What Made You Choose To Be A Catholic?

[hadassahjones]

Hi all…I am fairly new here…and hopefully I chose the right spot to post this.

I am curious…for all of those who were not born catholics but chose to convert, what was the deciding factors for you? What drew you away from your current church/religion (or lack thereof) into the Catholic church?

 

[happymommy]

I was raised Prebyterian and really didn’t know anything about the Catholic faith and what I did know wasn’t accurate. When I married my husband, a cradle Catholic, he was willing to leave the Catholic Church for me, something I am ashamed I ever asked of him. He felt that we all worshipped the same God and the rest was just tradition, he didn’t know much about Presbyterians The people of my church were very unkind to him, even though he was coming every week, they all knew that he was Catholic and treated him badly. We decided to leave there and find a church together. At this time I started to have to work on Sundays the only church in town that had a service early enough for us to go to was the Catholic Church…so that’s were we started to go. I had a really bad attitude about it. It was all based on ignorance really. I didn’t know what Catholics believed or did and I had never bothered to learn…My old church contacted me and wanted me to come back, but made no mention of my husband. When I said that we were a package deal, they asked if I wanted my name removed from the list of members. I said yes, but they weren’t done yet. The next week I got a letter, sent to my parents house, excommunicating me from the church for “attending a church of unlike practice and faith” they also made an announcement during the Sunday service telling everyone what had happened. My parents were still members of that church, but then left.Somewhere in my being difficult at the Catholic Church, God started letting my heart soften …I still had no plans on ever joining and went there with my husband for a couple of years…we then lost our first child…I felt such peace at church…we tried for over a year to have another baby, with no luck. we started talking about renewing our wedding vows in the church since we didn’t have a priest at our wedding. So in Dec. of 1998 we had a second wedding and a little party afterwards…and in Jan of 1999 we found out we were going to have a baby…
My love of the Church grew more and more… but I still didn’t plan on joining…in July of 2000 my cousin, Laurel, was in a car accident with her two children Meghan (7) and Matthew (10). Laurel and Meghan died at the scene, as did 3 people in the other car. Matthew was left fighting for his life…God let us keep him…that day changed my life and the lives of my family forever. It’s something we will never get over. The only place I found peace, was at Church. I had a longing to be there when my heart would start to ache over our loss. The week after the accident I got a letter in the mail from our Church asking if I would be interested in joining RCIA. I had gotten this letter every year and always threw it out. I knew I belonged in the Catholic Church. I started RCIA that fall. Not everyone in my family was happy, but they came around. And I became a Catholic Easter of 2001. My faith has grown stronger every year. Do I still struggle, yes. But I have a relationship with Christ that I didn’t think was ever possible. I love this Church. That’s my story…it’s not over yet…everyday a new chapter is written…I hope that helped to answer you question.

 

[Reuben_J]

I was raised Prebyterian and really didn’t know anything about the Catholic faith and what I did know wasn’t accurate. When I married my husband, a cradle Catholic, he was willing to leave the Catholic Church for me, something I am ashamed I ever asked of him. He felt that we all worshipped the same God and the rest was just tradition, he didn’t know much about Presbyterians The people of my church were very unkind to him, even though he was coming every week, they all knew that he was Catholic and treated him badly. We decided to leave there and find a church together. At this time I started to have to work on Sundays the only church in town that had a service early enough for us to go to was the Catholic Church…so that’s were we started to go. I had a really bad attitude about it. It was all based on ignorance really. I didn’t know what Catholics believed or did and I had never bothered to learn…My old church contacted me and wanted me to come back, but made no mention of my husband. When I said that we were a package deal, they asked if I wanted my name removed from the list of members. I said yes, but they weren’t done yet. The next week I got a letter, sent to my parents house, excommunicating me from the church for “attending a church of unlike practice and faith” they also made an announcement during the Sunday service telling everyone what had happened. My parents were still members of that church, but then left.Somewhere in my being difficult at the Catholic Church, God started letting my heart soften …I still had no plans on ever joining and went there with my husband for a couple of years…we then lost our first child…I felt such peace at church…we tried for over a year to have another baby, with no luck. we started talking about renewing our wedding vows in the church since we didn’t have a priest at our wedding. So in Dec. of 1998 we had a second wedding and a little party afterwards…and in Jan of 1999 we found out we were going to have a baby…
My love of the Church grew more and more… but I still didn’t plan on joining…in July of 2000 my cousin, Laurel, was in a car accident with her two children Meghan (7) and Matthew (10). Laurel and Meghan died at the scene, as did 3 people in the other car. Matthew was left fighting for his life…God let us keep him…that day changed my life and the lives of my family forever. It’s something we will never get over. The only place I found peace, was at Church. I had a longing to be there when my heart would start to ache over our loss. The week after the accident I got a letter in the mail from our Church asking if I would be interested in joining RCIA. I had gotten this letter every year and always threw it out. I knew I belonged in the Catholic Church. I started RCIA that fall. Not everyone in my family was happy, but they came around. And I became a Catholic Easter of 2001. My faith has grown stronger every year. Do I still struggle, yes. But I have a relationship with Christ that I didn’t think was ever possible. I love this Church. That’s my story…it’s not over yet…everyday a new chapter is written…I hope that helped to answer you question.

That’s a moving testimony. God will find us as He had found you. He is a Good Shepherd who would look for his sheep. Many times he found us when we were in the deep ravines and the valleys of our lives for that were when we needed him most, if we allow him.

God bless you.

 

[Eucharisted]

Hi all…I am fairly new here…and hopefully I chose the right spot to post this.

I am curious…for all of those who were not born catholics but chose to convert, what was the deciding factors for you? What drew you away from your current church/religion (or lack thereof) into the Catholic church?

Jesus is the reason I converted. You can read about my conversion by clicking on the link in my signature.

 

[happymommy]

That’s a moving testimony. God will find us as He had found you. He is a Good Shepherd who would look for his sheep. Many times he found us when we were in the deep ravines and the valleys of our lives for that were when we needed him most, if we allow him.

God bless you.

Thank you! I’ve always said that sometimes God gives us a little push in the direction we should go and sometimes he slaps us upside the head! Guess I needed a slap to get me moving

God Bless!

 

[yellowbird]

The verses in the Bible about the Eucharist. It just didn’t sound symbolic to me… plus Christians for hundreds & hundreds of years believed that it was the ACTUAL body & blood of Christ… the early Christians’ writings from the first couple of centuries show they believed it was literal.

Since it either is or it isn’t (literal) I decided to go with the Church that didn’t change, rather than the ones who decided within the past few hundred years that all of a sudden Jesus was speaking symbolically.

Also - I didn’t think my previous Churches cared so much about the poor or social justice. It was more about having the BEST programs, music… being the “hot” church in town… until the next new church opened it’s doors and then we all switched to it. I think Catholics are in it for God - not to be entertained - not for what they “get” out of it… I soooo wasn’t feeling that as an Evangelical.

 

[dove51]

I’m just a revert, so I’m not sure if I count in this thread for converts. But I’ll post anyway. I was raised by lax Catholics. After my father died when I was younger (he was the only Catholic force in the family, and we stopped going to Mass after he died), I fell away from all Christianity and discovered paganism for awhile. Then I came upon evangelicalism for a very short stretch of time, and you know those guys—hellfire and brimstone and all that. But it was what I needed to hear, actually. It was quite an anti-Catholic time in my life, though.

Then one day I was messing around in the basement of my house, and came across an old and expensive rosary, which turned out to be my great-grandmother’s. This sparked memories of Catholicism and the beauty of it that I had remembered from when I was little. Thus began an intense individual prayer and study period for me, which culminated in my finishing up the sacraments I’d missed out on at the local parish, and beginning to live as a practicing Catholic. This skipping around in three religions all took place in the span of about two short years, amazingly.

In short, I don’t doubt for a minute that it was Our Lady who made me find that rosary and guided me to sources that helped me learn a little more about her Son. I most definitely think something supernatural had a hand in it, because I was quite contented not being Catholic for some time.

 

[happymommy]

I’m just a revert, so I’m not sure if I count in this thread for converts. But I’ll post anyway. I was raised by lax Catholics. After my father died when I was younger (he was the only Catholic force in the family, and we stopped going to Mass after he died), I fell away from all Christianity and discovered paganism for awhile. Then I came upon evangelicalism for a very short stretch of time, and you know those guys—hellfire and brimstone and all that. But it was what I needed to hear, actually. It was quite an anti-Catholic time in my life, though.

Then one day I was messing around in the basement of my house, and came across an old and expensive rosary, which turned out to be my great-grandmother’s. This sparked memories of Catholicism and the beauty of it that I had remembered from when I was little. Thus began an intense individual prayer and study period for me, which culminated in my finishing up the sacraments I’d missed out on at the local parish, and beginning to live as a practicing Catholic. This skipping around in three religions all took place in the span of about two short years, amazingly.

In short, I don’t doubt for a minute that it was Our Lady who made me find that rosary and guided me to sources that helped me learn a little more about her Son. I most definitely think something supernatural had a hand in it, because I was quite contented not being Catholic for some time.

That’s an awesome story!!

 

[Marocchino]

Jesus’ proclamation to Peter: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it” (Mt. 16:18).

Furthermore, “[Being Catholic] is the only thing that frees a man from the degrading slavery of being a child of his age” (GK Chesterton).

 

[Eucharisted]

I’m just a revert, so I’m not sure if I count in this thread for converts. But I’ll post anyway. I was raised by lax Catholics. After my father died when I was younger (he was the only Catholic force in the family, and we stopped going to Mass after he died), I fell away from all Christianity and discovered paganism for awhile. Then I came upon evangelicalism for a very short stretch of time, and you know those guys—hellfire and brimstone and all that. But it was what I needed to hear, actually. It was quite an anti-Catholic time in my life, though.

Then one day I was messing around in the basement of my house, and came across an old and expensive rosary, which turned out to be my great-grandmother’s. This sparked memories of Catholicism and the beauty of it that I had remembered from when I was little. Thus began an intense individual prayer and study period for me, which culminated in my finishing up the sacraments I’d missed out on at the local parish, and beginning to live as a practicing Catholic. This skipping around in three religions all took place in the span of about two short years, amazingly.

In short, I don’t doubt for a minute that it was Our Lady who made me find that rosary and guided me to sources that helped me learn a little more about her Son. I most definitely think something supernatural had a hand in it, because I was quite contented not being Catholic for some time.

Mary is the Sign of the Way

 

[cathopologist]

Hi all…I am fairly new here…and hopefully I chose the right spot to post this.

I am curious…for all of those who were not born catholics but chose to convert, what was the deciding factors for you? What drew you away from your current church/religion (or lack thereof) into the Catholic church?

I was born a Brahmin, then moved away from God altogether after my father passed away. I used to despise Christians and dabbled in the occult for a while. My conversion story is here in the forums somewhere but i have to search for it. Long story short, it was ultimately the Holy Spirit who led me into the Church. His presence cannot be explained in mere words, but i felt His love envelope my body that i felt so much peace afterwards. I quickly called a Catholic friend of mine to ask him how to become a Christian and the rest is history. Its been almost 20 years now and i have never regretted my decision.

 

[Eucharisted]

I was born a Brahmin, then moved away from God altogether after my father passed away. I used to despise Christians and dabbled in the occult for a while. My conversion story is here in the forums somewhere but i have to search for it. Long story short, it was ultimately the Holy Spirit who led me into the Church. His presence cannot be explained in mere words, but i felt His love envelope my body that i felt so much peace afterwards. I quickly called a Catholic friend of mine to ask him how to become a Christian and the rest is history. Its been almost 20 years now and i have never regretted my decision.

The Lord leads us to His Church, and the Church leads us back to the Lord

 

[Reuben_J]

I’m just a revert, so I’m not sure if I count in this thread for converts. But I’ll post anyway. I was raised by lax Catholics. After my father died when I was younger (he was the only Catholic force in the family, and we stopped going to Mass after he died), I fell away from all Christianity and discovered paganism for awhile. Then I came upon evangelicalism for a very short stretch of time, and you know those guys—hellfire and brimstone and all that. But it was what I needed to hear, actually. It was quite an anti-Catholic time in my life, though.

Then one day I was messing around in the basement of my house, and came across an old and expensive rosary, which turned out to be my great-grandmother’s. This sparked memories of Catholicism and the beauty of it that I had remembered from when I was little. Thus began an intense individual prayer and study period for me, which culminated in my finishing up the sacraments I’d missed out on at the local parish, and beginning to live as a practicing Catholic. This skipping around in three religions all took place in the span of about two short years, amazingly.

In short, I don’t doubt for a minute that it was Our Lady who made me find that rosary and guided me to sources that helped me learn a little more about her Son. I most definitely think something supernatural had a hand in it, because I was quite contented not being Catholic for some time.

Yours is definitely not the last time we will hear about Our Lady leading us to her son but it a wonderful testimony nevertheless. I am sure you had never figured that the old rosary should spark in you your first love.

My friend’s wife was on the verge of having an abortion. She was about to go into the car to an abortion clinic when somehow she saw a vision of Our Lady at the door coming from nowhere. It immediately struck her that here this Blessed Woman, had she aborted her baby the world would be worst off to be without a savior. She cried and decided not to proceed with the abortion. Since then her own faith improved and her love for the Blessed Mother has been devotional, not to mention a beautiful baby boy that was born to her who is now a wholesome teen.

God bless you sister. And thank you Mother Mary.

 

[hadassahjones]

It seems so often that most of the Catholics I meet were born into it…that’s why I wanted to know what brought the converts in…

I was raised by a very evangelical, anti-Catholic father who emotionally abused me and my mother for most of what I can remember of my childhood. He was such a religious fanatic that it pushed me away from anything having to do with church, for the most part, and the slightest hint of zealousy scared me away. Even when I did start to go to a non-denominational church, I didn’t feel comfortable with the style of worship–raising of hands, dancing around, running up and down aisles with flags, falling backwards, etc…and when the congregation spoke in tongues it didn’t seem anything to me like what was in the Bible. So I stopped going. I started dating my boyfriend in Nov of last year, and discovered he was born Catholic. He is not currently practicing, although I hope he may start to go with me at some point, but he debunked most of the myths about Catholicism that I had been taught. I saw a sign in front of a church advertising RCIA, and I decided, what the heck, I’ll go, I can stop if I don’t like it. I went for about two months, and found the people so warm and welcoming—not at all the “are you good enough to be part of our church” attitude I had found in other churches. It wasn’t a holiness contest, it seemed, it was more of a group working together towards the same goal—a closer relationship with Jesus. I went to my first Mass three weeks ago, and today was the Rite of Acceptance. What started as a curiosity has become something I truly believe in, with only a few small things that I still am doubtful of, which may come in time. What’s more, my mother, still immersed in my father (now her exhusband’s) theology, was very suspicious of the church but came anyway today to see the rite with my sister. It so happened that a visiting Monsignor was giving the homily, and she was so impressed that she said she wants to visit his church one Sunday a month. My sister wants to convert after only this one visit, and we are praying that once my mother goes a few times and becomes more comfortable, she will allow my sister to go through the RCIA process as well.

It is amazing to me how all of this is coming together, and how comfortable I am here after avoiding church for so long.

 

[reteeks21]

Jesus is the reason I converted. You can read about my conversion by clicking on the link in my signature.

I would love to read your story, but I can’t get blogspots at work. Is there any way you could email it to me here?

 

[Patrick_Murebil]

Hi all…I am fairly new here…and hopefully I chose the right spot to post this.

I am curious…for all of those who were not born catholics but chose to convert, what was the deciding factors for you? What drew you away from your current church/religion (or lack thereof) into the Catholic church?

I made it my prayer in 1990 to know Christ only and Him crucified as the Apostle Paul wrote. And in 2005 that led me to the Catholic Church. Jesus said “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me”. He was talking about His loving and willing sacrifice on the cross for all of humankind. That loving and willing sacrifice of God’s only Son Jesus on the cross is what is lifted up each day by His priests all over the world in the Eucharist for the Body of Believers…and by being lifted up Jesus continues to draw all men and women unto Him. Praise God!!!

And yet, even after I discovered Jesus among us re-presenting Himself in His sacrifice as the Lamb of God for us, our Passover Lamb, in His ministry as our High Priest, I could not commit to Him because of my belief that the sabbath/saturday was all that I believed it to be when I was a Seventh-day Adventist. And I struggled for 2 years, and with much much prayer, before finally seeing the truth and reconciling with God’s True Church, His One True Fold.

I am in R.C.I.A. currently and will not officially join the Catholic Church until this coming Easter.

If in doubt…PRAY!!!

God bless all!!!

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

I made it my prayer in 1990 to know Christ only and Him crucified as the Apostle Paul wrote. And in 2005 that led me to the Catholic Church. Jesus said “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me”. He was talking about His loving and willing sacrifice on the cross for all of humankind. That loving and willing sacrifice of God’s only Son Jesus on the cross is what is lifted up each day by His priests all over the world in the Eucharist for the Body of Believers…and by being lifted up Jesus continues to draw all men and women unto Him. Praise God!!!

And yet, even after I discovered Jesus among us re-presenting Himself in His sacrifice as the Lamb of God for us, our Passover Lamb, in His ministry as our High Priest, I could not commit to Him because of my belief that the sabbath/saturday was all that I believed it to be when I was a Seventh-day Adventist. And I struggled for 2 years, and with much much prayer, before finally seeing the truth and reconciling with God’s True Church, His One True Fold.

I am in R.C.I.A. currently and will not officially join the Catholic Church until this coming Easter.

If in doubt…PRAY!!!

God bless all!!!

Thank you for the testimony!

 

[theresa_bloom]

Hi Patrick,

My own faith is increased by reading your posts. Very inspiring!

 

[lizferg]

I was born and raised in what eventually became a megachurch/non-denominational. My older brother was ordained a minister and was asked to go and plant a seeker friendly-Willow Creek style church. I was in high school at the time. So we-the family followed him there. It was a new idea at the time to have the contemporary music and dramas then. It is doing quite well now, almost 3000 members.
A few years later, my cousin, a very different denomination, more charismatic, planted a church also. By then I was married and my husband and I helped try to get his church off the ground.
We then had to move away because of my husband’s job. We did a year long search trying to find the “perfect” church and it was so frustrating. We’d think we found one, and then feel empty after a few months. We came along a banner one day advertising a new church plant. Well, we thought we were experienced in that department, so we hopped on board and felt re-newed excitement.
After a few months of fun, loud rock music, and video clips, I started wondering when we were going to take communion. It wasn’t brought up for a long time after the church was up and running. Finally we scheduled a communion service. I think this was my first wake up call, because the pastor spent the whole serman arguing that it wasn’t going to turn into anything magical, it was just a symbol to do in rememberance of Him. And he even said “For all of you recovering Catholics out there, the wafers are what you are used to having.”
I went home and told my Catholic friend what he said and she was infuriated. At the time, I did not even know what the Eucharist was. I had no idea what Catholics believed on it. She told me “Men have dedicated their whole lives for 2000 years believing in the Real Presence. Don’t you think that means something?” I was stunned. I felt so ashamed with my ignorance.
So I started reading the history of the Church. And I was also dis-enchanted with all of the different denominations out there to choose from. Which one was right? And now here I am at this website and going through RCIA. My husband is going along with me because he gave up on churches too, he had other issues with our last church. He thought I was crazy at first going to a Catholic church, but he is getting more interested as we go.
We have a lot to learn. I am mad at myself for growing up so oblivious to what other faiths believe in. Pray for our family, we now have 3 children, ages 9,7, and 2 with #4 due in April. The Church is quite a big adjustment for our kids, who were used to the fun and games of our past churches. They don’t quite know how to sit through Mass, but they are getting more used to it as we go.
Sorry so long of a post.
Liz

 

[theresa_bloom]

Hi Liz,

Welcome home to your Catholic faith. Jesus is with you…always.