I'm a convert as well. Yes, it is not perfect lol. We have plenty of problems and scandals. However, so does every other church and institution. It is the consequence of original sin and concupiscence. Yet we have the Eucharist, Mary, and all the rest of it. Even if we have forgotten some of it or our current Pope is not up to snuff. It's all still there. I came in with my eyes wide open. I am glad I did now after over 35 years. Messy it may be, but it is Catholic.
Ohhh, now this was a fascinating reading, because I, a Mary-friendly agnostic, am from a strongly Catholic country (Slovakia) and I consider the Catholic church to be THE baseline Christian church, and everything else is some fun, contemporary distraction (except of the Orthodox church, those guys mean business).
My grandma knew the prayers in Latin, and going for confession was totally normal. Whether one is a believer or not, in Slovakia and also Poland and Austria and etc., one will breathe in the Catholicism, because to a big extent it informs a lot of things in the culture at large (for example, Slovakia gets a lot of hate for not allowing queer marriage unions, but it's not that we hate LGBT people, it's that the Catholic church considers the union between a man and a woman that ideally creates children, the ONLY permissible way to "be married", and so the country laws reflect that too).
But, reading how it is to become a Catholic in an Anglican country (with a lot, I'd say, maybe too many, Muslims) is fascinating. Good luck, and do come to Marianka (SK) and Czestochowa (PL), two very important Catholic places here 😊
“Honouring Mary has been an uncontroversial feature of Christianity since the time of the Apostles, as anyone who has read accounts of her Assumption/Dormition will know.”
You are conflating two ideas here: one of honouring Mary, and the other of belief in her bodily assumption.
The BCP does honour Mary. The Magnificat is enshrined in Evening prayer, and there are several collects honouring various important Feast Days related to Mary. It also affirms her as the BVM.
But let’s be clear: there is no extant writing from either the Apostles or early Fathers on the Assumption of Mary. Not to mention it was only ratified as dogma in the RC Curch in the 1950’s. Quite a late declaration for an “uncontroversial” belief.
I think there are many good reasons to become Roman Catholic as you point out in your article, but you are overselling excessive Marian devotion and belief in her assumption as if they were a blatantly obvious Christian practice from the start, when there is zero evidence for that claim.
This is what keeps Anglicans like myself from joining in your pilgrimage to Rome. The honest claim is to say that this belief developed over time (like other Christian beliefs) and was eventually elucidated and enshrined as dogma by the Magisterium, who have Christ’s authority to do so.
Also, when I read through the comments it's more important who you are, where you come from. No one talks about the Bible, Bible verses. The individual is in the centre? Can anyone prove me wrong
People often become Catholic without reading the Bible but still believe Christianity is the right choice. Many Catholics don’t read the Bible regularly, and if they started reading it daily, they might stop being Catholic. It’s wonderful that you love God, and this isn’t meant as an attack, but Catholicism isn’t the right way to show that faith.
There is something exotic about Orthodoxy. I wonder, if Catholicism had kept Latin as the primary liturgical language, whether we'd ve on the receiving end of as much vitriol?
There's also the numbers game. Catholicism is a BIG target. People hear about it, and everyone knows a Catholic
As someone born Protestant, but increasingly considering Orthodoxy, why did you choose Rome over the East? I ask sincerely, as in my early considerations, I'm more drawn to Orthodoxy over Catholicism
Hello and greetings from the Corpus Christi RCIA class of 2013, our domus ecclesia lost to fire last month. We shall return.
As a convert I’m a bit of a collector of conversion (and reversion) stories. I’ve noticed two distinct varieties. The head to heart to soul/Trinitarian model (me), and the exploding-heart-vision type (my wife, a revert). Within those typologies, there are subsets, depending on the beginning place and Place of the convert.
Your Place of conversion is becoming quite famous and two of the more well known Martin Shaw and Paul Kingsnorth represent the two primary variants. I synchronistically found the work of both prior to their conversion stories and events so was watching as they found themselves in Orthodoxy
I am in the slow burn sub-variant, CS Lewis being its patron though not saint because Tolkien couldn’t quite reach him. my starting place the non-religious but “of course, God” Deist-but-not -religious frame. Apparently my separation from the midwestern episcopal/anglican/High church came during preschool when the Sunday School teacher pointed out my inability to use scissors to my mother who took great offense proceeded to scissor our family from organized religious activity for the rest of our childhood. There was also a great grandfather who was apparently excommunicated for healing by laying on of hands but I have not been able to verify that this was the family’s original schism from Franco-Belgian Catholicism. But a theme of taking of offense/sin of Pride seems to be an inherited weakness.
In my taxonomy, “Deist but not Religious” is must be understood as distinct from the “spiritual but not religious” variety common in my SoCal post-hippie village. Seekers who don’t have anyone to point out that they are actually lost, not exploring. (Oops there’s that prideful cultural inheritance again).
Your journey of studied conversion from within a Church (of England) seems like a textbook head to heart to hands on the flesh variety. CS Lewis if he kept going. Though like
… Martin Shaw, you used the illustration of the Merrie in your post. Even in the intellectual route there are visions, and the shoeless Brown Wizard you found at the Mass rail was one of yours it seems.
It took me almost 5 years of weekly trips to the ciborium with hands crossed for a blessing, until with the help of Lewis I realized I wasn’t smart enough and that choice had to precede proof. I also realized that three Place-based experiences had actually been visions, the last one involving Constantine and the Place where his Flaming Cross met the earth and destroyed the local goddess. Duh.
Now when pressed on my Church of choice, if I am feeling more challenge than respectful inquiry, I say with humility (mostly): “I prefer my wine and Church old”. The best is old wine in a new skin from the oldest Cellar.
You are very brave, especially since you live in England. I can’t imagine anybody becoming Catholic these days when the Church’s reputation had been damaged by this Pope, the terrible Novus Ordo masses and the abuse scandals. Yet, there you are, together with many others, converting!
I’m a cradle Catholic and I came back to the Catholic Church after a miracle that happened to me in 2017. I recently began writing on Substack. You can read about what happened to me here: https://esmey.substack.com/p/a-miracle-brought-me-back-to-the
I'm a convert as well. Yes, it is not perfect lol. We have plenty of problems and scandals. However, so does every other church and institution. It is the consequence of original sin and concupiscence. Yet we have the Eucharist, Mary, and all the rest of it. Even if we have forgotten some of it or our current Pope is not up to snuff. It's all still there. I came in with my eyes wide open. I am glad I did now after over 35 years. Messy it may be, but it is Catholic.
Welcome home! I too made the journey, many years ago.
Ohhh, now this was a fascinating reading, because I, a Mary-friendly agnostic, am from a strongly Catholic country (Slovakia) and I consider the Catholic church to be THE baseline Christian church, and everything else is some fun, contemporary distraction (except of the Orthodox church, those guys mean business).
My grandma knew the prayers in Latin, and going for confession was totally normal. Whether one is a believer or not, in Slovakia and also Poland and Austria and etc., one will breathe in the Catholicism, because to a big extent it informs a lot of things in the culture at large (for example, Slovakia gets a lot of hate for not allowing queer marriage unions, but it's not that we hate LGBT people, it's that the Catholic church considers the union between a man and a woman that ideally creates children, the ONLY permissible way to "be married", and so the country laws reflect that too).
But, reading how it is to become a Catholic in an Anglican country (with a lot, I'd say, maybe too many, Muslims) is fascinating. Good luck, and do come to Marianka (SK) and Czestochowa (PL), two very important Catholic places here 😊
Wow, that was strong stuff. However, as a cradle Catholic I have to say you’ll find you were wrong about your expectation that
“I could not go on being lukewarm, skipping my prayers, avoiding charity, cleaving to false consolations…..”
Most of us do that on a regular basis. The confession beckons.
"Within that household the human spirit has roof and hearth. Outside it is the night."
Fantastic, mate. Thank you for sharing. Welcome!
You might find this interesting: https://drjulesgomes.substack.com/p/us-christianitys-downturn-levels
“Honouring Mary has been an uncontroversial feature of Christianity since the time of the Apostles, as anyone who has read accounts of her Assumption/Dormition will know.”
You are conflating two ideas here: one of honouring Mary, and the other of belief in her bodily assumption.
The BCP does honour Mary. The Magnificat is enshrined in Evening prayer, and there are several collects honouring various important Feast Days related to Mary. It also affirms her as the BVM.
But let’s be clear: there is no extant writing from either the Apostles or early Fathers on the Assumption of Mary. Not to mention it was only ratified as dogma in the RC Curch in the 1950’s. Quite a late declaration for an “uncontroversial” belief.
I think there are many good reasons to become Roman Catholic as you point out in your article, but you are overselling excessive Marian devotion and belief in her assumption as if they were a blatantly obvious Christian practice from the start, when there is zero evidence for that claim.
This is what keeps Anglicans like myself from joining in your pilgrimage to Rome. The honest claim is to say that this belief developed over time (like other Christian beliefs) and was eventually elucidated and enshrined as dogma by the Magisterium, who have Christ’s authority to do so.
That claim is uncontroversial.
Also, when I read through the comments it's more important who you are, where you come from. No one talks about the Bible, Bible verses. The individual is in the centre? Can anyone prove me wrong
People often become Catholic without reading the Bible but still believe Christianity is the right choice. Many Catholics don’t read the Bible regularly, and if they started reading it daily, they might stop being Catholic. It’s wonderful that you love God, and this isn’t meant as an attack, but Catholicism isn’t the right way to show that faith.
All the best !!
There is something exotic about Orthodoxy. I wonder, if Catholicism had kept Latin as the primary liturgical language, whether we'd ve on the receiving end of as much vitriol?
There's also the numbers game. Catholicism is a BIG target. People hear about it, and everyone knows a Catholic
As someone born Protestant, but increasingly considering Orthodoxy, why did you choose Rome over the East? I ask sincerely, as in my early considerations, I'm more drawn to Orthodoxy over Catholicism
Welcome Home✨
Glad to have you on the team.
Good post.
Hello and greetings from the Corpus Christi RCIA class of 2013, our domus ecclesia lost to fire last month. We shall return.
As a convert I’m a bit of a collector of conversion (and reversion) stories. I’ve noticed two distinct varieties. The head to heart to soul/Trinitarian model (me), and the exploding-heart-vision type (my wife, a revert). Within those typologies, there are subsets, depending on the beginning place and Place of the convert.
Your Place of conversion is becoming quite famous and two of the more well known Martin Shaw and Paul Kingsnorth represent the two primary variants. I synchronistically found the work of both prior to their conversion stories and events so was watching as they found themselves in Orthodoxy
I am in the slow burn sub-variant, CS Lewis being its patron though not saint because Tolkien couldn’t quite reach him. my starting place the non-religious but “of course, God” Deist-but-not -religious frame. Apparently my separation from the midwestern episcopal/anglican/High church came during preschool when the Sunday School teacher pointed out my inability to use scissors to my mother who took great offense proceeded to scissor our family from organized religious activity for the rest of our childhood. There was also a great grandfather who was apparently excommunicated for healing by laying on of hands but I have not been able to verify that this was the family’s original schism from Franco-Belgian Catholicism. But a theme of taking of offense/sin of Pride seems to be an inherited weakness.
In my taxonomy, “Deist but not Religious” is must be understood as distinct from the “spiritual but not religious” variety common in my SoCal post-hippie village. Seekers who don’t have anyone to point out that they are actually lost, not exploring. (Oops there’s that prideful cultural inheritance again).
Your journey of studied conversion from within a Church (of England) seems like a textbook head to heart to hands on the flesh variety. CS Lewis if he kept going. Though like
… Martin Shaw, you used the illustration of the Merrie in your post. Even in the intellectual route there are visions, and the shoeless Brown Wizard you found at the Mass rail was one of yours it seems.
It took me almost 5 years of weekly trips to the ciborium with hands crossed for a blessing, until with the help of Lewis I realized I wasn’t smart enough and that choice had to precede proof. I also realized that three Place-based experiences had actually been visions, the last one involving Constantine and the Place where his Flaming Cross met the earth and destroyed the local goddess. Duh.
Now when pressed on my Church of choice, if I am feeling more challenge than respectful inquiry, I say with humility (mostly): “I prefer my wine and Church old”. The best is old wine in a new skin from the oldest Cellar.
Welcome home!
You are very brave, especially since you live in England. I can’t imagine anybody becoming Catholic these days when the Church’s reputation had been damaged by this Pope, the terrible Novus Ordo masses and the abuse scandals. Yet, there you are, together with many others, converting!
I’m a cradle Catholic and I came back to the Catholic Church after a miracle that happened to me in 2017. I recently began writing on Substack. You can read about what happened to me here: https://esmey.substack.com/p/a-miracle-brought-me-back-to-the