John C. Wright ([info]johncwright) wrote,
2008-03-21 14:02:00
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I thought I should tell you

After three years of prayer, thought, and debate, and an honest attempt to follow where the spirit leads me, I am joining the Roman Catholic Church this Easter.

Normally, I would keep this private, since I am not inclined to stir up sectarian debates between the two or three parts of the shattered church; but since several people on this website have said I was Catholic, and since I corrected them and said I was not Catholic, I did not want anyone who trusted me what I said that, to be surprised when that information turns out to be out of date.

For my Protestant friends, all I can do is assure you that that Church you broke away from in centuries past has been reformed of the abuses you complained of at that time. The Pope no longer sells indulgences. The theological differences are minor enough that Christly love, if you imitate His love, will cover them. I was raised Lutheran, and drank in anticatholicism with my mother's milk, so I assure you I am aware of most or all the objections, subtle and obvious, which you consciences in good faith might raise. The shock that came to me when I looked into Catholicism is that the Catholics do not teach what my teachers told me they teach. In any case, Protestant friends, I will be closer to you than I was when I was an atheist, so please consider this progress.

For my pagan friends, rejoice! My Protestant friends tell me my Catholic friends are pagans anyway! So I will be closer to you than I am now. And there is certainly some truth in the idea that Catholicism is a child of Jewish and Hellenic thought: the ancient civilization of Europe is still alive in the Catholic Church. If you worship Brigit, and I revere St. Brigit, this will be a common bond between us.

For the Atheist friends, give thanks! You may think of Catholicism as the most backward and obscurantist of the Christian sects. Not so! Not only does the Catholic Church acknowledge Darwinian evolution, the approach of at least some of the writers (St. Aquinas, for example, or St. Justin Martyr) is as rigorous and as rational as even the best of atheist writers, and darn mile more clear and rational than the worst of atheist writers (who are the only ones we hear about these days). Catholicism, in many of its branches, is not given to the religious enthusiasms of revivalism that so many atheists find disquieting. (Whether this lack of revivalism is a good thing or not, I leave for the reader to decide. Certainly more enthusiasm and crusading spirit would not be a bad thing for this Church at this hour of history.)

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[info]robert_mitchell

March 21 2008, 19:18:11 UTC 4 years ago

Happy Easter!

Congratulation's! And what an apt time to affirm your faith. Is there a favored charity you would like the conformation gifts sent to?

[info]johncwright

March 21 2008, 19:54:10 UTC 4 years ago

Re: Happy Easter!

Yes. Any charity that feeds the hungry.

[info]cjmr

March 21 2008, 19:18:36 UTC 4 years ago

Congratulations! Welcome home!

[info]deiseach

March 21 2008, 19:33:04 UTC 4 years ago

Welcome aboard the Barque of Peter!

Well, we may not have yet instituted the Global Theocracy, but now that the founder of the New Space Princess Movement is on our side, can World Domination be far behind?

Congratulations, thanks, and may the graces of this Holy Season be with you and yours.

[info]eaquaelegit

March 21 2008, 19:36:58 UTC 4 years ago

Welcome home, indeed. :) As happy as I am that any soul belongs to Christ in any denomination, I am the child of a Catholic mother and I'm always happy to hear about someone finding their own way to her.

Treasure the Vigil mass tomorrow night. There is nothing on this earth quite like it.

[info]darthbeckman

March 21 2008, 19:40:57 UTC 4 years ago

Here comes everybody

From one adult convert to another, welcome home. May our Lord strengthen you in your faith, and may your confirmation and first communion fill you with all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

[info]lubu

March 21 2008, 19:48:02 UTC 4 years ago

Prayer

This is kinda off topic, but I have a question for you that I have been asking myself since we talked on the phone the other day. I mean no offense by this question and I am honestly interested in your opinion since I generally find your reasoning compelling. What do you think are the different motivations for prayer? And why do you pray?


[info]lubu

March 21 2008, 19:52:32 UTC 4 years ago

Re: Prayer

For instance, here are some of the general motivations for prayer (from wikipedia):

The belief that the finite can actually communicate with the infinite;
The belief that the infinite is interested in communicating with the finite;
The belief that prayer is intended to inculcate certain attitudes in the one who prays, rather than to influence the recipient;
The belief that prayer is intended to train a person to focus on the recipient through philosophy and intellectual contemplation;
The belief that prayer is intended to enable a person to gain a direct experience of the recipient;
The belief that prayer is intended to affect the very fabric of reality as we perceive it;
The belief that prayer is a catalyst for change in one's self and/or one's circumstances, or likewise those of third party beneficiaries.
The belief that the recipient desires and appreciates prayer

[info]johncwright

4 years ago

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[info]dustthouart

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[info]carbonelle

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[info]dirigibletrance

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[info]lubu

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[info]mentalguy

March 21 2008, 19:50:19 UTC 4 years ago

Awesome! Welcome home!

[info]davidns84

March 21 2008, 19:51:47 UTC 4 years ago

You so totally gave off a Catholic vibe. From a Protestant brother, may Lord bless you and keep you.

Believe it or not, many Protestants are not anti-Catholic. Look at all the Protestant-loving JP II received after he died. It's a lot different than when you were growing up.

[info]johncwright

March 21 2008, 20:41:50 UTC 4 years ago

It was that Catholic vibe that several people saw that started me wondering if there was something in Catholicism that was meant to fit me, or me to fit to it, if you take my meaning.

I have to admit I was deeply impressed with the thoughtfulness and balance of the catechism. Both law books and Aristotle have the same discipline of thought, the same reservation about falling to extremes, I saw on display in those writings. Very legalistic; and in my mouth that is a compliment. The opposite of 'legalistic' is not 'spiritual', the opposite of 'legalistic' is 'sentimental'.

The Catholics were unsentimental when I heard them talk about love. How could my flinty stoic heart not leap for joy in reply?

If Vulcans had a church, they'd be Catholics.

[info]davidns84

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[info]ellameena

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[info]davidns84

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[info]westmarked

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[info]davidns84

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[info]westmarked

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[info]davidns84

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[info]westmarked

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[info]headnoises

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...and 3 more comments... from [info]deiseach, [info]ladyhobbit, [info]anne1204 Expand

[info]blue_sky_day

March 21 2008, 19:54:22 UTC 4 years ago

Not surprised. It always seemed you talked like a Catholic. Welcome aboard!

[info]maliszew

March 21 2008, 20:07:20 UTC 4 years ago

Welcome!

[info]stevenagy

March 21 2008, 20:08:05 UTC 4 years ago

I wish you well.

[info]princejvstin

March 21 2008, 20:15:02 UTC 4 years ago

Happy Easter, John!

[info]lordbrand

March 21 2008, 20:25:53 UTC 4 years ago

Well put. Congratulations, sir. You bring a strong voice, unusually clear eyes, and, by my limited observation, a firm heart to the faith. I am not a Catholic, but they have my utmost respect.

[info]xander25

March 21 2008, 20:32:30 UTC 4 years ago Edited:  March 21 2008, 20:33:01 UTC

Congratulations on finding a home :)

[info]silverlightstar

March 21 2008, 20:55:36 UTC 4 years ago

Congratulations.

I still disagree with the Catholic Church's traditions; I don't believe that they are minor differences.

[info]varyar

March 21 2008, 21:20:39 UTC 4 years ago

God bless! Welcome to the Church, brother. :)

[info]bwhittaker

March 21 2008, 21:46:49 UTC 4 years ago

A Good Friday indeed!

I am also an adult convert. Twenty four years ago this Easter, and no regrets.
My wife and I have been reading your LiveJournal with great pleasure for a year or so, and of course we've speculated a little on where you have been heading in your journey. So this is great news indeed. Welcome home.

Bill Whittaker

[info]automatthew

March 21 2008, 21:56:32 UTC 4 years ago

Now almost all my favorite SF writers are Roman Catholics. Does anyone know about Michael Flynn?

[info]surrealseraphim

March 21 2008, 22:09:37 UTC 4 years ago

I LOVE Michael Flynn. :D

[info]m_francis

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[info]shana_sfo

March 21 2008, 22:42:38 UTC 4 years ago

Deo gratias!

Welcome to the Church! You are in my prayers.


[info]wardon59

March 21 2008, 23:06:10 UTC 4 years ago

One of my favorite bloggers (livejournalists?) is being confirmed in the Catholic Church the same day as I am? Awesome! Now if we can just push Gagdad Bob, at the One Cosmos website, into the Tiber...

It's been several months since I discovered this website, and it has become one of my daily reads, although I usually just lurk. I have often speculated whether or not you were leaning Catholic - I was about 80% sure that the answer was "yes", but it's nice to have it confirmed. Congratulations and blessings to you, from an ex-pagan and (soon to be) ex-Episcopalian.

[info]anastasis

March 21 2008, 23:08:22 UTC 4 years ago

Congratulations from another adult convert. I'm not a fan of fiction books but I've always enjoyed reading your ideas. Learning you're joining the Church has made my day.

[info]headnoises

March 21 2008, 23:11:32 UTC 4 years ago

Welcome.

[info]cheyinka

March 21 2008, 23:29:28 UTC 4 years ago

Welcome home!

Archbishop (now Servant of God) Fulton Sheen once said, "There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church — which is, of course, quite a different thing." I'm happy for you that you've found that the Catholic Church is "quite a different thing" from what you were told it was, and happy that you've found your way here :)

[info]howling_wolf

March 21 2008, 23:58:37 UTC 4 years ago

Congratulations, and welcome home! :) BTW, if ever you're looking for some form of revivalism, there's always the Catholic charismatic movement. Overall, the Catholic Church is a really big church. You'll meet all sorts within.

[info]saintjoi

March 22 2008, 00:04:06 UTC 4 years ago

Congratulations!!!!! I will be praying for you during the Great Easter Vigil at my church.

(not RC myself, but just a High Church Anglican praying for restored unity)
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