Be careful when you ask Yahweh to reveal His Truth to you. It will lead you on a path you never would have expected for yourself. Our ways are not His ways after all....
Here's a little 'religious' background information on yours truly:
Here's a little 'religious' background information on yours truly:
I Was baptized in the Catholic Church in 1981 (St. Williams, Chicago, IL), made my 1st Communion around 1988-1989 (St. Charles, Port Charlotte, FL), got Confirmed in 1996 (St. Charles, Port Charlotte, FL), left the Church at 16 because I was bored and felt like I was wasting my and God's time since I wasn't getting anything out of Mass.
I wasn't exactly raised in a Catholic Christian home. Sure, mom took me to Mass once a week but it stopped there. There never was any Bible reading, no prayer time, no nothing. I never seen my mom read the Bible, let alone pick one up. We had an old red covered Bible I remember on a shelf in the house. It belonged to my Grandmother, but it just stayed on the shelf, never read, collecting dust bunnies.
I gave my life to Christ in 2001 during a wonderful service at a Pentecostal church and have been living for Him since then.
In 2005, Robert and I got our marriage blessed by hubby's Priest (Holy Family, Lawton, OK) (hubby and I have been married since 2001, in a Protestant church, but in order for him to partake of the Eucharist, he needed our marriage blessed by the Church.)
Was in the Pentecostal Holiness church from 2001-2005. Floated around from 2005 - 2008 Then began attending the Conservative Mennonite church from 2008-present all the while getting sucked into the Messianic Judaism / Torah Observant movement from 2008 - present at the same time.
Over the past 3 weeks and whilst reading the DeutroCanonical books during my Bible reading time I got so much out of it. So much history..and things we can apply to our lives right now.
In the non Catholic churches it's constantly shoved down our throats that the Catholic Church added to the Bible these books and they will quote that verse in Revelation about not adding or subtracting from God's Word.
Whilst reading these books though, it hit me...these books have always been a part of the Bible...it was the Reformation movement that removed them. Well that was clear as the blue sky out my window.
I've always felt like something was missing in these non Catholic churches.
I knew what it was. It was the fact that they can only trace their roots back to the Reformation.
I wanted more than that. I was spiritually hungry for more. I was tired of reading an altered Bible that was missing books (KJV). Also it may behoove you to study up on what else Martin Luther added and took away from your Bibles.
Something else that I couldn't deny. Every single church, Protestant, Anabaptist, "Bible believing", non denominational, are nothing more than slivers out of the Reformation. They can't trace their history back any further than whenever their denomination started. Why do you think there are 45,000+ churches / denominations? Even the Mennonites can only trace their history back to the 1600's.
The word Protestant itself means protesting against the Catholic church.
The Catholic and Orthodox churches were there in the beginning. There is documented history to prove it.
Grant it, the Catholic and Orthodox split in 1054 during the Great Schism. And even though there are some differences, they are united more than divided. They are what I would call 2 of the 'mother' churches that have been there since the beginning of the church era.
I wanted to go back to the beginning. Back home to Rome.
So for the past 3 weeks I have been attending Mass just about every day. There is a church (St. Michael the Archangel) within walking distance from my house. And I am going to say that I feel complete, whole, in Mass.
I've grown immensely in the Scriptures, prayer life, etc since I got saved in 2001 and I have a much better understanding now of the Mass and I must say, I'm in love.
Robert had fallen away from Catholicism, from Yahweh / Yeshua altogether, but since my interest in returning back to Catholicism, he's turned into a whole new guy just about. He's seriously transforming into the man of God I have been praying for for years.
We are currently in the midst of visiting various parishes in the surrounding area.
I don't think we will call St. Michael the Archangel "home" but because it's close to the house and within walking distance I will go there when I don't have the car. . But we want to visit other parishes before settling on a home church.
We recently visited a Byzantine Catholic church in Irving, Texas called St. Basil's. Wow, it was beautiful. It left my husband awe struck. We certainly want to go back for more visits there.
Plus, many of the women and young girls covered their heads.
Here's a few pictures of the inside:
I gave my life to Christ in 2001 during a wonderful service at a Pentecostal church and have been living for Him since then.
In 2005, Robert and I got our marriage blessed by hubby's Priest (Holy Family, Lawton, OK) (hubby and I have been married since 2001, in a Protestant church, but in order for him to partake of the Eucharist, he needed our marriage blessed by the Church.)
Was in the Pentecostal Holiness church from 2001-2005. Floated around from 2005 - 2008 Then began attending the Conservative Mennonite church from 2008-present all the while getting sucked into the Messianic Judaism / Torah Observant movement from 2008 - present at the same time.
Over the past 3 weeks and whilst reading the DeutroCanonical books during my Bible reading time I got so much out of it. So much history..and things we can apply to our lives right now.
In the non Catholic churches it's constantly shoved down our throats that the Catholic Church added to the Bible these books and they will quote that verse in Revelation about not adding or subtracting from God's Word.
Whilst reading these books though, it hit me...these books have always been a part of the Bible...it was the Reformation movement that removed them. Well that was clear as the blue sky out my window.
I've always felt like something was missing in these non Catholic churches.
I knew what it was. It was the fact that they can only trace their roots back to the Reformation.
I wanted more than that. I was spiritually hungry for more. I was tired of reading an altered Bible that was missing books (KJV). Also it may behoove you to study up on what else Martin Luther added and took away from your Bibles.
Something else that I couldn't deny. Every single church, Protestant, Anabaptist, "Bible believing", non denominational, are nothing more than slivers out of the Reformation. They can't trace their history back any further than whenever their denomination started. Why do you think there are 45,000+ churches / denominations? Even the Mennonites can only trace their history back to the 1600's.
The word Protestant itself means protesting against the Catholic church.
The Catholic and Orthodox churches were there in the beginning. There is documented history to prove it.
Grant it, the Catholic and Orthodox split in 1054 during the Great Schism. And even though there are some differences, they are united more than divided. They are what I would call 2 of the 'mother' churches that have been there since the beginning of the church era.
I wanted to go back to the beginning. Back home to Rome.
So for the past 3 weeks I have been attending Mass just about every day. There is a church (St. Michael the Archangel) within walking distance from my house. And I am going to say that I feel complete, whole, in Mass.
I've grown immensely in the Scriptures, prayer life, etc since I got saved in 2001 and I have a much better understanding now of the Mass and I must say, I'm in love.
Robert had fallen away from Catholicism, from Yahweh / Yeshua altogether, but since my interest in returning back to Catholicism, he's turned into a whole new guy just about. He's seriously transforming into the man of God I have been praying for for years.
We are currently in the midst of visiting various parishes in the surrounding area.
I don't think we will call St. Michael the Archangel "home" but because it's close to the house and within walking distance I will go there when I don't have the car. . But we want to visit other parishes before settling on a home church.
We recently visited a Byzantine Catholic church in Irving, Texas called St. Basil's. Wow, it was beautiful. It left my husband awe struck. We certainly want to go back for more visits there.
Plus, many of the women and young girls covered their heads.
Here's a few pictures of the inside:
These next 3 pictures are of another parish we may be considering for a home church. It's St. Maria Goretti in Arlington, Texas. These pictures don't do justice of just how beautiful this house of worship is. Beautiful stained glass windows, a pipe organ which is this picture below.... etc.
Robert and I have noticed that many of the Catholic churches built these days look more like medical plazas than churches. Of course that goes for more of the mainline churches too. What's happening to the church architecture? St. Michael's (the parish I go to for daily Mass down the street from me) looks like a medical plaza and it's also very plain, unadorned or as Robert said 'sterile' on the inside.
Grant it I am not going to Mass for the pretty pictures or icons, but I figured since Catholicism is known for their beautiful art and icons, statues, the churches would be filled with a rainbow of color. My parish back home in FL was rather sterile too....
So, here I sit, re-learning the faith I departed from and it's taking on a whole new meaning.
It would benefit every single Bible believing Christian to study church history if you really are seeking after the truth. And don't be afraid. There is ALOT, ALOT, of ignorance out in the church world about Catholicism and what they believe, how they worship. If Christians would actually read an actual Catholic book instead of all the anti Catholic articles on a website or Jack Chick tracts, they will learn just why Catholics do what they do. It's time to stop living in ignorance.
Yes, I will remain Plain. That's a calling Yahweh placed on my life in 2006. I can't believe it's been 6 years already. Some fad, huh? :)
Well I must be going. Just wanted to check on in here and share a piece of my heart with you.
Love,
Dawn
Grant it I am not going to Mass for the pretty pictures or icons, but I figured since Catholicism is known for their beautiful art and icons, statues, the churches would be filled with a rainbow of color. My parish back home in FL was rather sterile too....
So, here I sit, re-learning the faith I departed from and it's taking on a whole new meaning.
It would benefit every single Bible believing Christian to study church history if you really are seeking after the truth. And don't be afraid. There is ALOT, ALOT, of ignorance out in the church world about Catholicism and what they believe, how they worship. If Christians would actually read an actual Catholic book instead of all the anti Catholic articles on a website or Jack Chick tracts, they will learn just why Catholics do what they do. It's time to stop living in ignorance.
Yes, I will remain Plain. That's a calling Yahweh placed on my life in 2006. I can't believe it's been 6 years already. Some fad, huh? :)
Well I must be going. Just wanted to check on in here and share a piece of my heart with you.
Love,
Dawn
9 comments:
Wow Dawn! You hit the nail on the head. I could have written that blog myself other than I'm not plain right now. Not in the sense of say the Mennonites. I do wear plain skirts & tops but it's not the same.
I love what you said about the mass-that you are in love. That is how I feel also. I feel complete and as if I have come home.
My prayer for you has always been that you find the right place for you, not me or anyone else, the place God wants for you. although I am not catholic or mennonite, I feel like I can learn from both although I do not attend either church. As I was taught, what is important is that you find your way to the truth and that truth is God. Love and huggles.
And now you are so entirely free to love and accept *all* Christians as your brothers and sisters in Christ. There will no longer be any of that prejudice of, "You are not a *real* Christian if..."
As for the sterile church buildings, the Liberal Catholics "dumbed them down" and made them sterile and tried to remove so much of the Catholic Faith so that Catholics would match Protestants. They gave some story about how through "eccumenism" we would somehow bring Protestants and Catholics together and heal the rift: but only if the Catholics basically became Protestants! But one huge thing I have learned is that as long as the Mass is valid and the Eucharist is present, the building doesn't matter one bit. Neither do the people ~ even the most Liberal person there cannot take away from the presence of Christ.
I've gone through many times of doubt and anger in the Church and wanted to leave ~ but the Eucharist has held me here, as if by a golden rope. And so I have com to learn what really matters is Christ above all things, from church architecture to anything else that might annoy and frustrate me. :-)
I'm loving the "Catholicism" series. I hope you find it a great help as well!! God bless!!
There was a time when I was fascinated by Catholicism and wanted to be a nun. My father wept. He took his Bible and read to me I Timothy 4: l-4. I knew then that I could not be a part of a group that forbad the priests and nuns to marry.
I hate to post something negative when you are rolling along in such joy. But...gotta say what I feel lead to say. You do not have to be Catholic in order to live out the life of the New Testament Church. You do not have to belong to ANY man made organization. The church that Jesus is the head of was established on the day of Pentecost...and "God added them that should be saved"...not man. The church is a spiritual kingdom...which happens to also be here on earth abiding in human bodies.
There are many attractive things about the Catholic church. Just make sure you check every doctrine with the Bible...and not swallow the whole without checking the scriptures.
Amazing! that's how it is with hubby and I. we wanted, sought and asked God to show us His Truth and now we are going to a Orthodox Church and We feel so complete and whole. on eblogger there is a blog called The Pain Catholics of the Mountains. They are a group of Catholics that dress very similar to different Anabaptist groups and I think you will enjoy reading their blog. I know I do. here's the blog. http://plaincatholic.blogspot.com/ May you be blessed as you continue your journey in the Faith!
the blog is The Plain Catholics of the Mountains. and not pain
Welcome home Dawn! I am so happy for you and Robert. I second what Michelle said about the Catholicism series by Father Robert Barron. His blog is Word on Fire and he is also on YouTube. You might want to check out EWTN and Catholic Answers on the internet. They are both Faithful and you will get authentic Catholicism from them and not Catholicism lite.
Catholicism has a very demanding moral code; remember that the Holy Spirit is waiting for you to ask for the grace to persevere. As a baptised Catholic all you need to do is to go to confession - the priest will help you if you don't rember the prayers etc - and you will be able to receive Holy Communion and your soul will be flooded with the grace of God. God bless.
Dawn, as your return to the Catholic Church becomes known you will probably be questioned by well meaning non-Catholics about certain beliefs and teachings of the Church. Some books to inform you which I would recommend as a starter are:
1.The Catechism of the Catholic Church - heavy going at first so maybe
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
2. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church - Q & A format would be a good beginning.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html
3. The Essential Catholic Survival Guide published by Catholic Answers.
http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Catholic-Survival-Guide-Anwers/dp/1888992816
God Bless
Welcome home, Dawn! God indeed writes straight with crooked lines! Sometimes we have to go walkabout in order to see that our first home is our best.
Michelle Therese and Victoria both gave you some excellent resources. No worries about antagonists. Every Catholic doctrine is supported by living Scripture and Tradition handed down from the very earliest Church Fathers. I can only make one more suggestion: join an RCIA class at your local Catholic parish. They also help returning Catholics.
Some of the most beautiful sanctuaries I have ever been in were in monasteries that practiced extreme simplicity such as the Cistercians and traditionalist Benedictines. Great beauty in an unadorned style. Then there are the wondrous adorned sanctuaries such as those found in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. with its intricate mosaics. The Catholic faith has "something for everyone" and that is its beauty too... in its diversity.
God be with you and bless you as both you and your husband make your way home to the faith where you belong.
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