[pseudo-justin]

On average — based on the first ten months of this year — Anderson hears from a Protestant minister every three days who has made the decision to become Catholic.

wow

One former minister, Anderson recalled, gave up his role as a prominent, prestigious minister for his community to work as a greeter at WalMart. For him, the blessing of being able to receive the Eucharist more than compensated for what he had to give up.

wow. now there is someone who believes in the Real Presence.

[Desdemona]

And when they finally start going to Mass, often there is a culture shock, especially if they come from a small, intimate, loving Baptist church, and go into a parish of 2,000 people who aren’t particularly friendly. So there is this bit of culture shock — and that doesn’t include the shock of liturgy."

I've heard this somewhere before....

People forget that Catholicism has an accompanying culture. The "coldness" does put some people off, but they forget that the church is so big that comuter stares aren't uncommon. Mass at the Cathedral yesterday was like that. it didn't bother me, but I grew up with it. The Eucharistic prayer, OTOH, did bother me. Way too banal.

[LibertyGirl77]

So, the article mentions that the most typical "stumbling block" for Protestants exploring Catholicism is the doctrine on Mary, but then does nothing to explain why the Protestants are wrong about Mary.

The article does, however, go out of its way to raise counter-arguments to the scandals in the Catholic Church, which have already been stated to be NOT A PROBLEM for Protestants (heck, we have enough scandals of our own).

I have yet to hear a satisfactory explanation for the veneration and elevation of Mary in the Catholic faith. I'm not flaming or bashing--simply stating an opinion. Maybe when someone gives me a Biblically-sound reason to attempt to communicate with Mary or win her favor, I'll give the Catholic Church a second look. But until then, I will remain faithful to the Word and nothing else.

[Gophack]

Great article. I listen to the Journey Home program with Marcus Gordi on Catholic radio. Sometimes, I wish I was a convert (I'm a cradle Catholic), because some of these stories are so wonderful and uplifting, even when they are filled with pain and loss at one's livlihood. Many of these conversion stories helped me to delve deeper into my faith, because as a cradle Catholic who was a C-E-O Catholic for many years, I needed to relearn and learn more about what I know, what I believe, and what I never knew.

God bless all converts, for they are often scorned in their search for the Truth.

[Catholicguy]

<> Good post. I subscribe to The Wanderer and I was happy to read this in that paper and happeir you posted it. It bears noting that those converts seldom, if ever, revile their upbringing or their former communions when they decide to convert.

Conversely, it is rare when one doesn't hear hatred from an exCatholic when one hears them ranting about their former communion.

Former Protestants tend to be angels and former Catholics tend to be gargoyles.<>

[Rum Tum Tugger]

"For Protestants," says Jim Anderson, "the scandals are a non-issue. Among the hundreds of people I have talked to who are thinking of coming into the Church, the scandals just aren’t an issue. Of all the people who have contacted me, only three or four have mentioned them, and that was only at my prompting.

When one is considering entering the Catholic Church, the rose colored glasses effect is in full flower, and I can understand how it may appear to Anderson that the scandals are a non-issue.

However, once these protestants become Catholics and have to deal with the root causes of the scandals, I do not think they will consider them to be such a non-issue.

As a new Catholic, the scandals are having a devastating effect on me. While the sexual abuse of children is horrendous, I find the behavior of the Bishops in dealing with the scandals and what seems to be their innate arrogance to be equally horrendous.

I have more respect now for Jim and Tammy Bakker than I have for most of the Catholic Bishops and that is not good for my life as a Catholic. Yet, facts are facts and many of the Bishops are beneath contempt. Many of these new protestants will find themselves facing the same delimma as the harsh light of reality burns through the rose colored glasses effect.

They will find themselves questioning how the Church that claims to be the Church instituted by Christ could have such abysmal leadership. One would think that Christ would protect his own if they truly are his own.

[RnMomof7]

"Those who take their faith and Scripture and God seriously," he said, "see the Catholic Church as being the answer to the chaos of the Protestant condition: Sola scriptura is a dead end, is unhistorical and unworkable. They understand this and so they have a crisis of faith and they enter the Catholic Church. And this is occurring across the Protestant spectrum. A lot of people contacting the Coming Home Network are ‘higher church’ Episcopalians or Lutherans, but we do get calls also from ‘low-end’ Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and Assembly of God ministers.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few [are] chosen.

Jhn 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

[Salvation]

We just had 9 people start our Catholics Can Come Home for Christmas. It ended tonight and 7 people finished it.

Three are already receiving the Sacraments again. Another has received the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

You should have seen their eyes tonight -- the last night -- when we take them over to the church and talk about the changes. It is wonderful to see their sincereity and genuine questions about the church.

If you want more information about this powerful ministry, FReepmail me.

Salvation

[Matchett-PI]

"... we must not let the emotional trajectories of our loving glances turn our attention off of the fullness of truth found only in union with the Catholic Church."

...the fullness of truth found only IN UNION WITH the Catholic Church."

What a PROFANE statement! But not out of the ordinary for members of one of the Arminian (man-centered) churches.

[WriteOn]

CHN bump

[Salvation]

All former Catholics are invited back to the Church. Things have changed since that cold pre-Vatican II experience that you had.

Something to pray about and take action on, if that is where the Holy Spirit leads you.

Have a blessed day.