Personal Testimonials by RCIA participants at Corpus Christi
Judith Kenny - email her
When I arrived in the United States from England in 1992, I really had no idea how much my life was about to change. I had a new husband, a new home, and obviously a whole new adventure was about to unfold, yet I don’t think I could ever have envisaged the enormity and the significance of the changes that God had planned for me.
I was baptized in the Church of England and, although we weren’t a “church-going” family, I believe my parents instilled in me good moral and family values. My religion had always been something within me, something I could draw on for strength and comfort, but not something I chose to express externally.
So when I met my husband Tom, who was raised in a Catholic household where God was very much a part of everyday living, it was a refreshing change to find someone with such a strong faith and the willingness to express that faith outwardly.
During my first few weeks in America, Tom would get up on Sunday mornings and go to church alone, and after about a month or so my curiosity began to get the better of me. When I asked if I could join him one Sunday he was delighted – surprised! – but delighted, and so I attended my first Catholic mass, and my new relationship with God began.
In 1993, after many months of traveling with Tom’s job, we settled in Connecticut and found a wonderful lively parish where we were able to put down roots and become part of the community. I loved the sense of family it gave us, and the purpose it gave to our lives. But despite this, I still felt something was lacking by not being able to participate fully in the Mass – I always hated being the only one left in the pew when everyone else went up for Communion! By now I was committed in every way to the Catholic Church, so it was really a natural progression to take the next step and convert to Catholicism – not for Tom or Tom’s family but for myself.
My renewed faith in Christ and my conversion to the Catholic Church, through the RCIA process, was truly an enlightening experience for me. It was not something that happened overnight and I didn’t experience any sudden revelations; it occurred over a period of time, like someone slowly drawing back a curtain to reveal a beautiful view. I believe it has strengthened our marriage considerably as a result, helping us through the tough times, and enabling both Tom and I to experience a closer relationship with each other and with God.
In the ten years since my conversion we have been blessed with three beautiful children. If I needed one concrete reason for becoming Catholic, they are it. Our Catholic faith is the glue that holds our family together in this crazy world. This year my seven-year old twins will prepare to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion – two of the most precious sacraments available to us in the Catholic Church – and I’m proud to have personal experience of the great joy of what they are about to undertake.
This is my story, and I hope for some of you here today, it could be the beginning of yours.
Chris:
I am a convert from the Protestant faith with a strong and devout belief in Jesus Christ and a lengthy family background in the Methodist Church. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a Methodist minister for 60 years and my grandparents on my father’s side were devout missionaries, Gideon’s, and followers of the protestant faith (Methodist and Baptist). I was raised in the Methodist Church, to include baptism and confirmation, and was never exposed to other facets of Christianity until I met my wife Kelly at age 20. I never noticed any fundamental differences in our religious beliefs while we were courting, and I never considered it a barrier as our relationship grew.
Through my college years and first few years in the Air Force I lost my focus on Jesus Christ and wandered about spiritually but always maintained my faith. My relationship with the Lord was personal and I did not celebrate in the Church for several years. My calling to the Catholic faith began when I returned home from Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1991 and asked Kelly to be my wife. Through making our wedding arrangements, I was formally introduced to the Catholic Church, as we had to go through premarital classes in preparation for the sacrament of marriage. I had no idea at the time what a special process this was, and I blindly followed to “fill the square.” After our marriage, and for the past 11 years, I attended mass with Kelly and grew to appreciate and understand the Catholic faith through the eyes of a bystander. I always had questions and never fully understood the process of the Mass, but I took in the gospel and following explanations in the homilies. The greatest alienation I felt was during the preparation for the Eucharist and the process of communion. I wanted to participate at the Lord’s Table so badly, but instead I sat and watched all of the parishioners feed their soul. It was hard for me to understand why I could receive communion in one facet of Christianity, but not in the Catholic Church. The answers to my questions were on the horizon.
Kelly and I received a miracle x 3 in May of 2000 when we had our triplets. Adam, Megan, and Lauren were a gift that we credit to grace from God. Through our trials and tribulations of raising our family, we know that we are not alone and that we would not be given such an unbelievable gift that we could not handle. In order to maintain the unity of our family, I decided to separate from the Air Force after 13 years of active duty. That move brought us to Sandwich and Corpus Christy. Through months of getting settled and struggling to make it to mass with 3 toddlers, I was approached by Father John one Sunday and invited to participate in the RCIA program. That was a defining moment as I felt like my family, faith and a sense of home were all coming together. After nearly 12 years, I was ready to make the leap of faith and begin the process of becoming a member of the Catholic Church.
At the beginning of the RCIA program I had a lot of questions about all of the things I had observed in the Catholic Church through my years as a ‘guest.’ However, as the weeks passed, it seems that my reservations and questions were being remarkably answered through the fellowship of our group and through the presentations by our catechists. I embraced the answers I was learning and I did not find anything that threatened or contradicted my existing beliefs that I held close. The most important lesson was the one that I had wanted answered the most over the last 12 years. What was the mystery of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church that separated me from communion for so long? The real answer made so much sense. The actual body and blood of Christ transformed through the Holy Spirit. It is not a symbol, that’s the difference. Upon completing the RCIA program and being confirmed at the Easter Vigil, I was made to feel one again with my family and my faith. I will continue to learn and pursue the mysteries of faith, and becoming a member of the Catholic Church has given me the home I have been searching for.
I was born into a family with a strong Protestant tradition that had produced clergy in both the Methodist and Baptist faiths. As a child I was encouraged to follow the ritual of Sunday school, church, and eventually confirmation as a Methodist. But shortly thereafter I allowed the distractions of high school, college, and the decade that followed to draw me away from the church and any formal religious practice. Throughout those times there had always been Catholic friends and members of the family, and I formed opinions about that faith recognizing many similarities and an emphasis on ritual and the actions of its members.
I was fortunate to marry a wonderful Catholic woman from a remarkable Catholic family, and along with the gentle influence of Catholic friends, I began to see the Church as possessing a legitimacy and embodying a philosophy that, I began to realize, was consistent with my own growing personal beliefs in how man should relate to God and Jesus Christ. After the birth of our daughter, my wife and I made church attendance a regular occurrence, both agreeing on the importance of that influence. I went to Mass for years, a member of the “Seated Laity”, soaking up the words and the ritual and wondering what those receiving communion were experiencing. I knew nothing about the process or requirements for conversion, but at some point I began wondering about being a Catholic. I began reading and learning about the faith and culture of Catholicism, testing myself for how “right” it would feel to be one - and more and more it felt “Right”. It was at that point, at that Sunday’s Mass, that Ed Langley spoke to everyone and described his own conversion experience and talked about the RCIA process, and I knew the time was right. Still, I entered RCIA with uncertainties and a Protestant’s skepticism about many things in the church I barely understood. Throughout the process I read a lot, talked a lot, formed opinions, dashed them, and reformed them again. As the months went by I discovered that many of the questions and concerns about Catholicism that I’d had at the beginning of RCIA seemed less important, less relevant, and were being replaced by different priorities. Doctrine and practices that I had initially been skeptical of, or even subtly hostile to, I now saw as another part of the Church’s richness that was becoming so valuable and had always been so appealing. The many months in RCIA also took me away from the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which made me realize how much I’d come to appreciate it, even as an observer.
When I finally received communion at the Easter Vigil and was able to fully participate in the Mass, it was like being made whole. It was, and remains, a profound and continuing experience, an honor and a reward and a mystery that I look forward to exploring my whole life.
Chris Logan
My name is Chris Logan. My family and I have been parishioners of Corpus Christi for two years. I am up here to tell you about the RCIA program; the program by which adults become full participants in the Catholic faith. Actually, my real audience is those of you who are NOT Catholic. I was in your position not too many years ago. I was initiated into the Catholic Church over six years ago. I was never LOOKING to become Catholic. But I cannot say that it just HAPPENED to me. As with many people, I did so for my wife and family. If you are thinking about becoming Catholic, or want to join in faith with your family or you feel that the faiths that you have practiced in the past have left you empty, then I am here to tell you that this church is for you. Becoming a Catholic was a step that I have NEVER regretted, but was still a difficult step to take.
Growing up, my family was Protestant and attended a variety of Protestant churches. Throughout my youth, I was involved in the Baptist, Lutheran, Assemblies of God and Methodist churches. These were certainly Bible-reading and God-fearing folks who loved the Lord. I’m here to tell you that what those faiths are missing is what you will find in this one. I have found out that you cannot find the Lord by reading your Bible ONLY. The sacramental life of this faith is the difference that has meant the most to me.
Let me explain what I mean by this. Even after my initiation into the faith, I continue to sin and am in need of forgiveness. Before joining the faith, I sought this forgiveness through personal prayer to the Lord. What always concerned me during those times was how to know that I was forgiven. For most of us, certainly myself, I didn’t hear the Lord’s voice during prayer.
With no response to my prayer for forgiveness, knowing that I was forgiven was an act of my mind. But the Catholic faith provides the sacrament of penance, also known as confession, which was founded by the Lord himself. This is a wonderful way to unburden ourselves from our sins by confession them to the Lord through a priest.
What has made the biggest difference to me is the Eucharist which means thanksgiving, or commonly called communion. Since the taking of communion was purely symbolic for me before joining the faith, its meaning and mystery was too remote and obscure. But in this faith, we believe that our Lord is in the bread and wine. Don’t miss the significance of this fact. The Lord said that HE would be in us and WE would be in him. The Eucharist has made this real in the world, and the Lord is among us when we celebrate it. Speaking as a former Protestant, I was NEVER closer to the Lord until I celebrated the Eucharist with him.
Perhaps you’ve thought about joining our faith, or maybe you haven’t thought about it before today. Or maybe you know someone that you want to join our faith, like a spouse or a relative or a friend. Please do not wait to take the next step. Do not wait until you feel FOR SURE that you are ready. You are ready NOW. The Lord has been ready for you FOREVER. He has called ALL of us to him. We only need to answer His call.