From Rome to Christ

Not many people get the opportunity to attend seminary. In an amazing way I have attended two. The first was training for the Roman Catholic priesthood in Ireland and the second at a conservative Evangelical seminary in England.

Raised a Catholic . . . but not knowing God Like most boys in the Republic of Ireland in the 1980s, I was brought up a Roman Catholic. My parents taught me to live a good life, say my prayers, and attend mass every Sunday. I believed there was a God, but I didn't know him personally. I prayed as my mother taught me, but I never knew whether or not God was really listening. I attended confession monthly and did many penances. Conscious of my sinfulness, I hoped that God would accept me into heaven if I did enough good works. I tried to live the best life I could. It was like balancing the accounts, hoping that my credits (good works) would cancel my debits (sins). Zealous to please God, I was just eleven years old when I decided to become a Roman Catholic priest. I told the local priest, but he said I would have to wait until I was eighteen before I could enter the seminary.

During my teenage years I got involved in much sinful behaviour. I rebelled against God and disobeyed his commandments. I loved my sin, but I hated that miserable life and started to cry out to God. I realise now that God was working in my heart. He showed me I was a sinner. I longed to be right with him. This became the focus of my life. I knew that I needed to be saved from my sins. I went on a pilgrimage to a famous Roman Catholic shrine. I ate oatcakes, drank black tea, and crawled on my knees around the Stations of the Cross over three days to do penance for my sins. I fasted and meditated but never knew pardon for sin. I wanted to know forgiveness, but how?

At the age of nineteen, and after checking different possible organisations, I finally decided to join the Society of Missions to Africa (SMA). They are a society of priests who live together in small communities in different parts of the world, seeking to convert pagans to the Roman religion. I entered the Roman Catholic Seminary located in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. During my two years at seminary, I learned about religion and philosophy but there were no biblical studies. I attended daily mass and monthly confession but, alas, there was no teaching on forgiveness for sin. We had set times of prayer as a community - morning, evening, and night. I heard many talks that were focused on pleasing God by doing charitable works and buying favour with God through the church. I also heard a lot about how to use psychology to counsel people spiritually. Not once did I hear how to be reconciled to God through Christ who alone could forgive my sins.

I began to read the Bible (a Protestant translation my parents had given to me). As I read it, I asked the priests serious questions about the religious rituals in the Roman Catholic faith, but they couldn't show me any scriptural basis whatsoever for so much of their superstition and their many traditions. I discovered that the Bible does not promote the veneration of Mary as practiced in the Roman Catholic Church. The official teaching of the Roman Church is that Mary does not necessarily answer prayers but rather intercedes on the Catholic's behalf and prays for them. However, the Bible teaches that she is a sinner: in the famous 'Magnificat' she is found praying to God her Saviour. Mary knew she had sinned and we find her rejoicing in God her Saviour, the one conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit - Jesus Christ her Lord.

I realised that rosaries and prayers to the saints have no scriptural basis. Mary is addressed in Roman Catholic prayers (eg 'O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee'), but the Saviour teaches us to pray to the Father directly. Indeed, the Bible warns us against ritualistic prayer. This described me exactly: outwardly very holy and pious, but inwardly my heart was sinful and corrupt. Also, the Roman Church teaches its followers to pray to the saints. There is a saint for almost every circumstance, such as St Christopher for travel, St Anthony for lost property, St Martin de Porres for healing, St Joseph for the dying, St Vincent de Paul for the poor, and St Jude for lost causes. Unable to find anything in Scripture to support these things, I asked the priests many questions, and I was told that these Church traditions could not be questioned.

I was conscious of my sin and longed to have assurance of salvation. I asked the priests but I was told that we could never be sure of salvation until we died. I was instructed to attend the priest for confession, but I did not find that in Scripture either. The Bible instructs us to confess our sins to God, not to human priests. I also realised that as a priest I would have to hear people's confessions and absolve them. I was confused. How could I forgive other people's sins, when I did not even know forgiveness myself? I now realise that the Lord was lifting the veil from my eyes to show me that true faith and forgiveness for sin is to be found in Christ alone.

Eventually, I left the Roman seminary in 1995. The Society had decided that I was not suitable, but the Lord, through his Word, had shown me the errors of Rome and that I shouldn't continue training for the priesthood. I had entered the seminary thinking that I would find God's answer to my sins. When I left, I thought that I had finished with God - but he hadn't finished with me! Over the next two years I lived in Dublin and continued my search for God. I went to various Protestant churches and also met people from different cults. One cult told me that if I was to be baptized again, then I would be born again. This sounded too much like the Roman Church and its teaching of justification by works, so I had nothing more to do with them.

I went to London in preparation for nursing studies. On the first night I met a man who told me how I could know forgiveness for sin. He gave me a leaflet that emphasized the need to trust in Jesus Christ alone. I read this leaflet many times, but still had no peace with God. Although well physically, I became very depressed spiritually.

I knew that I was condemned if I was not converted. The Bible told me that if I did not believe then the wrath of God abode upon me. Then I read 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit' (Rom. 8:1). This was a constant challenge to me. I was alone in a huge city with no one to turn to for spiritual help. How my heart yearned to be right with God.

While pursuing my nursing studies, I met some students who seemed to know God. I attended their church where the Bible was central to the whole service. The sermon was preached from the Bible - that was something completely new to me. Deep down I knew these people were genuine Christians. I asked many questions and started to attend the church regularly. About this time, a small Christian group was meeting in my halls of residence. I went along aiming to disrupt the meetings, but slowly began to be drawn to Christ. I saw that they had something that I didn't have - peace with God and a real love for Christ. They knew the reality of 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Rom. 5:1). One of them gave me J. I. Packer's book, Knowing God. I read the book and saw that I too could know God in a personal way.

One Sunday morning, 8th February 1998, I was listening to a sermon from Luke 10:30-37 about the Good Samaritan. The preacher spoke of Jesus Christ being like the Good Samaritan - coming to help us in our wretched sinful state - while revealing that the Holy Spirit gives new life to lost sinners. He also urged the listeners to repent of sin and trust in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness. I called upon Jesus Christ to save me, 'For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved' (Rom. 10:13). There and then, I knelt down in my room and prayed, 'O God, I know that you have sent your Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners. Will you save me? I trust in Christ alone and ask that you would come into my life by the power of your Holy Spirit and make me new.' I felt a huge weight of guilt and sin taken from my heart. As soon as I opened my eyes a deep sense of peace came over me. At that moment I knew that I was a Christian and truly forgiven of all my sins. The Bible became the living Word of God and he was speaking to me as I read. I realised that we are not saved by works but by grace, 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast' (Eph. 2:8,9). I was baptised in London as a believer in September 1998. After my baptism I struggled with temptations and trials, but the Lord was my constant refuge: 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble'(Psa. 46:1).

On my first visit back to Ireland, I did not know of a Christian church, so I went to mass with my parents. I realised the priest was re-enacting a sacrifice that was accomplished once and for all on the cross of Calvary (Heb. 9:26; 1 Pet. 3:18). For this reason, I couldn't attend the Roman Catholic mass any longer. As a young Irish man, swearing was second nature to me. Very soon after my conversion this dried up. Worldly pursuits like drinking in pubs and going to nightclubs ceased. Prayer and communion with God became a whole new area of experience. I had learned formal rote prayer as a young boy, but now I began truly to pray from my heart. This is still an amazing experience to me: to be able to lift my heart to God as my Father and know that he is listening and will answer my prayers according to his will.

My family were upset that I had left the Roman Catholic faith. At first they thought it was another religious phase I was going through, but they soon realised that this was different. However, the Lord gave me opportunities to share the true gospel with them. About a year later my youngest brother was converted. What joy filled my heart!

Since my conversion, the Lord has taught me so much from his Word. I am especially thankful to one man from the church in London who helped me to study the Bible. We did a complete overview of the Scriptures together, as well as an in-depth study of the doctrines of grace (Calvinism). The glorious truth that God is sovereign in salvation and reaches out in mercy to sinners is truly humbling and amazing. That God, the Creator and Sustainer of the world, should call wretched sinners to himself illustrates his grace. What a joyful day it will be when all his people are united with him in heaven.

About a year after my conversion I was seeking the Lord about serving him. One Lord's Day evening after the service I was praying to the Lord asking him where he wanted me to serve. I read 2 Timothy 3:16-4:5 and was profoundly challenged. I had never studied this portion of God's Word before. It was impressed on me that this was how the Lord wanted me to serve him - to preach the Word. I graduated and worked for a year in the National Treatment Centre for Alcohol and Drugs. Some of the patients were hardened criminals; others were involved in sordid areas of society due to their addictions. I realised the psychological treatment was not dealing with their real problem: their unpardoned sin. I couldn't witness openly to the patients but some enquired what kept me through the difficult times in my life. I told them that it was my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and they were amazed. Both my housemate and a Roman Catholic friend were converted and baptised during this time. It was a great privilege to see the Lord use even me to win sinners to Christ. I conducted a Bible Study in Colossians with some Jehovah's Witnesses. They began to seek Christ but their leaders visited and put an end to it. I pray for these people, that the Lord would open their eyes to his truth. As I taught young boys in a Crusaders Class I soon realized that children can be taught the deep truths of Scripture in a simple, understandable way.

The Lord opened up the way for me to study at London Theological Seminary. The lasting memories of my time there are of the nightly prayer meetings with fellow students and the godly men who taught us theology and prepared us for the ministry.

i gave you the example of a Wisconsin man falsely accused by a 11-year old girl. That was proven wrong thanks to GPS. however, the man's life and reputation are forever damaged.

The cops built a case based on just the accusation

Do you believe that we should destroy a man's life just based on an accusation?

do you believe that if a man works with kids and there is a baseless allegation made, he should immediately be cast into the cold and abandoned by his community? Answer those questions please.

Firstly, why was the man charged with no evidence, just on suspicion?

Secondly, the man's life and reputation are ruined for good

Thirdly, at what point do we just go on verbal accusation and not on proof?

you said Innocent people aren’t cast into the cold and abandoned by their community -- well, the Wisconsin man WAS innocent and abandoned by the community. it was only that he had GPS that saved him from jail. Communities toss the guy into the cold with no support

it's a contradiction of innocent until proven guilty.

If there is proof, fry the guy, I agree. But if it is just verbal accusations, if we just made a show about the man, you ruin his reputation for life.

Also, the accusation was just an accusation with no proof. The cops admitted a mea culpa, but the damage to the man's reputation was done.

come on, don't you think that the man's reputation is now tarnished irreparably? People will always put "child molestor" connected to that man even though the evidence proves that it was a false accusation (and the girl later withdrew it) -- how many of these false accusations are bandied about?

As I said above - if the evidence points that way and he is proven guilty, fry him. If there is just hearsay or verbal accusations, investigate, but remember that the man's reputation, indeed his life (which is tied to his reputation) is in balance.

Anyone knows that when it comes to children it’s better safe than sorry later. That’s just how it is. The man can always pick up and move to another area and start over again of he determines that’s his best course....an abused child has no such option

the man can always pick up and move and start over again? You mean it IS ok to destroy a man's reputation and life with a false accusation? Come on.

Also, what happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'? These verbal accusations should be investigated, but quietly as if they are with no evidence, then they should not be prosecuted.

Don't you get it? The man's life is destroyed, irreparably. He was falsely accussed of molesting a kid and when it was proven thanks to GPS that this was false, THEN, when confronted with this, the 11-year-old admitted her allegations were false -- the 11-year old will get away with nothing, the man's life is destroyed. he will be silently blackballed.

he cannot as you say "pick up and move to another area and start over again " -- the internet age means that his name is forever tied to this accusation and his name, reputation and life are d e s t r o y e d.

Innocent until proven guilty, THEN give the guy death or worse.

It’s very difficult to begin with to even bring up an accusation to the court...as follows....

The child molester is going to deny ever doing anything wrong, often they will offer proof of their innocence by offering names of other children they have been around or character witnesses who they know would never believe such a thing. The next legal move is to get everything from the victim interview, exam and the accused interview to the prosecutor. The prosecutor will then want to visit with the victim, explain the process, many times let the parents know right from the beginning that they will do everything in the power of the law to get a conviction; however, because of shows like CSI and Law &Order many jury’s find it hard to convict a sex offender when it is their word against a child’s. Of course no parent would be willing to give up that easily and want to pursue in the conviction, the next move is to take the evidence in front of the grand jury. When and if the grand jury decides to proceed, it is at that time an arrest and a bail is set. Keep in mind from start the child coming forward to the grand jury decision the time frame is 3-6 months. Once the arrest is made there are pretrial’s and motions that will last at least 6 months to a year, parents who can’t take much more are usually left with 2 option, allow for plea deal of time served or the accused does not have to be on the sex offender registry, or they can drop the charges and move on. As time moves forward if the victim and parents can hang on, when the trial approaches they get to listen to accusation of what is going to said to their child, and possibly what they will be accused of. The days of leading up to the trial will offer many plea offers, rejections, just a complete emotional roller coaster at which time the trial will begin.

In conclusion to convict a sex offender it is no easy task, nor is it a quick one. In total 1-2 years is normal to gain a conviction, if a family is lucky when the arrest is made the accused sex offender may not be able to make bond, leaving them in jail until after they are convicted. Of course that is if the jury selected actually convicts the accused, remember a victim that has been through counseling for over a year is not going to appear as traumatized as one that was just molested

And again, for the umpteenth time, the problem is KNOWN sex offenders, many of which have admitted what they did, being shuffled around and protected by their superiors until the RCC was FORCED to deal with this when the bad publicity offered them no options.

THAT’S the travesty.

Likely if the molesting priest and culpable covering up hierarchy hadn’t given people reason to make false accusations, there wouldn’t be any and I really don’t believe that there are all that many false accusations against priests. They are held in too high regard by the laity.

The thought of impropriety of that kind by a priest or nun NEVER entered my mind as a Catholic. I find it hard to believe that a child would make up that kind of accusation against a priest of all people, even if they knew what sex was. Even a child has the fear of priests and their ability to retain their sins and condemn them ingrained into them and even a child is more than capable of realizing that when it’s a he said/she said situation between an adult and a child, the adult will be believed by default.

A child coming forth with details that no child should know should be taken seriously.

Cronos...I don’t care that the man’s life was ruined in his eyes....he can recover and will. But you thinking accusations should be kept quiet certainly attests to the catholic way of going about their business in dealing with it.

What evidence would you think should be required? Authorities already have difficulty gettin grwon woman to agree to a physical exam let alone a child’s parent agreeing to that.

Bottom line you work with kids these days you better be steller in you’re approach and the time with and where...anthing other than this and you leave yourself wide open for false accusations.

Your right...getting off track here about other than KNOWN...but it still remains a scarey thing for those unknown....

As for Priests....as I see it most of them knew or were themsleves participants...or part of the coverups...it’s not like the Priesthood wasn’t aware they were a magnet for homosexuals and pediphiles....talk to many who went to seminary...you could feel it in the air as one fellow shared....and left because of it.

I can see why when these are made known within a church and it’s membership it hits like a bullit to their very hearts. Shell shocked for a time I would think...I was more than stunned when these kept on coming..the number of cases and then the number of childdren..it ‘s been overwhelming.

I also think it’s very difficult to get ones head around the fact a “holy man”, one who represents Christ in the catholic faith especially..turns out to be a sexual preditor....and gone after the children and young boys no less. Although I’ve read some convictions of the victims as young as one year old and toddlers no less.

Remember that I said investigate, but bear in mind the person's reputation.

if tomorrow someone said "caww robbed her company of a few thousand dollars" that would be an accusation. If proven false, you would have recourse to libel and more importantly this would be only prosecuted if there was actual evidence

Similarly if someone says "caww molested someone", there should be evidence, not hearsay. If that person says it, the police SHOULD investigate, but only prosecute if there is evidence

What evidence would you think should be required? Authorities already have difficulty gettin grwon woman to agree to a physical exam let alone a child’s parent agreeing to that.

Quite frankly I don't know what would be the evidence required, but I know it cannot be just one person accusing another of something.

In the case I cited and also in others, the person's life is destroyed in public on a verbal allegation -- for anything else that would be checked by the potential for libel, but here you say "guilty until proven innocent."?

i repeat -- just as in any other legal matter, innocent until proven guilty. ONCE proven guilty then fry the scum.

caww: Bottom line you work with kids these days you better be steller in you’re approach and the time with and where...anthing other than this and you leave yourself wide open for false accusations

There's no evidence that this man was anything but "stellar in his approach" -- verbal, baseless accusations can hit anyone, even the most stellar. All that is needed, as you said is a verbal statement.

as you said it is guilty until proven innocent and "The man can always pick up and move to another area and start over again of he determines that’s his best course." -- the latter of which is false, no one can start again -- the baseless accusation will stick for life and the (wo)man will be haunted by the idea that people would accuse him/her of something so horrible.

The days of leading up to the trial will offer many plea offers, rejections, just a complete emotional roller coaster at which time the trial will begin.

yes, if there was a molestation then this is an emotional roller coaster for the child and the woman or man should fry for it.

if, however, this is no more than an accusation with no proof, then it is an emotional rollercoaster for the person accused and what is worse is that EVEN if proven innocent beyond doubt, even if, as in this case, the accuser withdraws the accusation, the muck remains, the person's reputation and life is destroyed -- they cannot "move away and pick it up again" as you state.

Tomorrow someone could accuse you or anyone of molestation with no evidence. Whether proven innocent, the stigma will remain, your life is destroyed, no matter how "stellar" you are.

I said I didn't’’t care if the man saw his life in that way...and I don't..he'll recover which is more than can be said for a child had he been proved guilty...and I'm not convinced that's not the case regardless how it's been reported. Something had to have been out of line to even get the police to take it as far as they did and then to actual court....So I don't buy about those who aren't guilty...there are few cases of that.

As for the “stigma” a man might let grow for the ordeal....well again...move to another area...start over and get on with life...if He's a Christian he'll know how to go about that...if He's walking with the Lord then his steps will be marked.

Additionally...society is what it is today...a mess...and there are few if ever any considerations given to if or not someone is innocent before proved guilty....and it's is reversed to day in the minds of people...you do have to prove your innocence...we've seen that time and time again. It's the reality we live in...you better watch what you say and do because no one else is going to watch out for you.

Perhaps if the falsely accused priests is such an issue, someone- anyone Catholic really, could provide us with the stats showing the number of false accusations that have been made against priests.

From everything I’ve read, the number of priests who are actually guilty of molesting is staggering both in number and scope, almost no area of the world has escaped it.

Let’s see the stats on those falsely accused.

Yes the man can move on with life...unless he chooses to let the episode eat it up.

None of us forgets the wrongful judgements made against us unfairly in life...but we do move on..life is going to bring them no matter how clean living you are. In fact expect it. I’ve had my share from people in the workplace to drivers giving me the bird when they thought I was in the way. I’ve been thru the court system on a property dispute which I lost for the politics in the community and who knew who better than I. Fair no...humiliating yes. Felt it and moved on...and we all must..but we don’t forget either.

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