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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: Mon Oct 9th, 2006 04:16 pm |
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The following was originally posted by rebadragon after the old forum software crashed. It was never placed online.
I am really struggling right now with this conversion process. Doctrine is not the issue, I am firmly convicted of the Catholic Church and its truth. I crave the eucharist.....BUT....I am really struggling with the culture of the church, and some of the experiences I am having. I am having a difficult time knowing how to filter what I experience with other people in the church with what I know, what I feel called towards. I really feel like I need some serious mentorship of some kind, from someone who understands my background firsthand. Just three months ago, I was the lead singer on the worship team in a huge evangelical church, and I knew how to "be" there. I am lost here, and am feeling like my spiritual roots are drying up. I have not met ONE person yet ho understnads "my language".....that's how I feel, almost like I am speaking a different language, and people in the Church either look at me in confusion or like I have two heads. Is there somewhere I can get some more resources? Does CHN personally mentor people who were not actually pastors, but other in leadership (ie leader in music ministry?). How can I avail myself of these resources? If someone reading this has an "in", can you hook me up with someone! I hat sounding so desperate, but this transition is so much harder than I thought it would be. I feel very alone in this, and after what I experienced today, (see my other post), I feel a bit like throwing in the towel and going back to my original plan after leaving Calvary: homechurching. (although, without the eucharits, that seems so empty to me now....)
Anyway, any help would be appreciated.
Reba, mom to Bella and Jude, wife of Matthew
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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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Br. Rich SFO
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 27 |
| First Name: | | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | |
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Posted: Mon Oct 9th, 2006 04:29 pm |
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| Your sponsor should be this person. Your Sponsor should be someone you have known and who has brought you to this point?
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Leah
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| Joined: | Tue Oct 10th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 2 |
| First Name: | | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | |
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 06:20 pm |
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Reba,
What brought you to the Catholic church? What it a person who can help you?
Speak to the RCIA director at the parish you are attending. He/she may know of someone in the Church who has a similar background to your who will make you feel more comfortable. That person may be happy to help you into the Church as someone helped them.
Leah
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Esther
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Kansas City, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 144 |
| First Name: | Esther | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist to Roman Catholic 11/26/06 |
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Posted: Tue Oct 10th, 2006 11:21 pm |
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Reba,
I understand completely what you mean about Catholic culture being a whole other world. Now I haven't been through what you have had to deal with (with the two parishes that you visited), but I know it really is a subculture that you can't seem to break into sometimes. And sometimes they can be out right rude and insensitive. I just want to offer you some encouragement, it will come! I prayed for a while for God to provide me some authentic friendships, and He has really provided me some awesome people to surround me and listen to me yell and scream and laugh and cry. They have walked with me on my journey (and it has been a muddy road). I will be praying for you to find a good sponsor that will be a comfort to you in these times. Hang in there! And as my friend always tells me (weather I want to hear it or not) "What is God trying to teach you in this?" Most of the time I don't have the answer, but it gets me thinking. 
God bless you!
Esther
Last edited on Tue Oct 10th, 2006 11:22 pm by Esther
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Darlene
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Mon Oct 30th, 2006 07:52 pm |
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Hello Reba,
First off, I am going to ask you a question. Do you think you made the decision to join the Catholic Church too quickly? As you may know from previous posts, I am a Protestant Christian, so I think I can understand the barriers that you are encountering. Protestants fellowship differently, that is they express themselves differently regarding their relationship with Jesus, than Catholics. Protestants are more outward about their faith and the need to evangelize. Catholics seem to be more private and quiet about their faith. Recently, on "Life on the Rock" Father Francis asked the question, "Why do you think it is that our Protestant brothers and sisters are so much more expressive about their faith than Catholics?" The guest was a baseball player (forget his name) and he said that one day he attended Mass and looked over and saw a fellow player at Mass. He knew this fellow player for a number of years and never knew he was a Catholic till he saw him at Mass.
OK. Now with all the above said, I do not think you should abandon the Catholic Church nor stop seeking Jesus in your journey. However, when I read your testimony a few months ago, I thought you jumped in too quickly and did not pray enough or study Catholic doctrine sufficiently to make such a rash decision. I have been investigating the Catholic faith for about 3 months by reading various Catholic books, reading "Journey's Home" of Protestants who converted to the Catholic faith, attending Mass, etc. One thing I have been doing regularly is praying the Holy Rosary, and now I look forward to it everyday. I sent away for a rosary from Rosary Army.com. after watching the "Life on the Rock" series that hosted the husband and wife who minister by encouraging others to pray the Rosary. Also, I am slowly but surely beginning to see wrong views within the Protestant church that I attend. I have been asking Jesus to lead me into all the truth and the truth that He wants for my life. I have recognized from the beginning that this journey of faith is one that takes prayer, meditation, studying, patience and most importantly, time. However, I want to know that I have made an informed decision with the aid and leading of the Holy Spirit when crossing the Tiber into the Catholic faith.
I realize already that there are profound differences between the way Protestants and Catholics view their faith. I am also aware that there are some things I will truly miss when that time comes for me to cross the great divide. I also am very involved in my church. I sing solos often, am a member in the choir, attend Thursday and Sunday morning Bible studies, and Ladies Bible study on Tuesdays as often as I can. I have been involved in church socials, fundraisers, and serve at the coffee hour after church with my husband quite often. So I do not take this journey of faith that I am on lightly.
I want to encourage you to continue praying, especially pray the Holy Rosary daily if you can. And try to find out from the parish priest if there are former evangelicals that have converted to the Catholic faith that you could fellowship with.
BTW, is your husband attending the Catholic Church with you? If so, is he having similar struggles as you?
I will keep you in my prayers, Reba dear.
God Bless You,
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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marianne
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| Joined: | Wed Dec 27th, 2006 |
| Location: | Winters, California USA |
| Posts: | 4 |
| First Name: | | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Jan 1st, 2007 11:56 pm |
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| Rick, I looked for Reba in the members section & didn't find her. Is there a way to send a private message? I came from a very similar situation in my Protestant life and I'd like to help her in some way if I could. Marianne
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Marianne
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 1793 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Jan 2nd, 2007 12:48 am |
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I don’t believe Reba ever registered on the new forum after we made the changeover last September, marianne.
David
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