And it would seem that Gingrich has displayed that repentance to a priest.
I am really surprised at your reasoning. Newt is a history buff. Leaving Catholicism out of the question for awhile, just look at it.
He wasn’t happy in the church he was in — supposedly.
So he started studying. Did history there and back further and back further to the Early Church Fathers and then back to the apostles and then back to Jesus Christ himself.
Then he looked for a religion that matched his research. What Protestant or other religion (other than Catholic) could match his research.
He also probably read stories of the saints and their testimonies, martyrdoms, and revelations.
I give it to his brains — discernment and knowledge — which then turned into something for his heart. But it all probably started with the study of religions, wouldn’t you agree?
Once again, remember that he is a historian! (And a good one at that!)
Or maybe he just fell in love with the church, like I did.