Praise God! Such great news, Daniel. I hope everything goes well with the RCIA process and be assured of my prayer for you and your family through this process.
Also, you hit the nail on the head with becoming "a Catholic mess." A Franciscan friar whose name escapes me right now, in response to the question: What would you tell people that want to you join the Catholic Church, responded: "Come on in, the water is terrible." Obviously, he was being cheeky, but there is enough room for more in the barque of Peter.
Thank you, Walther!! You’ve been a voice of encouragement along the way and I greatly appreciate you. And yeah I have no doubt I will make a mess of things as I go, but that’s okay for now I have a foundation.
Praise God, Daniel. You are an amazing example of opening your heart to God and letting him lead you. What a beautiful invitation you've received! I'm praying for you and your wife and kids!
Thank you , Dixie! The peace and freedom from finally accepting His invitation has been palpable. I already feel as if the seven year struggle has been worth it.
This is such wonderful and beautiful news, Daniel! Your journey has been one of my prayer intentions for the last few months, and I will most definitely keep you and your family in my prayers as you enter this next phase of your journey. Glory to God and welcome home!
My goodness Rachel, I want to thank you for your intentional prayers. That’s amazing. Thank you for your continued prayers. It feels amazing to be coming home!
I think I have a pretty good guess as to what one of those objections might have been...
If and when you'd ever like to talk about it, there's many people here who might be able to offer resources on how to live it. If it's what I think it is, it can be very difficult for us as well, and it can require a pretty big paradigm shift...but there are a lot of beautiful, life giving graces there too.
One objection I can share without getting too personal was the Sunday Obligation. When I first came across that it was very hard to not hear that as some sort of rigidity legalistic requirement. But through prayer and conversation I realized if I believe the Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Christ, then what we are doing is reorienting our lives around worshipping Him. Which is what we’re supposed to do to begin with. And as you point out, there is a lot of grace giving on these things.
I have a brother who's now ex-Catholic, and that Sunday obligation is one of the things he struggled with, for the reasons you mentioned.
We've since become pretty close with some Evangelical Protestant family and friends, and had some culture shock moments around that too. One that sticks out to me is when a friend, who's made it clear in dozens of ways that living out his faith is important to him, (he's even risked his job a bit over it) said he had been too busy to go to church on Sunday for weeks, "I'm just so tired of this, I want to go to church like normal, but I've got way too much going on."
That sounded very strange to us, lol, especially coming from someone we knew really loves God. It's definitely a very different cultural mentality.
"There are some sacraments that you receive only once, because they imprint a particular character that is permanent (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders). But other sacraments bestow not a character but an energy, a strength in which we must be renewed by frequenting these sacraments (Eucharist, Confession, Anointing of the Sick). We return to the Eucharist each week to be strengthened for all that the Lord wishes to give us in the next seven days, and once we have received all of those things we return to the sacrament to do the same again."
I've been following along for the couple months I've been on Substack. I have to admit your post today brought tears to my eyes with joy for you and your family. It is really encouraging to see that your family's experience of the Mass resonates with our own, even though my wife and I are cradle Catholics. I have an hour of Eucharistic Adoration today, and I'll be offering prayers for your family during that time.
There is much wrong with the Church of Rome. There is much wrong with the Church of Luther. There is everything wrong with the church of The World. There is nothing wrong with the God of the Church. He is faithful to guide and protect His children. May God be a light to you and make you a light to others.
God is good! I'm thanking Jesus for the work he is doing on your heart and the witness you are giving to everyone around you. Happy to have you join the "messy" yet beautiful Bride of Christ.
Well, hey! Welcome home! I'll keep praying for you and yours for sure. There's a lot in your experience that really resonates with me: the silence, the beauty of worship, the reverence of it all. I hope your RCIA journey goes well!
I am so happy to hear your news. I started out as a Protestand and made my way home as an adult. I had the same reaction when I first entered a Catholic Church, saw the crucifix and people genuflecting. I vividly remember my first ash Wednesday and good Friday, they were both the most impactful days for me. I wish you well in your journey!
Welcome home, brother! The Hound of Heaven has finally tracked you down, and the whole Church is better for it! I’ll be praying for you and your family.
Daniel, brother, this was a beautiful read. I'm also struck by the ways in which your digital detox (a form of self-discipline) has prepared your heart to accept the yoke // disciplines of the Church. Thank you for sharing your heart and your journey with us these past few months, and I cannot wait to see the ways that the Lord continues to move in your heart.
Thank you, Sara! You and your husband have played a role in helping me on this joinery and I praise God for y’all! I know the journey forward will not always be easy but it’s one I’m willing to make.
Deo gratias! Thanks be to God! This news makes me so happy and brought tears to my eyes. I will continue to pray for you as you go through the RCIA (which may now be called OCIA; I’m not sure) program and make your way even closer to God as you prepare to receive the Sacraments. May God bless you and your family with every possible grace through His Mother’s Immaculate Heart!
It will be called OCIA when the new book is published by ICEL and the USCCB but I wouldn't hold my breath on that; probably 2027 at the earliest. There's been a general movement in the English-speaking Catholic world to use the term 'Order' instead of the term 'Rite' (which is indeed more appropriate and a better translation of the Latin) it's just taking them forever to update all of the different texts.
Whoohoo!!! Tears streaming freely and praising the Lord this morning! This is beautiful. Thank you for taking us along on this journey. It reminds me so much of those early years of faith - tender, invigorating, full of wonder. I’ll be praying for you and your family ❤️
Thank you for coming along on the journey! I truly appreciate your support and thank you for your prayers! So excited to begin this journey with such phenomenal support.
I’m so thrilled for you Daniel! I’m a cradle Catholic and I’ll be honest, it’s been a messy, frustrating yet rewarding journey for me as over the span of my 50 years. It’s only in the last 5 years that I can say I feel at home & at peace in the physical sense of finding the right place for is to attend Mass. Lot’s of forgiveness had to play a part of me sticking to my guns. It was never Christ’s truth nor his bride that I ever questioned but all the worldly influences that I had to muddle through. I remember listening to an interview a few years back where someone was interviewing a Protestant pastor who was asked about Catholicism & why he wasn’t Catholic and he said, “Because being Catholic is too hard.” That has stuck with me all this time reminding me, do I want the easy “fun” road or do I want to pick up that cross and take the narrow, rocky, harder path? I’ve been greatly blessed sticking to the harder road. The fruit is bearing through my children and I know without a doubt which direction is worth it all. God Bless you & your family! My prayers are with you all!
Thank you so much for reading and for the encouragement you’ve given along the way. I know the journey is far from over and will not be easy but I am so thankful to be headed on the right direction. I think the fact that it is hard is an indication that we’re on the right path. Just look at the path of the disciples and the apostle Paul. Far from easy but fruitful! Thank you for your prayers! God is good!
I’ve definitely heard of Flannery O’Connor and Walker Percy is ringing a bell but I don’t know why. I’ll have to look into each of these writers. Thank you!
So happy for you Daniel! Welcome welcome!!! Praying so much as you enter RCIA...get ready to feel like you're taking sips from a fire hydrant...that feeling never goes away haha
And it's good.
Also praying for your sweet wife and children. Taking the kids to mass every week feels like it takes Herculean effort, but when I hear our 6 year old singing praise loudly in Latin, I know all the effort is worth it.
I cannot wait to start RCIA! I have to wait till the fall but it will be worth the wait! It is quite a lot of effort but I believe as you do that it is all worth it.
Praise God! Such great news, Daniel. I hope everything goes well with the RCIA process and be assured of my prayer for you and your family through this process.
Also, you hit the nail on the head with becoming "a Catholic mess." A Franciscan friar whose name escapes me right now, in response to the question: What would you tell people that want to you join the Catholic Church, responded: "Come on in, the water is terrible." Obviously, he was being cheeky, but there is enough room for more in the barque of Peter.
Thank you, Walther!! You’ve been a voice of encouragement along the way and I greatly appreciate you. And yeah I have no doubt I will make a mess of things as I go, but that’s okay for now I have a foundation.
Praise God, Daniel. You are an amazing example of opening your heart to God and letting him lead you. What a beautiful invitation you've received! I'm praying for you and your wife and kids!
Thank you , Dixie! The peace and freedom from finally accepting His invitation has been palpable. I already feel as if the seven year struggle has been worth it.
This is such wonderful and beautiful news, Daniel! Your journey has been one of my prayer intentions for the last few months, and I will most definitely keep you and your family in my prayers as you enter this next phase of your journey. Glory to God and welcome home!
My goodness Rachel, I want to thank you for your intentional prayers. That’s amazing. Thank you for your continued prayers. It feels amazing to be coming home!
I think I have a pretty good guess as to what one of those objections might have been...
If and when you'd ever like to talk about it, there's many people here who might be able to offer resources on how to live it. If it's what I think it is, it can be very difficult for us as well, and it can require a pretty big paradigm shift...but there are a lot of beautiful, life giving graces there too.
Definitely praying. ❤️
One objection I can share without getting too personal was the Sunday Obligation. When I first came across that it was very hard to not hear that as some sort of rigidity legalistic requirement. But through prayer and conversation I realized if I believe the Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Christ, then what we are doing is reorienting our lives around worshipping Him. Which is what we’re supposed to do to begin with. And as you point out, there is a lot of grace giving on these things.
I have a brother who's now ex-Catholic, and that Sunday obligation is one of the things he struggled with, for the reasons you mentioned.
We've since become pretty close with some Evangelical Protestant family and friends, and had some culture shock moments around that too. One that sticks out to me is when a friend, who's made it clear in dozens of ways that living out his faith is important to him, (he's even risked his job a bit over it) said he had been too busy to go to church on Sunday for weeks, "I'm just so tired of this, I want to go to church like normal, but I've got way too much going on."
That sounded very strange to us, lol, especially coming from someone we knew really loves God. It's definitely a very different cultural mentality.
My pastor put it this way:
"There are some sacraments that you receive only once, because they imprint a particular character that is permanent (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders). But other sacraments bestow not a character but an energy, a strength in which we must be renewed by frequenting these sacraments (Eucharist, Confession, Anointing of the Sick). We return to the Eucharist each week to be strengthened for all that the Lord wishes to give us in the next seven days, and once we have received all of those things we return to the sacrament to do the same again."
Daniel,
I've been following along for the couple months I've been on Substack. I have to admit your post today brought tears to my eyes with joy for you and your family. It is really encouraging to see that your family's experience of the Mass resonates with our own, even though my wife and I are cradle Catholics. I have an hour of Eucharistic Adoration today, and I'll be offering prayers for your family during that time.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayer, Jacob! So glad this resonated with you!
There is much wrong with the Church of Rome. There is much wrong with the Church of Luther. There is everything wrong with the church of The World. There is nothing wrong with the God of the Church. He is faithful to guide and protect His children. May God be a light to you and make you a light to others.
Amen!
God is good! I'm thanking Jesus for the work he is doing on your heart and the witness you are giving to everyone around you. Happy to have you join the "messy" yet beautiful Bride of Christ.
Thank you so much for the warm welcome! He is good!
Well, hey! Welcome home! I'll keep praying for you and yours for sure. There's a lot in your experience that really resonates with me: the silence, the beauty of worship, the reverence of it all. I hope your RCIA journey goes well!
I am so happy to hear your news. I started out as a Protestand and made my way home as an adult. I had the same reaction when I first entered a Catholic Church, saw the crucifix and people genuflecting. I vividly remember my first ash Wednesday and good Friday, they were both the most impactful days for me. I wish you well in your journey!
Thank you! I cannot wait for next Wednesday!
I'm not sure how work is going to pan out for me yet, but I do love Ash Wednesay so I'm hoping to get there at some point in the day.
Welcome home, brother! The Hound of Heaven has finally tracked you down, and the whole Church is better for it! I’ll be praying for you and your family.
Thank you kind sir and thank you for your ongoing prayers and support!
Daniel, brother, this was a beautiful read. I'm also struck by the ways in which your digital detox (a form of self-discipline) has prepared your heart to accept the yoke // disciplines of the Church. Thank you for sharing your heart and your journey with us these past few months, and I cannot wait to see the ways that the Lord continues to move in your heart.
Thank you, Sara! You and your husband have played a role in helping me on this joinery and I praise God for y’all! I know the journey forward will not always be easy but it’s one I’m willing to make.
Deo gratias! Thanks be to God! This news makes me so happy and brought tears to my eyes. I will continue to pray for you as you go through the RCIA (which may now be called OCIA; I’m not sure) program and make your way even closer to God as you prepare to receive the Sacraments. May God bless you and your family with every possible grace through His Mother’s Immaculate Heart!
I actually spoke with our local Priest yesterday and he referred to it as RCIA. Thank you for your prayers and your support!
It will be called OCIA when the new book is published by ICEL and the USCCB but I wouldn't hold my breath on that; probably 2027 at the earliest. There's been a general movement in the English-speaking Catholic world to use the term 'Order' instead of the term 'Rite' (which is indeed more appropriate and a better translation of the Latin) it's just taking them forever to update all of the different texts.
Whoohoo!!! Tears streaming freely and praising the Lord this morning! This is beautiful. Thank you for taking us along on this journey. It reminds me so much of those early years of faith - tender, invigorating, full of wonder. I’ll be praying for you and your family ❤️
Thank you for coming along on the journey! I truly appreciate your support and thank you for your prayers! So excited to begin this journey with such phenomenal support.
I’m so thrilled for you Daniel! I’m a cradle Catholic and I’ll be honest, it’s been a messy, frustrating yet rewarding journey for me as over the span of my 50 years. It’s only in the last 5 years that I can say I feel at home & at peace in the physical sense of finding the right place for is to attend Mass. Lot’s of forgiveness had to play a part of me sticking to my guns. It was never Christ’s truth nor his bride that I ever questioned but all the worldly influences that I had to muddle through. I remember listening to an interview a few years back where someone was interviewing a Protestant pastor who was asked about Catholicism & why he wasn’t Catholic and he said, “Because being Catholic is too hard.” That has stuck with me all this time reminding me, do I want the easy “fun” road or do I want to pick up that cross and take the narrow, rocky, harder path? I’ve been greatly blessed sticking to the harder road. The fruit is bearing through my children and I know without a doubt which direction is worth it all. God Bless you & your family! My prayers are with you all!
Thank you so much for reading and for the encouragement you’ve given along the way. I know the journey is far from over and will not be easy but I am so thankful to be headed on the right direction. I think the fact that it is hard is an indication that we’re on the right path. Just look at the path of the disciples and the apostle Paul. Far from easy but fruitful! Thank you for your prayers! God is good!
This is really exciting, you're now a Southern Catholic writer! lol this puts you in great company!!
That’s cool! Who are these Southern Catholic writers? I need to know!
Mostly Flannery O'Connor and Walker Percy but I think there are more! Katherine Anne Porter I think . . .
I’ve definitely heard of Flannery O’Connor and Walker Percy is ringing a bell but I don’t know why. I’ll have to look into each of these writers. Thank you!
So happy for you Daniel! Welcome welcome!!! Praying so much as you enter RCIA...get ready to feel like you're taking sips from a fire hydrant...that feeling never goes away haha
And it's good.
Also praying for your sweet wife and children. Taking the kids to mass every week feels like it takes Herculean effort, but when I hear our 6 year old singing praise loudly in Latin, I know all the effort is worth it.
I cannot wait to start RCIA! I have to wait till the fall but it will be worth the wait! It is quite a lot of effort but I believe as you do that it is all worth it.