Misunderstood Conversions

When I converted in 1995 and entered the Catholic Church, there were many and varied reactions, but my favorite came from a dear friend, Barbara.  Barbara had left the Church some years earlier and very quickly said,  "People convert and go INTO the Catholic Church?"  I was stunned (((yet snickered))),  and soon learned that the path to God as a convert would be no easy climb.  In these sixteen years I have met dozens of converts with similar stories....the majority of "us" have experienced the "misunderstood conversion".

The "why" of the Catholic Convert is another attempt to brainstorm a stormy mind, so for now I am thinking of "how" the (((hopefully))) poor convert is so often met with raised eyebrows and suspected motives.  Our family and friends love to let their own imaginations spin as to how anyone would want to be "under the ball-and-chain of the CC" (((and a Pope!))).  It seems to be innately reactionary to try to disprove the Convert's "conversion story"....because if at least some of the points the Convert makes can be shown to be in error then the "Job's Helper" make walk away unaffected.  For the avoider-of-confrontation, all is well.

It is surprising how many Convert friends have described family/friend debates about what the Catholic Church believes and teaches.  Without fail the descriptions are faulty, at best, and completely off the mark most times.  I have recently been studying Pope Leo XIII's Letter:  Testem Benevolentiae Nostrae found here  and I do think many of our problems in understanding and communicating our Catholic faith is our own fault to begin with.  I am loving all the new young priests I have met throughout these glory days in the Church who love Sacred Scripture and know how to "preach" the Word of God.  The Catholic in the pew is learning how to share and defend his faith like never before, thanks to our good priests (((Jesuits too!))).

So we find ourselves with family and friends loss, and divisions creep in almost without anyone noticing.  What is clearly noticed is that relationships change.  Like the negative downward spiral one who suffers from depression experiences and fights off,  the stigma of the "conversion" often colors our loved ones' present and future acceptance of all of our life's decisions and choices.  A negative downward spiral does occur when we should be humbly walking together with our God. (((I, for one, wish to fight this off as much as I fight the daily MDD.)))  It seems basic human respect is the missing puzzle piece.  I'm watching for it.

I think it is profitable to "look back" and remember the "whys and hows" of loss in my own family and with old friends.  The "why" of that is only because I hope to learn from my many past relationship "mistakes"... after all, everyone loves the old granny knitting in her rocking chair, right?  


Next week:  How to Become Sweet, Kind, Lovable Knitting Granny 101