Personal Narrative: The Original Catholic Church

I attend Gospel Light Freewill Independent Baptist Church in Thomasville, NC. It’s a relatively small church, with about 50-70 people on a Sunday morning. My grandmother, my aunt, and my uncle attend this church as well. I consider myself to be a child of God and a true “born again” Christian. Being “born again” means that one has accepted God into their heart and has been changed on the inside. I accepted him into my heart on October 9th, 2012. Growing up strictly in an independent Baptist church, I didn’t know that other churches were different, at least not until I visited my boyfriend’s church which is Southern Baptist. My pastor preaches heavily on hell-fire and brimstone. He walks up and down the altar, yelling and jumping. There are

I was professed on Palm Sunday, April 15, 1984. There were four of us – Janice and Dick McCarthy, who now belong to St. Clare fraternity in Delaware. Jerry Hopp, who is now enjoying his reward in the communion of saints. We were professed at St. Elizabeth’s Church, Ellerslie Avenue, in Baltimore City. Our formation director, who shall remain nameless, left the Order after losing an election. In 1983-84 we had many people seeking a deeper spiritual way of life, through the Secular Franciscan Order. At the time I was in initial formation, Mary Our Queen had two groups. Our group started before the second group, but they were professed first. We asked for more time to discern because we became aware of how serious a commitment we were

Every Friday, when I go to the Catholic Worker, I witness "people motivated by the teachings of Jesus" by their energy and joy in their service. Before the people in need come inside the volunteers form a circle and pray (Cornell 1). When we form the circle, I feel the Holy Spirit lighting a fire in my soul because others are willing to imitate Christ and pour out their love to whoever they come in contact with. Beginning our day with prayer acknowledges that Christ and his teachings are needed in this mission and that all the good work we are able to do is done through Christ. Cornell speaks of the Catholic Worker movement as a "new society within the shell of the old" because it embraces the law and teachings that God has already given us,

I was raised in a catholic family. Our parents raised us to believe that the catholic religion was the one and only true religion. We went to church every Sunday and was expected to find a person to marry within our religious beliefs. Which meant finding someone who was already catholic or convert them to Catholicism. As I grow older and started to question some of the catholic beliefs and expectations. So when I found the person I wanted to marry and we had to petition the Catholic Church to see if we could get married. My fiancé was not catholic and had been previously married. Two no no’s within the catholic religion. I couldn’t believe that a questioner was going to decide if I could marry the love of my life. We decided to get

As a person that had a religious upbringing, I think it is interesting to view myself where I was and where I am at this moment in time. I do not have a religion; in fact, ever since I was around 15 years old I rejected religion immensely. My mother and the rest of my family used religion as a way to “put me in my place” as they would say. Right now, I see religion as just that; a way to keep people in order. I’ve always been an inquisitive person, someone that strives for the truth, and anything that hindered me from doing so I refrained from putting my trust into it. With that said, I went into this interview with low expectations. I’m not too keen on things that put me out of my comfort zone, but one thing that being in college has taught is that in order to grow sometimes you are going to have to be uncomfortable. Since I got to Old Dominion in 2014 there has been this Christian group on campus that has been more than persistent in harassing me and some other people on campus. I never considered giving them the time of the day until this assignment required me to interview someone from a culture group that I do not share a membership in.

There are several effective ways of disciplining the children; however, I forged my life with the Jesuit priests. When people asked Pope John Paul II the question “what’s one piece of advice he would give to his young men?” He responded “to follow Christ and to become a fisherman like Saint Peter.” His words encouraged me to become a teacher; especially, I followed what I loved and worked towards it. I have forged my life with the Catholics, and I learned that dedication, simple-life and leadership changed my life.

I was raised in a church that is considered to be relatively popular  and radical, and when I started to think for myself, I decided it wasn't for me. At first, I was terrified to challenge everything I was told to be truth.  Although rejecting the beliefs was painful for me, I don't regret doing so because the process has helped to shape who I am and what I believed in.

I study the bible , pray and worship God, it's my favorite thing to do every day,besides teaching everyone I know what I have learned from Gods word. I have two grown daughters from a previous marriage who inspire me always to continue in the word of God. I am blessed to be married for the last 25 yrs.

Think of the best thing you have ever done, the thing that just makes you feel happy inside for doing it. Maybe you went on a mission trip and helped someone struggling in another country, or you secretly gave someone struggling some money to help them out, and you didn't do it for the recognition, or maybe you just did something as simple as making someone who was sad smile, and feel a little better. Regardless of what it is you made a big impact on that person or people. Some people do these things on their own, but if you are a Christian you probably did it because the Holy Spirit inside of you moved you to do it. The Holy Spirit, or also referred to as Christianity, is a powerful force that will always bring good to those who accept

On February 28th, 2016 I decided to go to the immigrant assistance center that is located in the parish hall of Sacred Heart Church to complete my hours of community service. My class is a service learning class therefore I had to do a service to the community. My experience in the church was eye opening.

I was standing in front of a brown brick two story luxurious Roman Orthodox church when my grandma collapsed on the heated concrete floor. Men standing near the elegant wooden doors leading towards the entrance of the church rushed out to help. As they were carrying my grandma inside the church doors, men and women of all ages were peeking through the circular windows above each of the arched windows. I stopped for a second because I was in disbelief. My grandma was fine twenty minutes ago. She was standing in one of the lines wrapped around the velvet red row seating of the church waiting to get a sip of the wine. While everyone was gathered around her I found myself observing the church. I had been going there for six years and it was the

To understand the history of the Protestant Church and the Reformation, it is first important to understand that one of the positions that claims the Catholic Church is apostolic succession. This simply means that they claim to be the sole authority over all other churches and denominations because they support the entire line of Roman Catholic Popes back to back centuries, to the apostle Peter. From their point of view, it gives the Catholic Church a unique authority which puts it above all other denominations or church. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, this apostolic succession is only found "in the Catholic Church" and no "other church can not validly claim it."

My heart is truly troubled, and my spirit is filled with alarm for today's Christian and the true Church of Jesus Christ... which ought to be one in the same! I'm just not sure we are all on the same page... or even reading the right book!

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

I believe the Christian traditions I most closely identify with would be the Reformed tradition as this was the denomination I was raised in. My parents were both members of the Reformed Church, but I never joined and looking back at the time when I could have I’m glad I didn’t. I have enjoy being able to explore the different teachings and questions that faith brings up over the last few years without feeling obligated to stand for the Reformed beliefs. This does not mean that I don’t hold those as true though. I never took a Confirmation or Catechism class which taught me doctrine, but when evaluating the main stances, the Reformed tradition holds I agree with them, to an extent. Human depravity, God’s sovereignty, and salvation by grace