Why do Protestants become Catholic?

[magdelaine]

montanaman:

BE CAREFUL. I’m a cradle Catholic, but I was poorly catechized. When I started getting into apologetics and the fundamentals of the faith, it sent me down a road to burnout. I even went to Franciscan University for a year, but by the end of it, I wanted nothing to do with God.

Just be careful. It’s easy to O.D. on this stuff.

This is a good warning. I’m really feeling the call to “do something” regarding apologetics in our parish but I have a lot of other personal irons in the fire. I’m really asking the Holy Spirit for guidance because I do NOT want to burn out, but remain a humble servant, not a here today gone tomorrow enthusiast.

 

[montanaman]

magdelaine:

This is a good warning. I’m really feeling the call to “do something” regarding apologetics in our parish but I have a lot of other personal irons in the fire. I’m really asking the Holy Spirit for guidance because I do NOT want to burn out, but remain a humble servant, not a here today gone tomorrow enthusiast.

Put some feelers out there. Put a sign-up sheet in the back of the church and ask Father to mention it in the announcements at the end of Mass. The sheet could just be a survey of the level of interest for an apologetics group. Just make sure to deduct about 75% of the names from the list because everyone always thinks it would be a great idea, but nobody ever shows up. Not until they have a belligerant Baptist relative start pressing them, anyway…

 

[magdelaine]

montanaman:

Not until they have a belligerant Baptist relative start pressing them, anyway…

Thanks for the suggestion! I actually got up the nerve to call the parish yesterday. Although I couldn’t convince Father to let lil’ ol me to organize a study group, I did get him to agree to put a blurb in the bulletin so that I can collect names/emails etc.

I don’t blame him; I’m a relative unknown. But ya know, the issue of uncatechized Catholics is too important to ignore.

 

[Writer]

Eden:

False. It specifically refers to the “Catholic” Church, capital “C”.

"Protestants accept the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, which make reference to the Catholic Church. The Apostles’ Creed states, “I believe . . . in the Holy Catholic Church”; the Nicene creed states, “I believe . . . in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.” Both of these statements were written after “Catholic” had acquired its current meaning.

The portion of the Nicene creed that contains the reference was written in 381.[The first part of the creed, which deals with the Father and the Son, was written at the council of Nicea in A.D. 325. The second part of the creed, which begins by affirming the deity of the Holy Spirit and contains the reference to the Catholic Church, was written at the council of Constantinople I in A.D. 381. The new creed came to be called the Nicene Creed, though it would be more proper to call it the Nicean-Constantinopolitan Creed, a name so long as to demand abbreviation]. “Catholic” was added to the Apostles’ Creed in the fourth century, specifically to distinguish the Catholics who recited it from the heretics who also did so.** In both creeds “Catholic” is used in its modern sense**."

More here: [catholic.com/thisrock/1993/9311def.asp](http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1993/9311def.asp)

Hmmm… Very interesting points. Thanks for posting the link!

 

[Writer]

montanaman:

BE CAREFUL. I’m a cradle Catholic, but I was poorly catechized. When I started getting into apologetics and the fundamentals of the faith, it sent me down a road to burnout. I even went to Franciscan University for a year, but by the end of it, I wanted nothing to do with God.

Just be careful. It’s easy to O.D. on this stuff.

My wife and I are leading a bi-weekly discussion group on the CCC. We have a Yahoo page up, so folks can follow along who are out of the area. We have a couple Forum members still involved, I think, but they haven’t said too much yet. Drop me a note, if interested… It’s easier to read it as a group.

 

[Jeanette_L]

montanaman:

BE CAREFUL. I’m a cradle Catholic, but I was poorly catechized. When I started getting into apologetics and the fundamentals of the faith, it sent me down a road to burnout. I even went to Franciscan University for a year, but by the end of it, I wanted nothing to do with God.

Just be careful. It’s easy to O.D. on this stuff.

I’ve always been this way, even as an Evangelical. I have a whole wall filled with books, I have boxes upon boxes, it’s pretty much a mess. And I will get to a place where I have to take a break from it. My appetite for the Lord is a times unsatiable, until I get close to burnout and then I have to take a sabbatical!

It seems that when you are a new convert though, you really have no other choice but to learn as much as you can in a really short period of time, because you get attacked right away from Christians of other faiths for converting. And you really have to be prepared to defend your decisions, and defend Catholicism from every conceivable angle. There’s no shortage of hatred out there, and even coming from people I never expected it from. It’s like a button gets pushed and people turn into wolves. I find it a very bizzare and surreal experience. People I always considered godly and spirit filled, so to speak, become almost demonic with hatred.

It is really a trial by fire trying to survive all of this, and if you don’t learn your new faith really well on your way through it, you won’t survive. At least that’s how I feel about it.

I’ve always been a learner because I enjoyed it, now it’s a matter of just hanging on.

 

[Thirst4Him]

jim1130:

Peace.

What books are you reading? I use the CCC and “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma” by Ott, but both primarily as reference books.

Thanks.

Peace.

Jim, I suppose the question would be, What haven’t I read. It’s been a lot. Let’s begin with the Catechism. I spent a year reading it through, on the average of 8 paragraphs a day. Now I’m taking it very slowly, studying all the footnotes as I read.
Aside from that…
Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn
The Lambs Supper by Scott.
A Father Who Keeps His Promises by Scott.

Catholicism And Fundamentalism by Karl Keating

By What Authority by Mark Shea

Introduction to Christianity by then Cardinal Ratzinger–A tough read I might add.

The How To Book of the Mass by Dubruiel

The Diary of St. Faustina…still reading…long read.

Moral Darwinism by Benjamin Wiker…phew…often over my head by a great book.

Upon This Rock by Stephen Ray…fabulous, fabulous book…am presently wading through it.

The Mass of the Early Christian by Aquilina Super book!!

Peter and the Keys by Butler, Dahlgren and Hess…a major tough read…not easy reading and in some ways boring. It’s why I switched to Ray’s book. He’s much more readable.

Faith of our Fathers, Book I by Jurgens. Great book.

Nearly all of Jim Burnham’s Study Guides

Am slowly plowing my way through all of Pope John Paul II the Great’s encylicals.

And when I have time…reading The Rock by Catholic Answers,
The Catholic World Report and tons of material by most of the recommended apologists at Catholic Answers. Oh also, I find Ignatious Press to be the most dependable when it comes to good reading. That’s not to put down any other, but I just trust them.

I can’t remember all the books right now, but I’ve read a ton.
I try to stick with what CA recommends as I think they are closest to teaching what the catechism teaches. Of course, EWTN is a favorite network…I just wish I could get it on the AM radio here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Sacramento stations to reach this far.

And in my spare time…I try to be a good husband.
Oh…btw…I read the Bible through twice each year.

I guess that tells you where my mind is.
Thirsty

 

[jim1130]

Thirst4Him:

Jim, I suppose the question would be, What haven’t I read. It’s been a lot. Let’s begin with the Catechism. I spent a year reading it through, on the average of 8 paragraphs a day. Now I’m taking it very slowly, studying all the footnotes as I read.
Aside from that…
Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn
The Lambs Supper by Scott.
A Father Who Keeps His Promises by Scott.

Catholicism And Fundamentalism by Karl Keating

By What Authority by Mark Shea

Introduction to Christianity by then Cardinal Ratzinger–A tough read I might add.

The How To Book of the Mass by Dubruiel

The Diary of St. Faustina…still reading…long read.

Moral Darwinism by Benjamin Wiker…phew…often over my head by a great book.

Upon This Rock by Stephen Ray…fabulous, fabulous book…am presently wading through it.

The Mass of the Early Christian by Aquilina Super book!!

Peter and the Keys by Butler, Dahlgren and Hess…a major tough read…not easy reading and in some ways boring. It’s why I switched to Ray’s book. He’s much more readable.

Faith of our Fathers, Book I by Jurgens. Great book.

Nearly all of Jim Burnham’s Study Guides

Am slowly plowing my way through all of Pope John Paul II the Great’s encylicals.

And when I have time…reading The Rock by Catholic Answers,
The Catholic World Report and tons of material by most of the recommended apologists at Catholic Answers. Oh also, I find Ignatious Press to be the most dependable when it comes to good reading. That’s not to put down any other, but I just trust them.

I can’t remember all the books right now, but I’ve read a ton.
I try to stick with what CA recommends as I think they are closest to teaching what the catechism teaches. Of course, EWTN is a favorite network…I just wish I could get it on the AM radio here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Sacramento stations to reach this far.

And in my spare time…I try to be a good husband.
Oh…btw…I read the Bible through twice each year.

I guess that tells you where my mind is.
Thirsty

EGAD! WOW! Yes, what have you NOT read seems more applicable. I am impressed in in true admiration of the time you have devoted to reading these books. I am embarrassed that I am so poorly read. I am planning to purchase “The Mass of the Early Christian” and “Faith of our Fathers” (not sure if my local parish has either in the parish’s library, which never seems to be open anyway ) and I would like to get “Radio Replies,” too as well as find reading materials on the Early Church Fathers. I like Archbishop fulton Sheen has some books out that are good reads, too.

Thank you for your time and I am flattered and honor you took the time to respond to my message.

Peace be with you.

Jim