Stories of conversion
By Mary Jeppson
I love stories. I remember a teacher in grade school who read to the class (if we were good) each afternoon. She read books that captivated our attention and put us in the story one chapter at a time. We would be dismayed when the chapter would end and leave us on the edge of our chairs wondering what was going to happen next, and it was Friday! We had to wait until the following Monday, which was a long time for an eight year old.
Today, I find myself reading books about our Catholic faith. I have enjoyed reading stories about people and their journey to the church. Their stories bring a realistic look at our faith through people who are living right now in the same era as you and me. There are stories that God spoke to them quietly and others sort of got knocked off their horse like St. Paul.
Therefore, I’m going to recommend books for you to read. Two of them are compiled by Patrick Madrid. The stories are about converts who give biblical and historical reasons for becoming Catholic. The books are: Surprised By Truth and Surprised By Truth 2. They are short stories and an easy read. Also, My Life On The Rock by Jeff Cavins tells his story of being Catholic, leaving the church, then his journey back.
I’ll start you off with these three for now. If reading isn’t your thing then tune in to the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) on cable channel 19 and watch The Journey Home with Marcus Grodi. On this program guests share their personal journey to the Catholic Church and what drew them to the EUCHARIST. It’s all about the Eucharist.
These stories of conversion help us to look at our lives and see if any changes need to be made.
Conversion is not just about converts coming into the church. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states in #299 “Do the baptized have need of conversion? The call of Christ to conversion continues to resound in the lives of the baptized. Conversion is a continuing obligation for the whole Church. She is holy but includes sinners in her midst.”
By the way, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great resource for our faith and continued conversion. Hope you enjoy the books.