321 Catholic Conversion

8/17/2019 321 Catholic Conversion

1/21

by steve Whan


2/21

Autumn Jade Publishing

All Rights Reserved.Copyright @ 2015 by Steve Whan

this book, or parts thereof, may not bereproduced in any form without permission inwriting from the publisher.

isbn 0-9688198-x-y

published in canada by autumn jade publishing,vancouver

printed in canada


3/21

When I was seven monthsold, I was baptizedProtestant over theprotests of my parents.They stood their ground

after me, and none of mythree younger sisterswere baptized.

I n 2000 y e ar s , h u m a n

b ei n g s h av e n ot cr e a

t e d

a p h ilo so p h y , so ci al

or

p olit i c al sy st e m t h at

i s

b et t er t h a n t h e o n e

w e

h av e i n t h e C h ri st i a n

C h ur c h . Go d h a s t rul

y

bl e s s e d u s w it h a gr e

at

gi f t a n d I a m v ery

h u mbl e d t o n ow b e p

art

o f it .

T h i s i s t h e st ory o f

my

f ait h j our n ey .

We grew up withoutreligion and I essentiallyspent the first 50+ yearsof my life as an Atheist,denying the existence of

God. It would be over 20

years before I set footin a church again.

"Howcome

everyoneknows the

words,except

forme?"

I still remember myfirst day in Grade 1. In

1965 they still said theLord's Prayer to startthe day. "Our Fatherwho art in heaven..."


4/21

I met my wife 37years ago when wewere both atUniversity. She wasa non-practicingCatholic at thetime. Her parents

were FrenchRoman Catholicand attended Massevery day.

My family wereAtheists. When Ibrought Daniellehome to meet myfamily for the firsttime, my fatheranswered the door.He stuck out his handand said…

Sh or t ly af t e r th at w et r av e lle d t o St . Bo ni f a ce t o me e t h e r f a mily -- t h at me a n t at t e n di ng c h ur c h f or th e f ir st t ime .

"No,you won't

getstruck by

lightningif you goinside!"

"WeDon't saygracehere."


5/21

And so it went…

we eventually starte a family and our twodaughters grew upwith no knowledge of

God or Jesus. Seven

years ago my olderdaughter returnedfrom Timberline Ranc

and asked us if shewas Christian. Thatled to my wifereturning to the

Catholic church — both of ourdaughters werebaptized andeventually confirmed

Every Sunday I woulddrop the three ofthem off at church

and take our twodogs hiking for an

hour. Life was justfine until several

months after my 52ndbirthday...


6/21

For over a week I woke up at thesame time in the

morning: 3:21,

3:21, 3:21, 3:21,3:21...


7/21

! To him " at overcome" wi # I grant $ sit wi " me in my " rone,even as I also overcame, and am setdown wi " m Fa" er in his " rone.%

And then I felt the urge to Google "bible 3:21". I didit as soon as I got into work and the chapter andverse that resonated with me the most wasRevelation 3:21:

I sent my wife an email with what I had found and thenpromptly forgot all about it. Until three months laterwhen I had a dream that is still vividly etched in my

mind.

I was standing on a hillside watching my wife and children being taken up to heaven and I was being leftbehind. I fell on my knees and cried out to Jesus totake me with them, but I was too late.


8/21

I had two more dreams similar to the first one over the nextseveral months. In the second one, there were hugetornadoes taking entire houses up into the air and once again

I was on the ground watching my family heading to heavenwithout me.

In the third dream my family had already been taken and i wassurviving on my own in a small cabin. the sky was filled withblack clouds and then there was a knock at the door. Iopened it to behold two beautiful women who offered to take

me to my family.

For some reason I knew they were sent by the devil To fool me. As I closed the door they transformed into two hideous creatures.


9/21

God was preparing me for theultimate test, but i just didn'tknow it yet.

At the end of 2011 we had acrisis in our family; somethingthat was very devastating.

Out of desperation I felt theurge to start praying at

night...

GOD, I've never prayedbefore. I love my familyand we need your help. I

know i've ignored you for allthese years, but I don't knowwhere else to turn. I'm sorry

for all my sins, please forgiveme. Please give us your loveand strength to get through

this. I Thank you with allmy heart.


10/21

Little by little, things got better and that was my first glimpse of the power and grace that comes with turningto god.

When my wife came home from mass in january of 2012 andtold me about an upcoming alpha course, I was receptiveto checking it out. I showed up for the first night a littleworried about what was going to happen, but the food was

great and the company even better.


11/21


12/21

Night ten of the alpha course was a talk on healing. i didn't stay for the group prayer but went home instead. We had a German high school student staying with us and theweek before she had been sobbing in my arms from the

pain she had in her knee from previous surgeries. I did pray that night for her pain to go away. The next morningshe felt a little better. I told my wife what I was doing

and prayed a second Night for our student...

The next morning, I asked her how her knee was andshe said she wasn't feeling any pain. I turned to my wife

and said, "I guess I have to become a Catholic now."When Easter weekend arrived, I was ready to take the

plunge.


13/21

I started attending church regularly during the Eastercelebrations of 2012. In the beginning I would just sit as

everyone kneeled. I wasn't saying the prayers or singing along. I didn't even join the communion line to receive ablessing. Over the next several months I eventually became

a full participant -- I almost cried the first time I crossed my arms and received a blessing.

Several of the men hosting the Alpha course invited me tojoin a Friday morning men's prayer group. I felt a littlestrange since I wasn't Catholic (yet), but they were all verywelcoming.


14/21

I was now feeling more and more part of the church family. During the second alpha course I volunteered to clean up and wash dished. I had read somewhere that everything we do can be offered in thanks to God -- even washing dishes!

I started the rCIa program in September, 2012. Once you make the decision to become catholic, there is still a longroad ahead of you. RCIA provides professional guides andwonderful travelling companions for the journey. I couldn't

have made it all the way to the following easter withoutthem.


15/21

ONCE I DECIDED TO BECOMECATHOLIC, THERE WERE SOMETHINGS TO "FIX UP", INCLUDING OUR

MARRIAGE. ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2012, IN FRONT OF GOD, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE RENEWED OURWEDDING VOWS AND MADE OUR

MARRIAGE OF 31 YEARS, RIGHT INTHE EYES OF THE CHURCH.

This was the first sacrament since I was baptized and I was amazingly peaceful for several days afterwords.


16/21

IN FEBRUARY, I JOINED THE MENS GROUP WEEKEND RETREAT AT MISSION ABBEY. MONSIGNOR SMITH MADE THE WEEKEND ALL ABOUT PRAYER AND I LEARNED SO MUCH. I CAME BACK HOME REFRESHED AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE STARTED TO SAY GRACE BEFORE MEALS.


17/21

We had been warned that the devil would not go downwithout a fight as we got closer to the Easter Vigil. Iwas out riding and had just told the devil that it was toolate, he couldn't stop me from becoming Catholic. Within

a minute of saying that, I caught a shoelace andcrashed into the road. I had to limp the 5km back towork, Bloodied and bruised. I was to discover afterwordthat we don't usually acknowledge the devil this way. Withour eyes always on God, we should just ignore him!

The Saturday of the Easter weekend I went for a ride again.Turns out the Miraculous Mary Medallion we had just received

as part of the RCIA program was a very timely gift. I wascoming over the Lions Gate Bridge when my rear fenderbroke off, rotated under my tire and got jammed. "Hail Mary,

full of grace..." somehow I kept my balance and didn't getsplattered all over the sidewalk. I wear the medallion to this

day.


18/21

The week before Easter I did my firstconfession. I had written it out aheadof time and stored it on my phone...

! Forgive me Fa" er for I have sinned. & is ism rst con ession in 54 ears...%


19/21

The RCIA program had been an amazing experience andin the past five months I had received grace from

four sacraments: my wife and I were married in thechurch, I did my first confession, and finally I wasconfirmed and then received communion (both forms)

for the first time. The Easter Vigil service flew by for me!


20/21

I had just been confirmed and received my first

communion. As I was sitting in the pew, I felt calm and peace come over me that I never felt before. I then"saw" a light welling up inside me and I knew it was the

Holy Spirit letting me know that he was with me.

And now my journey really begins...


21/21

COME, Holy Spirit, Crea$r blest,and in our souls take up & y rest;come wi " & y grace and heavenly aid $ +# " e hearts which & ou hast made.

O comfor 'r, $ & ee we cry,O heavenly gift of God Most High,O fount of life and + re of love,and sweet anoin, ng ( om above.

& ou in & y sevenfold gifts are known;& ou, + nger of God * s hand we own;& ou, promise of " e Fa" er, & ou

Who dost " e $ngue wi " power imbue.

Kindle our sense ( om above,and make our hearts o* er - ow wi " love;wi " pa, ence + rm and virtue high" e weakness of our - esh supply.

Far ( om us drive " e foe we dread,

and grant us & y peace ins'ad;so sha# we not, wi " & ee for guide,turn ( om " e pa" of life aside.

Oh, may & y grace on us bes$w " e Fa" er and " e Son $ know;and & ee, " rough endless , mes confessed,of bo" " e e'rnal Spirit blest.

Now $ " e Fa" er and " e Son,Who rose ( om dea" , be glory given,wi " & ou, O Holy Comfor 'r,hencefor " by a# in ear " and heaven.

Amen.

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321 Catholic Conversion