This thread in the GQ forum, and specifically this post of Omegaman’s got me to wondering. How many posters are converts to Catholicism? For those who want to answer, can you also share some details? For instance, for what reason did you convert? What were you before? Are you glad you did it? Are you practicing? I help out a little in RCIA at my parish (for the non-Catholics out there, this is the “Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults,” which is the program you have to go through in order to convert), and have become interested in conversion stories.
I feel a bit shy about this. I tend not to talk much about my faith here, but here’s the short version:
My husband and I are planning on doing RCIA this fall. We have three friends who have converted, as well, although they’ve already joined the Church. We’ve been attending Mass for some time, and have been gradually drawn in over a period of years.
I think it started with G.K. Chesterton, continued with the physicality of Tolkien’s universe, and the idea that things could be sacramental, moved on to Thomas Merton, Michael O’Brien, Evelyn Waugh, and Flannery O’Connor, kept going as we read the catechism and thought about the importance of the Eucharist and the validity of the Bible. At some point we both started praying the Rosary. Then we read Rome Sweet Home.
We were told at our parish that we have to do RCIA, which is a bit annoying, because our best friends didn’t have to do it, they just had several meeting with their priest as they went through the process of conversion. Oh, well.
I was raise Anglican, my husband was a Wiccan and then an agnostic, and then was baptised Anglican several years ago.
I converted about 12 years ago. Come from a long line of backward Catholic peasants, but my mother ran running and screaming from them, and married a Lutheran. I was raised as pretty much nothing. Married into a pretty active Catholic family. Converted when pregnant with first child. Active in parish, pretty good friend with a priest, send kids to Catholic school. But for me, in my small town, it is almost a more of a social thing than an issue of faith, at least at this point. I do not have that innate sense of faith, like my husband does, and hopefully my children.
I find this hard to believe. I’m not doubting you’re correct in reporting this happened, Liss – I’m just incredulous that some priest allowed this to happen.
I haven’t converted to Roman Catholicism – yet. There are still certain aspects of it that I find troubling. But I have to admit that the longer I stay in the Episcopal Church, the more attractive Catholicim becomes. There’s a Catholic community right in my neighborhood that I’ve been meaning to visit; so you never know.
I agree that the priest should not be doing this (just goes to show that even in the Catholic Church, you can’t count on things to be consistent). I believe, now that I think of it, that a good friend of mine who converted did not go through RCIA, either. It’s a very small parish in a very Lutheran town, and the priest was probably just glad to get another parishoner…didn’t want to risk losing her!
Lissla, try not to be too annoyed about RCIA. I was actually a little disappointed for my friend at the time, that her priest didn’t insist on it. It’s a great program, and I think you will learn a lot, and be glad that you did it.
I don’t know much about Assemblies of God, but I am curious…are they a sacramentally-based Protestant religion? And if not, what keeps you from joining one of the ones that are (or a non-Roman Cathlolic religion, such as Eastern Orthodoxy)? What are the differences that you see as needing to be split? What appeals to you about Assemblies of God that you don’t find in some of these other faiths.
Not trying to challenge you in any way…you of all people seem to be one of the more thoughtful religious members of SD…I am just curious for my own sake in trying to learn.
I agree about RCIA, Lissla – I went through it a number of years ago (for fun! I’m a “Cradle Catholic”) and enjoyed it a lot. You’ll learn quite a bit; I’m always surprised by how little some Catholics seem to know of their own faith.
Nope, definitely NOT sacramental, which is a minus, BUT the AoG is charismatic in practice, theologically orthodox & morally conservative, which are all plusses.
Eastern Orthodox is just not available in my area.
Nor is conservative Anglican/Episcopal or moderately conservative Lutheran (we do have a Missouri-Synod church which is too conservative for me & rather
leery of Charismatic stuff)
Basically, the RCC is a bit excessive in Marian/saint veneration, Papal authority,
liturgical structure and claims over marital-sexuality for my tastes.
The AoG minusses are de-emphasis of sacraments & liturgy, over-emphasis on Charismatic stuff and End-Times prophecy. Right now, I can live with those. If it were up to me, we’d have weekly communion & say the Creed, occasionally
put on the ritz with incense & candles, but also allow room for Charismatic expression & enthusiastic worship/music.
On all those other counts, it does sound pretty good (except the charismatic part, but that’s just my taste. I have a friend from church who is really into the Catholic charismatic movement, but it’s just not me.)
Too bad…it would probably be a good choice for you, considering some of the issues you have with Rome.
I can see Missouri Synod not being your thing, although I’m not sure how much any of them are into the Charismatic stuff, anyway.
Interesting. I can see the Papal authority thing. I think that coming from a Protesant culture, this would definitely be one of the hardest things. Heck, being a cradle Catholic, it is one of the hardest things! I have always felt deep down that Protestantism “fits” better with being an American than Catholicism…more democratic! When you are raised in this culture, the authority thing is tough, for sure. The saint veneration is kind of watered down these days…some people are really into it, others not so much. I think this is an area you could work around. The liturgical structure is a different issue. I am pretty adamant about my feelings about the Mass. Don’t like a lot of change and the “additions” that are often made in a kind of freewheeling style in the U.S. I don’t know exactly what it is you don’t care for, but I isn’t it true that other liturgical religions, such as the Episcopal Church and Orthodoxy, have basically the same liturgical structure? Would think that it would be pretty close, but I could very well be wrong.
Sounds like a pretty good compromise for you. Of course, one thing that would take some getting used to if you were to become Catholic is that you can’t switch denominations if you don’t like the parish (like a friend of mine who doesn’t like her Episcopal congregation, so she is thinking about just switching to a Presbyterian congregation…very foreign idea to a Catholic! Sounds like you live in a place where there probably wouldn’t be a lot of choice of parish, and you probably wouldn’t be able to find a Charismatic group. If you were in a larger city, you could probably find a place you really liked.
My best friend and her husband converted through a process of conversations with their priest, which was sort of like a mini-RCIA. Their schedules didn’t allow them to take the regular classes. Another good friend spent a couple of summer reading the Church fathers, fell in love with a Catholic girl, went through a few meetings with a priest, and was received a year ago last Easter. They were Baptist, Free Brethren, and hardline Calvinist Presbyterian respectively. We have another friend who is in the process of trying to decide between Eastern Orthodox and Catholic. I think he’ll end up Orthodox.
I’m sure RCIA will be fine, we were just disappointed that we’d have to wait a year and a half to do first confession and be received. It doesn’t say in the catechism that RCIA is necessary. From reading, I’ve gotten the impression that it’s sort of a catch-all class just to cover a wide variety of material. I’ve gotten the impression that it’s aimed at the newly Christian, but I might be wrong.
I was brought up in a church with a low emphasis on sacramentalism, but a high priority on liturgy. I’m a Book of Common Prayer kid. We occasionally go to a high Anglican church with a lovely Mary altar.
Wow…sounds to me like some saints have been praying for you guys! Lots of converts. I love it!
I can understand not wanting to wait. Interesting about what you read about RCIA. I wonder if in your area there might be another option…sometimes the Church will have special classes, aimed at particular groups. For example, when I was married, I took a pre-cana class for people over 30 and who had been married before…guess they were aiming it at people who “have experience!” (I was a 30+, not a previously married. It was kind of weird for me…my husband and I were the only couple there who had not previously at least lived with someone…I am pretty sure that ALL of the couples were living with each other at the time, but we never did until after the wedding. The Church sure has changed!) There is a possibility that there might be different classes for people who are completely new to Christianity vs. people who are coming from a Protestant denomination vs. people coming from another Catholic denomination. You might look into it.
So, if you are, for example, most interested in learning more about sacramentalism, since you don’t have a background in that, you might ask if there is a way you can take a class that emphasizes it, or have special meetings with your priest about it.
From your previous posts I have a sense that you are conservative and traditional; such Catholic churches still exist but you may have to shop around, assuming you do become called to convert.
My parents were converted to Catholicism from United Church of Christ. My mom visited a Catholic relative over the summers when she was a kid and felt something in Catholic churches that she didn’t feel anywhere else, so she was converted at 14. My father was converted at about 23, about a year after they were married in the Catholic church. I don’t know a lot about his journey. Like many converts, they are very well-versed in Church doctrine and law so they are a great resource to have! They are both quite traditional and very rational and absolute thinking, so the truth is the truth. Mom studied patristics in grad school and Pop is very well-read on the subject as well.
I thought about this after I hit Submit and I’d like to apologize to Skammer for implying that his dissatisfaction with the Episcopal Church rests solely on its growing acceptance of gay men and women. It’s almost certainly more complex than that.
We have another friend who is in the process of trying to decide between Eastern Orthodox and Catholic. I think he’ll end up Orthodox.