Connecting with the Church

Charlotte Wiley - I was in second grade when I decided I wanted to be a nun when I grew up. My parents were progressive Catholics and very active in our local parish. I attended a Catholic school from first through seventh grade, which aided in my desire to become a nun. However, during my pre-teen years I was disillusioned with church. I remember wondering why I had to confess to a priest when, really, I didn’t have anything to confess! I would often make up sins to confess, and that made me feel dishonest. In high school, I began a journey of my own in search of something deeper…

Little by little, I realized I was rejecting my Catholic upbringing. I began to believe that Catholics didn’t really know Jesus like those in the Protestant church I was attending. I was quite the fanatic; I looked for ways that I could help my Catholic parents “invite Jesus into their hearts” too, and I’m sure it hurt them a great deal to see me leave my Catholic Faith and heritage…

http://chnetwork.org/story/back-home-catholic-church/

Carl Sundell - I have not always been a Catholic. At the age of ten I was baptized at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Lubbock, Texas. My mother and stepfather were not churchgoers, but must have thought I was misbehaving sufficiently to require more moral guidance than they were equipped to provide. For several Sundays they took me on a tour of churches throughout the city, then asked me which one I liked….

http://chnetwork.org/story/why_i_am_a_catholic/

John Knutsen - from the Office of Adult Faith Formation in the Diocese of Arlington joins Marcus Grodi to talk about what led him away from his Catholic upbringing, and what led him back. Family tragedy and a world that seemed emptied of God’s presence caused him to reject Christianity altogether, but a desire for purpose in a supposedly meaningless life continued to bother him…

http://chnetwork.org/journey-home/john-knutsen-former-atheist/

Steve Dawson’s mom had a major reversion to the Catholic faith as he was growing up, but he himself was a rebellious teen, getting into every kind of trouble he could find, even while his mother was enlisting the prayers of everyone from Fr. John Hardon to Cardinal Raymond Burke. Eventually, he found that the fulfillment he was seeking in secular pursuits was leading nowhere, and he had a profound conversion to Christ, which eventually led him to start St. Paul Street Evangelization.

http://chnetwork.org/journey-home/steve-dawson-catholic-revert/

Back to top

Jesus Christ invites everyone to come to him in the Catholic Faith, including:

those who have no religious background
baptised members of other Christian communities
lapsed Catholics.

How do I become Catholic?

You can become a Catholic by receiving the Sacraments of Initiation:

Baptism (spiritual rebirth)
Confirmation (sacred anointing by the Holy Spirit)
Holy Eucharist (Holy Gifts of Jesus’ Body and Blood).

Baptised non-Catholic Christians are welcomed into the Church through:

the confession of sins (Sacrament of Penance)
the profession of Faith (Creed)
receiving the Sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Eucharist

Where do I Start?

Contact the Catholic Enquiry Centre Director and talk to her about what you want to do. She will explain the process of becoming a Catholic, and help you contact a parish community that will prepare you. Or, contact your nearest Catholic parish.