My Conversion Story

Have I always been a Catholic?

Yes, and definitely No.  You see, I was baptized a Catholic, and thankfully received all the Sacraments, but alas, during my late teens and early twenties, I fell into a Pit of Sin.  And yet, I still identified myself as a “Catholic.”

That, however, is another story, for another time.

Today, I’d like to direct you to Patti Maguire Armstrong’s blog.  She is a Catholic journalist and author of a number of books.  In her book, Amazing Grace for Families, which was published a few years ago, she wrote about my reentry into the Church.

At that time, I was about 22 years-old and traveling in Greece.  On our third day in Athens, I was hit by a taxi cab and unable to leave my hotel room for a few days.  It was then that I stumbled upon Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae, among other things.

With the grace of God, my eyes were opened, and I chucked the birth control into the garbage can, literally.  My then fiancé, however, was not, and I mean not happy.  I had a difficult decision to make–stay with him and cease to be Catholic or give him up and finally start living.

I gave him up and chose to live.  I chose Jesus and His Church.  And it was the best decision I ever made.

If you’d like a shortened version of what happened that fateful day, click on her blog at pattimaguirearmstrong.com, and read away!  For the longer version, you’ll have to buy her book, which I recommend.  For an even more detailed version, you’ll just have to wait, as I’m still working on that one.

Patti also has other books that might be of some interest to you.  I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read of hers.