Any Reverts?

[photosynthesis]

when I started going to church again i had people asking me if I was a "cradle catholic" or a "convert," and I was never sure how to answer that question. I mean, I grew up Catholic and recieved the sacraments, but my (divorced) parents have been pretty lukewarm in their faith. I spent a long time away from the Church because I'd been raised to see that Mass was not a heavenly banquet but a chore. I'd always ask my mother how many minutes were left until Mass was over and we could go out for breakfast. I stopped going to Mass after I was confirmed because I thought the Church had nothing to offer me. so while I guess you could say I'm a cradle catholic, I never really owned my faith until much later in college when I learned that life without God is empty and lonely. I started going to a Lutheran church at first and I was really evangelical, but not really satisfied until I started recieving the Sacraments again.

so I have a conversion experience, but I'm not a "convert." do any of you have a similar experience?

[M.SIGGA]

I was born and raised Catholic in a good Catholic home&family, but I gradually became doubtful and agnostic, and then I got "saved" and I did the Evangelical Protestant thing, and then off and on.... but the Holy Spirit eventually brought me back to the Church totally (in a multitude of different ways). I don't regret any of it because it has pretty much made me "me" and can look back and see that Jesus was with me the entire way, and I came to know him even more and more...

Edited April 30, 2004 by M.SIGGA

[lanie]

Well kind of, I'm a cradle catholic but I've always gone to mass because my Mum told me too, I got confirmed in october 03, also in a way for my Mum. She said it was my choice but I knew she'd be dissapointed if I didn't do it. My Mum's catholic, my Dad's CofE. Urmmm... I went to my first retreat in Feb. 02 and had an amazing time and the next few were great. I went to confession in August 03 for the first time in 03 and have since discovered that I didn't feel healed becuase I was doing it for selfish reasons. I haven't been back since. It then went down hill for various reasons all about hating myself and sin. I still haven't got my faith back but desperatly want to, I need something to live for and something that motivates me. So I'm hoping to get my faith back, to become a happy, healed person, we'll see. I've now realised this may not be what you're looking for, I dunno. Sorry.
This is kind of all over the place.

[skiman]

I consider myself a "recradled" Catholic. I attended Catholic grade school, met Christ at a CYO summer camp when I was 9 , became an altar server and even told my mom I wanted to be an altar sever when I grew up. ( I was inspired while watching mass on TV and saw older men as altar servers) I attended youth group for many years and went through all my CCD classes. I was confirmed in high school.

My mom was born and raised Catholic. She was very involved in the Western Washington Catholic Charismatic Renewal and managed to become part-owner in a Catholic bookstore. My dad became Catholic when he married my mom and was involved with the Knights of Columbus for many years. In my late teens and very early twenties I lived with my grandmother on the weekends and this led to going to confession and mass on a weekly basis.

After going through all of that I just did not really get it. I am what I consider a product of Vatican II. I had not been taught the hard facts of the Catholic faith. I became caught up in the "real world". I was out of the faith by the time I was 22. I did not get involved in any organized religion after I left the church but I did believe in God. I spent many winters and a few summers living in the mountains where I felt closer to God than in the church. I always thought that I could just reach out and touch him but what was happening was just the opposite. He was reaching out and touching me in a way that I could understand him better. It took many more years and events that include a marriage, birth of my daughter and 1 day at my wifes Protestant church that rekindled my love for Christ. It took several more months as I began to read and study the faith that I found my love for his church. The way I look at it is that I removed myself from the cradle and it was God that put me back.

[crusader1234]

I am a cradle catholic, and I've always had my faith but lately its just been kind of blossoming (haha is that what youd call it?)

[Philippe]

[quote name='crusader1234' date='May 2 2004, 02:16 PM'] I am a cradle catholic, and I've always had my faith but lately its just been kind of blossoming (haha is that what youd call it?) [/quote]
Amen to that... i know what you mean

[the protector]

I had been a nonchalant cradle Catholic up until I was 16. I knew only the basics of the faith from Catholic schooling up until college. I went pretty hardcore after 9/11. Faith does provide security, and that was something I believe everyone wanted. My junior year, I had to temporarily transfer to a public school. Ironically, I drew closer to Catholicism within that time. After returning to my original Catholic high school my senior year, I gradually went back to "eh" Catholicism. Throughout the summer after graduation and during the first semester of my freshman year of college, I had a complete falling out. It's a bit scary losing your faith. You don't want to admit that it's happening, but the gears keep turning. You aren't at all satisfied with the answers to your questions. When you look at it, I had only really been a Catholic for about a year total. However, that was in a time of distress, so I somewhat discount the validity of it. Currently, I am neither Catholic or Christian but still afraid of Hell. Strange how that works.

So.... :thumb:

Edited May 4, 2004 by the protector