"I still don't understand why you and your wife want to be Catholics?"
I received these words in the comments section by an anonymous poster. It is a fair question. If this blog is to have meaning, I must answer it.
I have explained that our previous Lutheran Church was straying, in our opinion. The greater Evangelical Lutheran Church was starting to allow same-sex marriages and openly gay pastors who were not celibate. Perhaps our main reason for leaving was our local church's treatment of the Eucharist. It was not exclusively the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but a recruitment tool for increased church membership. Our pastor convinced the church council that allowing non-baptized persons to receive the Eucharist made them "feel welcome." The church didn't even require that people "believe" before receiving communion. Essentially, there was no requirement to receiving communion at all, except that a person get in line and hold out their hand. I am not criticizing our old church, although I know it seems that I am. That church played an important role in our faith journey. They were free to change their communion policy, and we were free to disagree - and to leave. We still love and respect the people of that church.
Becoming Catholic is more for us than leaving an old church with which we disagreed. We are also seeking. We are seeking the church that Jesus Christ himself founded. We are seeking a relationship with Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, and the Communion of Saints that only the church can deliver. We are seeking a fellowship with Christians who understand our desire and respect for the Eucharist. We are not looking to reject protestant Christians, but to embrace all Christians. The word catholic, after all, means universal, and is sometimes used to refer to all of Christianity, and not just the Roman Catholic Church.
We are enjoying the process. My wife was a life-long Lutheran, but I became a Lutheran after a single two-hour class. The process of becoming Catholic has been spiritual, enlightening, and rewarding. Our priest has made sure of that and has been very generous with his time. It is taking us several months, but it has been a good transition. Patience is a virtue I sometimes lack, and I am anxiously looking forward to my confirmation and first communion next month. My wife is also enjoying this very much. She goes to adoration every week and has learned to pray the Rosary.
Perhaps my words do not do justice to the joy we are feeling. Our relationship with Christ, and each other, has been strengthened.
Like the prodigal son, we are coming home to the mother church and we feel welcome.
I have explained that our previous Lutheran Church was straying, in our opinion. The greater Evangelical Lutheran Church was starting to allow same-sex marriages and openly gay pastors who were not celibate. Perhaps our main reason for leaving was our local church's treatment of the Eucharist. It was not exclusively the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but a recruitment tool for increased church membership. Our pastor convinced the church council that allowing non-baptized persons to receive the Eucharist made them "feel welcome." The church didn't even require that people "believe" before receiving communion. Essentially, there was no requirement to receiving communion at all, except that a person get in line and hold out their hand. I am not criticizing our old church, although I know it seems that I am. That church played an important role in our faith journey. They were free to change their communion policy, and we were free to disagree - and to leave. We still love and respect the people of that church.
Becoming Catholic is more for us than leaving an old church with which we disagreed. We are also seeking. We are seeking the church that Jesus Christ himself founded. We are seeking a relationship with Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, and the Communion of Saints that only the church can deliver. We are seeking a fellowship with Christians who understand our desire and respect for the Eucharist. We are not looking to reject protestant Christians, but to embrace all Christians. The word catholic, after all, means universal, and is sometimes used to refer to all of Christianity, and not just the Roman Catholic Church.We are enjoying the process. My wife was a life-long Lutheran, but I became a Lutheran after a single two-hour class. The process of becoming Catholic has been spiritual, enlightening, and rewarding. Our priest has made sure of that and has been very generous with his time. It is taking us several months, but it has been a good transition. Patience is a virtue I sometimes lack, and I am anxiously looking forward to my confirmation and first communion next month. My wife is also enjoying this very much. She goes to adoration every week and has learned to pray the Rosary.
Perhaps my words do not do justice to the joy we are feeling. Our relationship with Christ, and each other, has been strengthened.
Like the prodigal son, we are coming home to the mother church and we feel welcome.
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