All I can say to converts is never quit reading. Entering the Church after 9 months of RCIA can't be the end. Read the Fathers, read the Catechism, read convert stories, listen to Catholic Answers, take advantage of the resources of Catholic Exchange and EWTN. Your faith will deepen and take you in directions you never dreamed of. 

In Christ

Debbie 

I find your points so real they are astounding and in particular point #8. I just can't get enough of the Catholic church and live off of EWTN daily. So much so that I wanted to share my discoveries with friends and family that I took to writing them in an Apologetic manner on my web site http://members.shaw.ca/bmaundy/home.html

All are welcome to view it and to the knowledgeable Catholics if I have made any mistakes, and I am sure there are some, please email me about it.

Blessings

Brent

You probably think I'm crazy!

As individuals, you have directly heard and answered God's call.  You have done something courageous, monumental, significant and wonderful with your lives!

I look at some of my fellow Catholics born into the faith, and sadly, I don't see the Fire in them that I can see brimming in you. Well, I guess there's more than one kind of '"conversion".  I pray that ALL lukewarm Catholics would be converted to feel the call of the Holy Spirit to allow Him to become an active and vital part of their lives.

When my father discovered that I had converted he was very heartbroken and really never said a word about it.  It was only after he died and my Mother told me how he felt.  And now I wish I had spoken to him about my choice to convert so that he could have understood more and perhaps all the stories and mis-truths about the Catholic Church could have been put to rest.

Tarheel (Dave)

I won't go into a lot of detail about my conversion here except to say that it only took me a matter of hours to decide to become a Catholic after searching the word catholic on the internet.

I ran into a debate on sola scriptura and sola fide between a Catholic Apologist and a protestant and that was all it took. There was no longer any doubt as to where the truth lie. My search was ended.

Of course from then on it was read, read, read.

Went through the catechism in a few nights plus many conversion stories etc.

My wife remained Anglican although their small congregation has now become a part of the Traditional Anglican Communion which gives me hope.

She was not to pleased when she heard of my intentions.

Walter Brietzke

"Comments like, "How can you buy into a church that worships Mary?", "So now you're not going to share Communion with anyone else?", "Why would you submit to allow a priest to stand between you and God?" are common…and you may experience worse comments."

And you were right to call them "comments", because when I converted, I found these were meant as statements.  It was frustrating because I would like to have given an answer – but they were really making an accusation, one they didn't care to discuss, not asking a question.

I would add one more point (perhaps a subpoint to #10): I have been amazed (and a bit chagrined at times) at how difficult it can be to sort through my religious "past," and weed out that which is truly incompatible with the fullness of the faith. For example, in seminary I had a dickens of a time getting my mind around literary genres. More than one professor took me aside to try to convince me that every element of the first ten chapters of Genesis should not be read as historical truth. (For example, Noah could NOT have taken EVERY kind of animal into the ark).  The first time I heard this, I cried.

On the flip side, though, is dealing with thoughtless comments of some new brothers and sisters in Christ, who at times discount continued attachments to certain hymns or people who were an important part of my faith story prior to becoming Catholic, writing them off as "Protestant" (as opposed to broadly "Christian" and hence worthy of consideration). The Holy Father's recent letter on evangelization was a real gift to me, because it reassured me that God can — and will — use even these things for good.

God bless you!

Heidi Hess Saxton Editor, "Canticle" Magazine Blogroll

Catholicism has been labeled as "Too good to be true, too hard to live".

I can't think of anything I ever did that was difficult, and the reward disappointing.

In Christ.

Point # 10  A Steep Learning Curve  

had me laughing at a memory of a convert friend's first confession.  He's a sports fan and when the priest raised his hand to give absolution, Bob "high fived" him!  We've gotten quite a few laughs out of that over the years.  (I know, I know, he should've been better prepared………) 

Chris, Welcome Home!