www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Converts to Catholicism

I was wondering for those converts to Catholicism (Western or Eastern):

1. What Catholic Church do you belong to now (BCA, UGCC, Melkite, Maronite, Latin, etc...)?

2. How long have you been Catholic?

3. What was your religion before converting to Catholicism?

4. How long were you a member of that Church or religious group?

Now if your first baptism as an infant was into Catholicism you don't count... technically we're all converts but I want to know about those who converted after infancy and early childhood.

If you have a story to go along with your answers that would be great!

Dr. Eric,

Do "reverts" count?

Gordo

In the immortal words of one of America's three wise men: "Cointently!"

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.

1. Melkite
2. 21 years... Melkite for 9
3. Raised unchurched, baptized in a Lutheran church, but never really considered myself "Lutheran"
4. Officially 6 years (between baptism as Lutheran and confirmation as Catholic); in practice, 2 years (stopped going to the Lutheran church in favor of a charismatic Mennonite community)
5. Story? You think there might be a story in all that? How much time do you have?

-- P, wondering who the other two American wise men are

OK - raised Methodist , went to Anglicanism and from there very very slowly thanks to some horrendous snags, to the UGCC 2005 -- and that is all we will say about the journey


Penthaetria I think he is referring to a certain American bunch of 3 guys known as the Three Stooges - though this means absolutely nowt to me

P, thanks.

The first one says things like "C'mere you grapehead!"

And, the second one has hair like Bozo the Clown.

I'm now waiting for your story, P.

Anhelyna, thanks to you too.

1. What Catholic Church do you belong to now (BCA, UGCC, Melkite, Maronite, Latin, etc...)?

Byzantine

2. How long have you been Catholic?

A year or two.

3. What was your religion before converting to Catholicism?

ELCA (Lutheran)

4. How long were you a member of that Church or religious group?

23 years.

--------

Long story short:

Raised devout Lutheran. Dabbled in fundamentalism, but never really bought it. Read The Way of the Pilgrim. Started going to a wonderful OCA church. Married a Catholic who had attended a ByzCath Church in Seattle (though technically a Roman). Became ByzCath.

I'm now a Germanic Scandinavian trying to fit into a Rusyn Byz Church (a great church, and I'm friends with a couple who also are ELCA converts and Scandinavians). Though when I converted I was asked by an old lady, "What's your name? Johnson? Hmmm....are you Czech?" "No? What are you doing at this church than?"

The worst part of the whole conversion as I think it is for most converts is the akward moments and arguments with your parents and/or siblings. That was really tough. It was especially tough for my father and mother because she was a convert to Lutheranism from Roman Catholicism. You'd think that would make it easier for them, but I think it actually makes it tougher because they spent so much time arguing with my mom's relatives on the errors of the Catholic Church, and then to see a son join the church has to be hard.

Best part about it was/is the liturgy, Early Church Fathers, and....feeling a connection all they way back to the beginning of the church.

The Pirogis(sp?) aren't too bad either.

1. What Catholic Church do you belong to now (BCA, UGCC, Melkite, Maronite, Latin, etc...)?

Roman/Latin Catholic Church.

2. How long have you been Catholic?

Technically, since Easter 2004 (so, not quite three years). In practice and in belief, closer to around five.

3. What was your religion before converting to Catholicism?

United Methodism.

4. How long were you a member of that Church or religious group?

For seventeen years, from baptism at a couple months old to my official conversion to Orthodox Catholicism at the Easter Vigil Mass 2004.

Nathan and Logos Teen (You're going to have to change your moniker soon aren't you?)

Thanks for your input. I am technically a "Cradle Catholic." I was baptized almost the very second I was born as I was 2 months premature and weighed 4 lbs, now this was back in the 70s where I was considered a high risk for death. I spent my first 6 months in the hospital hooked to machines. (Coincidentally, my youngest son Justin spent 3 weeks at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis hooked to machines as well.)

I don't really have a conversion story but a metanoia story if anyone wants to hear it.

Yes, I turn 20 in two weeks so I've got to think of another name!!

And, yes, please share your metanoia. As you said, all of us are converts in some form or another.

1. What Catholic Church do you belong to now (BCA, UGCC, Melkite, Maronite, Latin, etc...)?

Latin

2. How long have you been Catholic?

Almost fifteen years.

3. What was your religion before converting to Catholicism?

I grew up Methodist, then became an Evangelical (non-denominational) Christian in college before converting to Catholcism.

4. How long were you a member of that Church or religious group?

I was Methodist until I was 18, then was Evangelical for 4 years.

A quick story about my conversion: My college roommate was a devout (Roman) Catholic and we would argue (mostly good-naturedly) about theology all the time. It finally got to the point that our arguments were not so good-natured, so after a particularly heated exchange, we agreed to stop discussing theology at all (translation: I told him to shut up).

About a month later, I felt compelled to give the Rosary a try. I decided to secretly pray it daily for one week to see what it was like. After three days, I decided (during my 3rd-ever Rosary) to become Catholic, and I haven't looked back since.

When I told my roommate, he told me, "After our last argument over a month ago, I decided to actually start praying for you instead of just arguing with you. Guess it worked."

Great story, Francis.
CS

Dr Eric? You said you had a story to tell us?

Garrett:

How about "Young Adult formerly called Teen?"

When I have time, I'll get to it. I'm busy now, maybe tonight.