Posted on 10/08/2014 11:39:09 AM PDT by NKP_Vet
Why would intelligent, successful people give up their careers, alienate their friends, and cause havoc in their families...to become Catholic? Indeed, why would anyone become Catholic?
As an evangelist and author who recently threw my own life into some turmoil by deciding to enter the Catholic Church, I've faced this question a lot lately. That is one reason I decided to make this documentary; it's part of my attempt to try to explain to those closest to me why I would do such a crazy thing.
Convinced isn't just about me, though. The film is built around interviews with some of the most articulate and compelling Catholic converts in our culture today, including Scott Hahn, Francis Beckwith, Taylor Marshall, Holly Ordway, Abby Johnson, Jeff Cavins, Devin Rose, Matthew Leonard, Mark Regnerus, Jason Stellman, John Bergsma, Christian Smith, Kevin Vost, David Currie, Richard Cole, and Kenneth Howell. It also contains special appearances by experts in the field of conversion such as Patrick Madrid and Donald Asci.
Ultimately, this is a story about finding truth, beauty, and fulfillment in an unexpected place, and then sacrificing to grab on to it. I think it will entertain and inspire you, and perhaps even give you a fresh perspective on an old faith.
(Excerpt) Read more at indiegogo.com ...
My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum,
et exsultávit spíritus meus
in Deo salvatóre meo,
quia respéxit humilitátem
ancíllæ suæ.
Ecce enim ex hoc beátam
me dicent omnes generatiónes,
quia fecit mihi magna,
qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericórdia eius in progénies
et progénies timéntibus eum.
Fecit poténtiam in bráchio suo,
dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui;
depósuit poténtes de sede
et exaltávit húmiles.
Esuriéntes implévit bonis
et dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum,
recordátus misericórdiæ,
sicut locútus est ad patres nostros,
Ábraham et sémini eius in sæcula.
Glória Patri et Fílio
et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio,
et nunc et semper,
et in sæcula sæculórum.
Amen.
She became the Mother of God, in which work so many and such great good things are bestowed on her as pass man’s understanding. For on this there follows all honor, all blessedness, and her unique place in the whole of mankind, among which she has no equal, namely, that she had a child by the Father in heaven, and such a Child . . . Hence men have crowded all her glory into a single word, calling her the Mother of God . . . None can say of her nor announce to her greater things, even though he had as many tongues as the earth possesses flowers and blades of grass: the sky, stars; and the sea, grains of sand. It needs to be pondered in the heart what it means to be the Mother of God.
(Commentary on the Magnificat, 1521; in Luther’s Works, Pelikan et al, vol. 21, 326)
There is no such thing as a “cult” wanting credit for anything. Facts are facts. The Catholic Church has been around for 2,000 years. Same church, same doctrine. The only Christian churches are the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which share the same sacraments, and can trace their lineage to the apostles. Protestant faiths are breakaway sects that left the Catholic Church 1500 years after Christ stated ONE CHURCH, which is the Catholic Church. Protestant faiths do not share the same sacraments and their claim to apostolic succession ended when they broke away from the Catholic Church.
Got it. Anything in the Holy Bible to back all that up? I mean, to be convincing to a non-RC, wouldn't it be good to hear such an important part of theology from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself?
Sure.
The doctrine of the communion of saints was taught by the apostles, both in the Scriptures and the Tradition they handed down in words and practice. It is explicitly contained in the Apostles’ Creed. The Church reaffirmed this teaching at the Second Council of Nicea (787) and further addressed it at the Councils of Florence (1438–45), Trent (1545–63), and Vatican II (1962–65).
This communion refers to the bond of unity among the followers of Christ. Such a bond is possible because, as believers in Christ, we become children of God (1 Jn. 3:1), members of His family (Rom. 8:14–17), with divine life bestowed on us through Baptism (Jn. 3:3–5). The apostles teach us that through Baptism we become “fellow heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17) and “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4). Saint Paul states that this union of the faithful, brought about by the Holy Spirit in Baptism, is so complete that we are actually members of a single body, Christ’s own body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12–27).
The communion of saints is based on four essential points:
All Christians are members of Christ’s body and one another (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:27).
Jesus has only one body (Eph. 4:4; Col. 3:15).
Death cannot separate Christians from Christ or from one another (Rom. 8:35–39; cf. Lk. 20:37–38).
Christians are bound in mutual love (Jn. 13:34–35; Rom. 12:10).
Suprenant, L. J., Jr., & Gray, P. C. L. (1999). Faith Facts: Answers to Catholic Questions (Vol. 1, pp. 33–34). Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road Publishing.
Over the past few years, I have read a lot about The Catholic religion and have come to that conclusion, too. I do not understand why no Biblical verses were used on that Catholic site I was on earlier. It was all from edicts, etc.
Clarity, my foot. They do not back up anything they say. At least, Protestants use Bible verses to back up what they write on here.
No. This is what I mean:
CCC 1864 "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.
The solas have absolved protestants of the necessity of repentance and therefore reject the Holy Spirit.
No.
I believe when I leave this body, I will be with Jesus in the spirit. I believe that one day Jesus will return in accordance with the Revelation Jesus gave to John.
I believe Jesus will cast Satan and all who follow him into the lake of fire.
I believe Heaven and Earth will pass away and we will inhabit the new Heaven and New Earth as He promised in Rev 21.
All of these beliefs are supported by God's Words.
Why do Catholics cling to pagan goddess worship and diabolical desecration of the dead?
Why do Catholics believe they must be made to suffer in a celestial torture chamber before they are "good enough" to enter God's presence by their own merit?
The issue being discussed was charity, and not clarity. But in answer to your objection, as I've said before, sola scriptura is a protestant problem. I, nor any other Catholic is bound by it.
I’m so glad to see you finally admit that.
Good for you!
**The solas have absolved protestants of the necessity of repentance and therefore reject the Holy Spirit.**
Please demonstrate where we have done that.
Celestial torture chamber. Thanks for making my point. Cul-de-sac. God's mercy is greater than protestants give Him credit for. God in a box.
Sure. The relativistic nature of sola scriptura has robbed the protestant ecclesial community of the authority to command repentance. Unfortunately it's not good enough to say, "I don't know about those folks down the street but we get it right!"
That accusation is quite a stretch, even for pagan-Catholics!
We strive to worship and obey Jesus.
We don't chase after demons disguised as angels of light or pagan goddess figures.
We don't desecrate dead bodys nor kiss decayed, rotting corpses in vain necromantic attempts to cultivate favor with the dead.
We remember that (John 1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
We do not “worship” a “book.” We love our Lord and we read His word to know Him.
Catholics don't understand this because they choose not to hear Him. They attack any who endeavor to follow Him and instead attempt to drag believers away from Him and into their detestable practices.
Your faulty logic doesn’t make it so.
That's because of the inevitable hang-up protestants have with the RCC as some sort of "elitist organization with external trappings." Which, if they were honest is born out of a secular thought process and really has nothing to do with the Christian faith. What we are discussing here are the mysteries of the Faith. It requires a different mindset.
The other part of your response had to do with the minutes from convention meetings of men (traditional). Perhaps a woman or two, but I wasn't there to see.
And this comment is indicative of the gnosis inherent in Protestantism. The rejection of the body and of matter.
But in fact the girlsbarking singing at this mass were singing popular music often heard
Off topic, but am I the only one annoyed with much (not all) of contemporary Christian music?
I serve Jesus; He is the King of kings, He is my Savior, He is my Lord, He is my ultimate Commander.
I want to serve Him and be his Soldier. Much of today’s Christian music sounds like the singers want to be Jesus’ “girlfriend,” even when the singer is a guy!
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