A Not-So Brief Announcement

It is time to officially announce a change in my life that has been two years in the making and will become official in April. Some may know of it already. It is my intention to be confirmed into communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and to remain so for the rest of my life. As this may come as a shocker to many, I intend, over the next few weeks, to explain my thought processes and journey. I don’t expect anyone who knew me as a Protestant to be influenced to pursue the same route as I did, but rather to gain an understanding because they will surely be surprised. But because it was really a journey and long road to where I am now, I feel I must put detail into my decision.

For me, being a Christian is an innate part of me as being a girl or having blue eyes. It is something I can never see changing at all. Belief in God is a no-brainer, and belief that He has used Jesus to save the world is an easy conclusion following that. I was raised as a Protestant in a denomination most would not have heard of. Like many Protestants, we believed we “had it right,” but (unlike many Protestants) we also were very tolerant of the beliefs of others – especially Christians. In high school I developed friendships with Mormons and Catholics. We spent hours debating our religions, but no one ever had the intention of converting another. I respected both groups. This was also the time I dramatically fainted in the middle of a Catholic Mass.

In college I gravitated over to a non-denominational evangelical Protestant church and learned so much about my Christianity. My friends went to Bible College and were amazingly knowledgeable about all things Bible and Christian. Sermons put Bible verses into the context of the time. I learned the importance of accountability partners, a personal relationship with Jesus, and even communion. However, the largest failing of this church was not its fault – it had an unsurpassable music program. As such, looking back I realize that I was more interested on Sundays in whether I liked the songs we were singing than actually turning the music into praise of God.

After college, I embarked on three years of near-solitude caused by geographical distance from my family, heavy work travel, an intense work schedule, and a roommate with a second shift schedule. Solitude can drive someone mad, but it also provides a forum for introspection. With God as my only constant, it became important to maximize my relationship with him.