What is the story of your spiritual journey?Are you a cradle Catholic,a convert,a revert,or what?Who or what led you to Christ?Did you encounter any dangers along the way?What happened to bring you to where you are today?Share your stories here!
As a lot of people know here, I am a baptized Catholic (1966) I grew up in the faith but drifted away 27 years ago. I was baptized a jw in 1996. I had been with them since 1987. I left the Watchtower Organization in 1997, and fully left for good in 1999 officially when I wrote them a letter and told them I no longer wanted to be a jw.
When I drifted away in 1980, I was into teenage stuff, clothes, boys, looking my best, heavy metal, I never did drugs or alcohol, but I did go to parties with my boyfriend. I never stayed home, I was rebellious and didn’t listen to my mom.
I occasionally thought about God, but didn’t really attend Mass. I don’t know why I listened to my ex husband about the jw’s. I guess I just wanted to please him by going. Eventually, I became convinced it was the truth. I regretted that ever since. I got baptized in 1996 to please his parents. It was the wrong decision and one I regretted ever since. But, I have moved on.
I came home to the Catholic Church in 2003- 2004, but fully returned in 2005. It was amazing to say the least! The interesting thing in my personal journey is, I met a man back in 1997 from Germany.
We were pen pals at first, but almost a year later, we realized we had feelings for each other. Frank was an evolutionist from the former German Democratic Republic. I was at that time, very glad he was an evolutionist because I was truly burned by the Watchtower Organization as most of you know the account of that.
Frank being an evolutionist is good in what manner you say? Well, he never judged me for being a witness, he never ridiculed me, and he was totally supportive of what I had gone through. Over the years, he slowly came to accept the Catholic Faith as truth. He did that on his own with no influence from me what so ever. He researched it on his own.
Germans are very meticulous people, they love to research facts. At least my German does. Frank is very meticulous in research, and he researched the faith on his own. John Paul II’s death and funeral had a huge huge impact on Frank and myself.
We were saddened at his loss. We sat glued to the tv during the funeral and Frank was just awestruck at how many people loved the Holy Father. Unbeknownst to me, his desire to go to Mass was becoming very deep.
He was surprised at how many faithful people went to the funeral.
I was surprised also because I had never seen such love and outpouring of grief and faith in once place. It truly struck a chord in both of us.
I returned to the faith after that funeral, and Frank started going to Mass full time with me. One day that same year, right out of the blue, he asked me, “how does one become a Catholic” and I told him. Now, Frank’s baptism approaches and this has been a return journey for us both, me the cradle Catholic, and Frank the evolutionist. We never thought we’d come home together, but we did. And to say it is an amazing journey is to say the least.
I was confirmed last year with my younger sister, and that was also a journey for her as well. Her and I feel truly complete. Frank is still on his road to becoming a full Catholic, but we are doing it together. So yes, it has been pretty excellent for us all. Lovely post by the way, and thank you kindly for posting it because it reminds me how much we are truly blessed to be a Catholic.It is indeed a great privilege to be a Catholic!
God bless you!
TC
Here are the people who had a deep impact on me returning to the Church:
John Paul II
My mom
My 2 older sisters
For Frank,
John Paul II
Me
Mom
and my 2 older sisters
Click on photo of John Paul II image for larger view. It says, “Well done good and faithful servant”
