Why did you convert to Catholicism?

[jazzy_987]

My friend and I are making a Catholic website. Please tell me if it’s okay for me to use your story. (I’ll use it only if you agree don’t worry)

Thanks

 

[Techno2000]

I’m considering converting.

The first thing that drew me was the liturgy. It seemed very focused on God and on worship. And I like the idea of worshiping with my whole body, I like the standing and sitting and kneeling and the crossing myself, all that.

I also like how it is so diverse yet at the same time so unified. I go to my own Methodist church and pretty much everyone is white and middle to upper class. And I go the the Catholic church, which isn’t that far from my own, and it is much more racially and economically diverse. Yet at the same time the worship in all Catholic churches are similar enough. I went to mass in Bolivia a couple of times and even though I didn’t know the responses in Spanish, I could still say them in English and actively participate in worship.

I think the biggest thing I’m not sure of is the whole pope thing. I can kind of understand the whole Peter thing, and I understand the development of doctrine and such, but I don’t really understand how we got from Peter to the modern Pope. I’m still trying to sort that out.

And I’ll also admit to being a little bit scared. Scared of how my friends at my current church will react and how to explain it all to them and scared because it seems like a MUCH bigger deal that joining a Protestant church. At my current church I just had to promise to support them with my prayers, my presence, my gifts, and my service, all things I was already doing. Converting to the Catholic church seems like a much bigger and more permanent thing.

The word Pope just means Papa,ST.Peter was the first Papa of the Church, but he died so Church needed another Papa to take care of the Church, and so on and so no, till today.

 

[Ahimsa]

When you say “convert to Catholicism”, are you also referring to “ecclesial communities” and the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox? Since all these are also “Catholic”, though imperfectly joined.

 

[Kristine1957]

I started to see so many discrepencies in my religion ( Mormon ).
I kept asking questions and not getting any answers other than pray and have faith and read the book of mormon.
That just wasn’t enough for me.

So, I started on a long path of researching the beginnings of mormonism and trying to find the answers that I needed. You see, I didn’t want to leave the mormon church I wanted it to be right since that is what I was taught all of my life.

Furthermore. I liked being LDS my entire life was all about being a mormon… I just wanted to have some answers to my questions and I thought I was trying to prove (to myself) that the mormon church was right and all the other churches were wrong…

I started comparing the BoM with the Bible and there were so many errors and contridictions in the BoM and the " never ending changing doctrine and revelations ". I couldn’t accept the temple ceremonies and what they did in there that was just to much and I knew I had to leave.

I searched several other churches and they just didnt make sense to me but when I started going to the RCIA classes and listening to EWTN and Catholic Radio and listening to what Christ said “seek and ye shall find”" everything fell into place. God brought my husband, our four children and myself home to the church he left for all of us…

And that my friend was 14 years ago and I have never in my life been happier.

 

[Vittorio23]

Heh, why did I convert to Catholicism? 'Cause God gave me a nice big kick in the… yeah.

Short story: I was a freshman in high school and an arrogant atheist who argued back and forth with a Catholic friend and two Mormon friends. I owned the arguments. But, I was jealous of their faith. Mormon friend gave me a Book of Mormon, which I read. Finally decided to fall to my knees in prayer. Knew that God was there. I was on the way to converting to Mormonism, learning all that I could… Yet, God was there, steering my path. He led me straight to the Holy Eucharist and I came running to the Church.

Long story: kayla23mount.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-conversion-from-beginning-to-where.html

I’ve had such an interesting journey and one that I know is no where near its finish.

 

[contramundum7]

I converted because Jesus founded the Catholic Church and I will follow Him anywhere. Jesus gave His authority to men who passed it on and on. I want to be in the Church that has the authority of Christ and that is the Catholic Church.

Sounds great… Can you give any advice as to how to get a friend to go to Catholic Church and/or RCIA? I’ve taught him “a lot” about the faith and he still seems to think he is OK in no church at all… I feel like i am talking to a wall sometimes… Maybe he just likes to be argumentative. I am wondering if its just some personality clash or something… (I have led others to the Church).

 

[contramundum7]

Short story:

Hey, don’t mean to complain, but i think your story is TOO short… I would like more details…

I was on the way to converting to Mormonism, learning all that I could… Yet, God was there, steering my path. He led me straight to the Holy Eucharist and I came running to the Church.

Long story: kayla23mount.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-conversion-from-beginning-to-where.html

Oh…

Nevvvvvveeeerrrr minnnnnddd

 

[contramundum7]

i just went to your blog and your story was SO… well, like you i have to say, words fail me… The story made me cry… I have been Catholic (and quote-unquote Catholic) all my life… have been devoutly so for about 12 yrs… We devout Catholics probably take a lot of what we have for granted… & stories like yours make us see the beauty and wonder all over again.

I almost didn’t read your story - told myself i didn’t have time… I am so glad i changed my mind. Your story made me think of things in my life and how i might change “things” that aren’t “right”. I used to have such a close bond with Jesus. I still do but sometimes i get this feeling something is wrong…Your story reminded me of how Jesus and I once were… I am not out of grace or anything, haven’t committed any mortal sin… yet i have this one particular “distraction” in my life. When i read your story, i saw just what a distraction it really is…

Again, words fail me… I guess i don’t need to try to find the right ones. Maybe I should just say Thank you very much.

You express yourself very well.

 

[Harsalter]

I grew up baptist, my dad a southern baptist minister. I went to a southern baptist university as a history major. Growing up, I always felt something was missing or wrong in the baptist way. A few songs and a sermon did not feel like worship.

At college, you would see the new ‘pastors-to-be’ brag about their “job prospects”, bragging their church was bigger than the others with a bigger salary. Even with my Dad, when he said he was called by God to go to a different church to pastor, what he really meant it was a larger church with an increase in salary.

I finally as an adult started to study in depth the early Church. Once you do that, protestant faiths are not an option. And when I actually finally read In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, "I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. … ", I knew I had been misled my entire life.

If the gates of hell won’t overcome the true Church Jesus instituted, certainly a few heretics like Martin Luther, John Calvin and Henry VIII couldn’t.

Most protestants are just ignorant and don’t understand the history of Christianity, or they wouldn’t be protestant. Most are simply born into their faith and they never look elsewhere for the truth. I think most protestantism is passed down from generation to generation out of ignorance. They simply accept it as truth. But I would never leave my eternal soul to the mercy of a few people that left the Church a few hundred years ago, nor to my family, as this is a decision for me to make, not them.

 

[kbharbert]

Converts to Catholicism: I’m just wondering what made you convert to Catholicism.

1)Was it influenced by friends/family? 2)Was it something about your old religion? 3)…etc?

Thanks

PS: my friend’s thinking of converting, she’d like to know why others converted.

**i was raised baptist but i always felt ‘drawn’ to the Church. for years i KNEW that the Church was where i SHOULD be but i knew zip about it. (i WAS taught all the chick flick garbage but i instinctively believed there were MAJOR problems with what i was being told).
finally, after watching Mother Angelica’s show for about a year, saying the rosary each night with her for a few months and listening to Father Corapi among others, i mustered the courage to call my local parish and sign up for rcia.
(THAT took a LOT of courage for a shy person. )
AFTER the fact i realized that my soul had been STARVING my whole life.
being protestant was like a meal of watery soup.
the Church is a rich, deep, glorious, candlelit, eternal FEAST.
**

 

[Harsalter]

**
AFTER the fact i realized that my soul had been STARVING my whole life.
being protestant was like a meal of watery soup.
the Church is a rich, deep, glorious, candlelit, eternal FEAST.
**

So true! It really is. If you think about it, the only sacraments a baptist preacher can administer is baptism and marriage, and one of them doesn’t even take a Christian to do. The protestants gave up five of the seven sacraments when they gave up the apostolic succession, plus all our rich tradition which dates back to Christ and the ORIGINAL Apostles, etc, etc.

And who do protestants call when they need an exorcism? Yea, a Catholic priest.

Yea, I am so glad I came home to the true Church and finally have some meat and veggies in my soup.

 

[ccconvert]

The short answer to the question in this thread is, (for me):

I was a sincere believer in the Bible and a preacher for the Evangelical Free Church of America. (EFCA).

Doing study and research for sermon preparation always revealed a few difficulties, especially in that we were teaching not only Sola Scriptura and Sola Fides, but also the literal reading of the Bible.

The sixth chapter of John’s Gospel (Bread of Life)became more and more troubling, as did the Book of James, The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapters 5 thru 7 and The Judgement of the Nations in Matthew 24 starting at verse 31. These passages attest to the importance of and describe behavior that is pleasing to the Lord. For me, it became obvious that to deny their necessity was to deny the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It took me several years to get past some trepidation and fear before I actually began my formal journey into the Church and, though I understood enough to have been received on the basis of a profession of faith, I went through RCIA . There were so many blessings an graces that came through that route… I cannot begin to list them all.

Suffice it here to say that God is patient, gentle and kind and will NEVER allow a sincere heart that is open to Him to end anywhere but home.

Pray for the conversion of souls using the Prayer of the Miraculous Medal as specified by St. Maximillian Kolbe.

Hope this helps.

 

[desertwoman]

This is an interesting thread, especially since I’m Protestant.

When yall converted, did you or do you still have any doubts that this is the faith that God instilled? Why become Catholic if beliving in Christ and repenting is what we need to become Christians?

 

[water]

Why become Catholic if beliving in Christ and repenting is what we need to become Christians?

Obviously, it is more than just those two. I hope you read more about conversion stories, you will find out many reasons. In this thread alone, it is not just all about believing in Christ and repenting.

For example: the post right above your post. The poster, ccconvert, believes in the Eucharist is not just symbolic.

edited: well, to say believe in Christ is to believe everything He said. One of those is the Eucharist.

 

[kbharbert]

This is an interesting thread, especially since I’m Protestant.

When yall converted, did you or do you still have any doubts that this is the faith that God instilled? Why become Catholic if beliving in Christ and repenting is what we need to become Christians?

**just focusing narrowly on the question…i’ve never ‘doubted’ that my conversion was right and the Church is the true Church.
to be honest, i am no where near as educated in the faith and it’s history as i SHOULD be…right now i’m just basking in knowing that i’m finally HOME.
i DO miss the passion of hellfire and brimstone preachers though and the hymns of my baptist life.
—Why become Catholic if believing in Christ and repenting is what we need to become Christians?—…there is usually an added ‘and get to heaven’ on it.
the Catholic church is the only place i have EVER heard that being forgiven does not mean the consequenses of your acts are not forgotten nor will punishment be negated.
one of the main complaints i heard (and hear) against Catholics is that they can do anything, pop into confession and go do it all over again. that is so far off that it’s laughable.
being a ‘christian’ is SO much more than asking for forgiveness and being dunked in a pool. there’s WORK to it.
Catholicism is not a spectator sport.
**

 

[water]

Obviously, it is more than just those two. I hope you read more about conversion stories, you will find out many reasons. In this thread alone, it is not just all about believing in Christ and repenting.

For example: the post right above your post. The poster, ccconvert, believes in the Eucharist is not just symbolic.

edited: well, to say believe in Christ is to believe everything He said. One of those is the Eucharist.

oops. I am sorry, I somehow had the name of Amontoya for the quote instead of desertwoman.

welcome to CAF, desertwoman.

 

[jazzy_987]

I guess the thing that really started my conversion process is that there were many questions I had that my Southern Baptist background could not answer. I basically left all organized religion, and though I still had a strong belief in God, I just couldn’t find anything that really felt “right”. In my searching, I had basically ignored the Catholic Church, because being raised baptist, I thought Catholics were “weird” and worshipped Mary and the saints and all that. The man that I am now married to is the one that really introduced me to the RCC. We had been friends for a while, and one night after work we were talking and the conversation turned to religion. For over 4 hours, he just explained things to me. I realized that all the “weirdness” about the Church was not true, and started investigating further. I did a ton of reading and praying and reflecting. There was not a single question I could come up with that the Church didn’t have an answer for. Once you see the Truth, there’s no way around it… you have to just embrace everything and never look back! Even though it was very difficult and filled with a lot of discouragement from family and friends, my conversion is the best thing that has ever happened to me!!

I was wondering if I could use this story on a Catholic website I’m working on. Please PM me the answer. Thanks.

 

[zing363]

Well, I was raised, and am babtized in the Babtist faith. I decided, along with my wife and children to come home to the Church because the Holy Spirit told me to. I had always been somewhat intrigued by the Church and have some friends that are Catholic and started asking questions about a year or so ago. Then I started to read about it, and finally I prayed to the Lord. And he told me to bring my family home back to the Church. Somewhat of a “calling”, if you will. And now, we have never been happier and have never felt more alive and close to the Lord.

 

[kbharbert]

Well, I was raised, and am babtized in the Babtist faith. I decided, along with my wife and children to come home to the Church because the Holy Spirit told me to. I had always been somewhat intrigued by the Church and have some friends that are Catholic and started asking questions about a year or so ago. Then I started to read about it, and finally I prayed to the Lord. And he told me to bring my family home back to the Church. Somewhat of a “calling”, if you will. And now, we have never been happier and have never felt more alive and close to the Lord.

isn’t it AMAZING?!
AND it goes to the heart of the anti catholic: ‘there’s no personal relationship with Jesus in the Catholic Church’.
WELCOME HOME!!! hugs

 

[sterryfamily]

This is an interesting thread, especially since I’m Protestant.

When yall converted, did you or do you still have any doubts that this is the faith that God instilled? Why become Catholic if beliving in Christ and repenting is what we need to become Christians?

Hey, desert…

Click this link biblechristiansociety.com/download and listen to “One Church” and tell us what you think.