I just remembered…

This Easter, I have been a Catholic for 10 years.

My last service as a Lutheran pastor was on Palm Sunday 2001, and that year I attended the Easter Vigil at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour as a self-identifying Catholic. It was some time before I was received into the Church by Confirmation (June 16, 2003), but I can say that I have been “Catholic” for 10 years.

They’ve been interesting years, but joyful ones for the most part. I have never regretted my decision, although of course I miss ordained ministry. I don’t miss all the stress that went with it (Holy Week and Triduum with three parishes was always a bit of a difficult time!), but I do miss preaching and teaching, and of course being able to determine the liturgical life of the parish to my tastes (a benefit every priest or pastor or minister has by virtue of being “pope” in his own parish). But I have learned a lot in these years about living the vocation of a lay Christian, including a bit of humility (yes, really!).

When I first raised my desire to become a Catholic, the priest to whom I confided this (who is now happily my boss) described himself as “a happy Catholic”. I think I can confidently say that this is now a description I can own for myself.

The Church is a funny old girl, but I have never regretted either my choice of motto, which I use for this blog “Sentire Cum Ecclesia”.

For those who want the full story of how I came to enter the Catholic Church, I refer you to my “retroblog”, Year of Grace.

About Schütz

I am a PhD candidate & sessional academic at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Australia. After almost 10 years in ministry as a Lutheran pastor, I was received into the Catholic Church in 2003. I worked for the Archdiocese of Melbourne for 18 years in Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations. I have been editor of Gesher for the Council of Christians & Jews and am guest editor of the historical journal “Footprints”. I have a passion for pilgrimage and pioneered the MacKillop Woods Way.
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9 Responses to I just remembered…

  1. Dan says:

    Congratulations!!! May you continue to grow in Holiness!

  2. Hannah says:

    Congratulations David.

  3. Gareth says:

    It is always a nice story to hear from those that are grateful that their participation in the Catholic Church has been a positive and worthwhile one.

    • Hannah says:

      Gareth I suspect that there are more people who are happy and positive about their catholic faith but remain silent. We tend to hear from the loud disenchanced ones. The happy ones tend to continue praying in thanksgiving for themselves, their life and for those who are unhappy.
      H

  4. Congratulations! (from one convert to another).

  5. Matthias says:

    congratulations David. Perhaps you could make a comment over at Pastor Mark’s blog.
    I had better hurry up then

  6. Kyle says:

    Congratulations. I guess I would say you were truly Catholic from the day of your First Communion.

  7. jules says:

    Congratulations David and I hope you had a lovely Easter.

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