My name is Dawn. My husband was a non-practicing Catholic when we married, who was never confirmed. I was a newly returning Evangelical at the time of our marriage. I was baptised at 21 or 22 and then walked away from the church. I walked away after a few months. I was unchurchrd prior to that. My husband Mike was baptised Catholic and went to Catholic school up to 2nd grade. Mike has maintained a Catholic leaning in many ways but was uncertain of some of the teaching, his Mom had influenced him in more Evangelical ways - she had left the Catholic church. So during our 10 years of marriage, Mike had trouble selecting a church for us. We settled on a Lutheran church because of the similarities to Catholicism. But we soon had to leave when gay unions where being blessed from the pulpit. This left not too many choices - and so we ended up at a PCA church. But Mike began to influence me in his Catholic lean and we even attended Mass at Christmas and I fell in love.

A few months after that Mass, I was at an Elders home and Mike was not present - it was a pre- bible study planning meeting. Several others were there. Many were asked to discuss their backgrounds and one couple mentioned the Episcopal church. So we were on the subject of the liturgy and I mentioned our attendance at midnight Mass. That didn't go over to well, the Elder, a dear man who I love and pray for - admittedly stood up for what he believes (reformed Protestantism). He said it was dangerous to attend Mass and told me to read Bruce Shelley's, Church History in Plain Language.

I went home and discussed this with Mike and then a bit later, at Sunday service, we heard an anti-Catholic message that we did not care for.

These events pushed Mike and I to begin looking deeper into the arguments. We got a copy of "Crossing the Tiber" which I devoured in one week. We read "Evangelical is Not Enough", " No Price too High ". Mike has always read James Jordan and Peter Leithart - he tried to find James and Peter's explanation of the church authority - where Jesus gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom - and he could not submit to their perspectives.

The issue of the authority became one of the most important pieces of the puzzle and then everything else was falling into place.

We began RCIA in September and hope to enter the fullness of the faith at Easter.

I'm still trying to read Mr. Shelley's book to give the Elder of our former church the benefit of the doubt, but I've only gotten to page 70 and I find it daunting to read because there is an obvious slant right from the beginning. But maybe I'm wrong and I'm not understanding Mr. Shelley. Anyway, that's what prompted me to come here. So I posted in the Book section, my questions.

So, that's my story, the short version, believe it or not.

God Bless,
Dawn

If you have good reason to suspect that Mr. Shelley's book is false, not only do you not owe it to the elder to read it, you have an obligation to yourself to stop reading it.

Welcome to the forums
Looking forward to reading your posts
I agree with Father Kenobi.

Welcome to DCF, Dawn!

Welcome Aboard Dawn!!


And Welcome home!!

welcome home dawn (and mike) ... may you be blessed in your conversion... loved steve ray's crossing the tiber also ... if you ever get the opportunity, go hear him speak... he's a winner enjoy your stay...you'll find that most of us don't bite

tiber swim team alum of 1997
ex-baptist

Hi, Dawn! Welcome to the board.

Welcome aboard, Dawn!

Hello and welcome, Dawn!

In answer to your question, read my signature line.

Way to go!

Life is too short to read nonsense.

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

Amy,
I like the quote from St. Basco, it's very fitting.

God Bless,
Dawn

Hi Dawn! Welcome to DCF.

Welcome to DCF Dawn!