For years, I’ve been fascinated with a little-known figure in American Church history: Father John Thayer (1758-1815). He served as chaplain to John Hancock during the American Revolution, was the
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Someone once pointed out to me that when one commits one’s life to the Lord this journey seems to become “convoluted.” I would tend to agree. My journey back to
When stating their objections to the Catholic Church, most Protestant Christians have two impressions. First, the Catholic Church is thought to be somewhere on a scale from hating the Bible to
In the first installment of my advice as to how to avoid becoming a Catholic, I suggested two rules. First, assume that all Catholics are idiots. Second, get all your information about the Catholic Church second-hand. Steer clear of Catholic intellectuals, well-catechized laypeople, and young, zealous, orthodox priests and nuns. Look for leftover aging, hippy priests and nuns, poorly catechized Catholics, and ex-Catholics evangelicals who have it in for the Church. And above all, don’t read the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
With those preliminaries out of the way, the next three rules have to do with history.
A little over a year ago my status changed. Having been a Presbyterian minister for over twenty years, I became a Catholic layman. How that happened is a long story.
In a nutshell, though, reading a Catholic author here, meeting with a priest or two there, befriending groups of faithful Catholics, and attending lectures, meetings, and (occasionally) Mass all added up. At the same time, my questions about the viability of Protestantism in a post-modern environment became more pointed and my answers more frightening. The Protestant mainline, oldline, sideline is in theological, moral, and cultural freefall as it approaches becoming little more than a sideshow. And the evangelicals, I believe, are not all that far behind.
I’ve often described conversion as starting from a breach in the walls of our defenses. Normally our hearts and minds are ensconced in layers of barriers that form a wall
Once a minister of the Episcopal Church, I am today a Roman Catholic Priest, serving as pastor of the parish of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas. As it turns out, becoming a Catholic priest brought me “full circle.” Allow me to share with you how and why.
As this newsletter goes to print, we have nearly 750 non-Catholic clergy members who are still somewhere on the journey towards the Catholic Church. Most of these men and women are actively pastoring non-Catholic churches—of nearly a hundred different denominations. Some have grown discouraged and cold in their interest in the Catholic Church; many others are convinced and ready to “come home”, but are stalled in their journeys because they face seemingly insurmountable hurdles—vocational, occupational, financial, and sometimes marital.
When I was eight years old, my best friend informed me that I would be going to hell since I had not yet been baptized. My best friend had been
Recently I received a copy of the following important document issued by Cardinal William Levada, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). It describes the “Minimum Profile of Formation for Former Protestant Ministers Who Desire to Be Ordained Catholic Priests.”
I’m passing this along, especially for those of you who are clergy on the journey or converts contemplating the possibility of ordination as Catholic priests, but also for the rest of us who are praying for these highly gifted converts whom God is bringing home to the Church. If there are any questions or particular needs concerning this process, please do not hesitate to call us.
Marcus welcomes former United Methodist pastor Mike Allen to Deep in Scripture to discuss biblical typology regarding the Lamb, the Eucharist, and the Blood and water that flowed from the side of Jesus.
This week on a Special Edition of Deep in Scripture – “Verse(s) I never saw…” Series: Marcus Grodi welcomes former Southern Baptist minister Fr. Gray Bean to discuss 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and John 3:22, 20:19-23.
