Being a convert

[PadrePioOfPietrelcino]

I know what u mean.

I sit around and talk about the Church with people who helped bring ME into the Church, and they're all like, wow you know so much. They make me out to me out to be such a holy person, because I'm discerning the Priesthood now. I actually met one guy and within only a few min. He was told by someone in the Group I was thinking about the Priesthood, then he told me that if I don't become a priest he would kill me. Talk about pressure. Catholics are so cupportive of Converts it's almost suffocating at times (A cross I'm willing to bear, because I know it is genuine care). Whenever I'm around my family it is always a why do Catholics do such and such. I like talking about the Church and all, but sometimes I miss good old pop shooting out of the nose from laughing card games. Just doesn't happen no more. Sorry for the rambling.

Ben

[Dust's Sister]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Sep 20 2005, 01:18 PM']PM me if any of you want T-shirts (or anything else) from Catholic Posters.com. My wife is the secretary there, so I can get you sweet discounts.
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do they have the "who founded your church?" t-shirt there? I want one of those!

[tojo]

so about being a convert...

Earlier today I went to the Mass for All Souls (Happy All Souls Day) at the Student Chapel. I was sitting there in the pew at one point, and I had what is a recurring thought for me. [i]"I can't believe I'm Catholic. How did this happen?"[/i]

Now, I know perfectly well how it is that I decided to become Catholic and why. I'm also extraordinarily glad that I did, and wouldn't leave the Church for anything in this world. However, it has been less than year still, and I'm still occasionally surprised to realize I'm Catholic.

How about all of you? Any "Oh my goodness, [i]I'm Catholic[/i]," moments?

[sweetpea316]

Yesterday in class, my professor asked if anyone was Catholic. I raised my hand without even thinking. I took that as a sign.

[zabbazooey]

I just can't believe sometimes I actually came to the Catholic faith. If you knew me before I converted, I was the last person anyone expected to become CATHOLIC.

[Dust's Sister]

[quote name='zabbazooey' date='Nov 3 2005, 11:46 AM']I just can't believe sometimes I actually came to the Catholic faith. If you knew me before I converted, I was the last person anyone expected to become CATHOLIC.
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have you ever read "Suprised by Truth"? It's a good book. It's about different converts telling their stories. A lot of the converts were ainti-Catholics.

[tojo]

[quote name='zabbazooey' date='Nov 3 2005, 11:46 AM']I just can't believe sometimes I actually came to the Catholic faith. If you knew me before I converted, I was the last person anyone expected to become CATHOLIC.
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Amen Sis. Zabbazoey. *dang Penty flashbacks*

[The Joey-O]

I can relate to the loneliness feeling. This is the first time that I've ever not really had a peer group within my church. I was a strong Christian long before I started down the path toward Catholicism. I see my conversion not as a rejection of my old faith, but as a greater understanding. There's just more in Catholicism. Anyways, my RCIA program is mostly adults over the age of 40. There's 1 young couple who occassionally come, but even there about 6 years older than me.

I want to second the "I don't want to be a whiner", but I can relate. This is the first time that I don't really have a group that I can identify with. My roommate reverted about the same time I converted and my fiance is Catholic. Other than them, I don't know any Catholics (who care about their faith) my age.

[tojo]

How old are you?

[The Joey-O]

I am 20, almost 21.

[tojo]

I'm 21, almost 22. My birthdays a few weeks after yours, also in January....

[sweetpea316]

I've been very blessed to have an awesome campus Catholic group here...they've all been so supportive and welcoming to me as I've been on my path to the Chuch. Heh, they sometimes refer to me as "the token Protestant"...

I'm just glad to have people here my age who I can relate to, especially since my family isn't cool about it all.

And...I always have my phatmassers.

[N/A Gone]

Joey-O...do you have any pictures of that roomate of yours? I heard he is HOT


internet forums are a great way to find believers who are active in their faith

[tojo]

[quote name='sweetpea316' date='Dec 1 2005, 06:03 PM'] Heh, they sometimes refer to me as "the token Protestant"...
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We have two of those: our token Baptist, and our token Methodist, but he's my roommate and he's does so much Catholic stuff with us that we have decided that he is a Metho-Catholic.

[LouisvilleFan]

I also understand what you mean. Most Catholics here in Louisville seem to be Catholic by assocation or name only and there are not many young adults who remain devout Catholics. About one-third of the Baptist church I used to attend regularly are former Catholics. I have a lot of friends there, so while I have people to hang out and most of us share our common faith in Christ, it's a bummer than they don't accept the fullness of Catholicism. (However, among my closest friends from high school, I'm the only Christian -- period. So I'm thankful to have a good group of supportive Christian friends here.)

Sometimes it is uncomfortable because they'll make jokes about purgatory or worshipping Mary. For a long time, fear kept me from saying anything during those times. However, since going to a Youth 2000 retreat in Northern Kentucky last month, where I prayed for the boldness to be proud of my Catholic faith and to stand by every word of the Catechism, God has been doing some awesome things.

First of all, even before I finally decided to become Catholic, two couples from the Baptist church I was attending turned a few heads when they beat me to the punch . And since that Youth 2000, God has provided opportunities to help correct misunderstandings about Catholicism among my friends. Not only that, but I picked up some little wallet-sized instruction sheets on praying the rosary for the purpose of helping my friends understand it better. In fact, last night I was up until after 5am talking about different beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church with a friend who became Christian a few years ago. This guy used to be a hard core atheist, but now he's passionate about reading and understanding the Bible and seeking out Truth. He was excited to learn about the rosary. When he left, the free rosary I got from Youth 2000 was hanging around his neck and he had one of those sheets with all the rosary prayers on it! Plus, he's excited about joining me for Mass next Sunday.

Even though I am pretty much the only devout Catholic among my Louisville-area friends, I'm excited about sharing what I believe with them, breaking down the barriers of ignorance, and seeing what God will do! Not only that, but God answering my prayer for greater boldness is causing me to be more determined about witnessing to my many non-Christian friends and relatives. It's awesome to finally be sick of mediocrity, so that I actually want to do something to fight the good fight rather than wimpering back because I'm afraid of a little joke or being rejected.

[photosynthesis]

I'm not technically a convert, since i grew up in a nominally catholic family and received the Sacraments in the "normal" way, but I didn't identify as Catholic or have any idea what it meant. Then I "became a Christian" in college, went to protestant churches and then found my way back to the Catholic Church. so I don't identify with cradle catholics OR converts. i wish i came into the church in a cooler way

[quote name='zabbazooey' date='Sep 18 2005, 02:42 PM']A week ago I refused a meat and coagulated milk burrito on friday because I said I abstain from meat on Friday and my relatives called me a martyr.
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my family calls me "Sister Mary Claire" whenever I insist on going to Mass on sunday or not eating meat on Fridays. it's really annoying.

[quote name='theculturewarrior' date='Sep 18 2005, 03:19 PM']The first rule of the Tiber River Swim Club: don't talk about the Tiber River Swim Club.

(I'm inept at movie humor. How was that? )
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that was pretty good.

[N/A Gone]

[quote name='Revprodeji' date='Dec 1 2005, 10:48 PM']Joey-O...do you have any pictures of that roomate of yours? I heard he is HOT
internet forums are a great way to find believers who are active in their faith
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do ya?

[The Joey-O]

My roommate's baby pic: [img]http://www.mindfully.org/GE/ANDi-Monkey-Business.jpg[/img]

My roommate's most recent pic: [img]http://marcoe.net/Cheeky-Monkey.jpg[/img]

There ya go!

[N/A Gone]

great, now everyone can see my bo0bies

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='Revprodeji' date='Dec 5 2005, 03:31 AM']great, now everyone can see my bo0bies
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