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The Road to Rome is not always easy.In fact for Fundamentalist Converts,the
journey can be
Painful and very emotional.I was raised in a christian home with
a wonderful family.The last
Thing on earth I ever thought I would be was Catholic!This is the
story of our conversion.
We hope to help those who are considering the claims of the Catholic
Church,and for those
Who are presently on their journeys home to Rome.
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Jimmy's perspective:
I was working in food merchandising when I first began studying
Catholicism. I had a very good friend that worked with me and during
our lunch time we would discuss covenant theology. It
never came up in our first conversations where he attended church.
He was very aware of
covenant theology and I just assumed he attended a protestant church.
On one particular
afternoon, a group of sisters from EWTN came in the store to buy
supplies for the convent. I
remember thinking to myself on how strange it must be to sacrifice
your whole life,to live in
solitude all for the sake of the Lord. I was moved by the expression
of love and peace on their
face . Of course, this struck my curiosity and I began a conversation
with them. I had some basic
knowledge of the Catholic faith and tried to hold my own in the
conversation with them. They
were very generous to share their faith with me and recommended
a few books for me to read. I
saw that as my opportunity to prove the Catholic faith wrong .Little
did I know this would begin
my journey home.
Christa's perspective:
We were newly married and very busy. My husband traveled with Trinity
ministries and they sang
just about every weekend. When we were not traveling with the group
we were very active in our
protestant church. I remember the day Jimmy came home and told me
about the sisters from
EWTN and I felt very uneasy. He had studied other faiths before
but none had quiet peeked his
interest as these sisters had. I decided not to think about it,
because after all he would study his
way through this faith just as he had the others . After being married
for just four months we found
out we were pregnant with our first child.The winds of change were
beginning to blow and the
incredible journey was fast underway.
Jimmy's perspective:
I had gone to our local Catholic bookstore and picked up a few books
that the sisters had
mentioned and began studying.I purchased "Rome Sweet Home"
by Scott and Kimberly
Hahn,and "Catholicism and Fundamentalsim" by Karl Keating.I
read "Rome Sweet Home"
In about 2 hours when I got home that evening.I could not put it
down.I went on to Keating's
"Catholicism and Fundamentalsim", since I was Fundamentalist,this
book really had me inter-
ested.I was very anti-catholic and had been for many years.so I
wanted to see what kind of
Defense Keating would give for the various Catholic doctrines.Like
many Fundamentalists,
I believed the Catholic Church to be the "Whore" of Rev.17.When
we would be singing,
If I ever encountered a Catholic I would always "witness"
to them.I did this out of genuine
Concern,but it was done out of ignorance of the true teachings of
the Catholic Church.
As I read "Catholicism and Fundamentalism" I found much
in it made perfect sense.
I was never comfortable with my childhood teaching on Baptism.I
remember being told,
"It is good to be baptized,but its not neccessary for salvation
by any means." this never
Seemed to go along with the scriptures to me,but I pushed it to
the back of my mind.
Instead of finding the errors in the Catholic Faith,I was finding
that the Catholic Church
Was teaching sound Bibical doctrines.I was very uneasy with this.I
began to disect as much
As possible of Keatings book.Comparing everything with scripture.I
began to see that many
Of the beliefs I held from my own studies,were being taught by the
Catholic Church and had
Been for almost 2000 years.I began to see the deep covenant theology
in Catholicism.
Still,i had to find where the Church was in error.My research was
now begining to reach a
Crisis state.I was more determined than ever to disprove Catholicism,at
least to myself anyway.
I began to purchase countless Catholic Apologetic works.I devoured
hundreds of Catholic
Books.out of "desperation" I began to purchase and read
anything that was anti-catholic.
My Faith as I had always knew it,was now crumbling before me.
Christa's perspective:
Our lives were about to be changed and blessed but it took me a
little longer than my husband
to begin studying Catholicism. During the course of the years my
husband would spend hours
at a time studying.Before we knew it our first child was born, a
healthy baby boy.I was involved
more than ever at our church and found myself to be attending alone
more often. We had
a few hardships financially but due to a few job layoffs and the
expense of a child we were on
a sinking ship. Four months after our first child was born we were
pregnant again. Jimmy's ministry
was beginning to slow down and I felt like we were losing everything.I
began to notice
that Jimmy's curiosity of Catholicism had developed into more than
a passing phase, it had
become a passion. I was having a difficult pregnancy and we had
to move in with his parents until
we could get on our feet again. I did not want to hear about anything
Catholic. I was beginning to wonder
where God was in all of this chaos.
Jimmy's perspective:
My studies of Catholicism began to take a "back seat"
to finding employment.I tried to push
Any thoughts of the Catholic Church out of mind.I decided I had
to force myself to attend
The Fundamentalist Church my wife was going to.after a short time
I was able to find work
And my wife and I moved into an apartment.I resumed my studies because
I was still so torn
Spiritually over the many discoveries I had made.I found the anti-catholic
books simply did
Not accurately portray true Catholic teachings.I discovered these
anti-catholic works mis-
represented Catholic teachings and strained scripture passages out
of context to try and "force"
Them to mean something they did not.I discovered anti-catholic authors
were more interested
In effect than in accuracy.Still,I thought,there has to be somewhere
I can find the error.I knew
Conversion would be difficult since our family and friends also
believed the Catholic Church was
A "false" way of salvation.I was desperately searching
for a "way out".
Christa's perspective:
Things were getting a little better. Our daughter was born and shortly
thereafter we were able to
be on our on again. I remember having a conversation with a friend
of mine at the church we were attending.
I told her about Jimmys new found passion for the Catholic church
and asked her what I should do about it.
Her advice was to divorce him. I prayed hard because I love Jimmy
and I did not want to lose our family. I began
to pray the prayer "Change me Lord". I felt a refreshing
of the Holy Spirit that I had not felt before. I began to listen
to my husbands observations about the differences in our faiths.
I began to study and devour anything that had to do with
the Catholic faith. I soon found myself in the same boat as my husband.
We now new the truth,and the Lord had restored
our family but what were we going to do about it? The Lord put the
most precious people in our lives to help us with our
journey. Before long we knew without a doubt what we had to do.
We had to come home. Despite what we had lost, some
of our family, friends, and ministry, we joined the Catholic Church.
In return God was faithful to us and gave us back bountifully what
we had lost. It was very hard but it was well worth it. We know
the truth and the truth has set us free. We have been
blessed with another son and look forward to what the future holds
for us. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to our
deacon. Deacon Al Girodo has been the most incredible witness to
me of what a true christian is. Thank you for all your patience
and prayers. Thank you for being there to make our journey home
easier and thank you for loving us unconditionally just as we
were.
Jimmy's perspective:
By 1998,I could no longer deny the truth of the Catholic Faith.this
lead to the loss of friendships
and some jobs.being in the South,or the "Bible Belt" as
many call it,there is a lot of anti-
Catholicism.we found a wonderful parish near our home.in Easter
of '98,we were received into
The Catholic Church.our lives have been so richly blessed since
our conversion.I once thought
That converting would mean giving up any type of "ministry".I
now serve as Choir director in
My parish and the Lord has lead us to start an Apologetics "ministry",to
help educate Catholics
On their faith,and to defend the Faith against the many anti-catholic
websites and material out
There.The Lord has blessed us with wonderful friends and an incredible
Deacon that serves
As Pastoral administrator over our parish.My family even now attends
Mass with us when we
Have special services!that in itself is a miracle.We now have the
communion of saints,
Mary,The Papacy,and most of all the Eucharist.I look back now and
the only regret I have
Is that I did not convert sooner.We have discovered a treasure.were
Finally Home.
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