Posted on 03/22/2009 5:16:39 PM PDT by Titanites
When Steve Olmstead served as a Presbyterian minister in Juneau, he would often finish his duties on Sunday, close up the church and head to Mass with his devout Catholic wife and their children.
“I had a place to worship, which a lot of pastors don’t,” Olmstead said in an interview with the Anchor. “It was nice to go to a place and worship where I wasn’t the minister.”
The Anchorage Archdiocese’s newest seminarian grew up in a Presbyterian home and always had a strong spiritual life. When Olmstead entered adulthood, he felt called to serve as a youth minister, and was later ordained a minister in the Presbyterian Church.
Throughout his life, he said he had many positive contacts with people who were strong in the practice of their Catholic faith, including his wife of 22 years, Janet.
“I married the most devout and most amazing Christian I’ve ever met in my life,” Olmstead said, crediting her with his conversion to Catholicism. Before the two wed, he agreed to raise the children in the Catholic faith. Steve and Janet Olmstead were married in Juneau by then Bishop Michael Kenny.
He continued to serve in a Presbyterian church in Juneau, but over the years grew enamored with Catholicism.
“I love the devotional practices of the Catholic church, its prayers and devotions,” Olmstead said.
He says he was especially drawn to some core beliefs that are often points of contention between Protestants and Catholics; matters of faith like belief in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and devotion to Mary.
“Ultimately those core beliefs created this tug that led me to the (Catholic) Church so that I would be more congruent with myself,” Olmstead said.
His family’s faith helped with that tug. In addition to Janet’s steady faith, the Olmsteads’ seven children, ages 2-18 years, helped play a part.
The Olmsteads have three older biological children, another three they adopted, and one foster child, which they hope to adopt soon.
“My older kids started asking me questions (like), ‘How come you believe this, but you aren’t teaching it,’” Olmstead recalled. “I had this inner conflict and I had to make that decision.”
Ultimately he did, and left his position at the local Presbyterian church in Juneau to officially enter the Catholic Church in 2006, a decision that brought Olmstead much peace.
“A huge thing for me is mystery,” he said. “I really need mystery and mystery in my faith. The Catholic Church (allows) me to have that mystery — Christ held that for me.”
Having served as full-time Protestant minister, Olmstead still felt a strong call to a minsterial or religious vocation.
Last year he participated in a 30-day Ignatian Spiritual Exercises retreat to investigate how God wanted him to serve in his new church, and he felt called to serve as a priest.
“At the end of that retreat, I realized that this is where God was calling me,” he said.
While celibacy is the rule for Latin rite Catholic priests, there are approximately 100 married former Protestant clergymen in the United States who have joined the Catholic Church and received Vatican permission to become priests.
Mr. Olmstead is assigned to St. Patrick parish in Anchorage as Pastoral Associate while he is finishing seminary. He gave the homily on Sunday and it was really impressive. He's a great speaker. His assignment to St. Pat's is probably because the pastor there is also a married, former Protestant minister.
Why are you inciting a flame war for the RC v. others?
I am not sure why it is important to illustrate one man's decision. How can that single fact be expected to sway anybody. It is just more red meat for the choir, hoping there are some hungry a capella singers looking for a bite...
I have made it clear that I do not accept the RC hierarchy. Please do not ping me again about this. If I care to comment on a thread, I will do it on my own volition. Thanks, anyway /sarcasm
Or the simpler primer:
PCUSA - generally apostate to heritical as an organization, but with some Christians still in membership for better or worse reasons.
Cumberland - liberal groups that don’t hold to Reformed beliefs.
EPC - fairly solid underpinings, but a weak structure which is tolerant to a fault. Will probably split in the next few years. Tends to have larger congregations.
PCA - more conservative than the EPC, but with a strong ‘moderate’ contingent who favor growth to the extent that they are willing to compromise with the culture. Also appears to be heading for a split.
OPC - smaller, more unified. Perhaps the most solid of the bodies.
ARP - since abandoning exclusive psalmology a few years ago, not much to set it apart. May be closest to the EPC (local option on deaconesses, for example) but with a stronger, more unified structure.
Assorted small bodies, each claiming to be purer than the next.
Frankly, except for the PCUSA and the Cumberlands, the rest need to get together in a big room, and restructure across the board.
Thanks. Sounds like a mess. Who determines which group is apostate or heritical?
If you Google him, there is a picture of him speaking at an Ecuminical service at a Catholic church for Pope JPII when he was still affiliated with the PCUSA. Everyone should applaud his willingness to acknowledge where his beliefs now lie, and walking away from his former body.
I am Catholic, as I think my sig indicates! and have been in open forums and have always discussed theological differences with Protestants here in a fair manner. On this point, I have to agree with you. This is an interesting thread but should not be used to turn it into a flame war.
However, the article does indicate that since 1980 when Pope John Paul II signed “Pastoral Provision” that over 100 former Protestant Clergy (Mostly Anglican and some Lutheran) have been ordained to the Catholic Priesthood [and many of those as married men].
Points I see here, many of these men were starting to see the wisdom of a continuity of Tradition down through the centuries, rather than what is becoming more and more of a discontinuity in many of the Prosteant Confessions and see in the Bishop of Rome and the Magesterium a source of authority to sort out theological questions that have arisen and will continue to arise. Next, I think this also shows that the Catholic Church sees that Confessional Protestants and Catholics, while having some theological differences, also have more in common, and this jesture by the Catholic Church was a charitable and Christian way to welcome back old friends back to the Church.
Finally, it also illustrates that while celibacy is a discipline supported by sacred scripture, one with eschatalogical signifiance [c.f. Mt 19: 11-12, 1 Cor 7:32, Rev 14:4], it is not a doctrine of the Catholic Church and thus married men can be ordained in the Catholic Church, although the norm is celibacy for Priests in the Latin/Roman Church.
Anyway, regards and lets hope the rest of this thread is discussed without the polemics.
That fact does not confirm anything in these discussions. It is just a statistic. How many "scientists" agree with evolution, or "man-made global warming". Does their agreement make them correct.
I will stand on my faith in God. I trust you will do the same. Just don't be so arrogant as to assume anyone would accept such simple test for truth. There is only one truth.
There truly is a catholic church. It just isn't situated in Rome. It's head is Jesus, the Christ, and His church is in the hearts of believers.
He is risen. Take Him down from the altar. That is idolatry. God is a Spirit. The Bible tells me so...
***********
Galatians is a letter from Paul. He wrote about Peter's role in early Christian history. You may choose to disagree with me, but Paul is certainly abetter authority.
The Council at Jerusalem
1Then after an interval of fourteen years I (A)went up again to Jerusalem with (B)Barnabas, taking (C)Titus along also.
2It was because of a (D)revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the (E)gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be (F)running, or had run, in vain.
3But not even (G)Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was (H)compelled to be circumcised.
4But it was because of the (I)false brethren secretly brought in, who (J)had sneaked in to spy out our (K)liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to (L)bring us into bondage.
5But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that (M)the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
6But from those who were of high (N)reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; (O)God shows no partiality)--well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.
7But on the contrary, seeing that I had been (P)entrusted with the (Q)gospel to the uncircumcised, just as (R)Peter had been to the circumcised
8(for He who effectually worked for Peter in his (S)apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles)...
... 19"For through the Law I (AU)died to the Law, so that I might live to God.
20"I have been (AV)crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but (AW)Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in (AX)the Son of God, who (AY)loved me and (AZ)gave Himself up for me.
21"I do not nullify the grace of God, for (BA)if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
Perhaps they were going to but are now attempting to decide just who gets to write the fatwa?
Galatians 2:14-16 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.But those are all references to the Mosaic Law. It doesn't seem relevant to this discussion of the good works produced by Christian faith.
You’ve stated it very well: works are produced by faith.
Your response in 29 was different. What has changed?
He wanted mystery, he's got it now...But what nonsense...The 'mystery' was the church...Another mystery was the Rapture of the church...And they have both been revealed in the Scriptures...
When Olmstead entered adulthood, he felt called to serve as a youth minister, and was later ordained a minister in the Presbyterian Church.
Having served as full-time Protestant minister, Olmstead still felt a strong call to a minsterial or religious vocation.
Last year he participated in a 30-day Ignatian Spiritual Exercises retreat to investigate how God wanted him to serve in his new church, and he felt called to serve as a priest.
“At the end of that retreat, I realized that this is where God was calling me,” he said.
Another phony...So in the end, who's this guy leading astray??? According to this guy, God called him to lead Presbyterians astray, or God called him to lead Catholics astray...
I didn't know the guy...He may have been the things you claim he was but,,,was he saved??? Is there a record of a testimony anywhere where he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior???
An Oxford intellectual doesn't make one a Christian...And being a religious intellectual doesn't get you any more in tune with God than if you are an uneducated drunk...
Lots of intellectuals know about God...But a lot of them don't KNOW God...
There's no quick and automatic way to know that.
Is there a record of a testimony anywhere where he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior?
Sola fide is a false tradition of men.
That’s blasphemy...How’s Jesus going to continue to die for all the Catholics if He’s not on the Cross???
Brings to mind an interesting thought...If Jesus is still on the Cross, would seem that when we get baptized, we should stay under the water for as long as Jesus is nailed up there...
Well, if he was teaching his former flock the errors of Calvinism, he was leading them astray.
According to this guy, God called him to lead Presbyterians astray, or God called him to lead Catholics astray...
Baloney. God called him home to the Church founded by Christ. Perhaps he will then lead some of his former flock out of Presbyterianism and onward to the Catholic Church.
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