I get an absolute TON of e-mail every day, and there are so many interesting, uplifting, and even challenging messages to go through. I am sometimes approached for help, sometimes asked for guidance, sometimes attacked for my beliefs, sometimes accused of being anti-catholic (which you already know is not the case at all). And sometimes I receive simple, emotional, wonderful messages of thanks. Such is the case recently, and I thought I would share this very happy message with you:

“Thank you for posting your testimony here. God is using your story to
affect many lives. I came here as a Christian looking for more information
on Catholicism and how it differs from Christianity, so that I may share
it with my loved ones. I pray that God will work in their hearts as He did
in yours. Thank you once again.”

You’re very, very welcome.

It happens that at times when I talk to others about my catholic Christian journey, they sometimes try and categorize my message as a Christian vs catholic attack. I think some of that may be rooted in the fact that I spend a lot of time speaking to catholics directly about my transformation from catholic to christian, and I’m quite certain that they are immediately on the defensive because I’m telling them things that challenge their long-standing beliefs.

I know what they’re feeling, because remember that I was on the opposite end of that debate myself.

I have never, ever considered this online ministry to be a catholic vs. christian battle, but rather my intent is that perhaps through my story — as a former life-long catholic of 44 years — some who are currently a part of the church of Rome, a church which calls itself the catholic church, will begin to look at their church with a new perspective and will challenge the things this “religion” has taught them.

Unfortunately, catholics have generally been told that they are to strictly follow the teachings of the Roman church and to deviate from them would lead to dire consequences. I believe that it is this teaching, a teaching that prevents many practicing catholics from exploring the Holy Scriptures fully, which forms the basis of this impression that I’m setting up some sort of a Christian vs. catholic attack.

It isn’t true.

I know for certain that the vast majority of practicing catholics are sincere about their faith. I know this, because I was one for 44 years. I know for certain that the vast majority of lay people who have advanced into leadership positions within their parishes are sincere about their faith and their leadership roles. I know this, because I was one for nearly 30 years. I know that those in local parishes who teach others about the catholic religion are sincere as well, because I was one of those too, for many, many years.

So this isn’t a Christian vs catholic argument. My ministry, inspired by the Holy Spirit, isn’t set up to be a catholic vs. christian debate. In no way do I intend this to be a christian vs. catholic attack on another’s beliefs. Instead, I mean this to be a method for delivering my personal catholic to christian transformation story, and in the process of revealing my journey, I hope that others who are currently practicing catholics will take a step back and open themselves up to the fullness of God’s Word. If they do that, they will discover that God’s plan for salvation is a simple plan for salvation.

Remember, too often those who are members of the so-called catholic church believe that their religion should not be challenged. The Roman church has claimed for itself the sole right to “interpret” Holy Scriptures, and because of that many practicing catholics are simply too afraid or too accepting to compare the teachings of their church to the Word of God. The Holy Scriptures tell us that we should use the Scriptures to test what we are taught, not that we should accept without question what we are told and to be afraid to test it against the Word of God.

As you can probably imagine, I receive many, many e-mails a day. Dozens actually, perhaps as many as one hundred on a very busy day. Many of the e-mails I receive are encouraging, some talk about reading my catholic Christian conversion story and taking great joy in it, others detracting of my message, some saying that I am attacking the catholic church or that my message isn’t a Christian one or that catholicism is superior to my own faith.

Today I received an e-mail from someone who took the rather unusual approach of boasting to me about how much they know about the Bible, and how much more they know about it than I. It was clear that they were intent on acting superior to me, to prove through their claim exactly how much more they knew about Holy Scripture than I do (or my family did or does — combined, as a matter of fact):

“I know the Bible better than your or your parents or even your
grandparents ever did while they were Catholic. And I bet that
I still know it better than all of you combined now”.

Of course this person went on to attempt to lecture to me about what God REALLY meant in certain portions of the Word. Unfortunately for the e-mail’s author, they don’t realize exactly how truly lost they really are. Their statements made it abundantly clear that they do not have the Holy Spirit to guide them in the Scripture, a counselor that everyone who receives the Gift of Eternal Salvation has to help them understand the Word, as He promised us:

John 14:26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

What this assurance means to all of us who have received Eternal Life is that we (you or I) don’t have to worry about being as learned about the Holy Scripture as some, like the e-mailer above likes to believe — and publicly boast — that they are. God our Father in Heaven knows that we all need help to understand His Word, and what better way for us to understand it than for Him to sit beside us as we read the Holy Scripture and to impart unto us, one at a time, the full meaning and power of His Holy Word?

This person’s boast of Bible knowledge reminds me of a very poignant passage from Matthew…

Matthew 13

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Remember that in Jesus’ day there were many people who were supposedly much more “knowledgeable” about what was written, yet they were incredibly ignorant about the Truth of God. Their Savior stood right there before them, in the flesh, yet they were unable to see it (”because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, nether do they understand).

Just like the e-mail author who pridefully boasted about how much they “know” about the Bible, yet despite all of their “knowing” they do not understand.

Jesus Himself spoke to the common people, He surrounded Himself with followers who believed in Him and placed their Trust in Him Alone for their Salvation and did not attempt to preach to others by lecturing them about how much more they knew about what was written. And when Jesus left us on earth, He left behind for us the Holy Spirit that we may fully understand everything about God’s Word without having to spend our entire lives intently studying every single passage of Scripture.

We are very, very fortunate to have this counsel once we have the Gift of Eternal Life.

My Christian catholic story, which you may read here if you haven’t done so as yet, is my humble exposition of how I made the journey from catholic to Christian. How I was led from the darkness into God’s Wonderful light. I, like the e-mail author who boasted to me about their knowledge of the Scripture, thought that I knew a lot — remember that I even taught the catholic faith as an instructor in the RCIA program — but I never really knew the Holy Scripture, I never really KNEW Him, until I put aside the false teachings that I had received throughout my entire life and allowed myself to Trust in Christ Alone.

This part is something that is very important, and something I only learned once I’d received the Gift of Eternal Salvation: He will fill us with the fullness of His Word, but in order to be filled, we must first be emptied. Until we empty ourselves of the false teachings that obscure His Word and its meaning, we can never truly be filled.

Here’s another very nice e-mail from someone who has put aside the teachings of the false church in order to become a part of the TRUE Church, which is the Body of Christ. The most uplifting part of his message is:

“Praise the LORD for coming up with such truths.”

I’m very joyful that this person read my catholic Christian transformation story. Praise and glory to God.

I received a wonderful e-mail from a gentleman who found this Web site and was very happy to read my story. He had left the catholic church many years ago, and my story confirmed for him that leaving the church of Rome was, indeed, the right thing to do. As we all know, the Roman church is not Christ’s church, and many of its teachings are completely contrary to the Holy Scripture and the absolute Word of God. I won’t share the entire e-mail, but I will share his closing statement:

“I experienced a huge feeling of relief after reading your story and thank you for taking the trouble to share your experiences.”

I thank God that my story is comfort to those who have had the courage to break away from the oppressive teachings of the false church.