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carenanightchild
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| Joined: | Sun Aug 5th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 32 |
| First Name: | Elizabeth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Independent Baptist |
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Posted: Mon Aug 6th, 2007 12:26 am |
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This is somewhat personal, and I'm not quite sure to begin. I am going into my second year of college. My background is strongly anti-Catholic. During my first year of college I became friends with a Catholic young man. He corrected several of my impressions about Catholicism and brought me to mass several times. Fast forward a bit. The two of us are now dating. I was never particularly happy with my home church and am strongly considering Catholicism. I am still financially dependent on my parents. I can't openly research Catholicism at home. I am not committed to Catholicism but am seriously considering it. Hope that's clear.
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catholiceternal
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| Joined: | Wed Jul 18th, 2007 |
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| First Name: | Sarah | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Aug 6th, 2007 12:34 am |
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God Bless you and your journey! May you find what you need here in the Forum in the way of answers and prayers! God Bless you!
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CajunRick
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Posted: Mon Aug 6th, 2007 12:44 am |
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carenanightchild wrote: This is somewhat personal, and I'm not quite sure to begin.
The best place to begin is always at the beginning, so let me begin by welcoming you to the Coming Home Network. We're happy to have you join us, and I promise you are not alone here. We'll do whatever we can to support you in our faith journey, wherever it might lead you.
Meanwhile, feel free to jump in and participate in our discussions, and ask any questions that are on your mind. All questions are welcomed here as long as they are sincerely asked, and we promise to do our best to answer them for you. The only bad or stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked!
Welcome again to CHN. We are thrilled that you have decided to join us.
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Credo Catholic
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| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1611 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Aug 6th, 2007 01:26 am |
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Dear Elizabeth, welcome to the forum, it is so good that you are checking out the truth in the catholic church.  Please look through some of the conversion stories, you will find that you are not alone as you try to explain our faith to family who don't understand. I can't advise you on how to approach your family. I believe you have the right to decide your faith for yourself, at your age, but I wish you didn't have to do it completely without their knowledge. That will only make it worse when they do find out. But you will have to make that call! I'll pray that you are able to find the answers you are looking for to make your decision. I always felt that if God was calling me to the catholic church, he would make a way for me to get there. It might have been unpleasant or hurtful, but I decided that would be a sacrifice I was willing to give. As it turned out, they haven't been hostile or openly resistant to my conversion. We just tiptoe around it most of the time. Of course, my situation is much different, I'm 60 and at a place in life where I can decide this type of thing for myself more easily. If you decide to join the catholic church, God will show you the way. God blessLast edited on Mon Aug 6th, 2007 02:37 am by Credo Catholic
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brian
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 906 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
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Posted: Mon Aug 6th, 2007 04:42 am |
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I have made a smiliar journey. I pray things become clear to you over time. Everyone is different, but I went from fearing disapproval years ago when I was first interested. Then I dropped it for a while, then the interest came back, and now my dad hss joined the Chuch with me and my mom who was most reluctant years ago attends church events with me once in a while and tries to understand. She went to a day of recollection at a convent just today. Some have faced much more disapproval. I am lucky perhaps, but God will help you in your needs. Do not try to go further than you need each day. Neither resist nor try to figure things out all at once. And keep doing what you can to learn through this site or going to mass or talking to people. Eventually if the interest is legitimate and strong you may have to come into the open, but you may have some time between now and then to ponder and be prepared to explain things (or at least know what sources to go to when asked a tough question) when and if the time comes. The holy Spirit is there to guide us. I am so happy just to hear of people like you who are able to think things through from our perspective instead of just assuming your anti-Catholic bias was the only way to see things. This was a huge step for me, for once I stopped hating what I thought was the church it became increasingly difficult not to see more and more truth and beauty to the Catholic way of life.
Brian
Last edited on Mon Aug 6th, 2007 04:45 am by brian
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CajunRick
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Posted: Mon Aug 6th, 2007 09:32 am |
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carenanightchild wrote: I am still financially dependent on my parents. I can't openly research Catholicism at home. I am not committed to Catholicism but am seriously considering it. Hope that's clear.
While this is not likely to be your situation, I do know a young anti-Catholic lady who was away at college financially dependent on her parents, who was dreading coming home for Christmas and telling her anti-Catholic parents that she had been attending RCIA at school, and was joining the Catholic Church at Easter.
Meanwhile, her anti-Catholic parents were dreading having their anti-Catholic daughter come home for Christmas and telling her that they were attending RCIA at home.
We brought the whole family in together at the Easter Vigil.
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JillD
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Visalia, California USA |
| Posts: | 1001 |
| First Name: | Jill | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | heathen, EvFree, Messianic, LC-MS, Catholic 2007 |
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Posted: Mon Aug 6th, 2007 12:30 pm |
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CajunRick wrote: While this is not likely to be your situation, I do know a young anti-Catholic lady who was away at college financially dependent on her parents, who was dreading coming home for Christmas and telling her anti-Catholic parents that she had been attending RCIA at school, and was joining the Catholic Church at Easter.
Meanwhile, her anti-Catholic parents were dreading having their anti-Catholic daughter come home for Christmas and telling her that they were attending RCIA at home.
We brought the whole family in together at the Easter Vigil.
That is too funny!!!!
____________________
"I praise you, for I am wondrously made. Wonderful are our works! My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret." Ps 139
"Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men." Ps 140
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carenanightchild
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| Joined: | Sun Aug 5th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 32 |
| First Name: | Elizabeth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Independent Baptist |
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 10:59 am |
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Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Truly our Lord does work in His own way. I did not mention this in my first post, but I was given the opportunity to enroll in a Catholic theology course taught by the local parish for this coming semester. As it fulfills a general education requirement and is recommended by my advisor, my parents have made no objection. I am looking forward to the instruction.
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catholicdan
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| Joined: | Wed Jul 11th, 2007 |
| Location: | Merced, California USA |
| Posts: | 67 |
| First Name: | Danny | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | From A 2 Z now on to RC. |
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Posted: Tue Aug 7th, 2007 01:37 pm |
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carenanightchild wrote: My background is strongly anti-Catholic
I can relate with you completely Elizabeth. I too was very much opposed to the Roman Church and even attacked it openly over the pulpit many times. But God is full of mercy and grace and even a great amount of humor.
I just finished reading the post in response to your post and I wanted to let you know that my wife and I are praying for you and your journey. I have not told my parents and won't until the time comes when they ask. They are both opposed to the Roman Church but I am an adult now and we need to do what is right.
You actions will always speak louder than any theological discussion can. It is by your works of love, mercy and compassion that will lead many to the truth.
Be encouraged and may the strength of the Lord our God Jesus Christ be upon you every day.
Dan.
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"To be steeped in history is to cease to be Protestant." Cardinal Newman
"Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux,
Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux"
May the Holy Cross be my Light.
Let not the dragon be my guide.
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prayingforanswers
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| Joined: | Fri Jul 27th, 2007 |
| Location: | Missouri USA |
| Posts: | 4 |
| First Name: | Julie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Methodist/Assembly of God/attended Catholic church for 16 yrs. & thinking ... |
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Posted: Sun Oct 7th, 2007 10:50 pm |
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I have been married to a Catholic for the past sixteen years, and I have just recently begun taking RCIA classes to join the church. One of the reasons I have waited so long is because of my family's objection to it. When my husband and I got engaged, my father (who lives in another state and rarely saw me at the time) became so enraged, he threatened to come and get me so I'd meet a "good Pentecostal boy." Luckily, my mother (who raised me after my parents divorced when I was 4) stepped in. During our wedding mass, my dad frowned as I kneeled before Mary and put a rose on the altar. I even caught him taking a missalette from the church! Needless to say, sixteen years later he keeps his mouth shut, but I can tell he is still unhappy in my decision to raise my children Catholic. I have not told him yet that I have begun my RCIA classes because I've only been going for a few weeks and I have not spoken to my dad in that time. I also waited sixteen years because I had some misconceptions about the church. I guess this was a result of hearing my dad as well as my Methodist/Baptist upbringing. I began researching on the internet, and I discovered that a lot of what I thought were just misconceptions. The website
http://www.CatholicBridge.com really helped me and answered a lot of my questions. I've prayed for sixteen years for God to show me the way and tell me whether or not I should join the church, and I feel that this is what I should do. You have to follow your heart no matter what anyone else says or thinks is best for you. Your family obviously loves you and that is why they are concerned, but you must be true to yourself. Best of luck!
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faithfl1
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 21st, 2007 |
| Location: | Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 64 |
| First Name: | Sharon | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | protestant, non-denominational (born-again), Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 05:16 pm |
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| I am a Catholic convert. I won't go into detail (too long) But one thing I love doing, is, reading other's conversion stories and watching The Journey Home with Marcus Grodi. I really enjoyed reading his conversion story as well. Not only are the stories interesting, but they give me goosebumps to see how the Lord call's his sheep home. To one and only true Holy Church of Jesus Christ!! God Bless you on your Journey!!
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Sharon S.
...I love you, Lord, my strength Psalm 18:2
I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me. Phil 4:13
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JasPax
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| Joined: | Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 |
| Location: | North Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 292 |
| First Name: | James | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Episcopal to Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 06:31 pm |
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Hello Julie,
Thanks for posting that web site. It is a good one. Lots of information.
You are doing the right thing by joining an RCIA class. You are an adult plus, and now it is not your father's concern. I suspect I am older than him and believe me, he'll survive!
God's Blessings,
Last edited on Mon Oct 8th, 2007 06:32 pm by JasPax
____________________
James
"Abide in me, and I in you..." John 15:4
"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." John 6:56
RSV-2CE
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Credo Catholic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1611 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 11:18 pm |
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Julie wrote: "During our wedding mass, my dad frowned as I kneeled before Mary and put a rose on the altar. I even caught him taking a missalette from the church!"
I know the church needs to keep all the missalettes, at least until the next one comes out, but he probably was curious and hopefully he took it home and looked it over. He will have seen how much scripture is in the mass, how holy the liturgy is. He may not want to admit it. But I would be glad if my husband took a missalette home to read!
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CajunRick
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 11:33 pm |
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Credo Catholic wrote: Julie wrote: "During our wedding mass, my dad frowned as I kneeled before Mary and put a rose on the altar. I even caught him taking a missalette from the church!"
I know the church needs to keep all the missalettes, at least until the next one comes out, but he probably was curious and hopefully he took it home and looked it over. He will have seen how much scripture is in the mass, how holy the liturgy is. He may not want to admit it. But I would be glad if my husband took a missalette home to read!
Most churches order more missalettes than they really need, knowing that some will "disappear". They don't cost much, usually about 25 cents, so put an extra buck in the collection and it will more than cover the cost. And it's well worth it for an "anti-Catholic" to see how scriptural the mass truly is.
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Pani Rose
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| Joined: | Fri Oct 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Irondale, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 750 |
| First Name: | Rose | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Ruthenian Byzantine in a Melkite Greek Catholic Parish, raised ... |
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Posted: Mon Oct 29th, 2007 07:07 pm |
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| Lord, give our brothers and sisters the strength to greet the coming day in peace. Help them in all things to rely on Your holy will. Reveal Your will every hour of the day. Bless their dealings with all people. Teach them to treat all people who come to them, no matter the opposition, throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all their deeds and words guide their thoughts and feelings. In unexpected events, let them not forget that all are sent by you. Teach them to act firmly and wisely, with amendment of purpose, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give them the physical strength to bear the labors of this day. Direct their will, teach them to pray, pray in them as they enter into the wonder of your Sacramental Church. Amen.
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