The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Reasons I've Decided To Become Catholic

Practices Christian Living
#1

I go to A.A. I met an 85 year old Catholic man there that reached out to help me and be my A.A. sponsor. Though the years we have developed a good relationship with each other. He is like my father. I grew up without a father so, he’s the father I never had. I look after him now and help him as his caregiver. When he dies I’m going to become a third order Friar at St. Francis Village and live there helping the elderly. Here’s a link:

saintfrancisvillage.com/

I have a heart for the weak, poor, sick, unfortunate because I’m one of them. Like St. Francis of Assisi, I believe this is what it’s all about and believe God has led me to do this through a number of things. For one, I was taken in and given help and loved when I was unlovable by a Catholic man and his family. The Bible tells us:

This was done for me and like G.K. Chesterton said, the reason he became Catholic was because “Only the Catholic church can produce a St. Francis of Assisi”.

#2

Here’s another reason why I’m becoming Catholic. Don’t let this frighten you. I don’t believe it’s the end of the world. It was just the end of my world. I told this to one of the leaders at the Catholic church I attend and she believes the Holy Spirit guided me in writing the poem below. I didn’t know that Michael the Archangel was a guardian and protector of the Eucharist until after I wrote “The Holy Grail” poem below.

I spent three months contemplating spiritual things here recently. I lost 50 pounds and did battle with my ego (Satan). St. John of The Cross describes it as being like Jonah was - in the belly of a whale. That’s how it was for me. All your sins come to the surface and torment you as you undergo purgation. It’s a painful crucifixion with Christ as you are baptized and resurrected to new life.

There were four blood moons the past two years. I saw the last one in September. September is the month of my birthday. It’s also the day when the year of Shemittah began as it was tied in with the blood moons. There were four cups of wine at Passover before the judgment and crucifixion of Christ. The fourth cup that Jesus drank from in His suffering and death is the Holy Grail. The cup of wrath that was poured out fills up with the blood of Christ. This is His love or the cup of our salvation for us. I was in faith union with Christ and judged during my “Day Of Judgment”. What Satan meant for evil God meant for good. For the Year of Jubilee was also tied in with the blood moons and was the 40th from the time of the crucifixion. 40 which means redemption. This also began in September - the month of my Birthday. Incidentally, Catholics hold the feast of Michael and the angels is in September. My first name is “Michael” and my last name is French and means holly tree or holy tree. Like St. Michael the French holly is used to fight off and defend against evil. Moreover, France is where the Catholics honor St. Michael the Archangel. Likewise, September is the day that classes start to become Catholic here. My painful day of judgment and crucifixion with Christ was also my baptism and new birth with Christ. The Catholics have a picture of St. Michael holding the scales of justice crushing Satan’s head. See below on the “Holy Grail”. The scales of justice are also my birthday sign “Libra”. I discovered all this information after my judgment and redemption. So, it’s got to be valid.

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The Holy Grail

The scales of justice balance in September
As Michael crushes Satan’s head in death
Ego is cast out, the new self is in union with Christ
Flames of torment destroy the self of the old
I stand on this Holy Mountain of God crucified
Baptized into water, death, and fire, I’m made new
The cup of the Holy Grail infuses precious stones within
As I become drunk on the Beautiful cup of blood
Victory reigns at the core in the Holy land of Eden
In celebration of the marriage with the Lamb
I have fallen madly in love with love

#3

Also, St. Francis was named after France like my last name is French and the place where Catholics honor St. Michael the Archangel.

#4

Another reason I’m going Catholic is because they believe in predestination. But they also believe in the paradox of free will. God doesn’t predestine anyone to hell. Those that hold to the certainty of hell like Tomas Aquinas believe God permits people to go to hell with their own free choice. But I’m a hopeful universalist like Bishop Barron and Von Balthasar. God is in complete control but he permits evil and suffering. These views of providence and predestination were held by Thomas Aquinas and St. John of The Cross (The mystical Doctor of Catholicism). They lay the foundation for contemplation and Christian perfection. For with God in control and my future in His hands I have hope. This leads to union with Christ. You can read more about this in the books, “Predestination”, “Providence”, and “Christian Perfection and Contemplation” by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. He was the teacher of Pope John Paul II. Moreover, in the Catholic Handbook of Apologetics by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli it states:

Which is another reason I’m going Catholic. They embrace mystery and paradox. According to Albert Einstein:

#5

Another reason I’m going Catholic is because I love Pope Francis. There’s that word “France” again. :smiley: I also love the mystics and their writings. Especially their poetry. In Catholicism we’re allowed to have private revelations even if they are not canonized as dogma in the church. The church has it’s dogma but I have no problem with it. I fit right in the mold.

#6

Another reason I’m becoming Catholic is because they don’t believe you have to be Catholic to go to heaven. It’s only if you know in your heart that the Catholic church is the true universal church and you reject it that you are in trouble. But for those (who through no fault of their own) who are seeking God and trying to obey God to the best of their understanding - there is a very good chance of their eternal salvation.

#7

Another reason has to do with a point the Catholic Peter Kreeft brought up to his father when he was a youngster. Peter and his dad were Calvinists visiting Catholic churches for some reason that I can’t remember. As they were visiting one Catholic church in particular Peter looked at his dad and asked him, “Dad, if the Catholic church is really the whore of Babylon then why are their churches so beautiful?” He never got a response. And I have to say from my own experience the Catholic churches I have been to have been very beautiful indeed.

#8

Another reason I’ve decided to become Catholic is that the people at the Catholic church I attend seem to be real loving people. They are at church anyway.

#9

Another reason I’ve decided to become Catholic is G.K. Chesterton. He was Catholic. G.K. Chesterton said he learned more about life by watching children in a nursery than he ever did by reflecting on any of the philosophers. He is known as the prince of paradox. A paradox is two opposite truths that clash and are held together in tension. Things like heaven and hell, mercy and justice, predestination and free will. Christ is both human and divine. God is both three and one. Love good and hate evil. When opposites balance there is light. This is the beauty of holiness or glory of God that His children will behold

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#10

Another reason is because St. Teresa Of Avilla’s Experience of a spear thrusting into her heart creating a passionate desire and love for God fits well with my poem called “Union”. Here’s her experience and my poem:

It pleased our Lord that I should see the following vision a number of times. I saw an angel near me, on the left side, in bodily form. This I am not wont to see, save very rarely… In this vision it pleased the Lord that I should see it thus. He was not tall, but short, marvelously beautiful, with a face which shone as though he were one of the highest of the angels, who seem to be all of fire: they must be those whom we call Seraphim… I saw in his hands a long golden spear, and at the point of the iron there seemed to be a little fire. This I thought that he thrust several times into my heart, and that it penetrated to my entrails. When he drew out the spear he seemed to be drawing them with it, leaving me all on fire with a wondrous love for God. The pain was so great that it caused me to utter several moans; and yet so exceeding sweet is this greatest of pains that it is impossible to desire to be rid of it, or for the soul to be content with less than God.

Union

In union with You upon the cross
As love’s arrow pierces my heart
I die to myself and suffer loss
Then given a new life and start

Buried to my old self I then rise
Vision is now clear as I can see
New self reflects in Your eyes
The person I am and want to be

Looking deeper into Your Face
Beauty becomes brighter inside
With no more wrath only grace
In union with You I now confide

#11

Another reason is I hold to their view of union in my book “The Evidential Power Of Beauty”

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God is love (agape love). So it’s basically falling in love with love or coming into union with love. This is done through prayer, meditation, contemplation, charity, and the Holy Eucharist. The blood of Christ is His love poured out. When we drink the wine we are drinking love and coming into union with Christ. Hence, falling in love with love. We worship what we love the most.

#12

Kreeft believes in eternal torment. He defends it.

#13

Yes but I go along with Bishop Barron in hopeful universalism. He was just recently appointed bishop. He’s also the one my Catholic church goes by.

#14

Another reason is that they have a multiplicity of views on Revelation. They even allow for a combination of different interpretations all at once. Futurist, Preterist, Historicist, Spiritual/Idealist etc., etc.

#15

Another reason is this poem by St. Teresa of Avilla

The Grail

They are like shy, young school kids - time and space
before the woman and the man who are intimate with God
The realized soul can play with this universe the way a child can a ball
A chalice - the Grail - my body became, for it held the Christ
and He drank from me
Sanctified are our limbs, for every heart has touched God,
though most with closed eyes.
A holy relic is each creature, and beauty may worry
about it’s comeliness waning
We fear dying till we know the truth of ourselves
The seams on my body are torn
I have stepped from the region of me that did not love all the time
There is a divine world of light with many suns in the sky
I slept with my Lord one night
now all that is luminous I know we conceived

#16

Another reason is that you can do yoga and meditate. Here’s the definition or kind of meditation defined by St. John of The Cross:

#17

Another reason is Catholics support and were involved in founding A.A.

12-step-review.org/

#18

Another reason is because love forgives

#19

The reason why I left the Catholic Church is because theres too many rules. http://www.themillergroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/JCLdMDveAn.png?4be9bf

#20

I don’t mind the rules. I’m not a rebel anymore. I respect the authority of the Catholic church now :smiley: