Catholic testimonies

[Miss Shelby]

I love reading conversion stories!

KC, have you ever read the Surprised by Truth books, put together by Patrick Madrid?

I just finished one of them a couple of months ago. I could relate to most of their stories, but one story in particular I found astonishing.

It was about a woman who was an Evangelical Christian who went to Seminary to become a missionary. She and her husband moved to a small- pretty much impoverished Catholic community in South America to lead them to the Lord Jesus.

When they arrived there, plenty of other denominational missionaries were already there and had set up shop. She said was as if an American middle-class subculture had been set up in this little town--and they were converting Catholics to the 'truth'. But what this woman discovered--and also helped lead to her conversion.. is that once these people were saved... (the South-American Catholics)--50% of them were illiterate--so they couldn't read their Bible. Which for her, shot the Bible only theory into the ground and she began to study and eventually converted.

What I found appalling was the spritual *******ization of that community by arrogant (well-intentioned) Americans who thought they could save the world--just my opinion ofcourse.

Anyway, they are very good books and I highly recommend them to anyone..not just people looking to covert.'

Michelle

 

[ZiSunka]

Originally posted by Miss Shelby
But what this woman discovered--and also helped lead to her conversion.. is that once these people were saved... (the South-American Catholics)--50% of them were illiterate--so they couldn't read their Bible. Which for her, shot the Bible only theory into the ground and she began to study and eventually converted.

I'm a littel confused. Because they couldn't read their Bibles, that made catholicism the only truth???

That's a non-sequtior if ever there was one!

 

[Avila]

I think she means that the people had a true faith in God and understanding of Christianity without being able to read the Bible - they had to learn it somewhere, right? If the Catholic Church is so wrong, then how did these people know these things? The Holy Spirit was obviously moving in the Catholic Church that was teaching them these things.

 

[Miss Shelby]

I'm a littel confused. Because they couldn't read their Bibles, that made catholicism the only truth???

What I meant, lambslove, is that for some people learning by oral tradition might not be such a bad idea.

Michelle

 

[PrinceJeff]

The spritual what? that one part was bleeped out!

 

[VOW]

To Jeff:

"Spiritual b*a*s*t*a*r*d*ization" I think is the word.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[KC Catholic]

Originally posted by Miss Shelby
I love reading conversion stories!

KC, have you ever read the Surprised by Truth books, put together by Patrick Madrid?

YEP, both additions!

I recommend those books as well as "Crossing the Tibre" and "Rome Sweet Home."

It's funny, I read all the conversion stories after I converted...oh well.

 

[VOW]

To KC:

Yep, me too....I latched onto "Rome Sweet Home" and "Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic" LONG after I converted.

I haven't read "Surprised by Truth" yet, but I will I'm sure. However, I GAVE that book as a gift to a convert at his joining the Church.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[KC Catholic]

Great gift ideas!

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

I was raised Methodist. My father was a Chaplain in the Army for 36 years. He is the best father ever (earthly father), but never really pushed religion on me very hard.

I was never interested anyway, and read books in Church etc, as a kid. At the same time, I thought for YEARS about different theological questions and debated them in my own mind. I saw religion as a crutch that societies used to keep order, etc.

Finally I came to some answers, but wasn't sure. I met my wife, a devout Hispanic Catholic, and started going with her to Church, although at this point I wasn't really sure what I believed yet.

We decided to get married, and I had to promise to raise my kids Catholic, in order to get married in her Church, which was important to her. No biggie.

Recently, I decided that religion is a good thing, and I had resolved my questions about it in my own mind, and believed in God. I also decided that there was no real difference between the denominations, and being such, I should convert in order to make my son's understanding of religion easier, since both parents would be the same.

However, since being here, I have learned and studied the Catholic faith in detail, and found the real differences between the Protestant and Catholic faiths. I thought through them logically, and came to the conclusion that the Catholic Church makes the most sense to me.

So, I met with a priest, and we talk, read books, etc...and I am on my way to a true conversion. Not to make things easier, but because I believe it is true.

 

[jukesk9]

Neal,

My wife took some time but she eventually went through RCIA and is a regular at Mass. She's even thinking about becoming a Eucharistic Minister.

Anyway, my advice would be to pray, pray, pray and not push anything on her. Just simple discussions. My wife would ask a question and I'd answer. We never got into an argument.

Prior to becoming Catholic, my wife was Methodist and I went to church with her until one day I told her I felt the need to go home to Rome. She asked why and I told her I wasn't getting anything out of her church (we tried THREE different Methodist Churches). We talked about history and how the Methodist Church (along with other Protestant churches) got started and she was amazed that not one of them was the church Christ founded. When she began to understand that the Catholic Church was the church Jesus Christ Himself started, she had no problem converting.