Kelvin C

@electoralgarb @rawfish1999 Sorry what are we talking about? I can’t access the entire thread so I’m scratching my head here.

@rawfish1999 @ProBono28 Still waiting for your response to these direct quotes at complete odds with one another

Dude I’m over all the rabbit holes and purity spiraling i dont care anymore i’m just gonna go to a normal Mass and talk to normal Catholics

@shagbark_hick The Lord has many “tricks” up His sleeves. Continue to fast and pray for their conversion and eternal salvation. The good Lord is well aware of the crosses you are undergoing and He will intervene with His grace at the opportune time. Never give up hope and trust in Jesus!

I've noticed that relations with my anti-Catholic family only ever seem to get worse. When I reverted to the Church 5 years ago, they treated me as if I'd contracted a tragic mental illness. Some of them stopped talking to me or even greeting me. When I married a Christian woman, it got worse. A lot of them very conspicuously never said so much as a word to her and still won't speak to or look at her. Slowly, it started to feel as if we were 'ghosts' during holiday family events. This has been wild, because just a few years ago, I was a respected family-member; was always greeted, everyone always chatted with me, etc. Now that we have a baby, we're full-blown pariahs. They know we go to Mass, they see us pray before meals (and snicker about it), they know we're going to raise our baby to believe in a faith they haughtily reject. There's an elephant in the room whenever we're there. I've tried to be nice. I've tried to reach out, give them grace, calmly defend the faith when tested. It's been years of this. They haven't given an inch; they've only doubled down. Where does this end? Will they whisper blasphemies into our child's impressionable ears? Will their atheist kids judge or bully ours? Will we continue to gather for the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ -- without so much as a mention of His name? Will they keep rolling their eyes every time we go to Mass on Easter? Increasingly I think we're just... not going to go that route. If that means "starting over" somewhere faraway, so be it. I don't want to say it, but I think we're done here.

@shagbark_hick That is such a good and balanced view. Thank you!

Eventually you have to ask yourself whether you're more Catholic than you are "trad." There's a point at which trad ideology draws a hard line. Either you're in this small, obscure "Church within the Church" that is somehow better than 99% of all Catholics, or you're not. There's something apocalyptic about believing that 99% of Catholics are lost, fallen, wrong, demon-possessed, or whatever. It's a dark worldview that seems to have a poisonous effect on the spirit. Even if there are valid critiques to be made of the Novus Ordo, the Second Vatican Council, or the many post-council teachings that muddied the waters, this idea that the ONLY way to Christ is through a handful of scattered Latin Mass communities cuts away at the universality of the one true Church. It also distracts from the reality that so many non-TLM, ordinary run-of-the-mill Parishes are experiencing a genuine revival in the Liturgy. I travel constantly and am constantly at Novus Ordo Masses -- more and more people are receiving on the knee, on the tongue, more and more young Priests are saying parts of the Mass in Latin, using incense, even doing Ad Orientem. This is the direction that everyday Catholicism is heading, and it can be hard to see it from within the trad TLM world. Nothing wrong with preferring the Latin Mass at all. But to ever be so trad that you'd deny the validity of the Novus Ordo, speak ill of the Pope, or have this doom-and-gloom mentality about the state of the Church? This is usually not good, not warranted, and I invite those who feel that way to come out into the wider Church to see the amazing changes taking place. If the average trad were to visit 25 random Novus Ordo Churches around the country, I think they'd be surprised at what they'd see. It may not look quite like LifeSiteNews would say it'd look -- and it definitely wouldn't look the way it did 15 or even 5 years ago.

@ScottRoberts I don’t see any objection to submitting to the Apostles and their successors since they are delegated the Lord’s authority.

I will never submit to Rome. I will only submit to Christ.

@the_thin_place One can certainly have opinions but if those opinions conflict with “the authoritative teaching of the Church”, do you prefer your opinion or the official teaching? If the former, then surely the teaching is not authoritative?

@ProBono28 I would give public conformity and obedience to the best of my ability. This is a feature of Anglican ecclesiology not a bug. I would need to publicly recognize it as the authoritative teaching of the Church but I am not required to not have opinions.

This is not a rebuttal to Sola Scriptura. The Reformers happily admitted the necessity of the Church and her Ministers. x.com/i/status/19884… x.com/i/status/19886…

@the_thin_place “As my conscience allows”. Does that mean that if there’s a conflict, you’d prefer your interpretation rather than the ministerial interpretation?

@ProBono28 I affirm, to the best of my ability as my conscience allows, the doctrinal standards of the Anglican tradition which the Ministers swear to teach.

@farmingandJesus In Protestantism, there are multiple inconsistent positions on issues of faith and morals. Many Protestants don’t even agree with some of the stuff the reformers taught, e.g. the grave evil of contraception. The funny thing is that they only have issues with Catholic teaching.

Biblical illiteracy.

@mission1711 In Acts 15, the doctrinal dispute over circumcision was literally resolved by a church council and not via “sola scriptura”. In Matt 18:15-17, the Lord expressly designates the church as the final arbiter to resolve disputes.

#TheWord provides Christ's Church with all it needs. The Church Jesus established is based on His Word, not on Popes, Councils or any "magisterium" or traditions of men.

@Hokuto_Ide I would suggest reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

キリスト教徒20年やって米国の大学でグローバル神学博士課程中退するまで学んで、キリスト教の新聞の編集長しつつ、日本の教会網羅するために9500教会のデータ収集して、知ろうと努めてもまだキリスト教の0.001%も知ったと言えない。改宗する前のキリスト教知識なんて本質でも正確でもない断片でした。

@LisaMcKMir @DcnB_LovesJesus Totally! Start with this excellent video: youtu.be/OElbxDPsqpw?si…

@DcnB_LovesJesus Tell him about the Shroud of Turin.

I saw someone say the Resurrection was “nice but not an actual historical reality.” My life as a Deacon this past week: Chrism Mass Tuesday Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper Good Friday Service Saturday Morning Prayer Easter Vigil, and then Mass this morning, NOT A CHANCE I’m a Deacon and doing all this for a “beautiful symbol.”😊 ✝️

@NevEngi Well, just ask the question: which church put the Bible together and has existed since the time of Christ? That is the church you should consider. God bless!

キリスト教に改宗したくてもさ、なんか色々どの宗派も小競り合いするじゃん？ もうさ、聖書と讃美歌と詩が生活にあればいいかなって感じになるのよ。 争うために神を信仰しているわけじゃないからさ。

@frobrien Joe Heschmeyer suggests that the rate of neophytes lapsing is NOT as high as the statistics suggest: youtu.be/GP2PGWG4Okk?si…

A Letter to New Catholics (from a fairly new Catholic) To all our new Catholics, I think I speak with the multitude, saying “Welcome Home and congratulations!” As the Director of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) at Holy Family Cathedral, it’s a joy to accompany so many people in their journey of becoming Catholic. From personal experience getting to know our own candidates and catechumens, I know you all have (figuratively) traveled far and wide to reach Easter Vigil and become Catholic — and it hasn’t been easy! We all share a unique protestant pressure point in our diocese, meaning this choice has likely come with — at best — confusion from some family and friends, and — at worst — some harsh words or relational distancing. “You did what?!” We live in a region of America where a lot of unfamiliarity around Catholicism dwells. Oftentimes that sparks fear and brings out responses of anger and rejection. But take in these wise words from the fictional Samwise Gamgee: “This too shall pass.” I recently traveled down this same road as you, becoming Catholic in July of 2024. I left behind a job and former calling as a Presbyterian minister, which came with a lot of backlash. You may have read about that in the July/August 2025 issue of EOK. I mention that because I’ve recently finished what you’ve just finished. Or another way of saying it is, I’m a fellow traveler, and have also recently begun what you are now stepping into: a full life with Christ in His Church. There are many statistics floating around about how many new Catholic converts leave the church within the first 6-12 months. I don’t know how these things get measured, and I don’t find it all completely reliable, but nonetheless, the stats aren’t glamorous. I’ll leave it vague and say, many of you will be tempted to leave the Church and the faith that you just spent six months learning about. In the coming months many of you will be tempted to leave the God you now know and love. I don’t want that to happen. So, please view this article as a manual of preparation. If you know what lies ahead, it will not only improve your chances for staying in the Church, but also deepen the faith and/or fuller communion that has just begun. So, here is my advice. I’ll walk you through it point-by-point. 1. Stay put and pray for your parish. This is the most important point to offer. You are now transitioning from a once excited recipient of so much of your parish’s energy and attention to now being a semi-unknown parishioner blended into the entirety of sinners and saints-to-be sitting in your pews. This transition is hard but necessary. You may be tempted to fade away, blame, or criticize the shortcomings of your church and judge others for not seeing you. Use what you see as opportunities for prayer. Pray daily for your pastor(s) and the health and mission of your parish. Ask God to bring new friends into your life, giving you the needed courage and strength to introduce yourself to strangers. Prayerfully discern your spiritual gifts and look for a couple of opportunities to get plugged in. What you’ll discover is the more you give of yourself to your parish, the more you’ll receive from your parish. It’s how God’s kingdom works. 2. Don’t be overwhelmed by all that is offered. This was personally my biggest challenge. There are a lot of spiritual devotions to incorporate into your spiritual life: Adoration, the rosary, indulgences, readings, and meditations, Novenas, litanies, consecrations, daily Mass, devotions to saints, liturgy of the hours, Church activities, a liturgical calendar to live in, and the list goes on. It’s my conviction that the evil one wants to use this long list of beautiful gifts as opportunities for shame. He whispers lies like, “if you were really devoted you would xxxx...” Not only that, but we are tempted in our flesh to compare ourselves to the Catholics who inspired us in the first place. We notice what they do and want to be like them, fitting in our fourth new devotion in three weeks — a sure path to burnout. So here is my advice: continue doing what you’ve been doing. Do what works. Once in a while, slowly add in a new devotion, one that might stretch you. For example, I loved daily Mass and reading my Bible, so I still do those things to this day. I’ve slowly adopted new devotions over my short time being Catholic. The first to come was learning to pray the rosary. You have time, in fact, an entire life ahead. Work things in slowly. 3. Understand the end and focus on heaven. I’m a big believer in the “telos” of all things. We have to know the end in order to help us endure in the here and now. Our end is heaven, it’s a complete emptying of self, and it’s a complete satisfaction and fullness in the love of God in Christ. The Church is in the business of helping you do those two things: emptying and filling. In other words, the Church is here to help you and I reach heaven. Trust Christ’s Church! Emptying yourself doesn’t feel good at times, and that’s the point. There are many Catholic cliches, most of which are true. My favorite is this: Offer it up. When God’s sanctifying work in your life doesn’t feel good, offer it up. Give it as your gift to God. It’s part of the process, a necessary work preparing you for Heaven. 4. Say less and pray more. Some of you might be tempted to go from Catholic convert to professional apologist overnight. I would fight that temptation. I fight it all the time. Seek the humble path forward. We don’t know very much, but we’re surrounded by saints and teachers who do! Making your conversion public is a step of wisdom and discernment. We must be very attentive to our intentions. Speaking personally, if my aim is to simply show my former colleagues and church members that I am now “right” and they are “wrong,” then I should probably remain silent for a season. I am convinced your greatest apologetic is your steadfast devotion to Jesus. That will catch the attention of others more than your Bible references to new theological beliefs. I’m not saying don’t “go public” but rather, pray about the timing, and do it with pure intention. 5. Go to Mass. I assume that many of you became Catholic because of our sacraments, particularly all that’s involved in our Eucharistic theology and practice. So, simply put, take advantage of it! Get to learn the rhythms of the daily readings. Learn the liturgical prayers, and read through the Eucharistic prayers (where, in my opinion, the richest truths are found). And most importantly, come forward and receive Christ. Catholicism is incarnational in the sense that every day Christ comes towards you and gives Himself “for you.” Those are my favorite words in the Mass: Christ gives his body and blood “for you.” This might be disruptive to your routines. This might cost you your valuable time. (See point No. 3) Mass is the prayer of the Church, and it’s good for our journey. Make a point to attend every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, but more than that, a few times per week. In addition, make sure you consider your spouse in this: carve out time for your spouse to attend if that’s at a different time than you. May God bless you and keep you. Caleb Harlan is a recent convert to Catholicism from a Protestant background. He serves as Director of OCIA at Holy Family Cathedral. This was published in the March 2026 edition of the Eastern Oklahoma Catholic Magazine from the @DioceseofTulsa.

@pittam71568 Joe Heschmeyer has a great video showing that liberal Catholicism is dying off (yay): youtu.be/08-8mSiEF38?si…

Its like the sting from a dying scorpian. The 'progressive' spirit of the 70s is ebbing away. Why are they so frighted of new young catholics who really believe what the Catholic Church teaches and proffesses? We all know the real agenda here and its not the Gospel of Jesus.

@Taylor_A_Eaton Which version of Protestant doctrines do you stand for and why do you think you are right (and the other Protestant denominations are wrong)? God bless!

The best way to refute Roman Catholicism? Just smile and continue to point them to the Bible (the actual authority, whether it’s recognized or not).

@VadeadIesum But always “with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet 3:15). Some Catholics speak the truth in an angry, sarcastic and/or mocking tone, which tends to drive away (rather than draw) souls. God bless!

Battling people who hate the Catholic church is an effective strategy to bring people into the church. People see their lies, and research the truth. They see your rebukes, and research the truth. Defend the truth, defend the faith, and the church grows.

@5Solas2 Hi you should discuss this fairly with Joshua Charles, who knows the Church Fathers really well. God bless!

Don't let Roman Catholics and the Orthodox convince you they own the church fathers. The reformers actually used the church fathers to prove Roman Catholics wrong in the Reformation.

@GruessGott2018 There is some interesting evidence for the Resurrection in the Shroud of Turin. Do check out this video: youtu.be/OElbxDPsqpw?si…

キリストの復活ということを、現代人の多くは、特に日本人は、信じないのかもしれない。 というより、ピンとこないのだろう。 ただ、私自身のことを言うと、キリストの復活ということを思うと、なぜか心が新たになり、元気が出る気がする。 復活が本当にあったかどうかは、直接目撃できない以上、客観的に実証することは難しい。 しかし、心の上での実験では、なぜか元気が出てくるということは言える。 多くの人が、それを実感実証してきたから、この一見荒唐無稽な事柄がずっと信じられ伝えられてきたのだろう。 私はキリストの復活を信じる。

@task_fortress We Catholics need to learn to be “meek and gentle of heart” like the good Lord (Matt 11:29). We are also called to proclaim the faith “with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Pet 3:15)

私はカトリック信徒でありますがツイッター上で言葉の壁が取り払われて海外のカトリック信徒の一部の独りよがりで独善的カトリック至上主義者の日本人に対する宗教ゴリ押しを垣間見て軽いカルチャーショックを受けてます。😥