"...I never encountered ANY Catholics who...had a real, personal, life-transforming walk with Christ until I'd been immersed in Evangelicalism for a good many years -- and it seems like most of them are converts fact."
Now that I think about it, " most of them are converts " is too strong. Let's just say that the Protestant converts are disproportionate in numbers and impact.
It's probably more the case that the Protestant converts can explain their faith in terms that you understand and appreciate as a Protestant. After all, they started out Protestant, then had to fight their way -- intellectually -- to Catholic belief, so they are going to understand in detail how to communicate their faith in Protestant terms, and how to cogently answer Protestant objections, because they were their own objections at one point.
Protestantism tends to be very "left-brained" and doctrinal. Catholicism tends to care more what you do with your will then what you understand about doctrine. A famous sentence from "The Imitation of Christ" sums it up: "I would rather weep in compunction for my sins, than understand the definition of 'compunction'."
That's one cradle Catholic's opinion, anyway.
Okay I am now confused. These people who have a strong faith are they former Catholics now strong and faithful Protestants or former Protestants now strong and faithful Catholics?