Were do I belong In the Catholic Church

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herringjames

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Hello I was an Assembly of God pastor . By the leading of the Holy Spirit, I was taken to the Catholic Church because of the euchrist. After many monthes of Searching and Prayer my wife and i both became Catholics.

I am praying and surching how to become a minister in the catholic church and yet i am married (my wife and I have been celebet for 6 years by mutual consent and prayer and the lust of the flesh has been removed from us both. after 21 years of marriage and 8 years behind the pulpit. I find myself surching. were is my place in the Catholic Church.

I have been Baptised in Fire to Preach the Word of God and yet I live in a Saul like torment having no place to preach salvation. Can anyone in the Church help us.

Yours in Christ Jesus

Rev. James & Barbara Herring
 
Hello and welcome Home.There are many oppourtunities to teach and or preach in the church.Have you heard of Scoot Hahn or Marcus Grodi?Both were Protestant Ministers who came home to the church and both have great Ministries.May Our Lord Lead you where He needs you.I will keep you and your wife in prayer,Rocky.
 
Dear James, I feel deep compassion, and will keep you in my prayers.

Have you spoken to your priest or expressed your situation and your longing to your Bishop? Have you sought advice as to whether you can become a Deacon of the Church?

I beg the Holy Spirit to lead you to find a blessed means to evangelize and to serve in the Catholic Church in a way that will be greatly beneficial to souls, and will succeed in drawing souls to God, and ministering to others whether directly or by some other inspired means. As you have a burning desire to serve, God will surely help you to find a way. I pray that in great humility and truth, God will lead you.

You are a courageous and blessed couple to have followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit knows your desires, knows what is possible and what God’s wishes are, and He will find a way to lead you to what God actually wishes and how it can be accomplished.

Warm regards to Barbara and to you.
Trishie
 
We just had a married couple at our parish who go around the world preaching-they held a week long mission here. I did not go but if this is something you are interested in doing-but looking at your background it appears to be right up your alley. The name of our parish is St Martin DePorres in Jensen Beach, FL the phone number is 772-334-4214. I’m sure they can give you more information about this couple and get you in touch with them. FYI…if you go to catholicweb.com & click on find churches you will find that parish in there.
Let me know how you make out.
 
You can ask your pastor to allow you to have a meeting at the parish. Write down what you wish to preach and submit to him. If he approves, memorize it and give it at the meeting. Or you can read off it, if your memory is like mine. I hope you do well in the Church!
 
Someone has already mentioned Marcus Grodi and his ministries, but I thought I’d give a little more information. He specifically works with clergy from Protestant backgrounds to help them find their place within the Catholic Church. I think it would be of great benefit to yourself and your wife. His ministry is called the Coming Home Network, and the can be contacted via their website at chnetwork.org/. I think they can be of great assistance to you during your search. May God bless you, and welcome home.

-CK
 
I second the advice on getting in touch with the Coming Home Network.

I also think you should speak with your pastor and possibly your bishop.

There is the diaconate and also know that marriage is not a permanent impediment to the priesthood, it can be (and has been for men such as yourself (that is protestant ministers that convert)) dispensed from as it is only a matter of discipline.
 
ByzCath said:
I second the advice on getting in touch with the Coming Home Network.

I also think you should speak with your pastor and possibly your bishop.

**There is the diaconate **and also know that marriage is not a permanent impediment to the priesthood, it can be (and has been for men such as yourself (that is protestant ministers that convert)) dispensed from as it is only a matter of discipline.
Click to expand...
Excellent point about the diaconate. I have always thought that the diaconate was a natural “home” for many Protestant ministers who join the Church. Many of them were called to ministry primarily to proclain the Word and preach - two of the main duties of a deacon. 👍

Rev. Herring,

I also urge you to contact the Coming Home Network. This is not just a website with helpful information. The founders are former ministers from various denominations who have made the same journey you are contemplating. It is personal support.

Praying for you.
 
Hello, welcome! 🙂 that is so wonderful about your conversion, although I know it can be a really confusing time. I am a convert too. I think there are ways you can serve the Church as a married person… you can perhaps be a deacon, or have a lay ministry. Have you ever heard of Scott Hahn? He was a Protestant minister and him and his wife became Catholics… now he’s an apologist and has written some great books, he also has an effective ministry going.

Even if you’re not able to preach in church, you can still do apologetics, teach people who are coming into the Church, etc, and use the talents God has given you…

hope you find your place. Keep on praying, remember God knows just what is right for you.
God bless!!
 
Someone has already mentioned Scott Hahn. He participated in 10 years of youth and pastoral ministry before converting to Roman Catholicism. He was ordained in 1982 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Virginia. scotthahn.com/docview/view.phtml?doc=schedule/vbio.phtml&rdoc=Hahn%20Speaking%20Event%20I

He is now a Professor at a Franciscan University. You may want to read his books and ask him in addition to searching and inquiring yourself in person, on these forums, and on the rest of the web and in other books and readings. Scott Hahn has converted many other pastors as well as people. It may be possible that God might call you to outreach ministry. St. Paul was a Pharisee before he was converted by Christ and he witnessed in Rome and may be the most theologically influential Christian outside of Christ. St. Augustine of Hippo chaired the Synod of Hippo that helped determine the Canon of Scripture. He was also religiously devout (in wrong religions) as well as academically devout before converting. He really gives a strong witness to the academically and secularly spiritually searching. Your previous training and passion may not be in vain. Confessions of St. Augustine newadvent.org/fathers/1101.htm There’s probably a good reason that Christ says it is better to be hot or cold than lukewarm. 🙂

Scripture is infalliable because it was listed at the Synod of Hippo chaired by St. Augustine in the 300A.D.s and then later listed and disputed at the Synod of Rome and Synod of Carthage. However, during the Council of Trent during the Protestant Reformation it was first declared and made infalliable. Here is a link to the Council of Trent declaration that makes it infalliable. ewtn.com/library/councils/trent4.htm
 
Welcome home!
I can not add too much more to what has been recommended. Just that if you go to the
ewtn.com/journeyhome/index.asp
you can link on to some of their past shows. It will give you an idea of the help they are
giving and the others (ministers, pastors) who have faced some of your struggles.
 
You might want to contact Tim Staples at the Apologists Line for Catholic Answers. He was an AOG youth minister. He would have some insight on the transition to the Catholic Faith.
 
herringjames said:
Hello I was an Assembly of God pastor . By the leading of the Holy Spirit, I was taken to the Catholic Church because of the euchrist. After many monthes of Searching and Prayer my wife and i both became Catholics.

I am praying and surching how to become a minister in the catholic church and yet i am married (my wife and I have been celebet for 6 years by mutual consent and prayer and the lust of the flesh has been removed from us both. after 21 years of marriage and 8 years behind the pulpit. I find myself surching. were is my place in the Catholic Church.

I have been Baptised in Fire to Preach the Word of God and yet I live in a Saul like torment having no place to preach salvation. Can anyone in the Church help us.

Yours in Christ Jesus

Rev. James & Barbara Herring
Click to expand...
Hi Pastor Jim!
God bless you on your journey.
This is a good place to make some connections.
Tim Staples is a former A/G pastor, and Jeff Cavins was also an evangelical minister before coming Home to the Catholic Church. Both have written their testimony in books.

I too “married into” the A/G denomination. My pastor’s kid husband was never open to life and the A/G wedding that was performed by his dad never even mentioned being open to life or having children. I think they kept that part secret.

Anyhoo, it’s a painful journey at times, extricating oneself from the A/G thing, at least it has been for me. Sometimes just knowing you’re “right” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes you just need some consolations.
 
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