COMMENTARY: Entering the Church means finding your place in the Mystical Body of Christ and embracing the mission God has prepared for you.
Welcome, converts to Catholicism! Reports from around the world indicate that there are a large number of you.
Some of you converted from other faiths. Some of you come from unchurched backgrounds. Some of you had an intellectual journey: You read your way into the Church. Others had a mystical encounter with Jesus. Others were drawn by the beauty of the Church’s music, liturgy and architecture. Still others joined the Church because Jesus bonked you over the head with a two-by-four.
Whatever your journey may be, welcome! We are glad you are here. I’d like to give you a few tips.
First off: You have just joined a worldwide organization of 1.4 billion … sinners.
You aren’t going to get along with everyone.
I guarantee you that not everything will be to your liking. That’s okay. You’ll have the chance to experience a little-known and underappreciated Catholic charism: the grace of putting up with each other. It’s a combination of fortitude, patience, and a whole lot of charity. You’ll find it is a very useful skill,
