Catholic Converts

[Dave]

Something from Peter and Paul Ministries to share:

Catholic Converts

Peter and Paul Ministries

Christianity is not very popular in the mainstream press. Still less are organized churches like the Catholic Church, which is frequently criticized for it's teachings such as, priestly ordination is reserved for men or that artificial birth control is a grave moral wrong. Such hostility is not new, in fact it has existed pretty much since the birth of the Church. The questions arise: Why does Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas return home to Rome? Why does Norma "Jane Roe" McCorvey of the famous "Roe vs Wade" case that legalized abortion and President George Bush's son Jeb Bush of Florida convert to Catholicism? The answer to these questions is the Roman Catholic Church is and always has been the only clear and authentic voice of Christianity!

While the Evangelical Right gets most of the press. The people on the road to Rome is growing. In the past two decades since John Paul II has been Pope the Catholic Church in America has grown 23%, the Church in Africa has doubled to over 100 million, and membership in the Catholic faith has reached the 1 billion mark worldwide! This phenomenal growth is a reaction to John Paul's steadfast fidelity to Church teaching and the incredible moral decline in the world. The vast majority of converts to Catholicism say they are attracted to the Church for the following reasons; an unwavering moral code, it is the only link with Jesus and His teachings, and the Catholic Church has all of the right enemies. Converts see the Roman Catholic Church as the uncompromising voice against such evils as; abortion, racism, moral relativism, fornication, radical feminism, the assisted suicide movement, contraception, the homosexual agenda, pornography, materialism, and secularism. The Catholic Church does not bow to opinion polls or social trends. It is a shining light of truth in a dark and fallen world.

Many converts say that they always have felt drawn to Catholicism's emphasis on reason, order, structure, and beauty. The Catholic faith also answers the big questions such as: Why is the world so messed up? Why am I here? What happens after death? Why do bad things happen to good people? When asked why they did not join a Protestant sect the often heard reply is Protestantism is incomplete. The Protestant right offers faith without intellect while the left offers intellect without faith.

The secular world finds convert's orthodox reasons for joining the Catholic Church bewildering, but the fact remains people are hungry for the truth and are willing to make the right choice and join the One True Church in order to find it!

[Dave]

bump

[MC Just]

Bump!!

[CatholicAndFanatical]

amen to that brother dave....good post

[Paladin D]

Nice.

[VeraMaria]

B) Cool.....

[Brother Adam]

Interesting. My church offers faith and intellect. Come and visit.

[VeraMaria]

Hmmmm.....let me think about that ( ).

[Brother Adam]

Hey I'm going to RCIA ;)

[ironmonk]

Interesting. My church offers faith and intellect. Come and visit.

Does your church study the first Chrsitian writings that are outside of the bible?

Does it examine what those first Christians wrote?

Such as:

St. Ignatius of Antioch (Pupil of St. John the Apostle)

Pope Clement I (ordained to the Priesthood by St. Peter)

St. Irenaeus

Hegesippus

Clement of Alexandria

Tertullian

Origen

Cyprian of Carthage

Ambrose of Milan

Eusebius of Caesarea

Jerome

Optatus

Augustine

Council of Ephesus

Pope Damasus I

Council of Nicaea

Council of the African Church held at Hippo (393 AD)

Council of Carthage (397 AD)

How can any church deliver any intellect into the Word of God, without what the first Christians said about it?

Today, people make a living out of explaining the Scriptures with their interpretations.

Do you think it was different when most people could not read for themselves?

To know the Scriptures, we must read the writings explaining the Scriptures from the time of the first Christians.

If our church does not do that, how can our church have intellect?

If our church cannot provide a clear and precise lineage of existance to Peter and the Apostles, then how can it have intellect?

If our church cannot provide a clear and precise lineage of teachings that grow deeper and do not change to the Apostles, then how can it have intellect?

Please refer to:

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...?showtopic=1434

and

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=918

Also, the above questions are not for you to reply to, just something I think we all should think about.

The answers to those questions are what has kept me Catholic my entire life.

When I was a kid and did not have a way to Church, I always read the bible... from reading the bible on my own, I came up with "must be's" for the Church that Jesus founded... those questions above are what I asked myself. I then searched... and I found that the Catholic Church was the Church.... I would have left the Catholic Church if I found that another church was the True Church... but I didn't... also, my sources were secular... So no one can say that I was 'brainwashed' by the Catholic Church; I was an ignorant Catholic, but well studied in Scripture and general history of Christianity.

Hey I'm going to RCIA 

That is amesome!

God Bless, Love in Christ & Mary

ironmonk

Edited September 3, 2003 by ironmonk

[jmjtina]

may I recommend some books?

Suprised by Truth

Suprised by Truth 2

Suprised by Truth 3

Book 3 has the conversion story of James' White sister to the Catholic faith.

amesome books. amesome post Dave! B)

[KennC]

Hey I'm going to RCIA

Hi there Br.Adam;

I went through RCIA twice 6-7 years ago, it's a long story but I didn't even realize it was RCIA until the end of the second year . I was looking for a discussion group I could sit in with and through a friend a wonderfull lady gave me a call and said I would be welcome. yup! I can be a little slow, ... but gratefull today. I hope you enjoy it.

Peace of Christ, Ken

[Jake Huether]

Hey I'm going to RCIA

Hey that's sweet!

All I can say Bro. is don't get your hopes up. RCIA "should" answer all of your questions. But don't let fallible Johnny and Sue replace the Catechism or the voice of the Church. They "should" convey it to you as is. But if they are like the RCIA program at my Parish, then... ehhh... Well... Don't expect it to be the beaming light of truth. Have your Catechism handy and be prepared to ask, ask and ask. Maybe you will change their hearts!!!

Now, that's a major ASSumption on my part... But I'm just covering the bases. Don't think that what they "say" unless it is backed by some hard evidence, is what the Catholic Church teaches. Most RCIA leaders aren't Priests. They usually are, like I said, Johnny and Sue from layville, LOL.

You're in my prayers!