Hundreds of Protestant Clergy Converting to Catholicism. Why?

[simonthezealot]

In other words, while many poorly-informed, Biblically-illiterate, inactive, culturally Catholic people become Episcopalian or Evangelical based on preferences or without serious intellectual consideration, the converts to Catholicism are from among the sincerest, most active, best-informed, most Biblically-literate, and best-read Evangelicals, Episcopalians, etc.​

http://beutel.narod.ru/write/convert.htm

This is so dishonest and offensive on so many levels, it is not funny.

Furthermore nearly all the main Catholic guys broadcast out there with these conversion stories are actually reverts...

 

[chestertonrules]

This is so dishonest and offensive on so many levels, it is not funny.

Furthermore nearly all the main Catholic guys broadcast out there with these conversion stories are actually reverts...

In my experience it is very accurate.

Who are you referring to?

Scott Hahn, Marcus, Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Mark Shea, Tim Staples, Steve Ray, Richard Neuhaus, Jeb Bush, Rosalind Moss...?

No, so who?

 

[simonthezealot]

For example Francis Beckwith...But i'd be happy to research these others...I'd be willing to bet that Madrid shea staples and Ray all were though...

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

I believe that you will find, if you actually read the conversion stories, that these are intellectually impressive men and women of God who made some tough choices in order to fully follow Jesus.

Many lost their livelihoods and their friends. These stories are not smallminded or petty.

That can also happen when a Christian deconverts to either atheist or another religion.

Colossians 2:8 Be ye seeing no! any ye shall be the one together-leading thru the fond-wisdom and empty seduction in according to the tradition of men, according to the elements/stoiceia <4747> of the world, not according to Christ

 

[chestertonrules]

That can also happen when a Christian deconverts to either atheist or another religion.

Absolutely. Especially if they are in the ministry.

The point would stand in all such cases. These decisions are not made lightly.

The question I presented is why. What motivated these people to give up their livelihoods to become Catholic?

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Absolutely. Especially if they are in the ministry.

The point would stand in all such cases. These decisions are not made lightly.

The question I presented is why. What motivated these people to give up their livelihoods to become Catholic?

I suppose they felt "bigger" was better

 

[chestertonrules]

I suppose they felt "bigger" was better

You can hear it in their own words.

That never came up in the accounts I've listened to.

 

[Joachim]

unbelievable.

yada yada yada, Catholic Church. Yada Yada convert. Blah Blah Blah hooray Catholics, blah blah blah horrible Protestants. Yammer Yammer Ain't we great.

I hate to point out the blatantly obvious, but how much of your over a billion that you claim so readily as "this is why were the one true church" proof, are nothing more than once a year Catholics, who outside the obligatory show your face to keep membership type of Catholic? your own Pope has stated that he'd prefer a much smaller church, if they were all faithful, instead of Catholics-in-passing.

the fact that you would quote such smallminded garbage is dismal. You truly are looking through the magic looking glass, and coming up with the figures that you want to see.

Catholic statistics are based on parish numbers. If you sign up as a parish member you are counted. If you don't sign up you are not counted. Most of the once-a-year, twice-a-year Catholics are not going to be affiliated with a parish because when you sign up with a parish you are sent donation envelopes and the like. Many strict Catholics will also not register with a parish for whatever reason. I would say based on how we tabulate our statistics, the number of Catholics is underestimated not overestimated. We simply aren't as good at keeping statistics as other denominations are


I will say that it does not help your argument that you have decided to resort to rhetorical sarcasm. It is something that you should think about.

 

[Zoness]

Oooh these people converted to Catholicism that means I should too! I want to be in with the in crowd right? That kind of thinking is against my very genetics I don't see a lot of hope for this thread outside of a denominational rhetoric.

 

[Uphill Battle]

Catholic statistics are based on parish numbers. If you sign up as a parish member you are counted. If you don't sign up you are not counted. Most of the once-a-year, twice-a-year Catholics are not going to be affiliated with a parish because when you sign up with a parish you are sent donation envelopes and the like. Many strict Catholics will also not register with a parish for whatever reason. I would say based on how we tabulate our statistics, the number of Catholics is underestimated not overestimated. We simply aren't as good at keeping statistics as other denominations are


I will say that it does not help your argument that you have decided to resort to rhetorical sarcasm. It is something that you should think about.

The only arguement that I have is that the whole "we're more valid because people converted from denomination A to denomination B" argumentation is smallminded and petty.

Most of the Statistics that I've read regarding what denomination people are, did not come from the denominations themselves, so I doubt that what you say is remotely true, but it's of little note. My "rhetoric" may offend you, but I suppose it's far better than if I scoured for examples of Catholics converting to something else, and pretended that it meant that somehow, the Catholic Church was less valid because of what people do. Or how about I crow about the people who left Catholicism for Atheism? would that prove that the Catholic Church is worse than Atheism?

of course not. all it proves is that people are inconsistant. Something that we already knew. The OP wants us to believe that hordes of protestants, and the "best and brightest" are dropping what their doing and heading to the Catholic Church. Even if the numbers that he has shown is true, it results in a drop in the bucket compared with the overall populations of protestant/catholic adherents, and is next to completely moot.

He is seeing what he wants to see in the numbers, and nothing more.

 

[Uphill Battle]

Oooh these people converted to Catholicism that means I should too! I want to be in with the in crowd right? That kind of thinking is against my very genetics I don't see a lot of hope for this thread outside of a denominational rhetoric.

I agree. It won't be long before a Protestant starts posting "hey, look at these stories about Catholic deconversions" as rebuttal, and taht will be rather sad.

I wish the childishness IRT conversions would stop.

 

[MamaZ]

well some may have been written on the CC books but are all of their names written in the lambs book of life? This will be where the rubber meets the road.

 

[calluna]

Isn't "protestant clergy" an oxymoron?

The word 'cleric' means 'literate', and as Protestantism (note spelling) was always based on literacy, it's more of a tautology.

The priesthood of all believers, doncha know.

 

[calluna]

Absolutely. Especially if they are in the ministry.

The point would stand in all such cases. These decisions are not made lightly.

The question I presented is why. What motivated these people to give up their livelihoods to become Catholic?

For a salary raise?

 

[bbbbbbb]

In my entire life of 57 I have known only one Protestant clergyman to convert back to Roman Catholicism. Yes, you read that correctly. He was born and raised as a Catholic, left the Catholic church while in college, attended a Protestant seminary and became a Protestant clergyman and then later decided, for a variety of reasons to rejoin the Catholic church.

In the meantime I have known dozens and dozens of Catholics who have become Protestants and remain faithful Protestants. I have known even more Catholics who have simply left Catholicism for a wide variety of other reasons. However, I am not aware that a single one of these individuals has yet to be removed from the rolls of the Roman Catholic Church.

It comes as no startling surprise to me, as a result, to see parishes being merged together and churches being demolished left and right. If Catholic numbers were growing as rapidly as certain individuals claim then none of this would be happening and the Catholic church would be busily erecting edifices on every street as it was when I was a child growing up in a very Catholic city.

 

[Rhamiel]

well some may have been written on the CC books but are all of their names written in the lambs book of life? This will be where the rubber meets the road.

I am sure there are many Catholics who have there names written in the book of life

 

[sunlover1]

I am sure there are many Catholics who have there names written in the book of life

I'm not sure that there are many catholics OR protestants.
If Scripture is true, FEW have their names written.

14 Because&#65279;&#65279; strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it.

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

Posted in another thread, even MORE relevant in this one:

everyone, on BOTH sides of the track, need to stop crowing about converts, to and from their chosen denominations, either from Catholic, or to Catholic. All it proves is the inconsitancy of men... It does nothing to prove the credibility of your own denomination... or to destroy the credibility of the one you are pointing the finger at. It's really, really childish.

I agree that "crowing" about converts would be a poor practice on anyone's part. My conveting- horrible word, really- to the Orthodox Church is no triumph for the Orthodox faith (even if I was the most pious and humble and gentle, which I am not). Rather, it is a testimony to what I SEE in the Church, and my seeing it does not make it so.

I don't think that leaving on sect for another is necessarily unstable, however- though I am admittedly not objective on the matter. Rather, I see it as persons following their conscince and the leading of God as best as they can, in most instances, anyway.

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

For a salary raise?

This type of cynicism is poisonous to the soul. The measure used in judgement shall be applied, and "every careless word judged."

 

[jiminpa]

This type of cynicism is poisonous to the soul. The measure used in judgement shall be applied, and "every careless word judged."

It may be cynical, but it also quite likely true. Unfortunately, leading a church has become a job, and is usually treated as such, including the worldly quest for the bigger check by mobility, and guess who tends to write the biggest checks. On a side note, I met one of the most respected priests in the Pittsburgh area, and the guy is a world class jerk, and believe me I'm being nice to only call him that. What does that prove? nothing really, but it kind of goes with the spirit of the thread.