Conversion Stories

[FaithT]

Amen! Praying for many more vocations to the priesthood! We need many more young priests!

Yes we do.

 

[FaithT]

Private confession is offered in my Anglican church but it’s optional and I think most people don’t do it. Do you think priests ever get judgmental about hearing some confessions? I bet they’ve heard all sorts!

i like you’re user name.

 

[FromWesternCanada]

I start the OCIA within 4 months. But my 'conversion' to understanding Catholicism, it was really just grasping Apostolic Succession, the Traditions that pre-dated the laymen building by many, many years. I just first thought, well, Apostolic Succession, that sounds like a God plan. It really is CRUCIAL to trusting the Bible. Then I got into the whole 'Schism' thing, and tried to understand how one would take sides. Then I understood that the Roman Catholic Church, God would have to have 'started poorly' for it to have taken off to the East. I'm not trying to be lazy in my words with 'started poorly', I just think it sums up the insanity of anything but Roman Catholicism. I've also got a Rosary, and it feels like there is some kind of change 'in the air' after Praying it. I always knew Christ was KING... and the 'evangelicals' I knew, weren't Christians I wanted to be. So, it really came down to the broadness of Evangelicism, or the 'umbrella' of Roman Catholicism. I think that makes sense. But yea, the Church is TRUE. I feel that just by showing admiration for Mother Mary in Prayer, and other ways I try to understand God. I started off on the right foot, knowing it was Jesus Christ of the Trinity. Another reason for the East to be questionable. I just think, God shows me things now, that He didn't before.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I've said this before and it is private revelation, but I used to be Presbyterian.

Sometime after I'd become Catholic, my Presbyterian pastor (who had died several years before) turned up one night in a vision and said "The Catholic Church is CLOSEST to the truth", with a distinct emphasis on the word "closest". He didn't say it had all the truth or was necessarily correct in everything, but was CLOSEST to the truth.

That was all he said, and then he just disappeared again.

We had discussed Catholicism and Protestant divisions while he was still alive, and he was getting cynical about Protestant division, saying at one time "When it comes to theology, Protestants couldn't agree how far to spit!"

But that was my experience.

You need to work through your decision for yourself and RCIA is the way to start. It's the only way actually as it is a necesary step in the journey.

 

[RileyG]

I've said this before and it is private revelation, but I used to be Presbyterian.

Sometime after I'd become Catholic, my Presbyterian pastor (who had died several years before) turned up one night in a vision and said "The Catholic Church is CLOSEST to the truth", with a distinct emphasis on the word "closest". He didn't say it had all the truth or was necessarily correct in everything, but was CLOSEST to the truth.

We had discussed Catholicism and Protestant divisions while he was still alive, and he was getting cynical about all the Protestant divisions, saying at one time "When it comes to theology, Protestants couldn't agree how far to spit!"

But that was my experience.

You need to work through your decision for yourself and RCIA is the way to start. It's the only way actually as it is a necesary step in the journey.

Perhaps he’s still in purgatory.

Praying now for him!

God bless!

 

[Tom D]

As a kid I was terrified of going to confession. As a young adult I was anxious but not terrified. Now I’m ok with it.

I felt anxious, but also hopeful. I am so grateful for Confession.
I was told: in the early Church, each person was allowed to go to Confession only once. Only once in a whole lifetime !
We're so fortunate we can do it without limit.

 

[Michie]

I felt anxious, but also hopeful. I am so grateful for Confession.
I was told: in the early Church, each person was allowed to go to Confession only once. Only once in a whole lifetime !
We're so fortunate we can do it without limit.

What the Early Church Believed: Confession

Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest? Here are 10 examples of what early Christian writers had to say on the subject of confession.

www.catholic.com

 

[Michie]

I felt anxious, but also hopeful. I am so grateful for Confession.
I was told: in the early Church, each person was allowed to go to Confession only once. Only once in a whole lifetime !
We're so fortunate we can do it without limit.

Interesting topic! After researching your comment, as far as I have seen there was never a once in a lifetime requirement for confession.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I went looking for "once a year confessions in the early church." An AI summary gave the following feedback which I assume is reasonably correct -

....the early church did not follow a rule of "once a year" confessions; that specific requirement was not established until the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.

The frequency of confession in the early church (roughly the first five centuries) was generally characterized by two distinct practices:

1. Once-in-a-Lifetime "Formal Penance"
For grave or public sins (such as murder, adultery, or apostasy), the early church practiced a rigorous form of penance that could often be received only once in a lifetime.

Duration: This process was long and severe, sometimes lasting several years. Public Aspect: Penitents often occupied special areas in church and wore distinct clothing. Delayed Baptism: Because this formal reconciliation was a "one-time offer," many people famously delayed their baptism until near death to ensure all their sins would be washed away at once.

2. Frequent or Regular Confession
In contrast to the one-time formal penance for major sins, regular confession was practiced for daily or lesser faults: Weekly Practice: The Didache (c. 70 AD) instructed Christians to confess their transgressions every Lord’s Day before breaking bread to ensure their sacrifice was pure. Spiritual Direction: Many early Christians, particularly in monastic settings, practiced frequent confession to a "spiritual father" or guide for ongoing spiritual growth. Lenten Custom: By the 5th century, it became common for the Roman church to hear confessions at the start of Lent, with reconciliation occurring on Holy Thursday before Easter.

Transition to the Annual Rule
The current "once a year" rule was introduced in the 13th century to correct an abuse where people were putting off confession until they were near death. Today, this remains a minimum requirement (the "Easter Duty") for those in a state of mortal sin.

While there were instances of "once in a lifetime" confession, they were for specific reasons. It wasn't the norm.

 

[Tom D]

Thank you Michie and Bob. Seems that I got the wrong info from someone else. Sorry.

 

[Michie]

Thank you Michie and Bob. Seems that I got the wrong info from someone else. Sorry.

No problem! It’s a constant learning experience.

 

[RileyG]

Interesting topic! After researching your comment, as far as I have seen there was never a once in a lifetime requirement for confession.

I think most people put off baptism until the ends of their life because it was largely associated with the forgiveness of sins. The Roman means of confession was public and so was penance, while the Celtic means was private and could be done many times.

Per Wikipedia, it appears my memory is right?

Penance in the Catholic Church - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Bob Crowley]

I didn't know the answer myself off the cuff so to speak. Tom D's post prompted me to check for myself which is the only reason I looked it up.

It's not something I normally would have considered.