Has anyone converted to Catholicism from a Protestant background?

Question

I do not want to hear about converting because of marriage or something where your heart wasn't in it. If it was other than this, why did you convert? Was it because you were dissatisfied with something in the Protestant services, you had a revelation that Catholicism was the truest form of Christianity, or something else. Please only those that converted out of heart felt reasons answer, and not those that were coerced or something and you could care less about Jesus. (like it seems so many are when it is Prot=>Cath) Please convince me otherwise.

Answer 1

I was born and raised Southern Baptist. I never felt at home in that faith. I always felt like an outsider looking in. I went to church Sun morn, Sun eve and Wed eve every week without fail for my entire childhood.

I graduated from high school and moved out on my own. After a period of staying out of churchs completely, I felt empty in my heart. After a lot of soul searching I figured out that the emptiness in my heart was due to my being out of the will of God. In order to fill that emptiness I had to reconcile myself to God.

I tried going back to the Baptist Church, but I still never felt like I was a part of that. At the time I worked with two Catholics. They had a peace about them that I wanted in my life! They talked openly about being Catholic, they weren't ashamed of it. And I could tell that being Catholic was a big part of their entire life--not just a trip to church twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday nite.

So I did some more research. I liked what I read about the Catholic faith. And I began to take instruction in the Catholic faith. This has been one of the hardest things I've ever done in my whole life. All my life as a Baptist I was taught that Catholics were going to hell because they worshipped Mary and the Saints. That they prayed to statues. That the Roman Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelation. That you ask Jesus to forgive you, not a man---even if the man is a priest. And so on and so forth, ad infinitum ad nauseum.

It took a lot of study and prayer to find the answers to all those bogus notions I'd been taught. Catholics don't worship Mary or the Saints--we venerate them. We don't pray to statues---that's just dumb. I don't believe the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon. Jesus gave the power to forgive sins and cast out demons in his Name to his disciples. And its ok to confess your sins to a priest.

I took instruction for about six months. I joined the Catholic Church about 25 years ago and I've never regretted a minute of it. I finally feel at home in a church. I'm active in my local Church--I help out at Mass and I teach in our Parish School of Religion.

I have a peace in my heart and soul that I never felt when I was Baptist. And I still hear the same bone headed things that I heard as a kid about Catholics.

Has this cost me anything? Yes. My father, a die-hard Baptist, never accepted my conversion. Until his dying day he still would not talk about it. That hurt a lot.

But I have a church home now--and a solid faith in my Lord Jesus--who saves me from my sinful nature by his Grace alone. I can't earn my salvation--its a gift from the Lord.

Would I do it over again? Yes---although I probably would've not drug my heels so much and made the conversion much sooner.

Answer 2

I grew up Protestant and am in the process of converting to Catholicism. I will be baptized the 26th of this month. When I attended Protestant churches I would leave feeling empty, if I asked a question they didn't have an answer for I was told the devil was making me ask it. So I went to the library a picked up a book that covered the basics on about every religion and denomination and I decided that I agreed most and felt most drawn to the Catholic Church. If my priest doesn't have an answer to a question I ask he tells me he doesn't know and that he will try to find out, I leave Mass happy and at peace with God. Also and probably the biggest factor for me was that I could not find a Protestant Church that seemed to think baptism was important, which to me is very important, as it is to the Catholic Church. So I would say that I have decided to be Catholic because I now feel a closeness to God that I never felt in a Protestant Church.

Answer 3

I have recently considered converting to Catholicism, and I was raised a Protestant (Methodist). I am really a Hindu now, but this religion is unacceptable to my family, and because of that, I am unable to practice my religion and benefit from its practices the way I would like.

When I went to a Catholic church, I found that I felt the presence of Jesus there during the communion. I really liked much of what I saw. I really liked how they had those things where you can kneel during the service, because I often feel like kneeling out of my sense of devotion. Once I realized that Catholicism has many great practices, I began to think of becoming Catholic, because this would be more acceptable to my family than Hinduism.

This does not mean I'm not sincere. My "religion" is the same no matter what you call it. My religion is to love God and have compassion for all beings, and to live a life of devotion to God. I found that this is possible through the Catholic faith. I have begun to pray the rosary, to read about Catholicism, and watch Catholic programs on tv, and I really like it.

Answer 4

My parents experienced it the other way around, and I have not personally experienced the situation but met a lady last weekend who was not having an exciting experience with Jesus in her Protestant environment until we met her. She was searching and experienced Jesus in a Catholic church, and began to worship there. There is nothing wrong with the Catholic Church if the Priest is teaching the Full Gospel, as I find the people generally are sweeties. In that town were two Catholic Churches and only one was given a good report. Hope you find a good place. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit is the only sure way of having a good personal relationship with Jesus, this comes by asking Jesus for it..

Answer 5

Many stories online here:
http://chnetwork.org/converts.htm

you can get many audio testimonies here:
http://www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/seriessearchprog.asp?seriesID=-6892289&T1=journey+home


These books have stories of people who have become Catholic:

"Surprised by Truth: 11 Converts Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons for Becoming Catholic"
ISBN: 0964261081

"Surprised By Truth Part 2: 15 Men and Women Give the Biblical and Historical Reasons For Becoming Catholic."
ISBN: 1928832180

"Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church"
ISBN: 0898705770

"Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism"
ISBN: 0898704782

"No Price Too High: A Pentecostal Preacher Becomes Catholic: The Inspriational Story Of Alex Jones"
ISBN: 0898709199

Answer 6

great tale... i think of God has led you the place He needs you to be. particular, Catholicism is genuine, yet do no longer take our word for it or each physique else's against it. you could desire to proceed to learn and artwork to comprehend the history in the back of the Catholic Church and Christianity, so as which you will see those truths for your self (in case you have no longer already?) to connect the Church you will would desire to take RCIA instructions... they variety in length observing the parish... I helped our priest with ours final twelve months, and we initiate off in Oct. and the traditional party for starting to be to be a member of happens on Easter (many times the Easter Vigil... it somewhat is astonishing!) thank you for additionally serving our usa... would God bless you on your experience. @ no longer Black... you're fact is very untrue. maximum Catholic clergy are particularly some the poorest human beings there are... a clergymen salary might placed him on the poverty point in u . s .. maximum are far from wealthy. @ichi biru.... thrilling... in case your tale is genuine, i ask your self what brought about you to lose your faith, an answer of undemanding sense won't decrease it. Majority of information like yours take a turn around an expert subject... no longer that this is yours, yet i'm curious. *further* @ ichi biru... thank you on your explanation and time... I would desire to admit that i'm via no potential as qualified interior the historic languages as you're, and function basically found out to comprehend a fragment of the matters that come from attempting to precise translate Hebrew/ Greek to Latin to English, yet I additionally comprehend which you at the instant are not the 1st guy or woman to handle those study and maximum come away with a totaly distinctive attitude then you definately seem to have, and you comprehend besides as i do no longer all those all human beings is phonies or gullible human beings (our modern-day pope for one), yet I comprehend all all human beings is distinctive and all see issues in any different case... i'm hoping sometime you will take on the undertaking as quickly as returned my buddy... Peace

Answer 7

Christianity means to be Christ-like. I don't think that it really matters what type of Church you go to. Follow the Ten Commandments, do the best you can do, and try to set a good example like Christ did. People put too much emphasis on the type of Church you go to anymore. Just be good people.

Answer 8

yes quite a few people did, unfortunetly I am not one of them, I was born catholic. but Im sure you will come across many people who have.

this book may aid you

http://www.amazon.com/Surprised-Truth-Converts-Biblical-Historical/dp/0964261081/ref=pd_sim_b_4/102-8710689-8476962