Anyone ever convert without your spouse?

Bob Crowley

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I presume you mean "the other visions"?

Most of them have featured the pastor - one was a comment about the Protestant position in general, including a reference to Purgatory. Another was a warning about a certain lady which included the comment "Watch out for (certain lady)." Then he added "Your father's paying for it, believe me!! You don't want to join him!" Then he repeated "Watch out for (certain lady)!"

I've said before ad infinitum that on the night my father died, he appeared in my room. We had an argument and conversation, at the end of which I think he went to hell, going by the final terrifying scream just before he disappeared again (and I haven't seen him since). So I presume that the pastor could now see his position, which was "He's paying for it, believe me!" My father was literally screaming his head off - it wasn't very pleasant.

Another was a sharp criticism - "You've had enough time to write half a dozen books by now!" So I'm not without fault.

Before he died, the pastor said to me, "I think I'll ask to see him" (my father, after he died himself. I think the pastor may have had cancer himself by this time). I think I had a vision where they met briefly. The pastor said to my father "You've been down there all that time, and you still haven't learnt anything!!" My father replied cynically, "What's there to learn? That I'm doomed!?"

Then the pastor just said "All, right, you can go back now." My father turned and then screamed, and disappeared again.

On another occasion, Someone (God? Christ?) seemed to say to the pastor about me, "He doesn't trust me!!" To which the pastor replied, "Well, now that you've shown me all this, I don't blame him!! You expect him to do all these things, and you treat him like this!"

He got into trouble over that, and the next thing I knew he turned up looking rather 'burnt' and frazzled, and blurted out, "I stuck up for you!" (against God I suppose).

And that's about it. I can't think of too many others regarding the pastor since he died. In every case he just says what he's going to say, and then promptly disappears.

I've also had other spiritual experiences when I've been wide awake incidentally, including three "double whammies", which is like a breath going through you in waves from head to foot, very strong, very pronounced, and it sure doesn't come from you. In my case it was used every time to highlight a specific phrase someone else was saying. I nearly fell off the chair the first time it happened I got such a shock.

1. " A man after my own heart" (when I was new Christian in discouraging circumstances).

2. ".. a little man of great insight and wisdom .. " referring to Saint Paul.

3. "... an intellectual ministry that went around the world ..." referring to CS Lewis.

They were mentioned in sermons, once by a Bible Study leader at what we call a Scripture Union Beach Mission, and the other two times in the Presbyterian Church by the pastor, all within a few months of each other. I've heard hundreds of sermons, and I've forgotten 99% of them, but I remember those three verses specifically because of what happened at the time. And it hasn't happened since.

"Double Whammies" is the psychiatrist's term as he's experienced it himself - I think in his case he was running around an oval at the time when he was young, mulling over whether to become Catholic, and the "double whammy" hit him, indicating he should become Catholic.

We're both converts from Protestantism.

It's these common spiritual experiences that motivate me to continue to see him. He's told me about a few of his too.

That will do for now.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

After Thought - I mentioned the three "double whammies" above, as per
"They were mentioned in sermons, once by a Bible Study leader at what we call a Scripture Union Beach Mission, and the other two times in the Presbyterian Church by the pastor, all within a few months of each other. I've heard hundreds of sermons, and I've forgotten 99% of them, but I remember those three verses specifically because of what happened at the time. And it hasn't happened since."

I think it was God, or a guardian angel, one or the other.

Let's suppose it was a six month gap between first and last "double whammy". According to an article in Scientific American, the earth is moving at "with respect to the CBR (Cosmic Background Radiation) at a speed of 390 kilometers per second."

So in six months the distance would be 390 x 3600 x 24 x 183 kms, which translates to 6,166,368,000 or a bit over 6 billion kilometres through space.

Yet this hidden spiritual being (either Divine or angelic) knew precisely where to find me on three separate occasions, what was about to be said by the speaker before I'd even heard it, and then highlight each message for me in a way that could not be perceived by other people (the only way they'd know would be if I told them about it), while I was moving through space at about 390 kms per second, while the spiritual source itself was not bound to earth by gravity, for the simple reason it was spiritual.

Which is why I don't find it very difficult to believe God intervenes in the affairs of men in a very subtle way sometimes.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

After thought 2 - Nothing to do with the topic, but the "390" stirred a memory. I was driving a cab part time for a few years. At one time I picked up a bloke who worked for the Airport Corporation (if that's the right name). But he said he used to work for Virgin Australia.

We got talking about expenses, and he said he and another chap sat down once and worked out the whole of cost of flying a 737 aircraft was $300 per minute for the life of the aircraft. The "390" prompted my memory of the "300".

No wonder Virgin Australia went into administration when the Coronavirus hit, and they couldn't keep flying.
 
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Bob Crowley

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I meant "other visions...". I'll send you a personal message to clarify one of them.

PS - It seems I am unable to send you a personal message, possibly because you're a moderator, and have enough on your plate without fielding messages from members for whatever reason.
 
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TKA_TN

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Sorry for bumping an old thread, I’ve been off here awhile. I mentioned in another thread, but I think I’m about to the point where I’m going to convert without my spouse. She won’t be happy about this, but hopefully she’ll ultimately understand that if I truly feel the Lord calling me to this, it’s best for me to do. I think I’ll just suggest that I’ll go to Saturday vigil and then still attend our church that we’ve been going to and not take communion.

Any prayers for a smooth conversation are appreciated.
 
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Michie

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Sorry for bumping an old thread, I’ve been off here awhile. I mentioned in another thread, but I think I’m about to the point where I’m going to convert without my spouse. She won’t be happy about this, but hopefully she’ll ultimately understand that if I truly feel the Lord calling me to this, it’s best for me to do. I think I’ll just suggest that I’ll go to Saturday vigil and then still attend our church that we’ve been going to and not take communion.

Any prayers for a smooth conversation are appreciated.
Praying for you and your wife. I do not know if you have read Scott Hahn or not but he converted before his wife as well.
 
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Angeldove97

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... but I just can't see my wife coming around like Kimberly did. I'm thinking of reaching out to the priest at the parish I would attend to seek his guidance, but wanted to know if anyone here has any advice as well.

Hubs joined the Catholic Church prior to us getting engaged and my FIL is Catholic, but my MIL is Methodist. My husband hid that he was joining the Catholic Church because he was worried his mom would be upset about it. And then our priest - out of the blue - messaged both of my husband's parents through Facebook congratulating them on how their son was joining the Catholic Church and what a great guy my husband is. LOL Yeah THAT was a fun phone call...

Turns out that my FIL was privately RE-joining the Catholic Church at the same and my MIL was honestly very happy for both her son and husband to be a part of the Church! Over a decade later, my MIL is still Methodist but has come to have a deep love of the Saints, has a love of the Divine Mercy chaplet, welcomes icons and statues of Saints all over their house, and I even have Masses said for her on her birthday and Mother's day which she loves. But she is still very much Methodist.

Sharing that because none of us (FIL, husband, or myself) ever saw her coming to love these parts of the Catholic faith. But I am so thankful God was able to use us to help deepen her faith even more in His own timing and way.
 
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Sorry for bumping an old thread, I’ve been off here awhile. I mentioned in another thread, but I think I’m about to the point where I’m going to convert without my spouse. She won’t be happy about this, but hopefully she’ll ultimately understand that if I truly feel the Lord calling me to this, it’s best for me to do. I think I’ll just suggest that I’ll go to Saturday vigil and then still attend our church that we’ve been going to and not take communion.

Any prayers for a smooth conversation are appreciated.


I have been and am where you are. My wife was raised seventh day adventist but is not practicing; she has a strong aversion to the Catholic Church. I try to talk to her, but she will not be convinced and has stooped to mocking me. I could choose to try and fight back, or I could try and appease her. None of those options are worthwhile or consistent with good Church teaching. You cannot serve two masters; it will not work well when you try to serve God and your wife.
My solution is to serve God without asking my wife for permission. I love my wife and let her know that, but she does not dictate my worship of Our Lord and honor of Our Lady. When she objects, I try not to respond and refuse to fight. I offer my pain to the Lord and choose to suffer in silence. Fighting or arguing leads nowhere. I ask the Lord and Our Lady in prayer for my wife's soul; I run and not grow weary. I look for opportunities that the Lord gives me to present the faith to her, but I do not push.
I have resolved in my mind that if my wife gets angry and decides to leave, I will stay unmarried and serve the Lord.
Study, go to Mass, receive the sacraments and pray, pray, pray. I am happy to hear stories of other men that have converted and lead their wives to the faith. God bless them, but that is not me.
I go to Mass on Sunday and holy days. I also have a weekly meeting where we discuss the faith and go to Mass on Thursdays. On First Friday and Saturday, my wife makes fun of me saying that I can't get enough even though I went to Mass four days in a row. I stayed silent, but next time I will say, why yes I can't get enough. There is never enough of God.
She hates statues as seventh day adventists say that Catholics changes the ten commandments to use statues. I try to explain to her that they are not idols, but she does not listen. I have a picture of the Sacred Heart and Immaculate heart, as statue of St Michael and our Lady of victory, as well as a Crucifix and a picture of Our Lady of Czestochowa in our home. I also bought a large statue of Our Lady of Grace for a garden at the entrance to our property. She hates them, but tolerates them. I do not talk about them with her, but they are there for her to see every time she comes home. It hurts to stay silent and just pray and not fight, but I have resolved to wait on the Lord.
You need to be prepared to do the same. Serve the Lord, and love your wife as Christ loves the Church; pray and do not fight. Stay close to God in the sacraments

peace be with you
 
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WarriorAngel

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That's great; I'd also have to deal with flack from my own family, too if I convert. I know marriage isn't about doing just what you want to do and we are supposed to be united, but I've honestly never felt the Spirit moving me in a direction so strongly like I do now, and have in the past. I can't get my wife to understand that.
1 Corinthians 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.
 
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