dairygirl4u2c Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) Thought I could let you guy's comment. A letter from a former seminarian: A little about me. I was brought up in a Roman Catholic family in Ireland. My parents taught me to live a good life, say my prayers and attend mass every Sunday. I believed in God but I didn’t know Him personally. Conscious of my sinfulness, I hoped that God would accept me into Heaven if I did enough good to others. It was like balancing the accounts, hoping that my credits (good deeds) would cancel my debits (my sins). Even worse, one wrong sin and I would be in hell forever. I tried to live the best life and do my best to please God. I decided to become a Roman Catholic priest when I was eleven years of age. The desire to be right with Him became the focus of my life. I knew I was a sinner and that I needed to be saved from my sin. I wanted to know His forgiveness, but how? Training for the Priesthood After checking different religious organizations, I finally decided to join the Society of Missions to Africa (SMA). They live together in small communities in different parts of the world converting pagans to the Roman religion. I entered the Roman Catholic Seminary to train for the priesthood. During my two-year stay in the seminary, I learned much about religion but there was nothing to ease my guilty conscience. I attended mass daily and heard many homilies that were focused on pleasing God by doing good works and for us to use psychology to help people. Not once did I hear how to be forgiven! I asked serious questions to the priests but they could not show me a rationale basis for much of the religious rituals in the Roman Catholic religion. I was also told that I had to go to confession to a priest to be forgiven. I would be set for a few weeks until the guilt and worry came back. I was not truly forgiven. Eventually I left the Roman religion. Yet at that time I still did not know forgiveness of my sins. When I came to London I met a man who told me how to know God and how to be forgiven for my sinful nature. He gave me a leaflet that emphasized the need to trust in Jesus Christ alone. I read this leaflet many times yet I did not find peace with God. I began studying as a nurse and met some students who seemed to really know God. I attended their church, Trinity Road Chapel, in London. I was impressed by the way they prayed because it was evident that they knew God in a personal and intimate way. I had never heard anything like it. I knew deep down that these people were genuine Christians. I asked many questions and began to attend church services regularly. My Conversion I was listening to a Sunday service on Radio 4 one morning. The sermon was about the Good Samaritan. The preacher spoke of Jesus Christ as the Good Samaritan, who comes to save us in our wretched sinful state. The preacher urged the listeners to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin. Right there and then I knelt down in my room and prayed, “O God, I know that you have sent your Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners. Will you save me? I trust in Christ alone and ask that you would come into my life by the power of your Holy Spirit and make me new.” As soon as I opened my eyes a deep sense of peace came over me. At that moment I knew that I was a Christian and truly forgiven. I was baptised at Trinity Road Chapel in London in September 1998. After my baptism I struggled with temptations and trials, but the Lord was my constant refuge and my fellowship with Him blossomed. I would do not care to argue the semantics of whether or not I am "saved". That depends on how you define the word. But I do know now that I am saved in that I am forgiven and the peace of God fills my heart, and I enjoy the fellowship of many Christian brothers and sisters. I am especially thankful to one man from our church who helped me study the Bible over a two-year period, teaching me about the Lord and his glorious work in creation and salvation for the forgiveness of sins once and for all through the cross of Jesus. On my first visit to Ireland, I did not know of any Christian church, so I went to Mass with my parents. I realised that the priest each and every week begged God to forgive the people of their sins. I left the Roman church for good. I pray that many Roman Catholics would pray to the Lord to lead them to the truth. The Lord promises that those who seek Him with all their hearts will find Him. My friend, if you want to know how to be freed from the guilt of your sins and be truly forgiven, I encourage you to turn to Jesus Christ by faith. Trust in Him alone! Please do not delay another moment! Seek Him with all your heart, and you will find Him and be forgiven, just as He promised. Edited February 16, 2004 by dairygirl4u2c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theologian in Training Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 That man, is a poorly taught and catechized Catholic. Since, from the sound of it, he entered during the pendulum swing to the left after Vatican II, he was only affirmed through psycho-spiritual babble and began to see the sacrament of confession not as a means of grace, but rather as a means of feeling better. It is no wonder he left, he clearly did not know the love of God, and was so consumed with his own unworthiness and sin, that he failed to see the bigger picture. My question is, why didn't he read his bible when he was a seminarian? Didn't he have biblical exegesis? I am sorry but it seems that since this man was so racked with guilt, and could not fathom a God who could forgive him, he left the full for the half. Pray for him..and all seminarians God Bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phatcatholic Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 how do these people go thru the seminary and become priests and are STILL so unaware of what Catholicism really teaches? testimonies like this freakin amaze me. every time i read one of these i see how the author was blatantly ignorant of Catholic teaching. Conscious of my sinfulness, I hoped that God would accept me into Heaven if I did enough good to others. It was like balancing the accounts, hoping that my credits (good deeds) would cancel my debits (my sins). NOT orthodox catholicism Even worse, one wrong sin and I would be in hell forever. NOT orthodox catholicism I learned much about religion but there was nothing to ease my guilty conscience. are you serious!?!? heard many homilies that were focused on pleasing God by doing good works and for us to use psychology to help people. Not once did I hear how to be forgiven! NOT orthodox catholicism I asked serious questions to the priests but they could not show me a rationale basis for much of the religious rituals in the Roman Catholic religion. that does not mean that the "rationale basis for much of the religious rituals" does not exist! who was this guy hangin out w/ anyway? I would be set for a few weeks until the guilt and worry came back. I was not truly forgiven. NOT orthodox catholicism. btw, that revolving door effect is his problem, not the Church's and of course, his ignorance of Catholicism contributes greatly to the rest of his blabbering. sorry, this testimonies really get to me. pax christi, phatcatholic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmjtina Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 It's a website dedicated to "saving Catholics". they believe in Sola Scriptura. Everything they are saying, believe is not even true. No wonder this guy (and the site) is kinda off......no way off. justforcatholics.org http://www.justforcatholics.org/test05.htm I'll pray for him and the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oik Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I don't really beieve that this "testimony" is authentic. Hello, what happened to confession, if this guy was really catholic, he'd have known about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 To add to what's already been said . . . These ex-Catholics who say they never knew God personally while in the Catholic Church fail to see that that's their own fault and not the Church's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) How sad. Another person who never actually paid attention. I always love it when they tell Catholics to read the bible. What do they think we hear at every single Mass every single Sunday. Edited February 16, 2004 by cmotherofpirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmjtina Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 the guy who has the "testimony" is Gearoid Marley http://www.justforcatholics.org/test05.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laudate_Dominum Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) What tiresome heresy. These kind of testimonies are almost meaningless to me. I've met protestants with stories like this and the people are almost always totally ignorant of Catholicism. Heck, I have a sister who is protestant and has a story like this. Since I grew up with her I know it's b.s. She was never catechised, neither of us new beans about Catholicism, we went to Mass because our mom made us go, we didn't know or care anything about it. Then she stopped going entirely and had no religion at all for years, eventually she was evangelized by prots and joined their church and now has a conversion from Catholicism story. Oh please! And I've met plenty of ignorant, lukewarm protestants in my day. I've met baptists who don't know beans about their religion or the Bible. I couldn't even begin to count the number of protestant I've met who basically live secular lives. Dudes who do drugs, look at porn and live with their girlfriend but are "saved" so they don't worry about it. I don't think these kind of stories prove anything, they are cheap little pot shots against the Church. I have no respect for organizations that slang these "testimonies" for the sake of smearing the Church. Edited February 16, 2004 by Laudate_Dominum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Huether Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I honestly thought I was reading the autobiography of Luther... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laudate_Dominum Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I honestly thought I was reading the autobiography of Luther... LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I had that same feeling.... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oik Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 I think my last post was curt, I'm sorry for that. I did check out the website and it is unfortunate that this man could not see the Truth, but reather was pulled into lies. As a matter of fact, his whole site is dedicated to "saving" Catholics. I'll say, the most fallacious of all is his dissention. He claims to know the Truth. The problem is that he is a "bible-believing, evangelical," using HIS OWN authority to judge what is right and wrong. Best thing is to pray for people that attack the Truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroX Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Did anyone else get the impression that English was not his first language? Also, what's with the Society for Missions to Africa? Anybody have info on them? peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellenita Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 The Society of African Missions runs the church I go to, they appoint the priest though he is answerable to the Bishop of the diocese. It was established because there was a growing African community living in the local area. The church draws people from all cultural backgrounds and is a vibrant community. The priest is a Dominican, and he is wonderful; a most gracious, gentle teacher - I feel very privileged doing RCIA classes with him and, I might add, I'm getting a very good grounding in orthodox teaching! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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