Catholics Come Home

Welcome Starbug
When I went to Catholic schools, I now feel that we were never properly catechized. The Mass was never explained--it was in Latin--we were never told how to be a good Catholic. Now I am finally learning. And there is so much to learn. And since it was in Latin, we never learned the Bible either. Or had it explained. Sin was hardly mentioned, especially mortal sin. My confession, after 30 years, was pretty bad, sad and humiliating. But it was so freeing and I felt so blessed to have a great priest, both in the confessional and up above. We must also remember to thank God for forgiving us our sins.

Hello - I am glad to be in the group.
I was away from the church since I left home in my late teens. I went so long without even thinking about God at all!

I got married by a justice of the peace and my parents were so sad that they could not condone the marriage. We were married for 4 years (I was on the pill) and I can't remember if I stopped taking it or not but I became pregnant. We had a son and named him Kevin and after some months, I decided that he should be baptized. I came home to the church and started going back to Mass, (after a lengthy and sad confession). I felt like I had hardly even left! All the prayers and responses were still there in my heart!

We eventually had another son (Robert) and all this time my non-Catholic husband did not have a problem with it.

Since I've returned to the fold, I began to understand it as an adult, and I was amazed at what I did not know. I learned a lot at my Catholic schools, but I did not see or understand how it is a way of living! I was overjoyed and started learning by reading The Wanderer
and becoming an informed catholic. My brother who i s 4 years older came back also. We feel like we had been ripped off from our knowledge of the faith because in the 60's and 70's the schools did not teach the vitality, vibrant and beautiful grace that is the Holy Mass or the rich history of the Church. Also we did not know how it was for our parents who had lived the "golden" years" of the faith and they had trusted the schools to do so. To everyone who has come home to the Church, I would like to read your stories also! I hope I've been not too wordy also.
Peace from the Love of Christ be with you all, amen.

Wecome, Laura and Mary V. I am so happy for you both that you have joined our beautiful faith. I know that I just want to shout from the mountaintop--if there was one around here. My church is on a hill, just about the highest point in the city, so that will have to do!
I believe we all feel the same intrepidation on returning to the church, especially having to go to confession. And for me, being away for so many years, the way of doing things have changed and I had to accomodate to the changes. Facing a priest for the first time in confession was so humbling, yet so rewarding. There is not much out there for us, sort of left on our own, at least in my church and parish. I wanted to go to RCIA, but the lady I spoke with said it wasn't necessary, but that she would put me in the Confirmation class in January and thought I might get more out of that--being with more adults. But I am so fortunate to have found a wonderful priest who has put up with my ups and downs for months. He is just patience personified--and I am not. I did ask to speak with him a few weeks ago, but I believe he is making me wait, for my own good--it's that patience thing again!

Hi Laura! Hope you check out my new group for Soldiers! Glad you came into the church!
Also Gail-Hello! I "was"going to RCIA classes in the early eighties with the intention of converting but I was young and impatient and Father made it sound like I had to fill out paperwork etc. as then I was married to a Lutheran,so I decided not to,I was brokenhearted.
But fast forward to 2008-I had not gone to any church since I was 27 yrs. old! I start going to a Southern Baptist Church,on the first day after church-I go to a Christian Bookstore afterwards and I see a Rosary Identical to the one my husband-who passed in 92 had given me and his children from another marriage all wanted him buried with it-so I did.
But when I picked this one up my eyes flooded with tears and I was filled with the desire to return to the Catholic way=still a year goes by-the Baptist's were all very nice good and loving but I missed the structure and reverence of the Catholic Church,so one Saturday I found out the Mass times and went,afterwards I dipped my fingers in the Holy water and on the way home I had such a Peace I can't tell you. No classes available at the church I visited so I contacted-reluctantly,the old churdh and Father that was now there reassured me "We can make this happen"-as I told him what happened before,it wasn't "easy,as I don't believe it ever is-if you truly want something-in this case ,conversion,but it was all worth it.
I joined the Church on May 15th this year, I love going to church, love praying the Rosary, love the people, even love the Sacrement of confession!
And I'm so happy I founfd this Catholic Answers-it's like another link to the Catholic Way-and I feel surrounded and in "touch"with others who may be experiencing many simliar fellings and or confusion about Church matters!
My Baptist friends were very understanding,maybe disappointed but they knew how much I wanted to join the Church,some of my dearest friends from there even came to my first communion!

I am so Lucky and so Blessed! M

Hi-I came back to the catholic faith in May, 2005 after the passing of Pope Paul II. I was baptized lutheran yet at age 6, after my parent's argument, they decided girls catholics, sons lutherans (dad's lutheran, now a methodist, my late mom was catholic). I went to catholic schools for 12 yrs, joined the air force, married a baptist husband invalidly in a lutheran church for mom had cancer with weeks to live, left the catholic church and joined a baptist church only to feel pulled back to my catholic roots five yrs ago after my divorce in 2003. I cannot explain it, I guess after losing my mom from cancer, over the yrs (she died in 1990), I slowly started being pulled back to my catholic faith. Happy to be back-only one thing-being baptist for many years, I sometimes find it awkward going to confessional and finding it hard to pray the rosary (which I rarely do)-I know-shame on me-I just am finding myself mixed-up sometimes. I do go to mass weekly except reserve weekend (still in air force reserves) and go to reconciliation at least monthly-did anyone else who left the church to come back experience a similar situation? Thanks

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