The Catholic Defender: The Penni Warner Story, From Baptist to Catholic
Former Protestants who become Catholic have a much different perspective about their conversion. I remember Cherry Boone, daughter of Pat Boone, in her testimony becoming Catholic. She saw her Protestant upbringing as like a step-mother that eventually led her to her true Mother, the Catholic faith. Growing up, she learned to love the bible, she learned to trust in Jesus which are so important. Learning the truth of the Catholic faith made her a fulfilled Christian.
Jesus made a very interesting statement concerning Heaven and Hell. Matthew 7:13-14 states, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few." World wide, the Catholic faith has about one out of six people which is certainly not a majority, but it is in every nation. The Catholic Church is a Kingdom that Christ established that is the ordinary means of Salvation.
Matthew is certainly not concerned about the numbers game but he is wanting to warn what Jesus states (Matthew 7:15), “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves." Unfortunately, people will listen to these false prophets and Jesus warns about that too, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,* but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
What we try to do here at Deepertruth is to work to help Catholics not only stay Catholic but to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work to bring people home. It's more than simply being a "cultural" Catholic, but it is important to really believe and follow Christ. In our day in time, with the threat of Secularism, people are being drowned with Paganism. We are in a battle for souls.
The good news for those six out of ten Catholics who return back to the Catholic faith, St. James states, "My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." I love comparing numbers in the hope that all are really following the faith. It is like a divorce when someone does abandon the Catholic faith, nothing hurts the heart of Our Lord, Jesus Christ than to have someone turn their back on Him.
If one percent of fallen Catholics would return with a simple invitation, that would be several thousand that would make a difference in their lives.
When its all said and done, those who are claiming the Catholic faith's decline are premature in their assessment. In the end, we will all stand before Jesus at the Parousia, as Catholics, we look to hear Jesus say, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
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