As a cradle Catholic, I have never not believed in God.
But I haven’t always taken my faith seriously, and often take for granted the richness and beauty of the Catholic Church.
This is one reason I love converts so much, especially former Protestants. Seeing the Church through their eyes is incredibly uplifting.
I am inspired by the Scott Hahns and Jeff Cavins of the world, and I have been blessed to know others personally. Their zeal for the Church was hard fought, and their enthusiasm fires me up and deepens my gratitude for this gift.
Keith Nester is a former Protestant pastor and youth pastor who converted in 2017. He wrote a book called “The Convert’s Guide to Roman Catholicism.”
The main purpose of the book, as you’ve probably guessed, is to serve as a guide to recent converts from Protestant churches. Although not the target audience, I picked it up after hearing a few interviews Keith gave. I started reading the book as if I was standing next to him, shoulder to shoulder, as he spoke to his brothers and sisters in Christ, saying, “Yeah, what he said!”
But the reason I recommend all Catholics read it – especially cradle Catholics – is because it offers a marvelous gift: it allows you to see the Church with new eyes. When anything in our life becomes familiar, whether it’s our faith, our bodies, or our relationships, it’s easy to take them for granted. We can lose our sense of wonder and appreciation.
But encountering a convert puts us in new shoes. His explanation for why the Church does certain things and believes what it believes enlightened my soul. Not only did Keith’s book give me a better understanding of the experience of Protestantism in America, but it deepened my own appreciation of the Catholic Church. And I learned a few new things, too!
I wanted to share an excerpt that jumped out to me, reminding me about one of the things that makes the Catholic Church so special. It’s about the Mass, which is often misunderstood. One common complaint I’ve heard time and again is that it’s “boring” and “outdated,” especially in contrast to the dynamic preaching and exciting, modern music found in many Protestant churches.
I’ve written before about what’s really going on at Mass that makes it the furthest thing from boring. But Keith’s perspective is equally enlightening.
He acknowledges that attending Mass can be very disorienting for a Protestant convert, because it is so different from the mentality of most Protestant churches, which focuses on creating a welcoming, engaging environment for the individual. He says:
“The clearest way I can say it is this: in Catholicism you aren’t the point. You aren’t the focus. You aren’t the priority. You being there isn’t what anybody else is thinking about. Decisions are not made based on how you, or any other visitor, will feel or not feel. The Mass is not a service for you. It’s an offering to God. I’m going to devote more time to what you need to know about the Mass in another chapter, but for now just understand this: Do not expect the Catholic Church to treat you like royalty just because you showed up.
Many of us have been spoiled by all the ‘guest services’ we received as Protestants. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with Catholics wanting to be more welcoming and inviting. I know plenty of priests who would agree. I’m just saying that when you are first transitioning into going to Mass, and you’re looking for a new home parish, you shouldn’t expect the same type of ‘hospitality you had in the Evangelical world. And that’s OK. You will get over that.”
I may not be a former Protestant, but I think even Catholics need this reminder from time to time, especially when our thoughts dwell too much on what we are getting out of Mass.
It’s not about us.
It’s not about us.
It’s not about us.
And that’s precisely what makes it the most amazing place to be.
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