Some Gifts of Being a Convert

[Michie]

Converts are neither perfect nor infallible. But our experiences for good and for ill are gifts that are useful for the Church’s life. Taking them into account might help the discussions about the realities of the Church’s past, present, and future.

As an adult convert to the Catholic faith of long standing (I came into the Church in 1997 at the tender age of 23), I am very grateful for the completion of the faith first given to me in baptism in a Christian Reformed Church in 1978. For most of my life as a Catholic I have experienced both love and admiration from cradle Catholics. While I’m happy to take the love, sometimes the admiration makes me a bit nervous.

I think of myself as the convert novelist Walker Percy did—a bad Catholic at the end of the world. I’m certainly no saint. Though (or perhaps because) I have a doctorate in theology and have taught, spoken, and written about the faith for many years, I’ve never thought of myself as first in the Kingdom of Heaven. If anything, I have long had the distinct fear that the Final Judgment will be delayed because I’ve been taking so long in Purgatory. Conversion is a turning toward the Lord and, even for the adult who comes into the Church after study and prayer, it is a process that takes a whole lifetime.

But even if being an adult convert doesn’t make holiness instantaneous, I have to say that there are some particular advantages to having embraced the faith after an intellectual and spiritual journey. Some of them are quite obvious. Most people remark on the fact that converts have often read not only a lot of the Bible but also a great many Catholic teaching documents and spiritual writings. They have also learned how to explain Catholic faith in a logical and orderly manner. This is generally true because the convert has not only had to explain the faith to himself but also to skeptical others who wonder how anybody could join this body.

Continued below.

Some Gifts of Being a Convert

Converts are neither perfect nor infallible. But our experiences for good and for ill are gifts that are useful for the Church’s life. Taking them into account might help the discussions about the realities of the Church’s past, present, and future. (essay by David Deavel)

theimaginativeconservative.org

 

[Bob Crowley]

I lifted the following passage from the quoted article -

Most importantly, converts who have studied the Church’s history know that though it is glorious, that glory has been accompanied by a lot of muck.

I've often stated my old Presbyterian pastor thought I'd become Catholic, saying "I think you might be happier there" and "I think God might want you to go back there" (after my unbelieving Catholic father and nominal Anglican mother had me baptised Presbyterian).

But he also warned me that there was going to be a revelation of pedophile priests and that of the incidents themselves he added "I think there's going to be a LOT of them!" with a distinct emphasis on the word "LOT".

That was around 1990 as he died himself in January 1992. I became Catholic circa 1996 or 97. At the time I wasn't even thinking about the predicted pedophile priests prediction, but I'd only been Catholic a few years when the stuff about pedophile priests and the cover -ups started to hit the media fan. I wasn't surprised as I'd already been warned by the (prophetic) pastor but it was nonetheless disappointing. On the other hand I only have to look at my own failings to know that the church is made up of sinners.

To quote the old pastor again "One bunch of sinners is pretty much the same as the next!"

Yet the (deceased) pastor turned up in a brief vision one night after I'd become Catholic and said to me "The Catholic Church is CLOSEST to the truth!" this time with a distinct emphasis on the word "CLOSEST".

There's been plenty of "muck", but in the end I'll stick to the Catholic Church as I think it's "Closest" to the truth.

One thing I will say though - Catholics seem to think some Protestants are inclined to adhere to "Scripture at all costs" (or their interpretation of it). My observation as a convert is that I think some Catholics are inclined to adhere to "Tradition at all costs".

Having been both Protestant and Catholic, I take "infallible" claims from either side with a dose of salt. I'll have a good look at the claim first before taking it on board.