Posted on 04/05/2009 4:11:27 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
Congressional Quarterly has posted a transcript of “Fox News Sunday,” including this exchange between Chris Wallace and Newt Gingrich about the former House speaker’s conversion to Catholicism:
WALLACE: Mr. Gingrich, you have been a Baptist most of your life, and last Sunday you converted to Catholicism. Why, sir?GINGRICH: I’m not talking about this much publicly, but let me just say that I found over the course of the last decade, attending the basilica, meeting with Monsignor Rossi, reading the literature, that there was a peace in my soul and a sense of well being in the Catholic Church, and I found the mass of conversion last Sunday one of the most powerful moments of my life.
WALLACE: You have — it’s no secret — been married and divorced twice. Will you be able to participate fully in communion and all the other rites of the Catholic Church?
GINGRICH: Yes, we have done everything within the law of the church, following all of the rules of the church over the last 10 years. And it’s been a process. It’s been a very long process and something which was deeply affected, in part, by Pope Benedict XVI’s visit and the opportunity I had to sit in — as you know, my wife, Calista, sings at the basilica every Sunday, and I was allowed as a spouse to be there as part of the vespers program when the pope came. It’s been a long process.
WALLACE: And if I might ask, just briefly, what is it about the pope’s visit that led to this?
GINGRICH: I really believe, first of all, seeing the joy in his eyes, listening to his message, and I really believe that his basic statement, Christ our hope, is right. And I think much of what’s wrong with our country and with the western world is a function of looking inside ourselves, not just looking at money or looking at our wallets.
That’s not true. I know several born again Catholics who love the Church, have chosen to stay in it. Born Again means you have chosen to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your life and save you. What’s the problem with that? Only born again believers will enter the Kingdom of God.
May I ask, Why?
As a practicing Catholic, I can tell you that there are good things about being Catholic, but being “validated” is not one of them. People don’t fall all over visitors or newbies in the Catholic Church. Anybody who thinks the Catholic Church will “validate” him in any way, is delusional.
THAT!!! is funny...
It really does not matter which church you belong to as long as you believe.
Me too.
Believe what? In God? Then Muslims and Jews are good, theoretically. In Christ? Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are in good shape.
C'mon now. That statement defies your handle.
Every true Catholic is born again at his baptism, which is what John 3:5 is talking about.
Newt is a has been. He lacks moral character. The pope won’t help him.
Wow Newbie....that was REALLY DEEP!!
uh....it’s called BAPTISM, which is what every Catholic goes thru......Baptism is being born-again into the Holy Spirit.
nice to see someone walked my path. I was a fallen Catholic and really a Catholic in baptism only. My acts, thoughts and actions were of a hedonist and full of the pride of "knowing" right from wrong.
A friend took me to a "Promise Keepers" in Tampa and I went mainly as a friend. I found a great emptiness in my life.
I am the worst example of a Christian and will find myself in Heaven only if God is truly merciful and forgiving. I am also a Catholic. I wish my church wasn't infested with communist, socialist, liberals, pederasts and the rest of the hypocrisy that pushed me out of the church. But I find strength in the local priest and a comfort in the mass.
The Catholic Church is my home. CS Lewis is my inspiration and those that attack the church or any person trying to find his way back to Christ will be dealt with by something worse that hostile postings on this board or a well turned phrase in a flame war online.
I see Newt as somewhat of a charlatan, but he's a conservative charlatan... so I'll take him. I see a story of a man finding his way back to Christ by converting to Catholicism , I'll accept his word and look at his actions. ....... Those with the snide comments about "born again vs RCC/CC" or being papist, idol worshiping or somehow demean ever single person that is Catholic... you very well may be right. But "charity" is one of the Christian tenets and I would expect charity from a fellow brother in Christ.
or maybe not.....
I many not be what some call a “good Catholic”. Sunday Mass, the Offertory and the Eucharist are what matter to me as far as the liturgy. But the fact which should concern all believers is that He is who He said He was and He paid for our sins. Last year on Good Friday a friend sent me an e-mail about being in the tomb with Jesus. I said, “It’s OK - that rock is gonna roll.” A good song came out of that. If you want go to http://www.myspace.com/emmettgrayson. It’ll come up as soon as the page opens.
So I guess you can't ever really know who is and isn't a "truly born-again Christian," because they could someday convert to Catholicism and demonstrate that they were never "for real" to begin with.
Sort of throws a wrench in that "assurance of salvation" stuff, doesn't it?
Obviously, it was not a complete statement. I was not trying to write a theologic exposition. On the other hand, the basis of Christianity is faith. If you’ve got it, then it doesn’t matter what church you are a member of. There are plenty of Catholics who have the requisite faith, just as there are plenty of Baptists who do as well.
That was wonderful. Thank you.
I’m happy for him. Now let me know when he converts back to free market conservatism. Then I’ll really welcome him home.
Then we have a great deal in common, my friend. C.S. Lewis helped me find my way back to trust in Christ Himself and it took some more years before I found my way back to Catholicism. I ignore the political leanings of the folks at Mass because it is my sanctuary from all of that. Like you, Newt never appealed to me much either, but if he’s inclined to live the faith this way, who am I to question it?
I’m very glad you liked it. If Johnny Cash were still with us, it might even be a hit sometime.
Very possibly, but I thought you sounded pretty darn good.
It really is beautiful and touching.
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