First Holy Week Experience as a New Catholic

A Facebook friend and his family have become Catholic after years of discernment. He has given me permission to share their story here on 'Musings'.

By Levi J. Pingleton

After 6 years of discernment out of Protestant error, my family and I entered full communion with Rome at the Easter Vigil this past weekend

As a new Catholic, entering into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church this last weekend at the Easter Vigil, along with my wife and kids, I thought I would share my truly life changing experience as a convert experiencing my first Holy Week as I inched closer and closer to receiving our Lord’s Body and Blood in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the first time in full communion.

Before I begin, for those who aren’t familiar with my conversion story, I am a convert from Protestantism and I waited six years to enter full communion with the Catholic Church after being convinced of Her Truth as I prayed that my wife and children would eventually come to supernatural faith, and as I discerned my way out of Protestant error and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide me. My wife and I are recovering addicts, mental health survivors, and abuse survivors, as well as having other not so perfect issues. We also have experienced homelessness and lived in our van with our family for months at one point. Needless to say, becoming Catholic has miraculously changed not just us inside and out, but EVERYTHING in our lives has been miraculously and graciously recreated in Christ.

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To start, I just want to point out that every Doctrine that is questioned by Protestants, genuinely or straw man, I have tested myself as I slowly discerned my way into the Catholic Church...and I've tasted and seen that Catholicism not only gives answer, but gives clarity and coherence to Christian Doctrine. I caution all who read this to please not learn about Catholic Dogma from Her enemies...and those ignorant to Her actual teachings. Study the Magisterium of the Church from Her Councils, Doctors, Fathers, and Scriptures...not from false Protestant misunderstandings or straw men. Everything I was taught as a lifelong Protestant, especially from Southern Baptists and non-denominational evangelicals, about Catholic Teaching was a straw man or argument from complete ignorance, or even just outright manipulations and intentional twisting of Truths.

As a Protestant seeking Truth, I pitched a tent at a few places on my way, and don't get me wrong I had many great and lovely Christians that welcomed, supported, and lovingly sent me off to the next dwelling as I wondered through denominational(and “non-denominational”) deserts. At our final destination in the One True Catholic Church, I must say, the guidance, the support, the love, the charity, hospitality, kindness, selflessness, and at some points the being carried and mended along the way, all this and more were given to us by so many hard working, compassionate, zealous, and determined leaders that made sure my family and I were prepared and welcomed to receive the Sacraments. There are too many to list, so I'll just give a big shout of praise to Almighty God.

Now, I’ll share my Holy Week experience as my family and I inched closer and closer to being received into full communion with the Catholic Church. The week really began to start hitting me on Wednesday, as my wife and I went to confession for our first time to experience God’s forgiveness and love through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. My first Reconciliation was a truly cleansing and refining experience to say the least. The simplicity and Truth of it, as well as the experience that is tangible of the restorative grace and the Faith of knowing that my restoration to Justification was finally a lived experience in reality. After receiving Absolution, I have that Peace that surpasses understanding knowing that my family and I are all in the state of grace. This is priceless. My first Reconciliation was truly wonderful, and I cant speak for my wife, but she seems to have had a similar experience. True Treasures of the Kingdom were most certainly bestowed upon us, and we FELT it.

Next, we experienced Holy Thursday Liturgy, which was a very moving and unifying experience for my family. I'm truly grateful to our Lord! I cannot praise Him enough! Seeing my whole family sing hymns to Christ was one of the proudest and best moments I've had as a Husband and Father. Those moments don't just happen all the time for us, and it was truly special. The Holy Spirit most certainly filled up His House at St. Pius X Church Holy Thursday! The Liturgy, homily, procession, and profoundly silent close....it was an experience we will truly never forget! I really appreciated the singers, organizers, volunteers, lectors, clergy, etc....everything was truly BEAUTIFUL and Christ was most certainly pleased with the aroma that our Latria presented for His glory! Fr. Louis Nelen's homily was one of the best I've heard in a Catholic Church.

Our first Good Friday as a Catholic family was another perfectly gracious and wonderful experience. I had a mystical experience in my heart and mind as we were going up to venerate the Wood of the Cross...I felt the intense warmth of Love that my family and I have experienced since being homeless and becoming Catholic in Faith, up to now; the washing of our Liberal and sinful lifestyle, the setting apart of my children for God from the mire we thought we were stuck in. I felt the Precious flow of the warm Blood of Jesus flowing from the Cross over the filth of my life of drugs, immorality, lust, shame and guilt. I personally FELT Jesus' Blood pour out over my family and I wept. I'll never forget the Holy Triduum of our first as a Catholic family. Priceless moments, indeed.

After we celebrated the Crucifixion and Good Friday Liturgy, I watched The Passion of Christ, and got to discuss the Atonement with a mentor, role model, and friend to me, Erick Ybarra...all evening into the wee hours of the morning I basked in the Glory of Jesus Christ. I felt like a very spoiled Son of a Great King. As I watched The Passion of Christ, as I try to do every Good Friday, I noticed that now as a Catholic, I could catch so much more of the story...Veronica's Veil, the Blessed Mother's sufferings united with His, His Atonement, the Institution of the Eucharist, etc..there's so much in this movie that puts the icing on the Catholic cake as it is beautifully and ironically depicted in this BEST iconic representation of our Lord's historical Life, Death, and Resurrection in film. Now as a convert to Catholicism, Christianity has truly COME TO LIFE.

Easter Vigil Saturday Night was the most powerful spiritual experience I’ve ever had. As Deacon John Hill chanted, proclaiming proudly and loudly the Easter Victory, reality set in and the fire of the Holy Spirit began to overflow within my heart. I watched my two little ones being baptized as my heart melted in adoration and thanksgiving for the miracle occurring before my very eyes. In the pictures, you can literally see my awe and amazement! Then, receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, and the sweet smell of the Sacred Chrism pressed within me a sense of the graces and rewards that God was pouring out over my family and me (which lasted a couple days, so I’ve enjoyed sniffing my kids' heads, lol!).

This all came to the climax as I knelt before the Lord with my precious daughter, Israel, who held my hand at my side as the Bread of Heaven came down and was laid upon my tongue. I lost all composure as I consumed the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ and entered into full communion with Him and all His Holy Church. I watched my wife and stepdaughter receive their First Holy Communion and nothing but humility and gratitude entered my spirit. I knelt and adored our Lord on the Cross as we became fully and completely Catholic. I couldn’t remove my gaze from adoring our precious Lord on the Cross. 13 years of striving, struggling, falling, and stumbling everywhere to get to this moment hit heavily in my heart and nothing but thanksgiving and praise poured out uncontrollably from within through the tears of joy and adoration that continually flowed out from my eyes.

My family and I left changed after the Easter Vigil, never to be the same as before. I am so thrilled to share my first Holy Week experience with you all, and I hope this encourages anyone on the fence to finally climb over and enter full communion with Christ and His One True Catholic Church. You will NOT regret it.

Saint Pope Pius X, pray for all of us who received our Lord for the first time in full communion with the Supreme Pontiffs and Christ's One, True, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Welcome us Home finally with Rome after 40 days of fasting, and as for myself, 13 years of studying, and six years waiting for God to gently bring my family to the Catholic Faith. St. Pius X, may our Communion with Christ and you, as well as all the Supreme Pontiffs past, present, and future, with the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Saints, along with the Church Triumphant, Militant, and Suffering be made Perfect in our weakness. May we partake of the Divine Nature and may our Justification be increased more and more towards Perfection. Pope Saint Pius X, ora pro nobis. Amen.