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September 6, 2010

4

More thoughts on my road to rome…

I am a digger, I have a need to know things and (good or bad) I rarely trust any one person, when it comes to issues of faith I get even more critical.
As I start this journey to see where the Roman road takes me, I’m doing research (lots of it, I had my kindle and my NET bible out today digging).

The key issues I have today with Catholicism are as follows:

  • Marian Theology
  • Perpetual Virginity Of Mary
  • Praying to the saints for intercession
  • Pergatory

The other issues I can deal with, I’ve already pretty much settled the following:

  • Peter as the first pope
  • The Apocrypha and it’s place in the canon
  • The Catholic Church as the original church
  • Catholic authority on scripture
  • Transubstantiation

I’ve been reading some very good books written by Evangelicals who have converted to Catholicism, here is the current list:

Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic – By David Currie

For me this book has been a complete eye opener, he uses language I’m familiar with and does a very good job showing where the Catholic Church is right on so many issues, I didn’t buy the perpetual virginity argument, that’s not to say he’s wrong. I just need more evidence and research (there’s more out there), undoubtedly the Church Fathers believed in the PV of Mary, but I have to question whether it’s fact or wishful thinking. Bear in mind that Marriage is a God ordained institution and that sex in marriage is considered holy, so if Mary had other children she would still be fully holy and worthy.

What Catholics Really Believe – By Karl Keating

Ok Book, not what I expected, it doesn’t really cover many topics I’m interested in and doesn’t go into the depth that Currie does, it may grow on me yet.

On Being Catholic – Thomas Howard

A good book, it’s an interesting read. It was the first book I read on conversion. It hasn’t full sunk in yet, but the writing is very good. I just wish he would spend more time hammering home his ideas in more detail. But for those searching it’s a good start.

There are also some great sites that contain conversion stories, the best one I’ve found is here: Convert Journal, great stories to read, I’ve been through almost all of them and found most people on the same road that I’m on.

All good resources…

I am noticing a trend, almost all of the people who convert like I do, end up doing a great deal of research. Sometimes taking years, but all go into this decision very thoughtfully and once there, grow in their faith. It’s essentially what I’m doing and what I did when I ran into Double Predestination, I researched until I settled that Calvin, Beza and the reformed followers are wrong (another post for another time). But this feels very different, I feel called, I can’t explain it better than that. The more I look the more I feel the pull…

This last Sunday we attended Mass at Holy Apostle in Meridian Idaho, Michelle led the way in and sat in the middle of the pews!!, I wanted to hide in the back. I was nervous because I felt like an interloper, I did enjoy Mass very much and thought the Father did a great job. But during the Eucharist I stayed seated, I should have gone up for a blessing but when your already nervous the last thing you want to do is go up. We did contact the Church about the RCIA program and if I could meet with the Father at some point, I know he’s busy but I have questions before I even get started. This is all new to me and when you have heard SOOO many bad things, you can’t help but be apprehensive.

So I’m hoping this week they contact us and we can setup a time, I’ll keep attending Mass, but I’ll hide somewhere in the back!!! :)

The Journey Continues…

Blessings
-Paul-

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4 Comments Post a comment
  1. Tap
    Sep 8 2010

    2 birds:
    Since you mentioned you’ve been to a Catholic mass before, compare it to Lecture on Sacred liturgy

    On that same link Paragraph 9 and 10 deal with prayers to saints.

    Reply
  2. Tap
    Sep 8 2010

    Meant to say: Compare it to Sacred Liturgy of St. Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 313 – 386AD).

    Reply
  3. Sep 11 2010

    That is awesome Tap, I’m almost to the saturation point :)

    The whole thing is worth a good long read…

    Thank you.

    -Paul-

    Reply
  4. Welcome home Paul!

    Thanks for pointing folks to my Convert Stories project. As you know, it is a list of Catholic convert bloggers who publish their stories and their continuing journey.

    That now describes you too! I have added your entry to the list. Please let me know if I got any of it wrong.

    Reply

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