Good day everyone,

My name is Chris and I was born into a strong family. I have recieved the holy sacraments of baptism, holy communion and conformation. I am planning on getting married in about a year or so, but lately my fiancee and I have been discussing why we believe what we believe. We have come to this point where we began to question many thing from our catholic faith. Such as, communion, confession, and praying for salvation. Comming to this fourm has really opened my eyes to my Catholic faith. I have recently attended a Christian worship service, and to be honest, I felt very unconfortable. Maybe its because I have been raised to this point to be catholic, or just the fact that everyone has more of a relationship with the lord. I have to admit groing up I consider myself having a relationship with the lord just not as vocal as the people at this church were. I was wondering If everyone in this fourm were born into the Catholic faith or is there anyone who has converted? I would like to Thank everyone in advance, for any input that may give.

May the Lord bless you all!

CJ

-- CJ (elmoandme@yahoo.com), November 12, 2004

Answers

CJ,

I converted to Catholicism at the age of nine... oh, nigh on 13 years ago now. you said:

just the fact that everyone has more of a relationship with the lord in regards to members at protestant services.

I've attended services with my mom in the past, and for awhile it felt that way to me too. what i would suggest to you would be to take a look around this forum and ask your questions here. The best cure for feeling like you dont know your faith and your God is to seek the answers to your questions. AND, if you feel like you arent being vocal enough with your faith, there's a simple fix to that problem... get vocal.

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), November 13, 2004.

Born Catholic here..56 years ago..BUT..when the Mass changed I didn't like it all. Too many changes for me. I loved the old Mass. So I left the Church and went bouncing around for many years in one Protestant church after another..looking. WOW..the people were so incredibly enthusiastic..the sermons would knock your socks off.Yet there was always something "missing".

There was an emptiness there..an almost tangible void. It took me 20 years of feeling this "void" to figure out what it was. (I'm slow). It was the absence of the sacraments..it was the hole I had in my heart..a real ache for the Eucharist. The first time I went to Mass again after all those years I sat there and cried..There were the words my soul was looking for as the priest held up the Host..It didn't matter if the Mass was in Latin or Swahili..the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ was all important. A 20 year self-induced separation taught me what anyone can discover by mere prayer and reflection..

-- Lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), November 13, 2004.

lesley-- WOW! thanks for your post. its stories like this that help my often fragile faith...

-- jas (jas_r_22@hotmail.com), November 13, 2004.

Yes, Leslie, thank you so much for that post ! You have just reenforced what my husband and I feel about the Church and why we decided to convert with all of our children ! God bless you !

Thanks and glory be to God forever and ever! --Amen.

-- Suzanne (james-betsy@sbcglobal.net), November 13, 2004.

lesley,

what can i say? my heart cries out for those who left the church in schism after Vatican II. Your post sums up for me what it means to be a traditional... it isnt rebuking the current form of the mass, or scoffing the clergy and the vatican... its a preferance for the old form, with such a love for Christ that you submit your will for the will of the church and ultimately God's will. I never had the chance to experience the traditional mass, and yet I know that it was a great form... but this one is too.

We need the help of those who left the church. There ARE violations which go on in certain parishes, but the answer is NOT to run. the answer is to stay the course, call out bad priests when they hurt the flock, right the wrongs before they become the norms, help the weak in their faith. The church does indeed have a great hole in its very heart where some of the most conservative defenders of the faith SHOULD be... And i've said all that to say this: lesley, you have the ability to be a great boon to the church and to help to no ends in your parish. God bless,

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), November 13, 2004.

CJ,

You can find that same open passion for the Lord in Catholicism, you may just need to look a little harder to find it. Try a Catholic Charismatic service in your area. Ask lots of questions and see what happens. It certainly can't hurt and it might help jumpstart your faith and relationship with God.

David

-- non-Catholic Christian (no@spam.com), November 13, 2004.

If you would like to read personal witnesses of people from different religious backgrounds who have found the fullness of truth in the Catholic Church, I would recommend two sources. The first is the website of the Coming Home Network, an organization which assists clergymen of other faiths who have recognized the truth of Catholicism. Conversion for these people involves much more than just changing churches. It also means giving up the profession they have studied for and worked at for many years. Many of their stories are available on the CHN website, under "conversion stories" ...

http://www.chnetwork.org/

Another good source is a series of books called "Surprised by Truth", which can be found in paperback form. The original book was called simply "Surprised by Truth". Then there was "Surprised by Truth 2", and "Surprised by Truth 3". Many inspiring stories, primarily by lay persons who came into the Catholic Church from a wide range of religious backgrounds - Protestant, Jewish, Muslin, atheist, etc.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 13, 2004.