Megachurch pastor stuns congregation by announcing he’s converting to Catholicism

The Deacon's Bench ^ | March 10, 2014 | Deacon Greg Kandra

[NYer]

Details:

During his Sunday morning service, Ulf Ekman announced the he and his wife, Birgitta, are converting to Roman Catholicism.

Ekman is the founder of Word of Life, a megachurch in Uppsala, Sweden. News reports and blogs coming out of the nation reveal congregation was “partially stunned” after hearing what was packaged as a “special announcement.” The theme was “follow the Lamb wherever He goes.”

“For Birgitta and me, this has been a slow process where we have gone from discovering new things, to appreciating what we have discovered, to approach and even learn from our fellow Christians,” Ekman says on his ministry website.

“We have seen a great love for Jesus and a sound theology, founded on the Bible and classic dogma. We have experienced the richness of sacramental life. We have seen the logic in having a solid structure for priesthood, that keeps the faith of the church and passes it on from one generation to the next. We have met an ethical and moral strength and consistency that dare to face up to the general opinion, and a kindness towards the poor and the weak. And, last but not least, we have come in contact with representatives for millions of charismatic Catholics and we have seen their living faith.”

According to the Alethia blog and think tank, Ekman’s conversion is a news story that affects a relatively large part of Swedish Christianity. Word of Life has about 3,000 members and a staff of 12 pastors. The church’s school has about 1,000 students. Ekman also launched Scandinavia’s largest Bible school, constructed Scandinavia’s largest free church building, and rolled out a media program with TV on all continents, recorded teaching that has been spread around the world, books in 60 languages, and a strong engagement for Israel.

“We have as many know, followed Ekman’s steps towards Roman Catholicism since 2007, at times under a lot of ridicule from both members and leadership of the congregation, but also from others within the Christian Community in Sweden,” writes Andreas Glandberger, who operates the think tank. “Based on Ulf Ekman’s various articles, sermons, statements, and even type of organizations he decided to support financially, a painstaking puzzle has been laid in which the last piece of the puzzle now is in place.”

Glandberger went on to say that “shock, anger, sadness, despair and confusion” among the reactions to the news. Others, he writes, were relieved that Ekman’s long love affair with the Catholic Church finally was consummated openly, which is also a help in theological discussions.

Continue reading.

[reaganaut]

That is what weak and bad theology gets you.

[Alex Murphy]

Checked out his website and doctrine. He just retired from his church. His church website has no doctrinal statement. His ministry is named after him. So you know he’s humble. Wiki indicates he is a Swedish version of Osteen. Money, material prosperity and health are high priorities.

Congrats, church of Rome. You caught a real trophy.

Nailed it in one!

[tioga]

And another Christian comes to the Catholic church. Hopefully, he will bring more with him.

[Arthur McGowan]

You are a bigot.

Protestant ministers have been molesting young people and children at a HIGHER rate than Catholic priests for many decades. Same with government school teachers.

And no one has instituted more strict, or effective, counter-measures that the Catholic Church in the U.S.

[Bulwyf]

There’s no weeping and gnashing of teeth, the bible says this would happen. It’s just sad to see it coming to pass.

[Gamecock]

Gnashing of teeth?

LOL!!! Our loss is our gain!

[spudville]

‘Glandberger went on to say that “shock, anger, sadness, despair and confusion” among the reactions to the news.’
If these folks have such faith in their church why do they get upset at this man finding his own way? Sounds rather self centered. Christians need to stop fighting among themselves and follow Jesus. Love thy neighbor as thyself this is the greatest commandment.

[Gamecock]

I suppose p
ublic humiliation coupled with multimillion dollar court judgements tends to cause the development of such policies.

[sagar]

“Protestant ministers have been molesting young people and children at a HIGHER rate than Catholic priests for many decades. “

Well, the counter argument is that there is no power structure protecting pedophile Protestant ministers. Protestants are far more individualistic than others, so their identity is not tied to their church affiliation and are in no hurry to protect criminals and perverts within their “ranks.”

Based on my observation, Catholics, Islamics, Jews, and Hindus see accusation of criminal behaviors within their ranks as assault on their entire faith. They are simply much more insecure. Protestants and Buddhists don’t give a sh#t.

[fishtank]

Sorry, a story like this proves nothing.

The main thing anyone needs to know about the church of Rome is that Paul’s LETTER to the ROMANS still applies .....

It is amazing how appropriate Romans was to the Romans, and how that letter STILL speak to Rome’s errors.

fishtank, born and raised RCC:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2327607/posts?page=13#13

“On my Catholic education:

8 years Catholic grade school

4 years Catholic high school

Weekly CCD classes by quite conservative Novus Ordo RCC priest

Parents subscribed to National Catholic Register, the Wanderer, Fidelity and The Remnant, and I read them while growing up.

I subscribed to Fidelity and Remnant in undergrad college and never stopped contending against modernism in the Catholic Church.”

[Arthur McGowan]

You are correct.

When billions of dollars are NOT at stake, the American bishops are as torpid as giant turtles.

The notorious homosexual, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, refuses to obey Canon Law when it comes to the reception of Communion by pro-abortion politicians. He lies, and says that he does not wish to “apply the penalty” of Denial of Communion.

But Denial of Communion is NOT a penalty. It is not, that is, something that a bishop has discretion about. Rather, it is MANDATED by the moral law and Canon Law.

Wuerl is NOT exercising legitimate discretion. Rather, he is SINNING. He is allowing scandal to continue. He is DISOBEYING Canon 915. He is NOT acting within his rights or authority as a bishop.

Wuerl is afraid, of course, that if he instructed his priest not to give Communion to pro-abortion politicians, Nancy Pelosi would give the signal to the press to destroy him. His notorious sexual activities would be splashed all over the front pages.

[Morgana]

This will make one interesting episode of “Journey Home”

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Welcome home, Ulf.

Thanks for posting.

[Campion]

You caught a real trophy.

Well, now he's not a trophy anymore, just a layman.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-— You are a bigot. -—

Sandals,dust, etc.

[Campion]

fishtank, born and raised RCC

Which, if you were part of the generation raised in the immediate aftermath of Vatican II, proves only that you are *absolutely and utterly* ignorant of real Catholicism. You got ZERO authentic Catholic catechesis by being "born and raised" anything, or going to "Catholic school" anything. I know; I lived it; I had to educate myself about my faith by *reading actual books on my own* as an adult.

[Chode]

is that a tv show?

[Morgana]

Yes on EWTN. Is about people who came home to the Catholic Church from other denominations or religions.

http://www.ewtn.com/tv/live/journeyhome.asp

[Chode]

i haven't had tv since 1999 so i don't know a lot of what's out there

[Morgana]

I watch past episodes on youtube. EWTN has their own channel there and you may watch that, Mother Angelica and more on it!