong Christ-centered and Bible-centered background he’s from, I could never believe that this man was or had become a Catholic.
Here’s what I have found on wikipedia:

“A lot of the stuff which I thought was so different between Protestants and Catholics [was] not, but at the end of going through an RCIA [Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults] course, I also realized that there are some real and significant differences. I’m not sure which side of the issues I come down on. My openness to Catholicism was very scary to me because, when you grow up in a church where they don’t even put up a cross, many things were foreign to me. I went to an older Protestant gentleman that I’ve respected for years and years, and I asked him, “When does faithfulness to Jesus call us to lay aside our biases and when does it call us to stand beside them?” His answer to me was that it is not about being Catholic or Protestant. It is about being faithful to Jesus. The issue is not about which church you go to, it is about following Jesus where He leads you.”

This kind of “Jesus-and-only-Jesus-centered-faith” reasoning is far from the arrogant claim of catholicism to be the only church in which and by which you can be saved.
I’ve never heard nor felt any anti-scriptural lyrics in Rich Mullins songs. No focus on Mary’s veneration or any other catholic dogma.

If being catholic means having the faith of Rich Mullins, then I also am a Catholic!

With all respect for Catholics.

Calogero <><
 
As I have come to see and hear, the years following the death of Rich Mullins, finding out of his process of converting to the Catholic Church, through/in the RCIA program, many fundamentalist and protestant Christians refute this and many have become outright angry and offended, at Rich Mullins wanting to enter The Church. I can imagine, it would not be easy for many that have strong anti-Catholic beliefs and feelings to want deny and refute such. The references Rich made to The Communion of Saints, Transubstantiation, The Virgin Mary, as well Martin Luther removing the book of James from the bible, which ONLY The Catholic Church teaches from the Book of James regarding “faith without works,” clearly indicates a change of heart and beliefs. Furthermore, Rich’s reference to a conversation with his Spiritual Director, which tends to be more of a Catholic spirituality practice, strongly indicates a change in his belief system. As it is impossible to know what was in the heart of Rich Mullins or anyone else for that matter, we can ONLY get a clearer understanding by Rich’s words and/or actions.

The following are Youtube links of Rich Mullins’ last the concert, in Lufkin Texas.

youtube.com/watch?v=vQnFU5JvuWY&feature=related

(mins, :40 to 2:00) Reference to proof texting
(mins, 5:05 to 5:40) – Reference to reading the lives of the Saints.

youtube.com/watch?v=Py1kFQv07c4&feature=related

(mins, 4:00 to 5:00) – Reference to his Spiritual Director.

youtube.com/watch?v=ZNYtYRbH6aI

(mins, 5:40 to 6:10) – Reference to salvation and the book of James and Martin Luther

In addition here are lyrics from his music that support his belief in the Communion of Saints and Transubstantiation, both teachings of the Catholic Church, and lastly a link to the news article following, his death. As the Creed was established by The Church in the early Councils and practiced in The Church. As well as the belief in the Bread and Wine, to the Body and Blood, clearly it is not a protestant nor fundamentalist christian teaching. It would seem hard for me to understand that if Rich, was not in support or wishing to enter The Church nor understand the teachings of the church, he would not have written, let alone recorded such music.

Creed by Rich Mullins

*I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
Born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
He was crucified and dead and buried
And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man
I believe that He who suffered was crucified, buried, and dead
He descended into hell and on the third day, rose again
He ascended into Heaven where He sits at God’s mighty right hand
I believe that He’s returning
To judge the quick and the dead of the sons of men
And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

I believe it, I believe it
I believe it
I believe it, I believe it
I believe in God the Father

Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord
I believe in the Holy Spirit
One Holy Church
The communion of Saints
The forgiveness of sin
I believe in the resurrection
I believe in a life that never ends
And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am

I did not make it, no it is making me
I did not make it, no it is making me
I said I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

I believe it, I believe
I believe it, I believe
I believe it, I believe it
I believe it, I believe it
I believe it, I believe it
I believe it*

Peace by Rich Mullins

*Though we’re strangers, still I love you
I love you more than your mask
And you know you have to trust this to be true
And I know that’s much to ask
But lay down your fears, come and join this feast
He has called us here, you and me
And may peace rain down from Heaven
Like little pieces of the sky
Little keepers of the promise
Falling on these souls
This drought has dried

In His Blood and in His Body
In the Bread and in this Wine
Peace to you
Peace of Christ to you

And though I love you, still we’re strangers
Prisoners in these lonely hearts
And though our blindness separates us
Still His light shines in the dark

And His outstretched arms are still strong enough to reach
Behind these prison bars to set us free

So may peace rain down from Heaven
Like little pieces of the sky
Little keepers of the promise
Falling on these souls the drought has dried

In His Blood and in His Body
In this Bread and in this Wine
Peace to you
Peace of Christ to you

And may peace rain down from Heaven
Like little pieces of the sky
Like those little keepers of the promise
Falling on these souls the draught has dried

In His Blood and in His Body
In the Bread and in this Wine
Peace to you
Peace of Christ to you
Peace to you
Peace of Christ to you*

tmatt.net/1998/05/06/rich-mullins-enigmatic-restless-catholic/

I hope this, helps, finally ends this ongoing debate or at least sheds further light.
 
Faithwalker said:
This kind of “Jesus-and-only-Jesus-centered-faith” reasoning is far from the arrogant claim of catholicism to be the only church in which and by which you can be saved.
I’ve never heard nor felt any anti-scriptural lyrics in Rich Mullins songs. No focus on Mary’s veneration or any other catholic dogma.

If being catholic means having the faith of Rich Mullins, then I also am a Catholic!

With all respect for Catholics.

Calogero <><
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I know some people who knew Rich Mullins in his living years. His music was DEEPLY Catholic…the songs about St. Peters, the Creed, and others as mentioned above.

He was in RCIA and dropped out of the class…what isn’t said is that he continued private lessons with a priest. He faced an enormous ammount of ostricism for his wanting to convert…I’ve even heard it said by some protestants that God took him when He did so that Rich Mullins couldn’t become Catholic.

My feeling on the issue, knowing Rich’s music well, especally the songs that he wrote soon before he died, was that he was FAR more Catholic than most Catholics today and had a deep respect for Catholic traditions that, if truly lived out, would of kept him in the Catholic church.

Now, had he converted, in the 90’s (or even now) his career would of been OVER. Of the top 100 Christian Artists today only one, Matt Mahar, is outwardly Catholic. Had his career ended I believe much of his music would of been lost in the outpouring of hatred towrds the Catholic Church by Protestants. It has been indicated (though do not know for sure) that he died not long after he made his first confession. In this case I believe that God took a very humble and perhaps clean-of-sin Rich during a very troubling time to allow the music that he had created to be proliferated and start a trend of music that has created safe listening alternitives today.
 
Every single Christian Evangelical could sing along The Creed and many other Rich Mullins songs because they’re all inspired by a personal and deep faith challenging relationship with Jesus, and a deep recall to Bible stories, which I RARELY find in many catholics that I know here. I live in Belgium and believe me, most Catholics here wouldn’t like Mullins songs and couldn’t rely to such an artist. They would find him ‘strange’ and too Bible centered.

The proof is that I was surprised to hear of some attraction to the Catholic faith regarding Mullins. And I’m 100% sure that if he wasn’t born in a Bible-centered family background, I would’ve never become the born again inspiring Christian artist that he has been. Except Maher (who also tends to sing very evangelical songs), all of the CCM and main Christian music industry focuses on a Christ-centered (Bible-centered) lyrical content, and not Catholic with I don’t know which recalls to anti scriptural teachings or Ave Maria’s…

Tonight at the Bible study at church, we were again reading the Gospel of John at chapter 14. Everything in our earthly walk with God leads us to hang upon Christ, and NO ONE ELSE. And we don’t need to be officially part of a “sovereign church institution” to "enter the universal and invisible Church which is the community of believers, with no pope or whosoever “unfailable” chief, but with only our Lord Jesus Christ as Sovereign Pastor and Chief of our faith. Period.

Speculations on Rich Mullins or any other singer or famous believer won’t change anything in that.
 
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