EWTN's Marcus Grodi at the March for Life
While at the March, EWTN had their media tent set up on the side of the Mall as usual. This year we had the chance to meet Marcus Grodi and his wife Marilyn. We thanked him for the great blessing his program has been to us. It was through his program, The Journey Home, three years ago that I first heard that anyone would make the highly improbable journey to Rome from across the Tiber. My wife had been telling me about evangelicals converting but I dismissed it without much thought until I heard their stories for myself. Pastors with families giving up their livelihood after years of seminary training and leadership positions. I have always been impressed and humbled by these souls who sacrifice so much for their pursuit of Truth, regardless of where it leads them.Many conversions to Catholicism over the years has resulted from contacts with Catholics via the pro-life movement. One such convert spent a night in a prison cell with devout Catholics after being arrested at a protest at an abortion clinic. This ultimately led to his conversion after the realization that these Catholic folks were Christians too! On one of my earlier posts, I asked how some Christians assume that the Church is in major error yet can follow the gospel to the letter by taking care of the least of these, the unborn, the frail, the poor and the elderly that no one else speaks up for. When I posed this question recently to a Protestant pastor his answer was "They got one thing right." Oh well, it's a start I suppose.
posted by Russ Rentler, M.D. | 7:28 PM
4 Comments:
TJ- how wonderful that you got to meet Marcus and his wife. We watched some coverage and also the Walk For Live West Coast with Fr. Francis and Fr. Mark on Life on the Rock (EWTN Thursday nights for those out there who may be interested) I was so moved by seeing so many many YOUNG people, high school age and college walking and praying for the darkened intellects of this culture of death. It gave me such hope for our Church and our world.
I, too, am always so blessed to hear the conversion stories of Pastors from other faiths coming Home to Rome. They have truly sacrificed so much all their lives, and when they finally hunger so much for Truth and the ONE TRUE CHURCH, it is like the glory of God illumines their faces and they just break forth with their stories on The Journey Home like a river over bursting its banks only the flood isn't water but deepest joy and profound insights. They're journeys show others the way Home, that are ready and open to receive that weekly grace, assuring many that Catholicism IS true and has gotten it right for 2000+ years!
"ONE THING RIGHT" I'd say is the Eucharist. One Bread changed into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ, broken for many as our True Food and True Drink. Messages or sermons preached by countless God-fearing pastors are mere morsels of parts of the Truth. I pray that the pastor you mentioned will realize how hungry his soul is for the FULL BANQUET of the Eucharist and come HOME and be TRULY FED...by JESUS...that is indeed ONE THING RIGHT that will save. Pastors' opinions preached for 45 minutes or more may be good, and thank God for them. But the Eucharist given, even after a poor homily is what Jesus came and died to give us and the 7 Sacraments, not 2 or 1 or none. May the grace be received by this pastor and others. In and with Faith I say to all considering taking the Tiber plunge, "JUMP IN" and swim Home. Don't tarry, and don't let fear keep you from the Catholic Church's open, forgiving arms. As one of my favorite priests (Fr. Larry Richards) says: "Got it?" "Get it?" "Good"
"Welcome Home!"
I think the RCC has a lot of things going for it, and I deeply appreciate their stalwart stand against the evils of our age.
Thanks PA. Your comment means a lot, and I wish more folks could at least appreciate the moral stand of the Church, even if they don't agree with some of the theology.
"I hope that I can one day lose the chip from my shoulder. I admit, I struggle carrying it. Just when I think it's gone, I'm tested again."
That was a great post NMO!
I too have that chip and pray daily that God will wear the rough edge off me.
Your bullet points about observing devout Catholics was neat and is the kind of thing that draws people into looking further. The witness of a catholic friend of mine being cut up for his beliefs and his lack of retaliation, stayed with me for a very long time and really left an impact.
Finally, I know what you are saying about making Catholicism unattractive,I too have done that with my triumphalistic tone at times, but at the end of the day, it's all by His grace that anyone comes in, and God will ultimately work aound through, or in spite of us!!
Thanks for the post.
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