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Journeys Home

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"Journeys Home" is a collection of articles which originally appeared in the newsletter of the "Coming Home Network," an association of Protestant clergy who have "come home" to the Catholic faith.

Many of the narratives echo themes in traditional conversion stories such as Thomas Merton's "The Seven Storey Mountain" or John Henry Newman's "Apologia Pro Vita Sua." The conversion process can be at once exhilirating and confusing. It can result in pain and grief, especially when one is separated from loved ones and friends.

One of the chapters in the book is my own account of how I journeyed from the Seventh-day Adventist faith in which I was raised, through Lutheranism (including ordination as a Lutheran pastor), to Catholicism. My wife, however, remained a Seventh-day Adventist.

The book will be of particular interest to those with an interest in Catholic apologetics. It will also be useful for those interested in the dynamics of the conversion process.

If you're struggling to convert to the Catholic faith, or just love reading the stories of others that have then you will particularly enjoy this book.

Marcus Grodi, founder of the Coming Home Network and host of the EWTN television show "Coming Home" contributed to and edited this fine book featuring the conversion stories of many (Lutheran, Jew, and Evangelical Protestant) and how they came into the Catholic faith.

Many of the stories come directly from the Coming Home Network Journal.

The book is helpful in that it provides suggestions particularly for former Protestant clergy that have converted to Catholicism. Faced with a decision which means losing their job and a means of providing for their family, the Coming Home Network offers valuable suggestions and linkages that can help such individuals find employment. The book also includes some survey results from converts.

As an added bonus, the Appendix features the popular Catholic Answers booklet, "Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth" - a tract that has been helpful to hundreds of thousands in explaining the misconceptions that so many have about Catholicism.

This book is a valuable addition to the ever-expanding collection of conversion testimonies written by Evangelical Protestant converts to the Catholic Church.

"Journeys Home" is a trustworthy roadmap, complete with biblical and historical signposts, that shows the way out of the wilderness and into the Catholic Church. Good for the mind, great for the soul.

Marcus Grodi of the "Coming Home" network has put together this wonderful collection of conversion stories that have appeared over the years in his network newsletter. Included is his own story and that of his wife Marilyn. The stories in this book vary from conversion to Catholicism from Islam and Judaism to conversion from various Protestant denominations to stories of those who left the Church for what they perceived to be greener pasture only to eventually come home. The title of both Grodi's network and book are extremely appropriate because when one makes this journey there is an intense feeling of finally being home.

As is to be expected in any collection of essays such as this one there are going to be chapters that are better than others and there are going to be stories that appeal to one reader more than another. The first section of the book is dedicated to conversion stories from former Protestant clergy who have often in the process of conversion lost their very livelihood. The second section is made up of stories from lay converts who seldom faced the loss of their profession but did often face the loss of friends and family ties. I found from reading this book that I was one of the lucky ones because my family was very supportive although I am the only one so far to make the journey.

Anyone who has made the journey home is well aware of the ridiculous misconceptions that many non-Catholics have about the Catholic Church and many of the people who have added their story to this collection have faced the same misconceptions both from family and friends and in many instances from within themselves. Becoming Catholic as an adult is really a life-long process because there is so much to learn and absorb that we can never take it all in but this book is an excellent resource because so many of the stories are written from the perspective of people who have walked the same road and can speak to converts in ways that those fortunate enough to be cradle Catholics never could. In other words, they speak the lingo that we who were raised outside the Church understand. For those who are considering coming home the same applies, as you will find in this book people who have already trod the path that you are considering and who have faced every conceivable issue that you now face. They made the journey successfully and have graciously shared their stories for the benefit of others. Even cradle Catholics will benefit from reading this book because they will undoubtedly learn some things about the Church that they didn't already know and will also gain a clearer understanding of what a convert faces as he/she makes the most important decision of their life. This one is a gem and belongs in every Catholic library. RCIA directors in particular should take special note of this valuable resource.

Journeys Home by Marcus Grodi and a "host of others" is a very inspirational book that details the religious experiences of converts who accepted the Catholic Church and her teachings as the one true Church. Having "come home" myself as a lay person through my baptism in April of 2004, the many experiences as detailed in this book resonated quite piercingly, and I found it to be of immeasurable comfort, for there is often an array of painful struugles that converts go through, especially in respects to family opinions. And perhaps in light of the clergy sex scandal cover-up and other reprehensible happenings that rocked Massachusetts not too far back, the proverbial, "You're converting to Catholicism! What a mistake!" comment would be somewhat understandable. And those comments could get far far worse. However, Journeys Home offers wonderful written testamonials by many stimulating converts. And though their stories are different, they are individually moving in their sincerity and profoundness and are interlaced by one common denominator: the love of Jesus Christ.

Profiled in this book is a vast array of individuals who crossed the "Tiber" from the Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Episcopal, et cetera, faith. In their witness, they write about their upbringings and the imbued misconceptions that they held regarding the Catholic faith, about our Blessed Mother Mary, the rosary, confession and especially the Holy Eucharist. Each recounted experience deals with what is the most accurate scriptural interpretation, as well as the incorrect evangelical belief of sola Scriptura and sola fide, that Scripture and faith alone will save you. Yet, it is not exclusively limited to academic or theological interpretation, but for me, I found that to be one of the best parts of all these testimonials, because it gave a constant affirmation of what the Bible teaches and what the early Chrurch Fathers advocated, long before any of the other religious denominations (you name them) ever came into existence and which later splintered and splintered and splintered. And I believe the splintering is still going on. With the logical and intellectual, there are also ample examples of the gift of Grace which are movingly recounted.

For anyone who is seriously drawn to the Catholic faith but just can't make the leap, it can indeed be most unsettling, especially when you fear the loss of all that which is familiar, but the articualte and intelligent proofs as contained in Journeys Home illustrate the various trials that these converts went though, and they go through the gamut of loss of friends, jobs, self-doubt, to a vast array of issues. But they trugged on, as Jesus Christ did, and ultimately persevered, and that makes each individual witness have a somewhat overly "happy" ending. That may sound zealous and euphoric or too sentimental, but when you go through the cultural, political, sociological and even spiritual mud that life has to offer, you are indeed grateful to God, the Father, for cohesiveness, consistency, history, stability, tradition and roots. And the Catholic Church, though its millions of members are flawed in every conceivable way imaginable, it is that one special gift for all of us.

If you've seen "The Journey Home" on EWTN, AKA Eternal Word Television Network, the global Catholic network, you know exactly what to expect in this book by the host of the show, Marcus Grodi. At least I thought I did. I eagerly await this show because I love to hear conversion stories, and also spiritual struggles, even with dark nights of the soul. To me, these stories are far more human than newscasts, they say far more about human quests, struggles and joys. So what would this book be? Transcripts of the show? A sort of "Best Of" gleaned from the show, a page turner excerpting the most riveting then-and-now transformations?

Not really. This is quite a broad selection, with some very short and other rather long pieces. I was surprised how much humor some of them had. The book begins with Marcus Grodi's own story, which seems like a good opening point. However, most of these tales don't follow the classic conversion story format of "I once was blind, but now I see". They're more properly considered journeys, because some of the paths home are very circuitous (which is what keeps us reading). Most of the authors don't accentuate the negative: "See how blind I was?" in order to contrast the positive; they mostly just tell it like it is (or was). I found the calm tone engaging and refreshing.

As anyone who's seen the show knows, Marcus Grodi has a rather specific ministry of helping clergy and their spouses "come home", although the rest of us get to look in. His goal is to provide information, fellowship and support, not to "prod, push or pull" but to let people make their own decisions. I quite realize this still looks like Catholics swiping converts out of other churches, including pastors of other denominations. All I can say is look at it the other way. There is no religious, political, fraternal, or social organization you can name that isn't full of (and possibly run by) ex- or lapsed Catholics. A great thing about books like this is that they give readers a chance to look in on things Catholic being discussed from all angles and a prism of views.

One thing I find humorous is that when Evangelical Protestants decide to convert, for one reason or another, they lose none of their fiery enthusiasm, and retain their evangelistic zeal. I can't help think this makes lapsed cradle Catholics wonder if they're missing something (this book would say they are). Convert priests draw out the homily until it resembles an Evangelical sermon. They love to point out how full the Mass is of the Bible (three readings per service), and get excited cross-referencing passages and introducing even more. While there's a gathering movement to make Latin Masses more available (and as this happens readers will see how wonderful this "dead" language really is), at the same time, youth at folk Masses are singing the same praise songs as the neighborhood non-denominational fellowship (and their numbers are growing as more and more adults come alive to this medium of praise).

So this book was not what I expected. It's better. It's an antidote to everything instant, unfolding instead a journey. And not one journey, but many, which meander through diverse pathways. And if the distinctions between denominations seem merely mystifying, it's interesting to have them explained by professional clergy who have themselves to weigh which differences matter and which don't. I found interesting the stories by cradle Catholics who left the Church and later returned. What, for them, was different? One of the most interesting stories is by William Cork, formerly Seventh Day Adventist, and who briefly lived at the interdenominational community associated with Franciscan brother John Michael Talbot. He provides a lively overview of the history of Adventism, another denomination with an intriguing history.

So it's not really conversion stories, not really apologetics, not really religious philosophy. But beneath the sedate cover lies, in my opinion, something better: true life stories of people wrestling with the sort of questions we all do, and finding, against all odds, a way home.

This book by Mr. Grodi is very encouraging in that it shows a Catholic the treasure he has in his Church which others have found on their own and with great study and in some cases sacrifices, whereas he always has the treasure, often since his birth.

The used book came in great condition with no obvious marks or wear. I would order another book like this.

Mr. Grodi's show on EWTN is probably the only truly smart show on the network. And this book seems to memorialize many of the sorts of conversations he has on that program The Journey Home. I actually have learned some interesting details of denominational beliefs hearing his various guests discuss their pathway to becoming Roman Catholics. Therefore it almost does not matter that it is all delivered with sleep-inducing, and suspiciously submerged and docile rhetoric. hardly the characteristic of the true convert type, at any rate, but that is another matter. But a recent panel discussion on the show involving converts from various denominations unfortunately confirms that Grodi's intelligence is not commensurate with his integrity. One of his guests, named Rich Lane, a convert from Lutheranism, made the assertion that he thought, from his present vantage point, that Lutherans treat the Bible as if Martin Luther himself had written it. This produced riotous laughter and applause from the assembled crowd. Professional biblical gadfly Scott Hahn was there on the panel as well, and neither he nor Grodi said a word against this notion. Well, it is just a terrible assertion that a great religious figure like Luther believed himself to be the author of the Christian Scriptures. It is just the most perverse exaggeration, even delusion, that history can be read thusly in any way whatsoever, to even remotely coddle such a suggestion either. There may indeed have been a skein of very odd humor going on here. But in a way, looking at it from a humorous perspective makes the silence of the supposedly knowledgeable people on the panel even worse. Most clearly , it show what a fringe operation EWTN is, not even keeping to general societal respect for the basic beliefs of religious actors in that society, effectively turning their religiosity into idolatry and vanity. . Further, it shows that they are deeply engaged in propaganda here, of a very anachronistic sort. If Luther's own hyperbolic rhetoric in his own day is to be matched today 550 years later by jokes in supposedly serious environments, then the whole notion of the respect premising religious liberty in our time is besmirched. Marcus Grodi needs to pray on his real position before a loving God, who loves all who believe. And, mysteriously, even those who don't.