to Catholics who left their religion (Catholicism) and then came back to Catholicism, what made you come back?

Question

what made you realize it is the religion for you? just wondering. thanks in advance for answering.

by the way, please no insults or bashings from the anti-Catholics. thank you.

to answerers who insist on answering with insults, I apologize for expecting that everybody can understand English. I made it clear that no insult or bashing from anti-Catholics, but you still insisted. maybe it's hard to contain too much hatred, isn't it?

Answer 1

I rediscovered Catholicism after doing some reading.. My appreciation started after studying the history, the doctrine, the reasons for things.

A Catholic

http://www.vatican.va

Answer 2

I was away from the Church for a number of years. My husband and I were badly treated by a priest, and even though I should have known better, I left the Catholic faith.

I then spent years trying other churches -- everything from a non-denominational group (bland) to a friend's Pentecostal church (waaaay too much hollering and bouncing around for this old Catholic girl.) None of the services I attended had the beauty and serenity of the Mass, and I realize now that I was spiritually starved for the Eucharist.

I owe my return to the Church to the intercession of our beloved Mother Mary. I never gave up saying the Rosary, and I believe that the Blessed Virgin is the one whose prayers inspired me to go to a small Catholic church in our area. I had no intention of re-joining the church, but I needed spiritual solace at the time, and St. Mary's was perfect.

Needless to say, I ended up returning to the Catholic Church and the joy of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Now that I look back on the years that I spent away from my faith, I see just how spiritually empty they were -- kind of like the Israelites wandering in the desert, only it didn't take me 40 years to figure out what I was doing wrong! ;-)

I'm Home again in the Church that I love and that is right for me. I will always be grateful to God for His leading and to the Blessed Mother for her prayers and concern for one of her prodigal daughters.

Answer 3

I left the Church for a few years after an exciting evangelical tent revival. My pentecostal friends took Christianity seriously, and there were many opportunities to take leadership in their church, even to preach. The music was also fun.

Then, when our youngest son was born, we realized we could not get him baptized without returning to the Church. I have never doubted that baptism has saving power, as Jesus explains, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

In I Peter 3: "In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him."

Oddly enough, the first reason for returning to the Church was for infant baptism.

Since then, I have found a thousand more reasons, and I am more firmly in unity with the Church authorized by Jesus than ever before. Too, I am wiser to the errors of the evangelicals who substitute emotion for knowledge.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 4

I began looking for a church to go to when my kids were little. I realized that parenting was a huge job, and I felt a church community would help give them firm ground to fall back on if they ever needed it. I found no warmth or comfort in the Methodist and other protestant that I remembered growing up--they seemed sterile. Having realized that the tradition of going to church was more what I was looking for rather than the actual spiritual (one might say I am agnostic), I went back to the Catholic Church. There are many things about the Church that I don't like (I'm pro-choice, believe women should be priests, gay marriages don't upset me like they do so many Catholics), but I relate that to my kids. I like having the examples of Saints to relate to my kids. I like telling my kids that we attend a mass that has been practiced for over 1500 years, etc. I like the time and treasure that we give back to the community. I like fellow Catholics...they (not me) are so devout. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

I stayed away for along time. When I was young I went alone for years,my parents were divorced and my mother said if you want to go,then go. As I got closer to high school stopped going. Broke up with a girl who was there and she always wanted to talk. Went to college and my roomate went all the time, I went a couple of times. Then I met this girl, now my wife, and I wanted to be part of her life and church was part of her life. Talked with a priest,went to confession and started going to church again.I realized I had missed going and actually enjoy the quiet time to reflect on my life. We have become active in the parish and made some life long friends. You get out of it what you put into it.

Answer 6

These people are actually lost individuals , who needs nurturing and caring . They left Catholicism , search , and look for religion fit for them , and if the felt that they are not really fitted in for some unknown reasons , they just simply came back and mingle and embrace their previous faith. These people , are the most loved , and supposed to be welcomed with an open arms , because they wander , to open fields , lonely , and cold , and later realized that they have to be with their true family who care and love them through out . Thank `s God !

Answer 7

I wish my friend would do this and I won't care for whateva reason. She left Catholicism for some other denomination, and I was shocked. Now that she was down with stroke and is now being taken care by her Catholic parents, I wonder how well would she cope with this. I mean, to which church would she go to? Would she join mass for the sake of her parents or not to go to church at all?(because her denomination has not branched to her hometown yet).

Answer 8

for me i never really left the catholic church but i did become a non practicing catholic who came to know very little about why he was catholic(when i type catholic i ofcourse mean roman catholic from here on out). i feel my conversion was more a conversion of heart as opposed to conversion to another faith, much like the conversion of heart by st paul as recorded in acts.

i was raised in the north of ireland where all the conflict was and to an extent still is, raised in catholic schools, even having nuns for teachers i grew up however in hostel environments where tolerance was few and far between, bomb threats to the school from the other peoples way of life etc......thats more for a background. i soon stopped going to church, laziness lack of the holy spirit and a sad will for revenge. i wasn't involved hardcore or anything but was wanting to and attempting to........luckily whilst on line one night per chance i started talking to this girl, who ended up being my wife, this however required a large move to the united states away from all i ever knew. my girlfriend was catholic but all the rest of her immediate family and some cousins were strongly becoming members of a spanish iglesia de dios church which is mainly pentecostal. well almost on a regular basis attacks and jokes were made towards the blessed mother,the saints,the priesthood....the list is endless and we all know the list........my wife was becoming confused and questioning these things which had me thinking, i am catholic, why am i letting them confuse my wife adn why am i not defending my faith? if you want to defend and fight for something it should be our lord and the church he gave us, pick up our swords and armour of god, "be always willing to give a reason for our hope", my journey was worth it, in ireland to america, in born catholic to "born again" catholic, in a sense. all these obstacles have been blessings, all the joys have been blessings its a win win situation with our lord. i have been enabled by our lord to read my bible, study the word, spread the good news by both words and actions(all for his glory) now for 4 years and lord willing for many many more.

as with many things i think it is ignorance and fear that hold us from the truth, it is with knowledge and letting the holy spirit be active in our lives that bring us back, i should have said the holy spirit first....ooops

Answer 9

I find deeper meaning and thought is found within the Church, history and Sacraments. The communal connection like no other. That we realize our relationship with God directly in our relationship with other people.

Left when I was 16, tried other religions, including non Christian. After college where my minor was world religions was when I came back (about 25).

Answer 10

i looked at protestantism for many years...i rejected it in my mid 20's because of the Eucharist. It was the Eucharist that stopped my searching for answers outside of the Church. It was the Eucharist that enabled me to find contentment in trusting that His Church has the authority to teachi in His Name. It is the Eucharist that demands my deference to the Catholic Church. It is the Eucharist that brings true joy.