Were you raised Catholic or a convert?

[julianneoflongbeach]

Cradle Catholic, but not very well catechized. My parents had bigger fish to fry, so they left it to school/church. Confirmation classes were a complete joke and I thought the church was wrong on a lot of things, but the sacrament took anyways. I was granted a gift of understanding and was instilled with a desire to pray. I've been converting ever since.

 

[Spem in alium]

Cradle Catholic, but not very well catechized. My parents had bigger fish to fry, so they left it to school/church. Confirmation classes were a complete joke and I thought the church was wrong on a lot of things, but the sacrament took anyways. I was granted a gift of understanding and was instilled with a desire to pray. I've been converting ever since.

 

Very similar to me!

Cradle Catholic, born to cradle Catholic parents who are committed to practicing their faith. Out of all her siblings (she has 12) my mother is one of the only ones, if not the only one, to still attend Mass on Sundays, while most of my dad's siblings still practice. I was baptised at two weeks old, and went to Catholic schools all my life, but was not well catechised. Though we prayed together as a family, before meals and the occasional Rosary, I don't recall my parents teaching me about the Catechism and, when I look back, Confirmation classes were hopeless in that regard.

One of the best decisions of my life - and, I believe, a clear example of God's grace and providence - was choosing to go to a Catholic university - which, importantly, required me to study Theology, Ethics, and Philosophy. At the time of applying to university, I had people asking me why in the world I wanted to go there, given that I'd had a lifetime of Catholic schooling. At that stage, I didn't give my faith much thought outside of Mass on Sundays and weekly Mass on Fridays, where I served as an EMHC, but this university just felt right to me. And it was at university that I began to learn about what the Church teaches, and where I first had the opportunity to really question what I believed and understood. It gave me the opportunity to grow in my spiritual life, and is also where my vocational discernment began. Praise God.

[Anomaly]

Cradle Catholic.  My family is very Catholic in culture and practice.  Always involved with Parish life.  I was an acolyte for 10+ years, starting when Mass was in Latin. I used to want to be a priest!   Even Boy Scouts was through/with the Curch/parish. 12 years of Catholic school.  I've taught CCD and Confirmation classes for years.  Volunteered in youth group for years.  Know a few priests personally since we were kids.  My family is deeply involved in the Chuch, belonging to and running guilds and St Vincent De Paul for decades, serving on the Parish Board and committees for many years, taught in Catholic School for decades.  My dad was personally awarded a commendation from the Bishop. A couple of family are currently employees of the Diocese.  We grew up having priests and nuns visiting our home professionally and as friends.   I got my wife to convert to Catholicism before we got married 30 plus years ago.   

Am now essentially an "enlightened" atheist.  

Edited July 24, 2015 by Anomaly

[He is Risen!]

I love reading people's conversion stories!  Amazing to see God's grace at work.  I was raised as a non-denominational protestant and then later our family started attending Lutheran church when I was in middle school.  My best friend who lived across the street was Catholic and she had a rosary in her room.  I asked her " how do you get a necklace that is so small over your head?" she told my it was the rosary, the prayer that Catholics say in the car.  I was curious but didn't really want to ask her about it because in my mind Catholic=bad but she was my best friend so I didn't want to say something mean or stupid.  I eventually figured out how to say the rosary and was hooked, I loved that I could use my imagination to visit each mystery and really felt the presence of Our Lady.  As a young Lutheran, we studied Luther's small catechism, and in my view it had some holes in it, especially the part about the office of the keys.  I didn't have access to the Catholic catechism (this was pre internet, haha), but did find in our basement a copy of the Confessions of St. Augustine which I gobbled up and loved.  Then when I went off to college I was visited our Newman Center often for its library and to spend time in adoration.  Having a quiet place to in the presence of our Lord really watered the seed and I entered the Church the following Easter.  I am truly overwhelmed with gratitude for our Lord leading me closer to himself, and the journey continues!

[BG45]

I can't be the only one who's not particularly interested if someone was/wasn't raised in the Faith but keeps reading each response anyway

That is really cool. 

It was.   PMers can be sneaky that way when trying to win souls.

[Gabriela]

PM actually tricked me into praying a novena for a special intention that turned out to be for me to go to RCIA/convert.

Oh, Phatmass!

 

I can't be the only one who's not particularly interested if someone was/wasn't raised in the Faith but keeps reading each response anyway

Nope, you're not!

[DJMitch]

Convert - Anglican father, atheist mother, I was supposed "to make up my own mind".  So I did, and was received into the Church on the 11th of May, 2008, at the age of 19.