Before I was a Catholic, I had no place for suffering in my personal or preached theology, and I admittedly avoided the many Scriptures that speak of suffering. After becoming a Catholic — actually it took several years after becoming an informed Catholic — I not only began to understand the meaning and importance of, but more significantly, the necessity of suffering.
Mr. Storck is a convert from Anglicanism and his conversion story was previously featured in our September 2011 newsletter.
More than once lately I have noticed in the Prayer List column of the Coming Home Network newsletter prayers for difficulties that individuals, new converts to the Catholic faith, are having in their adjustment to Catholic life.
The challenges in Catholic conversion don’t end at the Church’s door.
“I think more should be written about conversion within the Church. It is a more difficult subject than conversion without.” — Flannery O’Connor
St. Paul wrote to his “son in the faith” St. Timothy that “God our Savior … desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). He penned this after all the joy and trials of his own conversion and his travels as a missionary, bringing many from paganism or Judaism into the Christian Faith.
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
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
Does God have one right choice for me in each decision I make?
When we pray for wisdom to discern God’s will when it comes to choosing a mate, a career, a job change, a move, a home, a school, a friend, a vacation, how to spend money, or any other choice, big or little, whenever there are two or more different paths opening up before us and we have to choose, does God always will one of those paths for us? If so, how do we discern it?
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.
My long-time friend (and now boss) Marcus Grodi is known for being a Protestant minister who did the unthinkable when he converted to Catholicism. He’s in good company. Even before
How does one determine truth? This was the core of my own journey to the Church, and though I won’t repeat the details here, I must admit this journey, for
Here is an intriguing quote from Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Bishop, (330-395) taken from Monday morning’s Office of Readings. He describes how our new life in Christ–our new existence–is nurtured through the Church and her sacraments. I would love your thoughts. – Marcus Grodi
Help us share the truth and beauty of the Church.
Help us share the truth and beauty of the Church.
