Protestant Reactions to a Catholic Writer

I am proud to proclaim

I am a Catholic writer.

A saved, born again, Spirit filled, lover of Jesus

who expects to be accepted

by Protestant lovers of Jesus

because I am a sister in Christ.

BUT, my culture and way of expressions seems odd to Protestant ears,

So I am misunderstood.

Before I discovered Catholic sites, I posted on secular and Protestant sites. I felt I had to hide my Catholicism. When I finally wrote about my Catholic faith, I was immediately grilled and interrogated by shocked readers and co-authors. Yet God had His own agenda and through the moderator, forgiveness and unity began. Of course, the site decided to simply ignore my Catholicism and centre on my love of God.

When I discovered Catholic sites and was accepted as a writer, I was thrilled to finally be free to write about my faith without filters. Of course Protestants and agnostics still attack me through comments but I feel I am defending my faith on my territory. Tears come at times because I know exactly how they feel about the Catholic Church. I too once reviled Catholics and thought they had corrupted true faith in Jesus.

Protestants insist the Bible alone is the inspired Word of God and demand every spiritual practice should be biblical. In an attempt to purify the Church during the Reformation, Protestants discarded thousands of years of teaching, wisdom and revelations. Yet since the definitive books of the Bible were not decided until after 300 AD, Catholics understand the Holy Spirit taught man through tradition as well as Holy Scripture. Even scripture tells us to uphold tradition:

2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

1 Corinthians 11:2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.

However, it really does take divine revelations to break down the ingrained prejudices against Catholic tradition. I am a convert only because of divine intervention. My sister and I met the Lord when we were 16 and 17. She became a Protestant Missionary and I became a Catholic mother of nine. She prays for my salvation because she knows about my deep relationship with Mary.

Prayer

My tears and pain are my silent prayer, whispered from the depths of my spirit as I choose to let the pain flow from me to the heart of Jesus. I cannot change people. Only He can open eyes. I yearn for the day the God reveals His Mother to our Protestant Brethren.

Refection

“We can be right.

We can be dead right and

bring death to all those around us.”

( Jean Vanier, founder or L’Arche)