What's the problem with converts?

[Funky_Cedars]

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 scandalous or anything else - other than accurate

(i corrected a typo)

to say calling a man effeminate is NOT offensive makes me wonder why you brought it up. to say you only mention it because its accurate is silly…do you also mention that they see with their eyes and hear with their ears? this is also accurate.
i bet if i called you effeminate, or faggy, you’d be rightly insulted.

 

[mark_a]

Robert-

I went from Catholic to nothing to Catholic again, and I love the convert apologists. They know “both” sides of the story and have taught me that my biggest problem is weakness of faith, not that the little I did learn was false.

 

[Racer_X]

Name a good Catholic apologist who is not a convert. I’m sure there are some but I’m just not familiar with any.

Keating
Madrid
Hahn
Chesterton
Newman
Kreeft
Knox
Thomas Howard
Dave Armstrong

Father Richard John Neuhaus: not exactly an apologist, but often ends up defending Catholicism very well.

 

[Prometheum_x]

As a very recent convert of just less than 3 months, I can say that I am (largely innocently) ignorant of many Catholic customs and practices.

 

[mr_bozo]

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. Harry

Well I converted and I’m still single. Work that one out genius!

 

[Newvert]

Pax:

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.

That about sums it up. As for bringing Bibles into a church- maybe its not vital, but how can it possibly be wrong? And as for not knowing an occasional response because you haven’t had time yet to learn them all, it sure beats those cradles who’ve been in the Church for life and either still don’t know them, or just don’t bother to say them.

I say, THANK GOD for true Catholics- Cradle, Revert, or Convert

 

[Tanais]

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.

Although yes this is sadly true that some do convert not out of a sincere love of the faith but due to the urging of spouses or boyfriends/girlfriends, i have met many who do that. Yet there are also many who do it not because of outside influences but despite outside influences. I converted much to the dismay of my whole family and friends. Try not to be over generalistic. You have converts with many different stories just as you have cradles of many different stories.

 

[SpiritualSon]

Tanais:

Although yes this is sadly true that some do convert not out of a sincere love of the faith but due to the urging of spouses or boyfriends/girlfriends, i have met many who do that. Yet there are also many who do it not because of outside influences but despite outside influences. I converted much to the dismay of my whole family and friends. Try not to be over generalistic. You have converts with many different stories just as you have cradles of many different stories.

Thank you for seeing the truth. Man should choose a church only if he finds truth in it. These Protestant men who turn Catholic for a woman, will haft to start praying to Mary come the month of October, the whole month that is,have fun.

When they start getting bored with praying to Mary the whole month of October,their eyes start searching the walls of the church for answers,saying in their minds, what did I got myself into, Mary is not God,so why I should pray to her.

Praying to Mary may last only two or three years, and than the men will go back to his former beliefs, because his heart tell him that the Lord alone is the one he should pray too.

Harry

 

[scrappy]

Hi All

I am a recent convert. I went to RCIA for two years before I officially became Catholic. The other people in RCIA told me I fired up their faith, made them think, got them excited about their faith again. All of us in my RCIA class did that. Our church has a very active RCIA program, and I think that is very important. Christ’s Church is for all. RCIA keeps a lot of things flowing and new I think. I know my excitement about this beautiful faith made a lot of cradle Catholics have a spark in their faith. I plan on being active in RCIA when it starts up in the fall and help others as I was helped.

 

[ATeNumquam]

copland:

The Catholic Church has the richest and deepest teachings theologically, and I think converts see it more so then most cradle Catholics. … 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.
QUOTE]

New converts (I’m a convert of 37 years, so am an “old” convert, and was only 18 when I entered the Church) are exactly like kids in a candy store, as Copland says. So many riches, so much to explore!! And understandably, too, still a lot to learn and get used to, so sometimes they still query things.

The “convert fever” they manifest may disconcert some cradle Catholics - it just doesn’t seem quite “Catholic”. Never fear, converts will come down to earth sooner or later. (Incidentally, a lot of “single” converts may feel they are called to the priesthood and the religious life, and wise spiritual directors will make them wait a few years!!)

I’ve encountered this “not quite the genuine article” phenomenon a few times (as recently as this year to my astonishment! - heck, how long does it take!! ), but I liken it to that kind of “regionalism” that you find in countries around the world - maybe also in the States? where, if you weren’t born and bred in a particular area, however tiny that region, you may be regarded as an alien for a very long time!
It has never bothered me too much. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I were a cradle Catholic, I also might think that converts were a bit too noisy and enthusiastic, with some weird baggage from their non-Catholic pasts!!
Human nature shouldn’t ever surprise us!

---

A Te numquam separari permittas - never let me be separated from You

 

[CARose]

Well, I’m a revert, and I think I would probably fall more into the category of Convert than the cradle Catholic I am.

Once you’ve been away from home, and then make a conscious decision to seek for truth before committing to returning (especially if your child’s soul is at risk), well, it’s hard not to get fired up!

How did I possibly have missed all that the Church offers? How did I take all this for granted? Wow!

And then, the commitment required by God in response to the graces offered. Well, the more you understand it, the more you realize how little you can possibly know about the enormity of this universal faith.

Thank God, Thank God, Thank God I’m Catholic! :bowdown:

As we say, “Lord, I am not worthy, but only say the Word, and I shall be healed!” This just about sums it up!

Let’s pray for all we encounter who fail to open themselves to all that the Holy Spirit haft brought forth.

When I’m in a discussion with someone who desires to convert me (often the best opportunity to share that some Catholics actually know and LOVE the Bible), I ask that we both pray to be given the grace to follow the Holy Spirit where ever He leads, regardless of where and without regard to the price it may cost. Once we’ve got that on the table, when we hit an impass, I simply refer back to our prayer and suggest we leave it to the Holy Spirit to guide our upcoming prayer over time.

I have the resources of the Catholic Church to turn to for the word of the Holy Spirit. And, I do my bit in prayer that we both be fully enlightened to grasp the truth of the situation we’ve been discussing. It’s amazing how frequently I find exactly the information that best answers the question on the table within a very short period of time (within a couple of days). It comes either in the form of a radio program (let’s hear it for Catholic radio!), an article or a book I’m reading. The Holy Spirit is truly incredible!

May the peace of the Lord be with you,

CARose

 

[Stu]

SpiritualSon:

Praying to Mary may last only two or three years, and than the men will go back to his former beliefs, because his heart tell him that the Lord alone is the one he should pray too.

Maybe…or maybe you underestimate our Mother.

 

[Karl_Keating]

Racer X:

Name a good Catholic apologist who is not a convert. I’m sure there are some but I’m just not familiar with any.

Keating
Madrid
Hahn
Chesterton
Newman
Kreeft
Knox
Thomas Howard
Dave Armstrong

Father Richard John Neuhaus: not exactly an apologist, but often ends up defending Catholicism very well.

Well, Racer, I guess that settles it: I’m not a good apologist. I can’t be–because I’m not a convert! (Maybe I wouldn’t be even if I were a convert.)

The same can be said of Patrick Madrid, who also is a cradle Catholic.

 

[rfk]

copland:

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.

We’ll pray for you at family prayer tonight. God be with!

BTW, any Knight of Columbus will support the notion there is a special value to a convert.

 

[Newvert]

Karl Keating:

Well, Racer, I guess that settles it: I’m not a good apologist. I can’t be–because I’m not a convert! (Maybe I wouldn’t be even if I were a convert.)

The same can be said of Patrick Madrid, who also is a cradle Catholic.

Don’t feel bad Mr. Keating, we still love you, even if you did choose to be born of Catholic parents.

 

[Poisson]

I have heard and read so many conversions stories that I aspire to be one myself, the only problem is that I am a cradle Catholic. There are many converts that give us cradle Catholics the kick in the pants that we deserve. Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees and we need someone to come along who is seeing it for the first time to show us what we are looking at.

 

[CARose]

Karl Keating:

I’m not a good apologist. I … The same can be said of Patrick Madrid, who also is a cradle Catholic.

Gosh Karl, I actually think Patrick’s a great writer, so at least there’s on good cradle Catholic apologist!



Love in Christ,

CARose

 

[dream_wanderer]

I didn’t convert because of ‘some man’. I’m the only Catholic in my family…and my husband is still a Protestant. If he ever converts I hope its not because of ‘me’ but because he has seen the truth for himself.

We had several people in our RICA class who were converting because of husband/wife or boy/girl friend but every single one of them was completely sincere. You could tell by the questions they asked, by the discussion we had and by their regular attendance at mass. There wasn’t a ‘dud’ in the bunch.

I have never felt any kind of alienation by being a convert. I’ve always felt welcomed. I do understand however how some customs that we former Protestants may think of as normal might seem a bit weird to cradle Catholics. Be patient with us…its hard to break free of the habits of a lifetime.

dream wanderer

 

[SpiritualSon]

I was not always a New Church member.Before that I was Catholic.I wasn’t converted because of any woman.I wasn’t dating at that time.I started go back to the church in Oct.1965.

I went to confession,change my life like Francis Assisi, and started go to mass as offen as can.

Every day I was at mass.I gave no time for the devil to get to me. I was working at a hotel on 34th St.in NYC.There was a Franciscan Church on 33th St.There were always confessions and masses there.

How I became a New Church member:
While I was a Catholic in the year 1966 I went to a Catholic Church in NYC, and received Holy Communion.All Catholics pray after to God after receiving Holy Communion.

I always had a habit of praying to the Lord.I never prayed to three persons,always to Him.I asked the Lord to help me to understand.

Believe this or not, but my prayers were answered through the writings of Swedenborg.

My understanding started getting better. Hellen Killer,who was blind and was also a member of this church.

Harry

 

[pnewton]

dream wanderer:

Be patient with us…its hard to break free of the habits of a lifetime.

dream wanderer

My wife chides me for referring to Mass as church or service, as in “It’s almost time for church” or “what service do you want to go to?”
This drives her nuts and it has taken a long time to break the habit.