What's the problem with converts?

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Robert_Simmons

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I’ve been following a few threads here that are really slamming on converts, particularly the Hahns. The complaints all seem to be that these upstarts are rocking our boat. I am a convert to the Church and disagree with the notion that converts aren’t “Catholic enough”.

To say that someone who wasn’t raised in a nominally Catholic environment, didn’t take every devotional for granted but rather, actually saw the beauty of the faith and chose to follow it, often at great personal cost, is not a well-formed Catholic is preposterous.

One allegation said that well-known speakers who enthusiastically proclaimed their love for Christ and His Church sounded effeminate. This line of accusations is scandalous, offensive, and betrays a serious deficiency of spiritual maturity.

An important aspect of the Catholic Answers apostolate is evangelization. If converts come in with a stigma of second-class citizens, we’re doing something wrong. I don’t think converts are the cause of the Church’s problems but are, rather, a grace from Above.
 
Robert,

“Pay no attention to the man (people) behind the curtain” and beware of Catholics who are more “Catholic” than the Pope.

The wave of converts in the past 20 years has energized and revitalized the life of many a “cradle Catholic” and have also demostrated, along with some cradle Catholics like Karl Keating and Patrick Madrid etc., how to do effective lay ministry. I thank God for them.

I think jelousy and envy sometimes plays a part in much of the criticism, although there should be freedom to make legitimate critiques of anyone’s position if it is done with charity.
 
Emmaus said:
"The wave of converts in the past 20 years has energized and revitalized the life of many a “cradle Catholic” and have also demostrated, along with some cradle Catholics like Karl Keating and Patrick Madrid etc., how to do effective lay ministry. I thank God for them.
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I wholeheartedly agree! It was the challenge of a convert who got me to learn more about my faith and love it even more. 👍
 
I cant speak for anybody else but I am a cradle Catholic and I love converts!! I love the Hahns and all their work! I dont really understand some of the stuff that I have read on here either, but I do believe its coming from a small minority, at least I hope so.
 
I must have missed these threads. I thought Scott Hahn was an icon of orthodoxy.

We have to remember that, as in any religion, there are extremists in Catholicism. Anyone can come to an internet site and start posting. This site attracts very devout people who tend towards traditionalism and orthodoxy. The folks here are serious about their faith.

Out of these already very religious people you’re bound to have a few outside of the pale. Perhaps they are unbalanced characters and are reactionaries who view anything new with suspicion and hostility. This would be probably a tiny but vocal percentage. They would definately be active on this forum because they are angry zealots who feel powerless to affect the world around them. This is just human nature, in other words…
 
I think that alot of converts know more than I do. I’m a cradle catholic that was not taught anything after my first communion. I have learned that I have much to learn. Scott Hahn started my journey home to the catholic church. I know that we are not perfect but I believe Mr Hahn tries to explain what he knows about our faith the best way he can, and thats all we can expect people to do. I thing God would like us to show more charity and love to one another than happens quite abit on these threads.
Gods peace,
maggiec
 
Robert,
I’m a cradle Catholic born 1950! One thing I’m sure of. There are millions and millions of cradle Catholics that NEED TO CONVERT! If you know what I mean!

Peace Brother,
John
 
I really don’t understand it…most converts make the best catholics. Generally speaking, I don’t think this attitude is held by very many. Try not to pay any attention to it.
 
Thank you for all of your reasoned, charitable replies. It’s reassuring that the “more Catholic than thou” crowd does not have the upper hand.
 
The energy that converts bring to the faith sometimes puts us old-timers to shame.

Deacon Tony
Old-timer
 
Our parish priest had been assigned to our parish for about three weeks when he approached us and asked us which one of us was the convert? We asked how he could tell one of us had converted, and he replied: "you always sit right up front! " 😃

Thanks for making all us converts feel welcomed. 👍
 
It is hard sometimes to ignore the ones who show their ugly “religious” selves for what they are, and hurt others spiritually in the process. You have those in any religion. I have seen jerks like that in Protestant churches for years. They are often refered to as the “holier than thou’s.”

The Catholic Church has the richest and deepest teachings theologically, and I think converts see it more so then most cradle Catholics. Some protestants really take Bible study serious, and devote themselves to daily readings and study. And when they start to explore the teachings of the Catholic Church with all the Church documents that have been passed down from Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement, etc, much like myself they are like a kid in a candy store learning about how Christians believed in the Early Church. Most of those early Church writings are never ever mentioned in protestant circles.

I think the Catholic Church is in for some great days ahead. I think she is going to see a revivial like she has never seen. With all the bad that she has had go on, there will be a good that will come out. I am glad to be one who is making his way to his Rome sweet home.

Please pray for my family and I to get into the Catholic Church. God has won my heart to the Catholic Church, and I am working on my wife to see the light. Thank you.

By the way, I have had some of the most loving cradle Catholics from this site and another religious sites to role the red carpet out for me, and have been so supportive to me. I thank you so much! You are lights that shine the light of Christ for His Church. God bless you!!!
 
The answer to the question, “What’s the problem with converts” is…absolutely nothing. The problem is with narrow-minded people. Any Catholic, whether cradle or convert, who is obedient to the Church’s teaching and authority is a good, orthodox-style Catholic.

I was following the recent thread about converts and was appalled by some of the statements by a few. I’m a cradle Catholic, myself, yet found it quite insulting.

Just ignore it, as best you can, with the knowledge that there are plenty of ‘cradle’ Catholics who laugh at such allegations and prejudice. I agree that converts have a deep love for Christ, and a lot of courage to follow Him into the Catholic Church, where He’s found in His fullness. It’s not easy, from many of the stories I’ve read. Sure, there may be a few that are not ‘in line’, but there are a lot of cradle Catholics who aren’t either. There’s many cafeteria and in-name-only Catholics who could learn a good lesson from many converts!
I, personally, think that the new wave of converts into the Church is a wonderful thing, orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. I think it will have a profound impact in the future.

Don’t be discouraged by the thoughtless remarks of a minority. God bless you!
 
I’ve been following a few threads here that are really slamming on converts, particularly the Hahns. The complaints all seem to be that these upstarts are rocking our boat. I am a convert to the Church and disagree with the notion that converts aren’t “Catholic enough”.

I am one individual who initiated a thread or two about Kim Hahn. I did no slamming I did oppose her rash behavior and her helping to supplant a briliant Catholic Clergyman’s authority in regards Home Schoolers.Nowhere did I saythe Hahn’s weren’t Catholic enough nor have I read a single statement making that charge.**

*To say that someone who wasn’t raised in a nominally Catholic environment, didn’t take every devotional for granted but rather, actually saw the beauty of the faith and chose to follow it, often at great personal cost, is not a well-formed Catholic is preposterous. *

The smoke from these buring strawmen makes it difficult f
or me to see your point.
One allegation said that well-known speakers who enthusiastically proclaimed their love for Christ and His Church sounded effeminate. This line of accusations is scandalous, offensive, and betrays a serious deficiency of spiritual maturity.

I was the one who made that comment. I stand by it while denying it is scandalousor anything else - other than accurate

An important aspect of the Catholic Answers apostolate is evangelization. If converts come in with a stigma of second-class citizens, we’re doing something wrong. I don’t think converts are the cause of the Church’s problems but are, rather, a grace from Above

I don’t think converts are second class anythings. My wife converted a few years ago.

I do think some folks are way too touchy when it comes to straight talk about some issuesand I do think, demonstrated here by you, that folks read-into comments things not in existence.
 
The answer of course is nothing, but as noted on several threads, converts sometimes have different customs and ideas from those of us who are “crusty cradle Catholics.” One thread talked about bringing a Bible to Mass, presumably to look up and follow along with the homilist’s citations, and this seems strange to many of us “cradles” even though I personally didn’t think it was such a bad idea. On EWTN yesterday, Scott Hahn addressed a priest by first name only, no “Father.” Not the end of the world, just a little shocking to some of us who still address religious who are our personal friends as “Father” and “Sister.” Homeschooling is sometimes a hard issue for those of us raised to believe that parochial school was as much an obligation of the faith as no meat on Fridays–this was certainly the case in my family. I love the Hahns and the converts who have done so much for the Church–different opinions on non-essentials are often beneficial!
 
What’s the problem with Protestants converts? They are not really trueful about why they converted.Most Protestant men convert to catechism because of a woman, especially if she looks real good,and the same with the Protestant woman who converted to catechism because of a man. Most Protestants believe lying is not a sin, even if converted to catechism.

No one in my church,which is the New Church (Swedenborg), has ever gone back to their former religion.

Harry
 
The beauty of our church is in its many parts of the one body. Converts have a zeal for the faith, and a fire within them to bring others in to the fold. Converts from evangelical protestant denominations know scripture like nobody’s business. That is so helpful to the intellectual types. Cradle catholics (true, faithful cradle catholics) have a steadiness and a purity about them that enables skeptics to trust the authenticity of their faith. Generalizations, sure. But I am thankful that our Church has all these elements. They have certainly enriched my life.
 
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SpiritualSon:
What’s the problem with Protestants converts? They are not really trueful about why they converted.Most Protestant men convert to catechism because of a woman, especially if she looks real good,and the same with the Protestant woman who converted to catechism because of a man. Most Protestants believe lying is not a sin, even if converted to catechism.
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What?? I converted after YEARS of study and much prayer – In my questioning my husband learned more about his Catholic faith than he’d bothered to learn before. Being a convert I know quite a few others and while some converted just because of their spouse I know a good many more who converted because of the truth of our faith.

and I don’t know one Protestant that doesn’t think lying is a sin.
 
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SpiritualSon:
What’s the problem with Protestants converts? They are not really trueful about why they converted.Most Protestant men convert to catechism because of a woman, especially if she looks real good,and the same with the Protestant woman who converted to catechism because of a man. Most Protestants believe lying is not a sin, even if converted to catechism.

No one in my church,which is the New Church (Swedenborg), has ever gone back to their former religion.

Harry
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Harry, I am truely sorry to hear this - if you really believe it. I have known many practicing Protestants in my life, and none of them believed in lying. They most definitely did believe lying was a sin. I have also know many (many, many) converts to Catholicism. Not only did they convert after much studying, but many of them also converted their spouses. It had nothing to do with converting because of a Catholic spouse - it was more a case of converting in spite of a non-catholic spouse.

John
 
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Catholicguy:
I do think some folks are way too touchy when it comes to straight talk about some issuesand I do think, demonstrated here by you, that folks read-into comments things not in existence.
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What then, do you mean to imply?
 
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