Convicted
By Barry Hamlin
I was blessed to grow up in a loving, Christian home with my parents and two sisters. We faithfully attended our local Southern Baptist church each Sunday. It was there that I learned that Jesus died for me, rose again, and wanted to be the Lord of my life. I followed Him in Baptism and later accepted Him as Lord and Savior. I’ll be forever grateful for my upbringing in that Baptist church.
As I grew older, I prayed to meet a good Christian woman to become my wife. While that happened for me, the surprising part was that Annette was a cradle Catholic. Living as a two-church family presented its challenges, but we did so while raising three wonderful children in the Catholic Church. In April 2021, we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary while still attending two different churches.
Everything changed in September 2021 when God spoke to me and convicted me on the true nature of authority – was it the Bible alone, known as Sola Scriptura, or was it the Catholic understanding of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium? I knew I couldn’t rest until I learned the correct answer to this question.
For the issue of authority, I began to read some of the writings of the Early Church Fathers, especially St. Ignatius of Antioch, my Confirmation Saint. His writings about the leadership structure of the Church (Bishop, Presbyter (Priest), and Deacon) and his strong belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist were very compelling. As I studied Scripture, I was stunned to realize that 1 Timothy 3:15 calls the Church the “pillar and bulwark” of the truth. I had always assumed it was the Bible, but the Bible says it is the Church.
In November 2021, Annette and I went to an Adoration service with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. It was the most worshipful experience of my life. It was like scales were falling from my eyes and I could see things I had never seen before. I had attended Mass with Annette frequently for 30 years and had never genuflected before the Blessed Sacrament. I began to do so as I was becoming convinced that Jesus was present in the Eucharist.
More and more reading, both in the Bible and outside sources, helped me to better understand the office of the Bishop of Rome, the role of Mary, and the Communion of Saints, three common stumbling blocks for Protestants. I began attending RCIA in November 2021 and that was a huge help to me. I assented to submit to the authority of the Church and, with Annette as my sponsor, was confirmed at St. Max on May 15, 2022. In some ways, my Catholic conversion happened quickly. However, it was also the result of a 30-year process of living in the Catholic atmosphere.
My life since becoming Catholic has been nothing short of amazing. God has taken our marriage and made it even stronger by fully uniting us in His Church. We now share the most important area of our lives and serve Him side by side in our wonderful St. Max parish. I am able to attend Mass most days before work at a parish near my workplace in Blue Ash. There’s not a better way to start the day than in daily Mass and receiving the Eucharist.
One of the biggest surprises to me was the love and appreciation I have for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I could never understand why I needed to confess to a priest when I could confess directly to God. When I read John 20:21-23 without my Protestant filter, I understood the Biblical support for the sacrament. Now, as a Catholic, I have been blessed to be able to participate in this sacrament frequently.
Saying a memorized prayer was not something I ever did and almost felt wrong to me as “vain repetition”. Now, I love and appreciate many of the great Catholic prayers, especially the Anima Christi prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours, the majestic Te Deum, and even the Rosary, which had been a big stumbling block for me. I still say personal prayers as I always have, but these Catholic prayers have added a depth to my prayer life that I didn’t have before.
Just over three years ago I would have never seen a scenario where I became Catholic. Now, I can’t imagine my life without my Catholic faith. I’ve come to know, in full, the joy of the Holy Spirit as a member of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Praise be to God!