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Newt Gingrich on his conversion to Catholicism
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | April 5, 2009 | Jim Galloway

Posted on 04/05/2009 4:11:27 PM PDT by Alex Murphy

Congressional Quarterly has posted a transcript of “Fox News Sunday,” including this exchange between Chris Wallace and Newt Gingrich about the former House speaker’s conversion to Catholicism:

WALLACE: Mr. Gingrich, you have been a Baptist most of your life, and last Sunday you converted to Catholicism. Why, sir?

GINGRICH: I’m not talking about this much publicly, but let me just say that I found over the course of the last decade, attending the basilica, meeting with Monsignor Rossi, reading the literature, that there was a peace in my soul and a sense of well being in the Catholic Church, and I found the mass of conversion last Sunday one of the most powerful moments of my life.

WALLACE: You have — it’s no secret — been married and divorced twice. Will you be able to participate fully in communion and all the other rites of the Catholic Church?

GINGRICH: Yes, we have done everything within the law of the church, following all of the rules of the church over the last 10 years. And it’s been a process. It’s been a very long process and something which was deeply affected, in part, by Pope Benedict XVI’s visit and the opportunity I had to sit in — as you know, my wife, Calista, sings at the basilica every Sunday, and I was allowed as a spouse to be there as part of the vespers program when the pope came. It’s been a long process.

WALLACE: And if I might ask, just briefly, what is it about the pope’s visit that led to this?

GINGRICH: I really believe, first of all, seeing the joy in his eyes, listening to his message, and I really believe that his basic statement, Christ our hope, is right. And I think much of what’s wrong with our country and with the western world is a function of looking inside ourselves, not just looking at money or looking at our wallets.



TOPICS: Catholic; Evangelical Christian; Religion & Politics; Worship
KEYWORDS: baptist; catholic; christians; chriswallace; convert; fns; foxnews; gingrich; interview; newt; newtgingrich
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To: mockingbyrd

Catholic Ping!


21 posted on 04/05/2009 4:51:18 PM PDT by Mikey_1962 (Obama: The Affirmative Action President)
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To: Dutchboy88

You wrote:

“Hi Vlad. No bitterness, just pointing out the same ‘ol concerns about the RCC or the CC whichever you and Pete now call it.”

No, there’s clearly bitterness there. Deny it all you like, but the hatred and bitterness come through loud and clear. And I call the Church the Catholic Church, not “RCC” nor “CC”. Since you can’t be bothered about either accuracy or precision, such a fact is meaningless to you.


22 posted on 04/05/2009 4:52:21 PM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: smokinleroy
No truly born-again Christian could become a Catholic.

...and no true Catholic ever becomes a so-called born again.

23 posted on 04/05/2009 4:52:27 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (Reagan is back, and this time he's a woman.)
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To: vladimir998; All
“Remarks like this are precious. They highlight perfectly that one can’t embrace Catholicism without knowing Christ.”

Hear, hear.

24 posted on 04/05/2009 4:55:49 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand ("...made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate...")
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To: Alex Murphy

My Catholicism is such a source of strength and comfort to me, I am filled with joy that another should find it.


25 posted on 04/05/2009 4:58:53 PM PDT by Bahbah (Typical white person-Snow white)
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To: Alex Murphy

Guess he would rather be Catholic than be President since the GOP has never nominated a Catholic for President.


26 posted on 04/05/2009 4:59:19 PM PDT by ex-snook ( "Above all things, truth beareth away the victory.")
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To: Alex Murphy
I really believe, first of all, seeing the joy in his eyes, listening to his message, and I really believe that his basic statement, Christ our hope, is right. And I think much of what’s wrong with our country and with the western world is a function of looking inside ourselves, not just looking at money or looking at our wallets.

Beautiful statement

27 posted on 04/05/2009 4:59:19 PM PDT by stfassisi ((The greatest gift God gives us is that of overcoming self"-St Francis Assisi)))
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To: vladimir998

Well, you have part of that right.


28 posted on 04/05/2009 5:01:47 PM PDT by Dutchboy88
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Comment #29 Removed by Moderator

To: ElkGroveDan
John 3:
1. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.
2. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3. In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4. "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5. Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

In a related story,

Researchers found that 18 percent of Catholics consider themselves born-again or evangelical

30 posted on 04/05/2009 5:08:30 PM PDT by smokinleroy (Eccl. 10:2 - The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.)
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To: smokinleroy

All Catholics are born again in Baptism, whether they call themselves “born again” or not. It is an ontological fact, not dependent on mere labels.


31 posted on 04/05/2009 5:12:58 PM PDT by Unam Sanctam
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To: Alex Murphy
I would not vote for him in the republican primary regardless if he is a catholic or baptist!
32 posted on 04/05/2009 5:13:13 PM PDT by longhorn too
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Comment #33 Removed by Moderator

To: Alex Murphy; informavoracious; larose; RJR_fan; Prospero; Conservative Vermont Vet; ...
+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.

Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment

Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

34 posted on 04/05/2009 5:17:04 PM PDT by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: smokinleroy
No truly born-again Christian could become a Catholic.

Thank you for clarifying this for me!!!!! And here all this time I thought I was a born again Christian who was a Catholic. So am I born again, I have been baptized and accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior or am I Catholic, seeing that I accept all that is contained in the Apostles Creed? Geeze Louise, I'm so confused!

35 posted on 04/05/2009 5:19:23 PM PDT by mockingbyrd (From the God Who brought you the plague of frogs and boils comes......OBAMA!!!!)
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To: smokinleroy

“No truly born-again Christian could become a Catholic.”

Wrong. Every true Catholic is “born-again”, made new in Christ Jesus. That you do not understand this reveals a great deal about you, nothing more.


36 posted on 04/05/2009 5:19:51 PM PDT by narses (http://www.theobamadisaster.com/)
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To: ConservativeMind
Well, I give him more credit than that. Jeb converted too, didn't he? Look at brother Dubya, and what being "Texan" did for him with that tacky, Proddie SoCon crowd.

Oh W, that goof, gotta love him, what a prankster, what a spoof. Wasn't even being groomed, Jeb was, and look at him now, a double-bagger. He's even shown up Poppy, the rogue. But, Jeb's gone and hitched himself to the burgeoning demographic; he's done his due diligence, very prudent. So it's a bit problematic for Newtie.

That explains the media splash, Newt's got some ground to make up. The hot air's coming out of the warmist scam a little too soon, so he's calculated the dire need of a new gravy train to ride. Looks like he found it, but he's uncharacteristically behind the curve.

It's a horse race.

37 posted on 04/05/2009 5:21:47 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: Bahbah

I share that comfort. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life and was in my 40s before finding my way back, but I’m here and glad. This inter-denominational squabbling over this saddens me. The man made a choice for his own reasons.


38 posted on 04/05/2009 5:24:03 PM PDT by Emmett McCarthy
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To: Alex Murphy

Welcome home Newt. You join a long list of individuals who abandoned heresy for the fullness of Truth found in His Church.


39 posted on 04/05/2009 5:24:35 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("From hell's heart I stab at thee... I spit my last breath at thee." ~ Khan Noonien Singh)
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To: Alex Murphy

I do pray he’s found Christ and not just the Church. He sounds sincere about it anyway.


40 posted on 04/05/2009 5:25:17 PM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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