This Catholic Journey
I can identify with a lot of your issues as I think most of us converts can.
Not only have I learned more about Catholicism in the last year than ever before (obviously) but I also learned a lot more about the reformed view.
There are things I miss about being a Protestant too - namely being my own pope. Not having to answer to anyone except God and the Bible. I was my own personal scholar. I'd have the temptation to go back to that and then I could easily reject statements from popes that I dont agree with like JPII 's comments on capital punishment and a number of different comments on Mary from various popes.
But, I would be denying my own conscience if I reverted. I cannot deny the Real Presence anymore and I could never believe that an excommunicated priest or bishop could ever licitly ordain. Therefore, regardless of what ANY Protestant church teaches (as most of them openly deny the real presence but some do pretensiously affirm it) they do not have licit communion.
I would have a hard time explaining away the orthodoxy and conservative values of the Catholic Church were it the work of man. Its either from God or from man. If from man, how has it maintained itself without fracturing into tens of thousands of pieces like the priests who schismed?
The only way to deny the authority of the Church is through sola scriptura - a doctrine which is a self-referential paradox. It cannot be true.
Im gonna cut off my reply here i'm getting too wordy. Keep up the good fight.
Oh yea.. one more thing. Make sure to read up on the seal of the Holy Spirit. See in Acts where Peter & John went to the community at... cant remember the town which had already been baptised and thereby "saved" to use Protestant terminology. But they had not received the Holy Spirit. St. Paul also expounded on it. Read how the early Church fathers talked about that as well. You will receive that seal at Easter and come into full communion not only with the Church of the Apostles but also with the Holy Spirit.
I wasnt very well read on it before but... I didnt really have to be to understand at the time, that something significant had happened. And there was immediately a noticable difference in my life. But that was before I really understood what was happening. Now I understand.
Thanks for the comments, TheGodFearinFiddler! I would be denying my own conscience if I reverted from Catholicism. I cannot go back... and I don't wish to. I love what you had to say! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Amber,
I understand too, as a convert from an anti-Catholic Protestant belief who's family members and friends are still Protestant and still completely misunderstand the Church.
I have a really funny story though. God Fearin' Fiddler had posted on a Protestant website called "Protestant Gazette". I decided that I would challenge him on his stance that all Catholics are idolators and worship Mary. Absolutely none of the points I posed regarding on what the Church teaches were paid attention to. He must have just glossed over them and then started vomiting a repeat of his misinformed blasphemy.
This was the worst I had seen as even I, in my lowest form of anti-Catholicism, wasn't so blind as to totally ignore someone elses arguments. Having an Irish wife, whom I actually met in Galway while starting an adventure that would last a few years there, and understanding more than most the history of the hate directed at Catholics by the English Protestants for so many centuries, I thought to myself, "The only way this guy could be that hateful towards Catholics is if he was an Orangeman and/or a Unionist Protestant from Armagh, Derry, or Belfast.
Well, I actually glanced at his profile today. He's a Presbyterian minister in Belfast. Funny how that is. Whether he is an Orangeman or not, he didn't say. However, it would be an incredibly attractive society for him to join as they not only have the same hate for Catholics, but they also put it into practice, therefore, I wouldn't put it past him to be one.
On that note, we are to spend this week praying for the unity of all Christians. I hope that somehow the Holy Spirit will open his eyes and the eyes of those like him. After all, St. Paul was once a Pharisee that oversaw the martyrdom of St. Stephen.
Oh, I take it back. He was converted to Protestantism under the ministry of Ian Paisley himself, the leader of the Unionist party and an active member of the Orangemen. So, it's more possible that he is both than I first surmised.
GFF is right, read up on the Sacrament of Confirmation, especially the laying of the hands and the Seal of the Holy Spirit. Read as much as you can on it so that you understand what is happening at the rite. That way you can get the maximum experience out of it. The Early Fathers have a lot to say on it.
God bless you on your journey.
NotMyOpinion30,
Your comments puzzle me since GFF is a Catholic... ???
I will be sure to read up on the Sacrament of Confirmation! :)
Also, I got your question and will post a response in the next day or two!
I apologize for not being clear, GFF posted a comment on a Protestant blogger's web site (the Belfast Protestant) in response to the Protestant's vehemently anti-Catholic remarks. I didn't mean for it to sound like GFF was posting anti-Catholic remarks. I'll let him know that I'm telling other people that he's an anti-Catholic in disguise... he'll have a laugh.
That last line you wrote was very powerful - it showed that you have reached a point of trust in the Will of God. Now may you pray, "Let your Will be done!"
I'm hoping and praying for the best for you at the Easter Vigil this year!
There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home.
Almost there! God bless.
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