As some here may know already  I am a Roman Catholic. I am of the conservative variety. I am not an "American Catholic" or "cafeteria Catholic." I am not a "traditionalist" Catholic, who rejects the teachings of the Second Vatican Council or the Novus Ordo Mass. I attend Mass on Sundays, and usually go to weekday Mass 2-3 days per week, my work schedule permitting. I partake of the Sacrament of Reconciliation on a weekly basis, being the human sinner that I am.  I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, read the Bible and pray the Rosary daily, and pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on Fridays. I state these things not to brag of my devotional regimen (which is not as in-depth as I would like), but to demonstrate that orthodox Roman Catholic devotion doesn't limit itself to Sunday Mass, as many would have people believe.  I am also something of a Church apologist, so forgive me if this post sounds like a theological lecture, as that is not the intent. I try to reserve those for the "Independent Theological Scholar's Association" that Raven and I have started. 
I am something of an anomaly in secularist America, in that I embrace the totality of the Roman Catholic faith, without reservation. I came to this POV through a long spiritual journey, and as a result of many years of study, analysis and soul searching. I began as a Southern Baptist, however that particular sect left me cold. Not the people, but the theology and getting yelled at every Sunday morning and evening. I knew I was a sinner, and didn't need to be yelled at like a recruit in basic training. As a 9 year old, I was "saved," and baptised, although now I would argue that I was just carried away by emotion (my father had died about 4 months prior to that) and had no clue as to what was going on theologically or spiritually.
I wandered through agnosticism (almost a requirement in the early 80's for physics majors in college ), Buddhism, paganism/druidism, a brief sojourn in the Episcopal Church, and from there, eventually, to the Roman Catholic Church. I was fortunate to room with a guy who was doing his pre-theology studies, prior to entering a Franciscan seminary (now a Franciscan Father in the Holy Land), who had several boxes of Roman Catholic theology books. I read them, at first with a jaundiced eye (especially the ones on Mariology), but gradually, after comparing what all of these books said with what the Bible had to say, I came to see that it all made sense. This part of my journey took place from 1982-1989. Things just sort of stewed for a few years, and I drifted from church to church. I continued to study systematic and dogmatic theology, apologetics, biblical Greek and Aramaic and also to read the writings of the early Church Fathers, such as Tertullian, Ignatius of Antioch, St Polycarp, St Justin Martyr and many others. I didn't go to Mass (even though I felt drawn to it) because my family was so dead set against it. (Unfortunately, my grandmother went to her grave knowing, just knowing, that I was going to hell, because I had "poped.") I even tried going back to the Southern Baptist church I had left earlier, because of a new pastor. Same ol' thing, just with a higher pitched voice, and this guy also liked to pound on the pulpit, once hitting it so hard that he shorted out the sound system! Finally, much to the chagrin of my family, I started attending Mass. That was all it took. It felt like I was coming home. This was also the impetus for my wife and I to start dating, even though we had met at my place of work (me, a dispatcher/firefighter and her a juvenile officer, well, it just sort of clicked). She, as my girlfriend ("that Catholic girl" to my family) provided me with some much needed encouragement during that time.
I asked the parish priest, a cool redneck called Fr. Martin Hayes, who instructed me in the Faith, helping me to see the true sacramental nature of the Church. We met every couple of weeks, for 2-3 hours, and went over what I had learned from my own studies. He really helped me to fill in some of the areas which I had trouble with, like Confession. I had approached him about joining the Church in November 1992, and was received at the Easter Vigil Mass, 1993. Since that time I have become a lector, proclaiming the non-Gospel readings and the Prayers of the Faithful during Mass, as well as being a catechist, teaching our parish's young people the Faith and helping instruct converts in the RCIA program. I have never been happier, spiritually. I look forward eagerly to assisting at Mass, and receiving the Body and Blood of my Lord in the Eucharist. Joy of joys!!
Eamon, I hate to hear that you had a run-in with a less than hospitable priest. The Church needs people of "your type" that is, people who want to worship as Roman Catholics. It sounds like that priest was being judgmental of the fact that you aren't a Sunday morning regular. He seems to forget that while Catholics are bound to assist at Mass every Sunday, they are only canonically bound to come to Mass and Confession during the Lenten-Easter season. I agree with Irish-Stepper, don't let that one bad-tempered priest run you away from the Church. Keep on looking for a parish that suits you.
Though, Eamon, you did state one thing which bothers me.
| QUOTE | | ...he told me the Catholic church had not changed in 2000 years. Being a bit of a historian, I reminded him gently about the little event called the Reformation and a more recent thing known as Vatican II... |
Being something of a historian myself , the dogmatic foundations of the Church have not changed for 2000 years (down, Raven, down!! ). The Reformation (as much a political event as religious) did not change the theological precepts of the Church, only how she looked at the rest of the world. Vatican II was a pastoral council, which changed ephemeral details of the liturgy, etc, but did not touch the dogma underlying. Vatican I, in 1870, which defined papal infallibility as dogmatic, was the last time any dogma was defined. The Real Presence in the Eucharist, for example, the most important belief in the Church, has remained unchanged since Apostolic times (back, Raven, back!! ). Oh, Elspeth. I believe you stated in another forum that you wanted to know how I got from Southern Baptist to Roman Catholic. There y'are, m'dear! Whew. I don't think I've ever written this much about my faith journey before. Hope y'all weren't bored to tears or offended by it! Pax Christi vobiscum. Just my tuppence. Andy |
) Systematic Theology, Biblical Apologetics, How science relates to the Biblical account, comparative religion, etc...
I have never found another Church of Christ like that since! 
