One of the great blessings our team experiences constantly here at the Coming Home Network is that of being present and part of so many fortuitous meetings between Christian journeyers seeking the fullness of Christ. We stand at the crossroads meeting people who in many cases were traveling the spiritual journey alone, and we welcome them, encourage them, equip them, and perhaps, most importantly, help them find community with others who are experiencing a similar journey. A week does not go by that we are not reminded in numerous ways—between emails, phone calls, online live group video chats, in-person retreats, and through the amazing stories we are able to share—just how special and important this network is, and how privileged we are to be a part of and witness to it.
For example, during one of our recent Fellowship Friday calls, a CHNetwork member was recounting the excitement of his reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil this year. He shared that he has felt like a “kid in a candy shop” as he delves deeper into prayer and the sacramental Catholic life. Another member, a Protestant pastor still in active ministry but feeling drawn to the Catholic Church, shared how astounded and grateful he was to have found a network of fellow converts and journeyers, as he had thought he’d be making this journey alone. Yet another member shared how she had been ready to join the Church, but had gotten cold feet at the last moment and now was feeling confused and defeated; in response, she received an outpouring of love, encouragement, and consolation from other members who had truly been there before. In each case, these Catholic converts and journeyers were able to share their stories— both the joys and the sorrows, the blessings and the challenges— among friends who would understand, offer encouragement and advice, and who would (really) continue to accompany them in prayer and fellowship.
The numerous anecdotes shared with us continuously in our work reinforce the uniqueness and importance of the Coming Home Network as a network of fellowship and encouragement. Every Christian is on a journey, and journeys have peaks and valleys. We need fellowship, good counsel, and encouragement from fellow believers, and we recognize that as we are helped to persevere through each challenge, God is giving us, in a mysterious way, a gift of our own testimony and experiences that we can in turn share with others. Over the years, we’ve taken St. Paul’s opening words from his second letter to the Church in Corinth as one of our “mission verses”. He writes:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Sharing the truth and beauty we discovered in the Catholic Church and passing on the comfort and encouragement we ourselves received on our own journeys is what the CHNetwork is all about. As important as apologetic and informational resources might be, perhaps more than anything else, Protestant pastors and laypeople whom the Holy Spirit is leading home to the Church need the fellowship, witness, and encouragement of others.
Recently, I was interviewing a former Protestant pastor on The Journey Home program. He recounted how in the midst of active Protestant ministry, his investigation of certain doctrinal questions in the writings of the Early Church Fathers had brought him to the shocking realization about just how “Catholic” the first generations of Christians had been. The more he studied, the more convinced he became of the truth of Catholicism—but also the more trapped he felt. Alone with his thoughts, unable to tell his fellow pastors or his wife, fearing for how he’d be able to support his family if word got out, he buried the truth and for many years tried to continue as if nothing happened. He eventually found his way home to the Church, but only after many years of lonely struggle and the eventual collapse of his ministry and marriage. This former pastor shared with me that he wished he had discovered the Coming Home Network during those lonely years—perhaps relationships could have been saved and heartache spared. Thankfully, his testimony is now proving to be a comfort to others in a similar predicament.
I share all of this with you today as hopefully an encouraging reminder, whether you yourself are one of the many Protestant pastors or laypeople in the network who are exploring the Catholic Church and discerning the next steps God is calling you to take, whether you are a recent or not-so-recent Catholic convert continuing your spiritual journey and perhaps helping to encourage others, or one of the many lifelong Catholics who support CHNetwork with your prayers and donations—THANK YOU for being a part of the Coming Home Network and for being a source of encouragement and comfort to those who sojourn.
If I could make one additional observation and request: While we are blessed as an apostolate to help those journeyers that reach out to us, there are many, many more out there—like the pastor I mentioned above—who never hear about the Coming Home Network and end up traversing the difficult journey home to full communion with the Catholic Church alone. In addition to continuing your prayerful support and participation in the CHNetwork, please consider inviting those converts and journeyers in your life to connect with us.
Thank you, as always, for your prayers and for being a part of this apostolate of encouragement!
