Conversion Stories

[GratefulToGod]

Perhaps a bit too much, too soon.

 

[rainbojo]

Thank you for your beautiful post. Peace be with you as you continue your journey.

 

[GratefulToGod]

Thank you

 

[MrStain]

Awesome conversion story, GratefulToGod! I always love those journeys I read about where an individual such as yourself is brought into the Church by an intellectual realization of the truth of the Catholic faith.

Jakep069 - Thanks for sharing as well. Isn't is amazing how God continues to reach out to us?

 

[Hypnos]

I had studied and formed a belief system that was unique to myself over three decades regarding how what was best for both individuals and society was the place where sociology, psychology, philosophy and spirituality met.

How so? Are you saying that your independently derived system of beliefs exactly corresponded to existing Catholicism? Excuse me if I find that hard to believe. You mean you made no compromises? Catholicism is a hard mistress. It's inconcievable to me that someone could just accept every aspect of this rigid faith without some compromise of principles.

 

[Vendetta]

How so? Are you saying that your independently derived system of beliefs exactly corresponded to existing Catholicism? Excuse me if I find that hard to believe. You mean you made no compromises? Catholicism is a hard mistress. It's inconcievable to me that someone could just accept every aspect of this rigid faith without some compromise of principles.

What he's probably saying is that core beliefs that he came on his own matched up, and that the particulars weren't difficult to agree with once he heard the Catholic reasoning. At least, that's how it's been for me the last couple months. I was so angry at Christianity because Protestantism was disagreeing with my conclusions, and then I realized Catholicism matched up with the major ones. My conversion story is quite similar to the previous poster's.

 

[GratefulToGod]

Awesome conversion story, GratefulToGod! I always love those journeys I read about where an individual such as yourself is brought into the Church by an intellectual realization of the truth of the Catholic faith.

Thank you, Mr. Stain. I borrowed several books after RCIA regarding conversion stories and it was nice to know I was part of a history, if you will, of others who converted for similar reasons. I have never been happier than since I became Catholic.

How so? Are you saying that your independently derived system of beliefs exactly corresponded to existing Catholicism? Excuse me if I find that hard to believe. You mean you made no compromises? Catholicism is a hard mistress. It's inconcievable to me that someone could just accept every aspect of this rigid faith without some compromise of principles.

No compromises. I don't find Catholicism rigid at all. In fact, it's about quite the opposite... love and acceptance. The catechism offers extensive information on accepting personal responsibilty, what to do when you fall short, how to treat others, how to be a person, a family and a part of a well-functioning society that is about what is good for every single human being, social justice... all the way down the line. Just because not every Catholic lives up to it all the time doesn't mean we can't strive for it. Moreso, we are all sinners. There is a great equalizer right there and I'm all about equality of all human beings.

The only things I had to change were to accept that the origin of my conclusions lay with God through Catholicism, that Jesus was the Messiah who died for my sins and the mysteries that will remain mysteries, like the Eucharist. I already knew Mary, but in my own way, before I knew who my angel was. I recognized my personal angel as our Beloved Mother from studying about her in RCIA, my heart just felt fuller and fuller. After study and a lot of reading, I had no doubts at all. I might not have perfection, I know I won't. But I have absolute faith.

What he's probably saying is that core beliefs that he came on his own matched up, and that the particulars weren't difficult to agree with once he heard the Catholic reasoning. At least, that's how it's been for me the last couple months. I was so angry at Christianity because Protestantism was disagreeing with my conclusions, and then I realized Catholicism matched up with the major ones. My conversion story is quite similar to the previous poster's.

Yes, very much like that. I had always had problems with Protestant type versions of Christianity and admit I felt the theology itself contains unfixable hypocrisies and contradictions. I'm not trying to insult anyone, but like you, the theology itself just made me angry inside. It might well suit others, and I'm fine with that, but for me, Catholicism is indeed the one true faith.

 

[Hypnos]

No compromises. I don't find Catholicism rigid at all. In fact, it's about quite the opposite... love and acceptance. The catechism offers extensive information on accepting personal responsibilty, what to do when you fall short, how to treat others, how to be a person, a family and a part of a well-functioning society that is about what is good for every single human being, social justice... all the way down the line. Just because not every Catholic lives up to it all the time doesn't mean we can't strive for it. Moreso, we are all sinners. There is a great equalizer right there and I'm all about equality of all human beings.

The only things I had to change were to accept that the origin of my conclusions lay with God through Catholicism, that Jesus was the Messiah who died for my sins and the mysteries that will remain mysteries, like the Eucharist. I already knew Mary, but in my own way, before I knew who my angel was. I recognized my personal angel as our Beloved Mother from studying about her in RCIA, my heart just felt fuller and fuller. After study and a lot of reading, I had no doubts at all. I might not have perfection, I know I won't. But I have absolute faith.

I asked about compromise because you said you came from a Jewish background. While you say you never practiced your faith, I assumed there must have been a certain amount of cultural baggage that comes with being a Jew, even a non-observant one, that would run contrary to the Catholic tradition. I stand corrected.

 

[GratefulToGod]

I have my baggage but in part that is what left me with a spiritual void which was filled by Christ. I will say Judaism is almost diametrically opposed in it's entire theology to Catholicism. You are correct in that. There is very little similarity in the two religions.

 

[Cain Spencer]

Out of interest, is there anybody here that has converted to Catholicism?

I, myself, am in the process of converting to the Catholic Church from the Anglican Communion and was really wondering whether others have had similar experiences. My own reasons were that there was no real faith anymore and that leaders were wasting there time trying to make the Church look "cool" and "modern" by pandering to atheistic and hedonistic ideals.

I use to be a Methodist. I thought that was all I needed. I was wrong!

 

[Rhamiel]

i am to afraid to go to that random website, might be a virus or something
anyone with a good anti-virus system wanna check this out for a coward like me?

 

[Memento Mori]

Not a valid link.

 

[Voegelin]

After supporting Catholics on this forum since I became a member and for decades before, I converted this Easter.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

After supporting Catholics on this forum since I became a member and for decades before, I converted this Easter.

welcome!!

 

[helenofbritain]

After supporting Catholics on this forum since I became a member and for decades before, I converted this Easter.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GrowingSmaller]

(this is copied from the philosophy forum, as I cannot post links yet due to not having 50 or more posts to my name. I will add that am a fallible human being and prone to err like everyone else. If the experience is valid then I do not mean to imply I am in any way special or holier than anyone else, but rather simply blessed in what seems to be an unuslal way. Also I do not feel that the experience if real necessarily validates the idea Catholic Church above all others and is unique as a way to God, which some people doubt, but rather that God can act through the Cathoolic Church, which again some people doubt. Also this is the foundation of my faith so please be gentle with me if you have doubts.).

This might sound corny but I (could have) had a "witness" experience in a lightning storm. It was very beautiful and my eyes (and inner soul) were salved by Christ, blessed or touched with divine light in a flash from the skies. That was the pinnacle of a "conversation with God". I had been experiencing issues relating to being contemptuously associated with a cartoon character and sensed I was, well not possessed, but having my identity messed up such that my humanity was not being respected. When I said "I believe" there was a beautiful flash which touched my inner soul. It was not a normal experience. The whole "phenomenology" seemed to indicate a spiritual presence behind the veil of the storm.

I was living in a violent hell hole of a town where people were antagonising and bullying me for no good reason.

Anyway I had actually prayed, out of desperation, after a long battle with my own demons too! I had been a total atheist for a long time and it was not like me at all to pray. I had picked up a latin rite missal from my bedroom, and repeated continuously for quite some time:

P: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Introibo ad altare Dei. R: Ad deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.



P: Judica me Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta: ab homine iniquo et doloso erue me.
R: Quia tu es Deus fortitudo mea: quare me repulisti, et quare tristis incedo, dum affligit me inimicus?
P: Emitte lucem tuam, et veritatem tuam: ipsa me deduxerunt, et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula tua.
R: Et introibo ad altare Dei: ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.
​

which means:

P: Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy; deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.
R: For Thou art, God, my strength; why hast Thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?
P: Send forth Thy light and Thy truth: they have conducted me and brought me unto Thy holy hill, and into Thy tabernacles.


R: And I will go in to the altar of God: to God Who giveth joy to my youth.
​

Convinced I had "met" God I even tried to baptise myself with holy water (I was staying with a Catholic friend). It was late at night.

The next morning I went to church to investigate and there were 2 relevant readings out of 3 read, the first of which was:

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
​

And another was this:

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some claimed that he was.
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.
11He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
12"Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing ​

13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."

16Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."
But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.
17Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened."
The man replied, "He is a prophet."
18The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19"Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
20"We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner."
25He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
26Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
27He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?"
28Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."
30The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

34To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.​

Spiritual Blindness​

35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

36"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
37Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
38Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
39Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
​

They seemed at the time to be a continued confirmation of the "epiphany" type experience I was undergoing. They were like a running commentary from the majesticvoice of God. What was more convincing about the readings was that they were laid out in advance in the Sunday Missal. They were not improvised choices from the priest in the light of there being a lightning storm the night before. Anyway after that I was fully converted I now feel that I have been delivered from violence too (deo voluntas it will remain that way). In fact I have been saved from the brink maybe of further attack or suicide. I have been relatively quite safe since that night onwards. Please either wish me well or pray that that remains so.

Some people might suggest that it was all coincidence, and they have a point. It could have been, but I think that there was enough apparrent intelligence at work to at least not be a believer through random "blind faith". May God protect me, and may I not be a fool.

What is funny is as an atheist teenager I had been questioned about God, and exclaimed b******, strike me down with lightning if you exist!!!

Also, a couple of weeks befoe the big night at my friend's I was in the same room and there was an amazing flash of lightning. I sensed that God had called me, but I was atheist and too scared and so did not stay at that house that night. I was not accustomed to sensing God, but rather it seemed that there was a force wanting to communicate with me.

The probabilities to be considered are:
1) The reading happens once every 3 years.
2) There were about 5 storms a year in my town, but I suppose 16 million a year worldwide.

 

[Victrixa]

Repenttoallnations,





I pity you poor soul.

A sect (or cult) is a group who denies that Jesus (the Messiah) has come in the flesh... Instead of swallowing all that you were told, why don't you research at the very source itself? That would be a very Christian thing to do!

 

[servant of Merciful Love]

After supporting Catholics on this forum since I became a member and for decades before, I converted this Easter.

Praise God
Praying for your spiritual journey

 

[servant of Merciful Love]

(this is copied from the philosophy forum, as I cannot post links yet due to not having 50 or more posts to my name. I will add that am a fallible human being and prone to err like everyone else. If the experience is valid then I do not mean to imply I am in any way special or holier than anyone else, but rather simply blessed in what seems to be an unuslal way. Also I do not feel that the experience if real necessarily validates the idea Catholic Church above all others and is unique as a way to God, which some people doubt, but rather that God can act through the Cathoolic Church, which again some people doubt. Also this is the foundation of my faith so please be gentle with me if you have doubts.).

Please either wish me well or pray that that remains so.

May God protect me, and may I not be a fool.

You have my prayers for the Lord to continue to illumine and guide you closer to His Sacred Heart

 

[~Jennifer~]

I am converting as well. I'm a Baptist converting to Catholic. My husband side of the family is all Catholic and I really don't have anyone to go to church with. I attended my oldest daughter's confirmation which really made me think. I have been depressed with a lot of other mental illnesses and other health issues.

I recently had Father of my husband's parish come and bless my home a week ago to keep the bad things away.

Our RCIA classes don't start till August and I'm really looking forward to it.

Hope to get to know everyone.