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maryjean
Member
| Joined: | Sat Feb 24th, 2007 |
| Location: | York County, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 36 |
| First Name: | Jean | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Presbyterian to non-practicing to Catholic |
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Posted: Sat May 12th, 2007 02:46 pm |
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I was raised in the Presbyterian Church, and after a life of rather lackadaisical attendance and participation in what has over the years become a rather fundamentalist congregation, I found myself with serious questions about the amount of “truth” I heard from the pulpit on Sundays. But I drifted along until, after years of clinical depression following a second divorce and then my mother’s near death from a serious stroke, I reached a point that I decided that I would take care of my parents until their deaths then I would end it all because I would have no further reason to live. I did not believe that anyone liked me, much less loved me. I was angry at everyone and everything.
Then Pope John Paul II announced the Year of the Rosary. I read a news story about it and thought “The Rosary? What’s that? Well, what could it hurt? Nothing else has helped.” I bought a Rosary, looked on the Internet for instructions, and began. I quickly realized that this prayer made me feel more at peace than anything else ever had before. Then I discovered EWTN and began watching. And one day while watching Father Benedict Groschel explain why Catholics use the crucifix as well as the empty cross, I realized that Someone actually loves me enough to die for me. I had never understood it before, not truly in my heart. I can’t describe the joy I felt other than to say it was complete and overwhelming.
About the same time, the minister at the PCA church I was attending (because my elderly parents were members and my father wanted me there with him while my mother was ill) caught my attention one Sunday with a statement about ‘what Roman Catholics do’. I immediately thought “my friend at work doesn’t worship statues …or Mary…and neither did any of my Catholic friends when I lived in New York….” So I downloaded the Catechism from the Internet and read it to find out what Catholics really do and really believe. I was amazed to find nothing I could take any exception to (and I was looking!) I also became more and more skeptical about anything that he said. He’s a very nice man, and very good to that congregation; but he was telling them things that I was easily able to find out weren’t true.
For the next few years, I read everything I could find about the Church, lots of Karl Keating, Scott Hahn, etc. I watched Journey Home every week and Mass most days. I contacted the CH Network and they put me in touch with one of their helpers who happened to work at the same school I do. He has been a wonderful help in my journey, suggesting the Early Church Fathers as light reading, and talking with me often. Also, he introduced me to a group on campus who meet weekly to discuss the readings for that Sunday. I soon knew what I needed to do, but knew that my parents would be devastated if I converted. So I prayed a lot and asked God to be patient with me.
About a year and a half ago, my father passed away and I was lost and adrift with grief. One Sunday night I left my mother at her nursing home and drove aimlessly around town, wanting to go to the Catholic Church I knew had evening Mass, but not quite daring to go by myself. As I drove the street it was on for the third time, I said “OK, God, if you want me to go, let the car in front of me turn in to the parking lot.” So two cars in front of me turned in and I followed them. I’ve gone almost every Sunday since. Last fall, I asked the priest if we could meet to discuss my conversion. After many meetings and many more books to read and discuss, I was confirmed and received into the Church in January, 2007. I know I am where I belong, and I’m very happy to be Home in the Church.
Psalm 4
Jean
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Psalm 4
jean
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5080 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sat May 12th, 2007 03:06 pm |
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maryjean wrote: I know I am where I belong, and I’m very happy to be Home in the Church.
I try to welcome every new user, but somehow along the way it seems I overlooked your welcome, so let me begin by offering you my apologies, and welcoming you to the Catholic Church and to the Coming Home Network. We're happy to have you here with us, and look forward to your participation in the forum.
Please let us know if we can help in any way.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Carolyn
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 30th, 2007 |
| Location: | Torrington, Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 117 |
| First Name: | Carolyn | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Im a married catholic, with four children Devoted to Mary ... |
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Posted: Sat May 12th, 2007 05:40 pm |
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| Im grateful you know that Jesus loves you, what a Journey youve had,Welcome, I look foward to you posting with any questions being a new catholic, I loved what you said about the rosary and how you researched how to say the rosary on your own and what peace you found, well you are not on your own anymore,I know I can speak formyself and many here at this forum , we are here for you,Again welcome,
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Candlemass
Member
| Joined: | Tue May 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | Hudson, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 462 |
| First Name: | Mark | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, AOG, Baptist, non - denominational, Anglican, CC for life! |
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Posted: Sat May 12th, 2007 08:50 pm |
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| Wow, your story is not so unlike mine, I'm still searching some things out, just made my first confession in over 30 years! I just couldn't make life work in protestant land, and I tried, my conclusions were I was not one of the elect. Trying to wash a lot of that stuff out of my mind now, as for depression, I'm familiar!
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"For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries."--1st Peter 4:3 NKJV
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