All converts have a few telltale signs that they’re interested in conversion. Some of these are in mannerisms they pick up, others are in things they say. These signs always show some sense of readiness to be Catholic, even a sense of “secretly wanting to be.” The Catholic Church provides a myriad of ways to grow closer to God.
1. They ask, “Who is the Saint of…?”
It’s always a good day when your non-Catholic friends finally understand that we do not worship or pray to the saints. I have met a lot of converts that say that through studying the saints they decided to join the Catholic Church. I have even heard some Cradle Catholics say they use the saints to teach their kids about the Church. Catholic saints are an example for all of us and the devotion they had for their faith is something that every single one of us should admire and strive for. It’s true there is a saint for just about everything. It’s in finding out how they became a saint that we learn about faith and being Christ-like.
2. Your friends defend your Catholic faith to their Protestant friends.
I don’t always defend the faith of my Catholic friends…
But when I do, I make sure to let my Catholic friends know I am their Protestant hero.
3. They ask to read one of your Scott Hahn books
It could be argued that Scott Hahn is the most well known modern day Catholic convert. The man is brilliant. Our infinite collection of Scott Hahn books has caught the eye of more than one of our Protestant friends. “Who is Scott Hahn?” they might ask. Now you have their attention. Once you explain to them that he was a Presbyterian pastor turned Catholic convert, people tend to want to know more. Everyone should have a copy of Rome Sweet Home in their house…just in case.
4. When your friend says, “I only really drink with my Catholic friends”
Not that Catholics are alcoholics, but we do like to put away a few drinks when we get together. When we break bread, we also make sure to pour a little wine to wash it down. Come hang out with us. Nobody will judge you here.
5. Their radio is often set to a Catholic apologetics show
You know that guy. The one that started out listening to Catholic radio so he could debate everything he hears. He can’t help wanting to know more about the thing he has been told to stay away from. Then, the more he listens, the more he starts to nod his head in agreement. He starts to realize he is listening to the truth. All the mysteries about Christianity and the Catholic faith are slowly revealed. Catholic radio is just another path into the Church.
6. They begin to talk about Mary differently, that is, more
Mary is the most painted female in history. It’s no wonder that all people are universally drawn to her as our mother, being that she is our universal Mother. How could we not want to know more about the woman who birthed and raised Jesus? She is the perfect example of motherhood. Jesus actually tells us she is our mother.
But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household. (John 19:25-27, NASB)
7. They are very interested in practicing NFP
Natural Family Planning!! It doesn’t get any more Catholic [or pro-life for that matter], than practicing NFP. My path to becoming a Catholic convert began with the Church’s stance on contraception and growing families. God’s plan for the Christian family is to be fruitful and multiply. As a society, we need to take our faith out of the hands contraception and put our faith back into God and his plan for our families. Practicing NFP is not the be all end all of being a good Catholic, but I would encourage any Christian that is using contraception to consider looking into NFP.
8. They just can’t stop asking about the Eucharist
There is something inside us all that draws us to be one with Christ. The only way to get there is through the Eucharist. Explaining to people the miracle and mystery involved with the Eucharist and that we believe we are consuming the actual body and blood of Christ can raise a lot of questions. “I thought he said just to do this in remembrance?” “Whoa, you really think you are eating a person!?” “Why can’t I take the Eucharist here like I can at my own church?” John 6 in the Bible…we think that Jesus really meant what He said.
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I’m a convert and I can relate to many of these!!!
I based a lot of it on the wife and I.
You know us Catholics, wherever there are four Catholics, there’s a fifth!
Oh, but Catholics most certainly DO worship the saints! The saints are due worship because they are the friends of God. God is due not worship, but sacrifice! Catholics give the saints worship but God gets our sacrifice, courtesy Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Great Liturgos who offers Himself as a perfect sacrifice to His Heavenly Father.
The Protestants, rejecting the sacrificial nature of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, ended up having to fall back on the framework of worship to make sense of human’s duty to our Creator.
Here is Orestes Brownson laying it out:
https://archive.org/stream/worksorestesabr07browgoog#page/n128/mode/2up
This is an important correction, but I think an imprecise one. We certainly do worship saints, but only in the older sense of the word. Historically to worship was give fitting honour to someone or something. American English has blurred this distinction more than in other places. An easy example is found in addressing a judge: in America you would probably say, “your honour,” while in England you might call the judge, “your worship.”
The more common term these days is veneration. To venerate saints now has largely the same meaning as the more archaic sort of worshiping them. Of course this means that we of course do worship God as well.
Sacrifice is an intrinsic part of that worship, and it’s a shame that Protestantism largely misses the true sacrificial nature of the Mass, as you point out, but I think the distinction you’re probably going for, at least semantically, is actually between worship and adoration. Adoration is that sort of worship reserved for God alone, though this term has become somewhat muddied too. How often do you hear someone exclaim that they, “adore kittens,” or some like? Used literally and properly, though, adoration is the proper worship of God.
One other thing to note (for the original post, not ColdStanding) is that we Catholics do in fact pray to saints as well. A very easy example comes from a couple weeks ago on All Saints’ you may have heard the Litany of the Saints (this frequently shows up on Easter too). After the first few lines, which are directed to God, the Litany addresses Saint Mary (under several titles), the Archangels by names, the other Angels and blessed spirits generally, Sts. John the Baptist, Joseph, the patriarchs, prophets, Peter, Paul, Andrew, James, John, and a, well, litany of others. After each, we pray to them to “pray for us.” Praying to Saints is implicit in their canonisation process. In many churches you’ll find kneeled for the statues or icons of Saints (though there’s no reason not to pray to God on these). One of the most common Catholic prayers (by numbers alone, thanks to the Rosary) is the Ave Maria, which, of course, is a prayer to St. Mary. And there are many other examples.
Responding to Protestant objections to doing so can (and has) filled many pages, but very briefly, we don’t believe that the Saints hear prayers by their own powers, nor that they are usurping any office rightly belonging to God. God permits them to hear prayers, and any mediatorship of the Saints is wholly subsidiary to and dependant upon that of Christ.
The original post is certainly correct in noting that the Saints serve as good examples to us, but they can also hear our prayers and intercede for us. Just as we pray for those in the other pews, and ask them to pray for us, so to can we ask those holy men and women who have gone before us to do the same.
I thank you and would have posted a response of similar length and vein, however, as the late Mr. Brownson, may he rest in peace, most ably address the points you raise and much more, I thought a link to his book sufficed. He is worth reading in this instance (and most others!) because he has turned many a Catholic’s tacit agreement with the Protestant charge on its ear by not merely refuting the charge of worshipping the saints but positively embracing it by instructing the ignorant in the true Catholic understanding of the matter.
thanks for putting this together… and those gifs are all brilliant… (had to wipe my eyes a couple of times in between laughter and emotion!)
I like the video of Colbert. Is he considering converting to the Catholic faith?
He is Catholic.
You need to add something about reading Chesterton 🙂
Mine keep telling me to go to confession. I wonder why and suggest they may like to go to talk to the priest in the confession but they don’t seem to want to ACTUALLY go
I think one important fact is missing if a Protestant wants to sell his birthright and become Catholic, and that is the attitude of present day Catholics. Many display animus towards Protestants and appear condescending and superior. This is a huge negative in influencing people. Their attitude of the “one true Church” and the “fullness of truth” exists only in the Roman Catholic Church is abrasive. There would be a few more who are interested in joining if more humility were shown.
Cliff
Actually, conservative Anglicans would share many of these things (*especially* the Eucharist!). We’re Catholics too, just not Roman (says the Franciscan alum with a degree in philosophy and theology, whose thesis supervisor was Scott Hahn). 🙂 I know my RC brothers and sisters disagree with me here, and why. But I find that in most cases, the Anglican tradition comes out grossly misunderstood and underestimated, and I need to put in a good word. It’s not just the catch-all for people that haven’t found Rome yet or are Rome-bound. It too makes claim to the Great Catholic Tradition that is the birthright of all baptized Catholics, though we often (but not mostly) disagree with you over interpretation of that Tradition. Often people assume that if I’m not RC, I must not know much about Rome’s faith. Yet I have deeply considered — been open to — Rome’s teaching and even greatly benefited from much of it, and still I’ve come out convicted that the Catholic Church is not restricted to Rome. Look, this girl has two CCC editions among her RC arsenal. 🙂 I am an Anglican by the leading of God: this is where my Catholic faith is sheltered and continues to grow. Yet I will defend my beloved RC brothers and sisters against misconceptions any day, and I proudly call Franciscan my alma mater! I love many things about Rome (and the East, and the ACNA) — yet I continue to pray for more perfect unity among us.
But Noelle, there have historically long been different Catholic Churches, with their own rites and liturgies – but all in communion with each other for they all share the same, original obedience to the Bishop of Rome. That’s why we call ourselves Catholics – it’s outsiders who insist on qualifying us as Roman Catholics. No way that Anglicans are Catholic in faith: it emerged disgracefully from Tudor politics, it threw off the authority of the Church, it rejected sacraments, slaughtered holy priests … Later, thank God, such extreme views were moderated and in some Anglican quarters there was even a re-embrace of the fullness of Catholic doctrine, but only in some. Its greatest exponent was John Henry Newman, and in the end he realised he could not remain at arm’s length from the true Church. It’s over time for you to accompany all that prayer with some humble action – you’ll wish you had years earlier. Because you may think you believe the same about the Eucharist: but I promise you, in your separated state you are not experiencing it the same. I speak as one who knew, and knows, both.