Friday, January 18, 2008

Courage


Just looking through various blogs I see on Amy Welborn's blog something very wonderful: Apparently Allen Hunt, who was the Pastor of the third largest United Methodist Church in the world, in Atlanta, Georgia, is becoming a Catholic. Those of us who were born Catholic - who take so much for granted, who argue and worry about so much - forget the "one thing necessary." Mr. Hunt now loses job, friends, salary, social position - possibly even his house, I don't know - all because he sought the Truth - and the Truth has set him free - that's courage! I am delighted to say in my own little corner of Vermont nine people will also be making the same journey as Mr. Hunt at the Easter Vigil - the Church is alive! Welcome home, Mr. Hunt!

3 comments:

gemoftheocean said...

Yes, special prayers for those on the journey. One woman I know in the blogosphere has a woman in her RCIA class who is a protestant minister. Of all the potential converts, this woman minister has the toughest row to plough from all the fall out she will likely receive if she crosses the Tiber.

Personally, I sometimes do a rosary for Queen Elizabeth. :-D

Karen

Kimberly said...

Wow,
Father, it is at once wonderful to hear so many to be entering the church in our small town at at the same time seems a small miracle. May God continue to work ever more fruitfully through you to bring more sheep into his fold. I continue to pray for you, of course.

Liz said...

It's always encouraging to hear of another Protestant who's finding their way home. It's seldom easy, and rarely without repercussions among family and friends (especially if you convert from evangelicalism/fundamentalism. However, it is most difficult for clergy converts because they do lose not only their current income, but their chief way of making a living, and often their homes as well as friendships. We need to especially keep clergy converts and their families in our prayers.

Any cradle Catholic who wants to get the inside story of what all this means for a Protestant clergyman might enjoy Marcus Grodi's book How Firm A Foundation. It's not great literature, it's simply a popular level novel that combines the journeys of several clergy converts into a fictional story. It does, however, show many of the ramifications of the decision to consider the Catholic faith.

I encourage cradle Catholics to support the work of The Coming Home Network. They are especially helpful to clergy converts, but are an encouragement to all converts and reverts as well.