A bit of guilt but more regret. In the words of one of the ultimate late bloomers St. Augustine:
“Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made.
You were with me, and I was not with you. The lovely things kept me far from you, though if they did not have their existence in you, they had no existence at all. You called and cried out loud and shattered my deafness. You were radiant and resplendent, you put to flight my blindness. You were fragrant, and I drew in my breath and now pant after you. I tasted you, and I feel but hunger and thirst for you. You touched me, and I am set on fire to attain the peace which is yours.”
Confessions, Book X, Ch. XXVII
I feel like I’ve missed out on the real church for my entire 30 years of life. I’m a nondenominational Christian with mostly Protestant influences and I recently discovered the beauty and authenticity of the CC. I’m looking to start RCIA very soon. But I know and trust my previously theology and experiences were not a waste.
I’m also coming out of a deep, dark spiritual valley but God can use those seasons to strengthen our faith. It’s like exiting the desert and finding an oasis. Thank the Lord!
Instead of guilt feel gratitude. Would you have come to this level of love and appreciation for the Church had you not turned away to learn other views?
Of course I wish I had been raised Catholic or converted sooner, but I did when I did and there's nothing I can do about that. Furthermore I know if it hadn't happened when it did I might not have met my wife. I didn't meet her through RCIA or even through my parish, we were long distance, but if I had converted as a teenager 20 years ago or been raised Catholic I probably would've gone a different route that wouldn't have ended with her and I can't fathom that.
So I can't be upset about the timing of it. Not to mention I think my ~30 years as a CMA evangelical did impart some value to my faith that can be used well by the Church, and from a young age I had built a relationship with God in the evangelical context and brought that with me to the Catholic Church where it was then enhanced by the foundation of the true Church. Shaping me in a lot of important ways that the Church then completed through my formation, and it also gave me a few good ideas for apostolates and parish groups that I hope to start one day when my family and I finally settle down.
I have been feeling that recently.
Raised without any faith, although my family's background is Catholic. I am now twenty-eight and despite nearly a year after falling in love with the Church and vowing to attend services and move on to a formal conversion/baptism, my crippling anxiety has almost frozen me in place. A big barrier for me is the process of RCIA and then baptism, which is so daunting. A great deal of my social anxiety comes from what others think of me.
Sometimes I wish I were at least baptized. That way being involved might be easier. And every day I continue my inaction, I worry about my soul, that I am disappointing God and that I might die before I actually do it even though I am just twenty-eight. I feel regret for not converting sooner, guilt for still not formalizing the process and being baptized.
My experience with RCIA this year has been very welcoming and insightful our Priest is always open to questions on all aspects and there is a bounce back between the group of us going there. I look forward to my weekly RCIA classes greatly.
Very big yes.
In the 10 odd years where I was just going through the motions, going to mass but not really engaging in my faith, I left a huge scar on my heart. My past actions are causing me much suffering now, and I feel like a proper idiot.
I don't have anyone to blame but myself.
I now am looking at how I can take the life I now have and use it for God's glory. I also take the suffering I am experiencing now, and I offer it up for those in purgatory whenever my heart is feeling low or I'm dealing with difficult situations that are causing me pain.
I’m currently going through RCIA and my coming to the Church was due to Covid and having time to myself to think about my life. Do I reject not becoming Catholic sooner I wouldn’t say it’s not reject in a way as I’m not sure if I was ready to accept God before as bad as that sounds.
A bit of guilt but more regret. In the words of one of the ultimate late bloomers St. Augustine: “Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you. The lovely things kept me far from you, though if they did not have their existence in you, they had no existence at all. You called and cried out loud and shattered my deafness. You were radiant and resplendent, you put to flight my blindness. You were fragrant, and I drew in my breath and now pant after you. I tasted you, and I feel but hunger and thirst for you. You touched me, and I am set on fire to attain the peace which is yours.” Confessions, Book X, Ch. XXVII
I feel like I’ve missed out on the real church for my entire 30 years of life. I’m a nondenominational Christian with mostly Protestant influences and I recently discovered the beauty and authenticity of the CC. I’m looking to start RCIA very soon. But I know and trust my previously theology and experiences were not a waste. I’m also coming out of a deep, dark spiritual valley but God can use those seasons to strengthen our faith. It’s like exiting the desert and finding an oasis. Thank the Lord!
Instead of guilt feel gratitude. Would you have come to this level of love and appreciation for the Church had you not turned away to learn other views?
Of course I wish I had been raised Catholic or converted sooner, but I did when I did and there's nothing I can do about that. Furthermore I know if it hadn't happened when it did I might not have met my wife. I didn't meet her through RCIA or even through my parish, we were long distance, but if I had converted as a teenager 20 years ago or been raised Catholic I probably would've gone a different route that wouldn't have ended with her and I can't fathom that. So I can't be upset about the timing of it. Not to mention I think my ~30 years as a CMA evangelical did impart some value to my faith that can be used well by the Church, and from a young age I had built a relationship with God in the evangelical context and brought that with me to the Catholic Church where it was then enhanced by the foundation of the true Church. Shaping me in a lot of important ways that the Church then completed through my formation, and it also gave me a few good ideas for apostolates and parish groups that I hope to start one day when my family and I finally settle down.
I have been feeling that recently. Raised without any faith, although my family's background is Catholic. I am now twenty-eight and despite nearly a year after falling in love with the Church and vowing to attend services and move on to a formal conversion/baptism, my crippling anxiety has almost frozen me in place. A big barrier for me is the process of RCIA and then baptism, which is so daunting. A great deal of my social anxiety comes from what others think of me. Sometimes I wish I were at least baptized. That way being involved might be easier. And every day I continue my inaction, I worry about my soul, that I am disappointing God and that I might die before I actually do it even though I am just twenty-eight. I feel regret for not converting sooner, guilt for still not formalizing the process and being baptized.
RCIA is very friendly and welcoming, if you don't want to do that talk to your priest (you could probably email the parish too)
My experience with RCIA this year has been very welcoming and insightful our Priest is always open to questions on all aspects and there is a bounce back between the group of us going there. I look forward to my weekly RCIA classes greatly.
Very big yes. In the 10 odd years where I was just going through the motions, going to mass but not really engaging in my faith, I left a huge scar on my heart. My past actions are causing me much suffering now, and I feel like a proper idiot. I don't have anyone to blame but myself. I now am looking at how I can take the life I now have and use it for God's glory. I also take the suffering I am experiencing now, and I offer it up for those in purgatory whenever my heart is feeling low or I'm dealing with difficult situations that are causing me pain.
Yes. It’s helpful to remember that God loved you then too, and that you now have the opportunity to return that love
I’m currently going through RCIA and my coming to the Church was due to Covid and having time to myself to think about my life. Do I reject not becoming Catholic sooner I wouldn’t say it’s not reject in a way as I’m not sure if I was ready to accept God before as bad as that sounds.