Tag Archives: conversion

In Search of Catholic “To Kill a Mockingbird”

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I met my wife three years ago in northern Quebec, and at the time she could barely speak English and I could barely speak French. Now that we are both proficient in each other’s language, one of the great joys of our married life has been to introduce each other to the literature of our respective languages. I will never forget the day she finished “To Kill a Mockingbird.” She fell in love that day with the English language and has explored dozens of authors since, from C.S. Lewis to J.D. Salinger to Margaret Atwood.

Now my wife is thinking of becoming Roman Catholic (she was one of the few Evangelical Baptists in Quebec when I met her). She has asked me for books to read that will give her sense of what the RC religion is all about. This has got me asking myself: what is the “To Kill a Mockingbird” of modern Catholic literature–by which I mean the most gripping, readable book that should be every newcomer’s first introduction to the RC faith? She is presently reading Ste-Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of a Soul,” which, though excellent, is not exactly Catholic 101. She is already a well-read Christian, and has basically exhausted C.S. Lewis.

Any suggestions?

Praying for the Conversion of Jews

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Since the release of Summorum Pontificum, various talking heads have been apoplectic because the Tridentine mass includes a Good Friday prayer for the conversion of the Jews. Much ado is being made of nothing, though.

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Two ELCA Lutherans Join the Church!

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Being ex-ELCA myself, it pleases me greatly to hear of other converts.

" In August, The Layman Online published a story about a warning by Carl E. Braaten, one of the nation’s leading Lutheran theologians, to the president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America."

"In the article, ‘Leading Lutheran scholar: ELCA’s liberal drift causing ‘brain drain’ from denomination,’ Braaten lamented the exodus of Lutheran scholars and ministers from the mainline Lutheran denomination to the Roman Catholic Church. He expressed his dismay over the direction the ELCA in strong words, including ‘heresy,’ ‘pious piffle,’ and ’empty body.’ He warned that the denomination was on a ‘trajectory that leads to rank antinomianism.’"

"Braattan said his departed colleagues were ‘convinced that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has become just another liberal protestant denomination. Hence, they have decided that they can no longer be a part of that. Especially, they say, they are not willing to raise their children in a church that they believe has lost its moorings in the great tradition of evangelical (small e) and catholic (small c) orthodoxy (small o), which was at the heart of Luther’s reformatory teaching and the Lutheran Confessional Writings. They are saying that the Roman Catholic Church is now more hospitable to confessional Lutheran teaching than the church in which they were baptized and confirmed. Can this possibly be true?’"

"On Oct. 9, the Rev. Tom McMichael of Hope Lutheran Church in Lynden, Wash., cited similar reasons for his resignation from the ELCA to enter into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. ‘

"On October 9th, Pastor Tom McMichael resigned his ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, after seventeen years of ordained service. He and his wife will soon enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. Here is the letter he sent to his congregation. Please keep Pastor McMichael, his family, and Hope Lutheran Church in your prayers."

Point of View

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There's an interesting post on The Dawn Patrol about counterproductive evangelization. Specifically, several Catholics clumsily tried to convert her from Protestantism. I understand the reasoning, but the approach left a lot to be desired. I have a news flash for self-righteous catechism thumpers. Protestants aren't the spawn of Satan. Nor are they doomed to Hell. They are Christians like us, with whom we should work to make the world a better place, rather than treating them like heathens or pagans.

As an ex-Protestant who cares deeply about reuniting the Body of Christ, I cringe at preachy attempts to, as one friend puts it, "upgrade" Protestants. I wasn't so much won over by argument as I was by Christ-like example.

There is a flip side to this, though. Each time a Protestant tries to "free" me from my "bondage" as a Catholic, I get a step closer to beating one with a clue-by-four. The Catholic Church is not the whore of Babylon. We do not worship Mary or the saints. We do not believe works save us. We are Christians just like you. Jack Chick is a moron who spreads hateful lies.

Ya got that?!? Now…The next one of you primates…even touches me…HYA!!! *BANG*