Why I'm converting

[zipperc98]

I knew I forgot something…

I totally agree/understand about the whole “forcing religion on others” topic…obviously, as I stated, I come from an LDS background. Well, I joined when I was 19…but I have never been a huge fan of being an active missionary, as they frequently remind people. Yes, Catholics are also expected to be missionaries…but I think as many have stated, giving the option without seeming pressuring is good. And above all, as cheesy as it sounds, being a good example. It was the example of a friend of mine that led me to investigate Catholocism more than 2 years ago…In fact, this friend hesitated giving me very much information. He directed me to my own personal studies, including picking a CCC…I think when people are living their faith, that really goes a long way to show people who you are. And then when you plant the seed by offering people to come with you, it really takes hold. Again, i’m not pushy, so I haven’t really tried to lay on thick what I am going through with Catholocism. I did that once when I became mormon…I shared with everyone, and I often came across pushy. Which I was told later on. So in this journey I have been very careful with whom I have shared, and how much information I have given. And I have been very clear to people that I am not trying to push anything on them, but that I simply want them to know I am going through this journey.

I suppose it depends on the situation, and possibly how you believe God is leading you to help someone.

I hope there is something helpful in my responses here.

 

[mdrummer5]

I hope there is something helpful in my responses here.

Positive responses are always helpful

 

[Ruth_Catherine]

I’m very early in the process of converting to Catholicism. I’ve seen quite a few threads where I’ve found my story to be somewhat relevent so thought I would post a new thread explaining it in hopes that it helps anyone who is trying to convert someone.

Background: I grew up following the Jewish faith with a mother who converted from Southern Baptism. The church my grandparents used to attend very much followed the belief system that God is angry (imagine an angry little man screaming at you about God that looks like this ). The few times I went with them going to church as a child was actually scary for me because I was openly told I would go to hell by everyone including members of my family because of my faith. Obviously not a good way to show someone God’s love. By the age of 14 I stopped going to synagogue (Jewish “church”) and up until a couple weeks ago considered myself to be agnostic. Then I talked to God for the first time in a long time. I apologized and asked for a sign of how to pursue faith. Within a week of that my girlfriend asked me if I wanted to attend Christmas Mass with her. Subtle… but a sign nontheless. I went and felt spiritual fulfillment I’d never known before. Monday I have an appointment to discuss RCIA

The reason I want to share this is because too many Christians try to convert people and I’m here to tell you as someone who was opposed to it most of his life… don’t actively try. just present it as an option. When someone is ready to open their heart to God they will. Trying to pressure them into it (even if you don’t think you are it’s probably perceived that way) will only drive them further away. When my girlfriend asked she said “Do you want to go to Christmas Mass?”. Had she said “I want you to”, “will you” or worst of all “you should” I’d have declined.

Now she wasn’t trying to convert me and doesn’t even know that I’ve decided to yet (don’t want her to think I’m doing it for her) I guess what I’m saying is if you want to try… consider your approach more thoroughly. After the Christmas Mass my girlfriend and I were talking about it and I explained what my thoughts were and she even said “I will not try to convert you, but if you have any questions feel free to ask.”

Present the path… don’t try to push anyone onto it.

Also, while no expert, given my previous views and fairly decent education in psychology (though not my career path) I am fairly well versed in how non-Christians view the idea of conversion so if anyone has any questions that I can possibly help with in terms of converting a loved one feel free to send me a private message. I will never try to convert anyone given my previous experience but given how good I feel about it can appreciate the idea of wanting to share that feeling.

I so agree. The same thing applies to me in coming back to the Catholic church. As long as people pushed and talked about how I should return and told me how where I was, was wrong the more I tried to prove to myself and others I was right and why I shouldn’t return.

And then they stopped. They just stopped and it was if I could hear God calling me and He took me step by step back home.

 

[lauralh4]

I so agree. The same thing applies to me in coming back to the Catholic church. As long as people pushed and talked about how I should return and told me how where I was, was wrong the more I tried to prove to myself and others I was right and why I shouldn’t return.

And then they stopped. They just stopped and it was if I could hear God calling me and He took me step by step back home.

Agreed. I was an atheist for 7 years before converting to Catholicism (I had been a Catholic my whole life, but never really a practicing one). The worst approach, during those years, I found to be when people came towards me with a condescending attitude. The typical ‘You’re just going through a phase, but I trust that one day you will see that you are wrong, and you will go back on the right path. You will find God’. I have a temper, so you have no idea how much that INFURIATED me. If anything it drove me further away from ever finding God by wanting me to actively turn my back to Him and anyone that tried to push me towards Him.

When I found God, it was also because of my significant other. It was him that gave me the final push/motivation I needed to, not open my heart to God, but to realize that He had been there for quite a while. My boyfriend didn’t actively do something for me to convert to Catholicism, he even told me that if I remained an atheist for the rest of my life, he’d still love me and support me in whatever I chose (though, in reality, I think he knew I was very close/willing to find God, even though I wasn’t admitting it).

So yeah, like mdrummer5 said “present the path, don’t try to push anyone into it.” If you know someone who hasn’t found God yet, just pray for them…they will find Him at the precise moment they are meant to

 

[zipperc98]

Agreed. The worst approach, during those years, I found to be when people came towards me with a condescending attitude. The typical ‘You’re just going through a phase, but I trust that one day you will see that you are wrong, and you will go back on the right path. You will find God’.

Yeah, I get that A LOT now from people from my past faith! I had a friend say to me months ago “You wanna know my opinion? I think you are just going through a phase…you are rebelling”…Ummm, no. I smiled and left it alone. But I have plenty of friends who don’t get it, family, who just assume they know best.

Point is, I have found God. And pushing your opinions on others only turns them away…I will never go back to my past religion, mostly because of truth, but also because its a huge turnoff the condescention I have experienced.

 

[Maria_Aurea]

Yeah, I get that A LOT now from people from my past faith! I had a friend say to me months ago “You wanna know my opinion? I think you are just going through a phase…you are rebelling”…Ummm, no. I smiled and left it alone. But I have plenty of friends who don’t get it, family, who just assume they know best.

Point is, I have found God. And pushing your opinions on others only turns them away…I will never go back to my past religion, mostly because of truth, but also because its a huge turnoff the condescention I have experienced.

I am part of the RCIA program in our parish. When we talk to the people who joins the RCIA, we never tell them they should really be converted to Catholicism.
What we do is show them what the Catholic faith is all about and it is up to them to make their decision if they want to stick with the program and be converted or not.
We also show them who and what we are and no matter what, we are their friends willing and able to listen to them and from there, we leave the rest to God.
So far, with God’s grace, I have seen people who got converted to catholic faith and really live it and for that, I am very grateful to God and all Catholics who pray for conversion of non Catholics.

 

[mdrummer5]

I am part of the RCIA program in our parish. When we talk to the people who joins the RCIA, we never tell them they should really be converted to Catholicism.
What we do is show them what the Catholic faith is all about and it is up to them to make their decision if they want to stick with the program and be converted or not.
We also show them who and what we are and no matter what, we are their friends willing and able to listen to them and from there, we leave the rest to God.
So far, with God’s grace, I have seen people who got converted to catholic faith and really live it and for that, I am very grateful to God and all Catholics who pray for conversion of non Catholics.

This is how it is at the parish I hope to join. I haven’t actually been able to start RCIA yet (September can’t come fast enough ) but in talking with the lady who runs it she indicated that it’s entirely educational with no “persuasive” speaking and said that they even meet with everyone in each class individual at the end of “term” to make sure they understand that it’s entirely they’re decision to make… I’ve already decided and now I can’t wait!!!

 

[TrueLight]

This is how it is at the parish I hope to join. I haven’t actually been able to start RCIA yet (September can’t come fast enough ) but in talking with the lady who runs it she indicated that it’s entirely educational with no “persuasive” speaking and said that they even meet with everyone in each class individual at the end of “term” to make sure they understand that it’s entirely they’re decision to make… I’ve already decided and now I can’t wait!!!

I can totally relate. I start in September too. We’re like brothers/sisters in waiting.

 

[Maria_Aurea]

This is how it is at the parish I hope to join. I haven’t actually been able to start RCIA yet (September can’t come fast enough ) but in talking with the lady who runs it she indicated that it’s entirely educational with no “persuasive” speaking and said that they even meet with everyone in each class individual at the end of “term” to make sure they understand that it’s entirely they’re decision to make… I’ve already decided and now I can’t wait!!!

I don’t believe that you have to force people to be converted. Conversion should come from the heart and not because you were forced to do it.
What good is a person converted to the catholic faith if he becomes a catholic in name only and not in deeds.
As part of the RCIA team, we try to show people what the catholic faith is all about both in words and in actions with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the rest is up to them with the help of God.
It is better to hear people saying" I became a catholic because I wanted to and not because I was forced to"

God Bless

 

[mdrummer5]

I don’t believe that you have to force people to be converted. Conversion should come from the heart and not because you were forced to do it.
What good is a person converted to the catholic faith if he becomes a catholic in name only and not in deeds.
As part of the RCIA team, we try to show people what the catholic faith is all about both in words and in actions with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the rest is up to them with the help of God.
It is better to hear people saying" I became a catholic because I wanted to and not because I was forced to"

God Bless

Agreed. The problem in my experience is that Christians in general typically fit into one of three categories in terms of evangelization.

1. The ones who are completely indifferent and do not care one way or another if you or anyone else converts.
2. The ones who try to convert people by preaching fire and brimstone.
3. The ones (such as yourself) who do it the right way.

Sadly this list is in order of most to least (again in my experience).

That said, keep it up!

 

[Maria_Aurea]

Agreed. The problem in my experience is that Christians in general typically fit into one of three categories in terms of evangelization.

1. The ones who are completely indifferent and do not care one way or another if you or anyone else converts.
2. The ones who try to convert people by preaching fire and brimstone.
3. The ones (such as yourself) who do it the right way.

Sadly this list is in order of most to least (again in my experience).

That said, keep it up!

I know what you mean because I see it all the time . I really admire the converts to the catholic faith because they really know what being a catholic is all about more than some people who were born and raised catholics. It is really very sad to see this attitude and the only thing we can do is to continue praying and showing them how to a catholic by our example. I do believe that nothing is impossible to God and we can turn people around with His help.

One thing I know is that there are a lot of catholics who would welcome with open arms people who converts to the catholic faith. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus died on the cross for all of us and not just for the chosen few.

I will pray for you that the Holy Spirit may guide and enlighten you in your conversion.

God Bless

 

[Bussi]

i converted a few years ago.
i was raised Episcopalian (a Pk to be exact) and then , fed up with various hypocrisy and frustrations (and a lot of that is just a function of being a Preacher’s Kid) i ended up in various new age beliefs. then tried a 7th day church… and then became a Wiccan ,
i was, to put it VERY mildly. “aggressively anti Christian”

oh yes, and what little i knew about Catholics? doubly so. after all, (insert popular dogma about Catholics persecuting Pagans here)

i was, in fact. HOSTILE to anyone even talking about it. seriously.

but i make jewelry and participate in historical re-enactment. so i got sort of interested in the Rosary.

and that was the beginning of a long, complicated, and often quite angry path…
when my friend Lynn (may Perpetual Light Shine Upon her and Grant Her Peace) was diagnosed with colon cancer. i gave her a Rosary since i had heard she was Catholic.
she loved it
later she asked me if i knew anyplace to get a rosary she could take into an MRI
and i learned to make knotted cord rosaries for her

in the meantime, if you sell rosaries you meet Catholics surprisingly nice ones… …reasonable ones…who dont scream at you.
often **i met fallen away Catholics who didnt know how to say the Rosary, and would ask me… which meant i started carrying pamphlets to give out (and started saying part of it)
**
it took years before i worked up the nerve to walk into a local church and ask to talk to someone about converting.
if i hadnt met a LOT of very nice Catholics along the way who didnt shove, or try to convert me, i am sure the path would have been longer.

Re the bolded red text in the above quote, two of the 15 promises the Blessed Virgin made to St. Dominic and Blessed Alanus are:

*11. What you ask through my Rosary, you shall obtain.

1. Those who propagate my Rosary shall obtain through me aid in all their necessities.*

It is too long a story (personal) to relate in this venue but the 54 Day Rosary Novena has been an especially grace filled exercise for me in my life.

 

[Anthanis93]

I agree with you ! We must not force ! I ask God to give them his grace ! [BIBLEDRB][/BIBLEDRB] [by EASY WAYS to be a GOOD child of GOD FB Page ! ] Thanks for sharing your wisdom !​

1000 souls would be released from purgatory each time it is said devoutly…
“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

 

[Maria_Aurea]

thank you for your testimony, I hope every one who has come here asking “How can I convert my husband/girlfriend/brother/co-worker/adult child” reads your advice and heeds it.

Welcome Home, your Jewish heritage puts you in the same position of the first apostles and disciples as they encountered Jesus Christ.

I am really glad that you started this as it will be a big help for others who want to convert someone.

When I married my husband, he belong to the Church of England. He knew I was a catholic from the start and attend mass every Sunday. I never asked him to come with me because I want him to convert because he wanted it and not because I asked him to because at the end, it will not be as effective because he was basically forced to do it.

After a while, he started coming with me to church and became a regular church goer. I never mentioned to him not even once, to get accepted in the catholic faith. After about a year of attending mass regularly, he became friendly with the priest and started about going to confession and receiving communion and later on, the priest allowed him to go to confession and receive communion and got received in the catholic faith.

He decided that we should get married in the catholic church and actually got the priest to baptise him as catholic even though it was not needed and in all of this, not even once did I asked him to become catholic. He made up his mind because he said of what he saw in me doing and attending the mass with me.