Posted on 04/05/2005 6:30:33 AM PDT by TheStickman
A little over a year ago I attended my 1st Mass. A couple of weeks later I was seriously thinking of converting and posted such in here. Thinking back on the private freepmails I received at the time, I recall 70% were pro-converting and a solid 30% were dead against it:)
After realizing I had finally seen the Truth of Christ in the Eucharist I decided there was nothing left to consider:I HAD to convert. Another month passed then my wife and I began applying for annulments. 2 months later we are in our 1st book study group, I begin attending morning Mass every day it's offered. My teenage daughter starts attending morning Mass of her own choice. We begin eating breakfast after Mass with what I call *The Morning Crew* and I discover I can spend hours with these people whether we're talking about the Church or children or whatever...
Last fall our kids entered RCIA. My wife and I were allowed to sit in on the classes because we felt it would be better for the kids in the long run for a host of reasons even though we knew our annulments would not be granted by Easter. Just a few days ago, at the Easter Vigil our son and daughter were brought into the Church. I have never been so proud and thankful. The Light of Christ shines in them. I see them taking Communion now and thank God we were brought to this particular parish.
Anyway, our petitions for the annulments have been accepted. The cases will be heard and decided. My wife's is open and shut because her 1st husband was previously married and never got an annulment before he re-married. Mine will be a full-blown case and God's Will be done--I'm afraid to speculate how it's going to go. I can't imagine God would lead us down this path so we can't come into full communion with the Church, but who knows what other lessons He might wish us to learn before we can make our 1st Confession and receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord.
Without going into a zillion details, we didn't get to this point by ourselves. The Holy Spirit has certainly been working in our lives. Please remember us in your prayers as we continue on our Journey.
May the Peace of our Lord be with you all!
Excellent! I will be sure to keep you and your family in my prayers as you go in your journey.
Thank you!
FYI PING
Thank you for sharing your personal testimony.
I will ping another couple to the thread. They have gone through the same process.
May God continue to bless you and your family!
With an attitude like that and an abiding faith in His Mercy, there is no challenge that can't be met. God bless you and your family.
The Holy Spirit has indeed blessed you and your beautiful family. My prayers for all of you as you continue along this path.
Welcome Home!
And we will keep you and your wife in our prayers!!
Thank you all for your kind words and your prayers.
Just a couple of years ago if someone had told me I would be actually [i]asking[/i] people to pray for us, I would have laughed and told them not to drink so much.
Sinkspur--I sooooooooo hope you are right.
That is wonderful. I will keep you in my prayers.
Wonderful! and Welcome!
Best wishes as you enter your new home...
Both of us were raised Catholic and we already knew what we had and to not be able to participate was a great pennance for both of us. At one time our priest, God bless him, asked me what if you are not approved? Would you consider another church other than the Catholic. I looked at him an said "There is no other"
Bless you and your family may God and the Holy Spirit continue to fill your hearts with Love....
Thanks for the ping.....
May God bless you and your family!
Your fellow convert,
B-Chan
Thanks for sharing your story. Thus far, I can't honestly say I've considered giving up because once you've seen the Truth--well, what else can you do? I can't stop going to Mass now any more than I can pluck out my own eye (gross but true). No doubt I've been angry and frustrated on occasion, but that's always faded quickly, usually by the next day or when someone in the group of friends we now have at the parish gives me a verbal smack in the jaw which ends my pity-party.
What's been frustrating for me is some of the bueracratic nonsense we've encountered, combined with the lack of classes or support from the parish regarding this issue as we've journeyed. For all the wonderful ministries and support groups our parish offers, there nothing at all for people going through the annulment process.
With all that said, watching the kids come into the Church and they positive changes in them since--well, if that's what's in store for us, and I believe it is, then it's all worth the wait. PBWY!
Our diocese has a program for "Single Again" adults, but it is focused on reintegrating divorced, widowed, or separated people back into parish life and dealing with the grief that follows the breaking of a relationship.
Sounds like you're way past that. You ought to check into what your diocese has to offer, if anything. You're right, though. There don't seem to be any ongoing efforts to help those going through annulments get their questions answered or just be able to vent over the length of time, and have that dealt with, too.
You've given me an idea..................
We have a priest from the Chancery coming to talk at our parish on April 13th.
We blazed "Annulments" across the top of the flyer we inserted in the bulletin.
Teens (and parents, if they so wish) and young adults will watch a video on Dating and Chastity and then proceed with a discussion.
Childcare will be provided and Friendship activities offered for all of them.
(Just what one little parish is doing to change this deplorable little gap in ministry.)
Actually -- it is a pretty big gap!
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