Need help converting back to being catholic?

Question

I was raised Catholic - had all the sacraments, married in the Catholic Church etc.

However I have been Conservative Evangelical for the last 20 years. Baptised a second time!! etc. I found the people to be so great, some were crazy demon hunters, obsessed with the end of time etc. but in general the people loved God etc.

I take the bible as the word of God, I read it, I dont know 100 times over, I preached, I evangelised, etc.

Now I find God leading me back to the Catholic Church, I realise in reading and learning that it "may be" the real church. I may have been deluded for the last 20 years.

Purely on the facts I find that Catholics have more truth than the poeple I know, and I find that hard because I love my friends. Seriously its like I look at it and think I wasted 20 years.

I have not found a non-catholic who can prove that the catholic faith isint biblical, they all take it out of context as I did. Its bugging me a lot. I am meeting with a priest so that help.

I spoke about the RCIA classes. They didnt think I needed them as I have had 5 of the Sacraments.

I have alocal evangelical church that I like and the worship is awesome (or the music) but I cant find a evangelical with a decent response, they all take the bible out of contect. Why shouldnt I go to the church that Jesus founded, especialy since I want to follow Christ.

I know some evangelicals in a loving or hateful way will try to convince me that I am wrong. I could convince myself, I know more than you. I know the bible better. I used to read it through 3-4 times a year. I can preach all the anti-catholic stuff you can and more, but I am coming to the conclusion that I was very wrong and it is sad. However I feel God with me

Answer 1

I just want to say God bless you and welcome home. As a former protestant, I know exactly where you’re coming from. I came from one of the most anti-Catholic denomination there is – Jehovah’s Witness. They literally preach that the Catholic Church is of the devil.

My parents left them when I was young, but some of the teachings stayed with me. It wasn’t until I was older and wanted to know about God that I began my own journey. We visited every Protestant church there was, studied the bible on our own, learned from/talked with friends, etc. However, it was always like there was something missing, that no matter how much I tried to put it together there was always a mysterious link eluding me.

I was baptized in the Catholic Church when I was 15, and that was about it. No catechism classes, nothing. It wasn’t until I was 30 years old that I finally decided that maybe I’d check out what the Catholics believe. I enrolled in RCIA in November of 2005, and it was the best decision of my life. Six months later, on Pentecost of 2006, I was Confirmed in the Church.

I see no reason why you should not continue your friendships. Protestants are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The last 20 years were not a waste. Whatever the blessing, its there; you just may not understand it yet. I’d say if anything you’ll be a better Catholic now. They say converts make the best Catholics. Also, think of the experience you’ve got. You’ve been on the Protestant side so you have an appreciation for Christ’s true Church that most others do not. They always say you appreciate something more when you don’t have it. Imagine, too, the inspiration you could be for others trying to return to the Catholic Church, and the help you could give them. Soooo many blessings.

Continue to pray on it. Go to Mass. It’s the best thing you can do. Being in the presence of our Sacred Lord… are there words to describe it?

Again, God bless you and welcome home.

Answer 2

You are already on the right road by seeking a priest. He can help you. You will need to go to confession so you can begin receiving the Eucharist again. Wow, what a wonderful moment that will be for you.

You have not wasted 20 years...you have grown in 20 years. You will now be a true Catholic, and you will be a great witness to the faith because you know and understand those that oppose it.

I am a Catholic convert. I was a protestant for 30 years. I was shocked to find out that the Catholic Church has the truth. For years I believed they worshiped idols and Mary and were just plain weird. But God led me home...step by step.

I thank God every day for bringing me into the fullness of the Church.

A good website to check out is http://www.chnetwork.org this is a website for and about protestant/evangelical pastors who have converted to or returned to Catholicism. Their stories are beautiful and worth reading.

Thank God and welcome back home.

Answer 3

The process of coming back to the Church is usually a matter of going to Confession and perhaps some counseling sessions with your parish priest. It would also be a good idea to send a letter to your present church, stating your intention to leave. Then follow the priest's recommendations and. . .welcome home!

Wherever you've been for the past 20 years, God has been with you. Think of it in terms of the Israelites wandering in the desert -- God was with them, even when all they could see was barren ground. Now it's your time to come to the "promised land" of our great Catholic faith.

And ignore the nay-sayers here, too. They are either ignorant (in the sense of not knowing what they're talking about, due to being taught wrongly) or else they're bigots -- plain and simple. In either case, don't let their wrong ideas and opinions stop you from rejoining what you know is the true Church. God bless you on your journey home!

Answer 4

I wont assault your private selection right here, even supposing I dont believe it as a former Roman Catholic, given that I dont feel that's proper. But to reply your query: If you had been baptised within the Triune method: Which method, the character who baptised you used water and mentioned: I baptise you within the title of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, then the baptism is viewed legitimate through the Catholic Church and wont be redone. Unless you're historical adequate to do not forget your baptism truthfully taking place, you'll most likely have to furnish a Baptismal Certificate to end up that it truthfully occured. You will ought to cross via whatever known as the Rite of Christian Initiation, that is virtually, approximately a yr or so of categories of guideline in what Catholicism teaches. At a few factor, you'll ought to make a career of religion publically and ought to categorical you consider the whole lot the church teaches. So get a duplicate of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, learn it, and determine what the church truthfully does educate. You dont desire to transform, after which remorse it later, like I did. edit: Oh, and I could upload, if you're below eighteen years historical, the permission of either one of your moms and dads more commonly is needed.

Answer 5

God rejoices and the angels and saints rejoice that you found your way back home after 20 years! It is never too late. How fortunate that your life was preserved and you were given time to return as the prodigal son did. Surely someone's intercessory prayers brought you back to the only Church that offers salvation to mankind.

I have given you a link to some articles which you will like and will help you educate yourself further about the Catholic faith. Do take time to read them.
http://www.olrl.org/apologetics/

Please pray the daily Rosary , at least five decades if not more , to protect yourself from vice, heresy and the fires of hell. When Our Lady appeared at Fatima, She asked the faithful to pray the daily Rosary. As if to emphasize the importance of the Rosary in the 20 th century, She repeated Herself several times. She also asked the faithful to wear the Brown Scapular of Carmel and to practice the First five Saturday devotion. Get yourself enrolled in the Brown Scapular and begin wearing one all the time.

Answer 6

You are on the right track, go see a Priest.

You may want to go through RCIA class, they normally start in the fall, you are just in time.

I was born as a Protestant, and around the age of 20 quit attending, spent 20 years learning. finally became Catholic.

I wasted 20 years also! And welcome home!

Peace!

CJ, what do you know about the Catholic Church? Have you ever read the Catechism? Have you ever asked a Priest? Or do you just rely on your anti-Catholic Preacher?

I was raised a Protestant, but thankfully not as one that had to smear other faiths to make us feel better.

Answer 7

There isn't anything you have to do formally, but you might want to contact the parish priest of your local Catholic church and talk things over. Also, if you do not have a solid foundation in the Catholic Faith (and you probably do not, or you could never have left it), you should probably sign up for the RCIA program, a series of informal sessions covering all the major aspects of the Catholic faith.

Answer 8

If you want to come back to the catholic church then you are already on the right path by talking to a priest. He will guide you and help you with this journey.....

if you are looking for other ways to help you with your journey, ask your priest if the church is offering any classes or prayer meetings that you can attend... maybe even a life in the spirit seminar.

I hope you find what you are looking for.

Answer 9

You haven't wasted 20 years, dear. God used that time you were away from "home" -- many of us wander in the wilderness for a while. I converted from evangelicism to the Catholic faith in middle age and had a few thoughts along those lines, myself, until I realized that in this I had much in common with St. Augustine.

If you're in conversation with a priest about this now, then it should be a fairly simple matter for you to come back into full communion with the Church and he will surely help you do so. And you bring much of value with you, to the glory of God.

Welcome home.

Answer 10

Great! if you have EWTN on your television channel selection look it up and find the show 'The Journey Home' it is about people like yourself.

Peace+