This just in from North Dakota, where I was reminded that the the snow has melted from 2 weeks ago, and there is indoor plumbing.Karen (names are changed) writes:
I am so thankful for EWTN as well as Dr. Ray and all that he has done.Thank you, Karen. Keep the lights on up there.
I grew up in a fairly strict Catholic family, and now as I look back I realize that I simply went through the motions. Praying, going to confession and Mass and saying the prayers to just say them and not knowing what they truly meant. After leaving home, and slowly letting myself slip away from the faith, I married a loving Protestant man and slipped a bit further from the Catholic faith. Then after our daughter’s death, I pretty much turned away from God all together for a while. God must have had plans for me and my family because while I was moving myself further away from him I realized I was so unhappy and one day I finally gave all of the anger, hurt and sadness to God because I couldn’t carry it all by myself anymore.
After that day, I slowly went back to my husband's church but still never felt truly fulfilled until I started a journey home to the Catholic faith about 3 years ago. During these past 3 years I have learned just how very little I truly knew about the Catholic faith and through classes at church during the past 3 years I have learned how to really pray, read the Bible and respect and appreciate the traditions of the Catholic faith. I thought I had received so much great information and then God just kept on giving to me.
About 6 months ago, I started watching EWTN every now and then. Now I watch it a lot and actually hunger for it, as secular television has such little value. One night while watching EWTN I came across Dr. Ray and his “Why Be Catholic?” episode. I could not quit watching. It was as though he had lived a similar life as me and others that I know who are slowly returning to the faith. Now I am hooked on Dr. Ray's series “What do Catholics Really Believe” and I am so amazed at how full and true the Catholic faith is and I will never let it go again!
Now, when I go to Mass, instead of just reciting words, like I did as a kid, I am filled with the Holy Spirit to where I’m either smiling from ear to ear or wiping away tears of joy because of how beautiful the Mass truly is. I continue to pray for the conversion of my husband and children to the Catholic faith so that they would also enjoy the happiness and peace in their lives that I feel in mine since returning to the truth and fullness of the Catholic Church.
Dr. Ray and EWTN are such an inspiration. I pray that both will continue sharing with others the truth and fullness and beauty of the Catholic faith for many, many years to come! God bless Dr. Ray, EWTN, yourself and all you do! You are all making a positive difference in people’s lives!!!!
Stan
I watched the ending of a show called "what Catholics think" and the discussion was on Mary. I am on a local forum and this is being discussed and the misconceptions really offend me. They are talking about my mother.
ReplyDeleteI was given inspiration to answer some of the statements on the forum, especially the one about Catholics putting Mary on same level as Jesus. Father cleared that up and it's true, people do go overboard and its not the church's teaching. It's individuals. Thanks for me finding this program.