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The latest from CHNetwork

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was a fascinating look at the spiritual trajectory of Jack Williams from EWTN Radio.

On the latest Deep in Christ, JonMarc Grodi concluded his series on prayer by sharing how to persevere through difficulties and distractions.

In a new On the Journey short, Ken Hensley made the point that nobody truly reads Scripture objectively.

In our latest written story, Fr. Jerry Brown, a former Episcopalian, shared the joys and sorrows along his journey to Catholicism and the Catholic priesthood.

And on a new Insights, Jennifer Southers, a former Quaker, shared how she has worked through some of her struggles with Catholic teachings on Mary.

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

Gayle Somers published her new book on Marian typology from her perspective as a Catholic convert.

Jim Wahlberg shared the role that Mother Teresa played in his return to the Church.

Keith Little interviewed former Baptist pastor Scott Oakland about his journey to the Catholic Faith.

And on their podcast, The Popcorn Cathedral, former Baptist Rod Bennett and his son Jack concluded their series on the age-old question: Why didn’t Indiana Jones convert?

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

Jeff Miller reflected on the theology of time travel in sci-fi stories and the Sacrament of Confession.

And Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, himself a convert, shared a pastoral letter on mental health in which he shared some of his own experience of mental health difficulties.

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A member preparing for their first confession since entering the Church at Easter, another member who’s praying their children will return to the sacraments, and all our members who just entered the Church at Pentecost — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“We must often remember what Christ said, that not he who begins, but he that perseveres to the end, shall be saved.”

St. Philip Neri

Feast Day: May 26th

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #406 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

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The latest from CHNetwork

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was a great discussion with John Bacon, a former Anglican priest, about what led him to the Catholic Church.

On the latest Deep in Christ, JonMarc Grodi discussed what the Catechism says about overcoming distraction and dryness in prayer.

In a new episode of On the Journey, Kenny Burchard concluded his conversion story by sharing what finally led him to decide to become Catholic.

In our latest written story, Dr. Matthew Harrison shared how his pro-life convictions played into his journey to Catholicism.

And on a new Signposts, Derek Rotty shared how reflecting on Church history — and his own family history — helped lead him to the Catholic Faith.

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

A bishop in Sierra Leone has said that most of his priests came from Muslim families.

Stephanie Mann remembered the passing of a convert friend who was active in the Wichita Chesterton Society.

And Jayme Clune shared how she and her family felt spiritually attacked as they went through the process of entering the Church.

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

The Vatican published new norms for how it reviews alleged apparitions and other spiritual phenomena.

Joseph Pearce shared how, in the Catholic understanding of faith and virtue, some fiction can actually be true.

And Jimmy Akin wondered what a liturgical calendar might look like on a planet or moon that had a different cycle of days and years than we do on Earth.

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A member struggling to find community in their new parish, another member whose spouse has finally expressed interest in becoming Catholic, and all our members who are preparing to enter the Church at Pentecost — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“The fullness of Joy is to behold God in everything.”

St. Julian of Norwich

Feast Day: May 13th

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #405 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

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The latest from CHNetwork

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was a fascinating discussion with former minor league baseball player Dan Venezia about how his faith was reawakened through his experience of adversity.

On the latest Deep in Christ, JonMarc Grodi continued his series on prayer by discussing what the Catechism says about obstacles to prayer.

In a new episode of On the Journey, Kenny Burchard shared the circumstances that led to him stepping down as a Pentecostal pastor.

Our CHNetwork Community shared how they wrestled, and continue to wrestle, with the idea of Mary as Queen of Heaven.

And on a new Insights, Matt Gerald talked about how he came to appreciate the spiritual motherhood of Mary.

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

Angelus News reported on the crop of converts that entered the Church in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles this Easter.

Joseph Pronechen interviewed a college convert about the role Mary played in her decision to become Catholic.

Fr. Patrick Briscoe reflected on the Marian conversion of Raissa Maritain, the wife of Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain.

Abel Camasca shared the conversion story of a quadriplegic man who could be on the road to sainthood.

And Catholic News Agency reported on the possibility of Catholic convert St. Edith Stein being named a Doctor of the Church.

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

Tom Hoopes encouraged us to embrace the strangeness of the Ascension of Jesus.

And Jeffrey Bishop reminded us that our own resurrected, glorified and ascended bodies will be in continuity with the bodies we have right now.

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A member thinking of leaving the staff at his nondenominational church, another member who’s praying for their children to be open to joining them in exploring Catholicism, and all our members who are preparing to enter the Church at Pentecost — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“I make myself a leper with the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ.”

St. Damien of Molokai

Feast Day: May 10th

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #404 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

The post The Queenship of Mary – CHNetwork Community Question appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

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The latest from CHNetwork

The May 2024 CHNewsletter is out! Read it here.

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was a wonderful conversation with Fr. Jeffrey Kirby, a nominal Catholic whose faith caught fire after it was challenged by some friends.

On the latest Deep in Christ, JonMarc Grodi continued his series on prayer by exploring the Catholic tradition of Contemplative Prayer.

In a new episode of On the Journey, Kenny Burchard shared how he reconciled his interest in the Catholic Church with the history of scandals committed by members of the clergy.

And on a new Insights, Santonio Hill shared how his experience of being raised by a single mom helps him understand Mary’s spiritual motherhood.

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

The Oxford Oratory mourned the passing of Fr. John Hunwicke, who entered the priesthood through the Ordinariate in 2012.

Word on Fire is encouraging people to pray the rosary this month for lapsed Catholics to return to the sacraments.

John Doherty reflected on St. Edith Stein’s conversion and her unique Catholic philosophical understanding of women.

The Church in South Korea has seen a 24% rise in Baptisms.

The Catholic Herald revisited an essay by Elizabeth Anscombe, a Catholic who was a student of Ludwig Wittgenstein and who famously debated C.S. Lewis.

And a former Anglican vicar has now become the first bishop of the UK Catholic Ordinariate.

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

Dave Armstrong shared some instances of how the Church Fathers refute the idea of Faith Alone.

And Lorelei Savaryn had some great insights for converts who entered the Church excited but have since been hurt by the behavior of fellow Catholics.

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A member struggling with divisions in their denomination and wondering if they’ll experience the same thing in Catholicism, another member praying their spouse will share their interest in Catholicism, and all our members who are preparing to enter the Church at Pentecost — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“God is good – or rather, of all goodness He is the Fountainhead.”

St. Athanasius of Alexandria

Feast Day: May 2nd

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #403 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

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The latest from CHNetwork

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was a powerful discussion of the impact of Christian friendship with Phillip Campbell.

On the latest Deep in Christ, JonMarc Grodi continued his series on prayer by focusing specifically on Meditative Prayer.

In a new episode of On the Journey, Kenny Burchard shared experiences from his early years in ministry and how he began to be troubled by divisions in Christianity.

We also featured the written version of Kenny’s story, and how he went from being a Foursquare Church pastor to the Catholic faith.

And on a new Signposts, Sr. Julia Mary Darrenkamp shared her journey from Evangelical Protestantism to religious life as a Daughter of St. Paul.

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

A Columbine shooting survivor shared the story of her conversion to Catholicism and her vocation to religious life.

The Archdiocese of Miami interviewed some of its newest converts who entered the Church at Easter.

Catholic News Agency shared the story of a Spanish man’s journey from promiscuity and the occult back to his Catholic Faith.

CNA also looked at some of the factors that drew this year’s class of converts to the Church.

Patti Armstrong looked at the stories of converts whose journey to the Church was driven by an experience of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Kevin Schmiesing shared the story of literary converts Erma Bombeck and Roy Campbell.

And Christian alternative rock pioneer Michael Knott, who passed away earlier this month, received a Catholic funeral.

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

Aleteia looked at the cave churches in Cappadocia, the region that served as home for several Church Fathers, including St. John Chrysostom.

And with April 25th being the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, here’s an article about his life from the National Shrine in Washington, DC.

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Several members hoping to enter the Church at Pentecost, a number of members struggling with illnesses either personally or in their families, and all our members who just returned from this week’s Coming Home Network retreat in Ohio — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“It is because of faith that we exchange the present for the future.”

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen

Feast Day: April 25th

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #402 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

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The latest from CHNetwork

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was a great conversation with Catholic media pioneers Greg and Jennifer Willits about their journey together in faith.

On the latest Deep in Christ, JonMarc Grodi continued his series on prayer by focusing specifically on Vocal Prayer.

In a new episode of On the Journey, Kenny Burchard shared how he found out that he was a Protestant.

And on a new Insights, Sharon Ripley, who preached sermons as an ordained A.M.E. minister, shares how she’s taken that gift of proclaiming God’s word and used it to lector at her Catholic parish.

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

Actor and comedian Rob Schneider talked to ChurchPOP about some of the reasons for his conversion to Catholicism.

Tsh Oxenreider shared another chapter in the ongoing story of what led her to the Catholic Faith.

The Catholic Sun interviewed some new converts from the Diocese of Phoenix about what led them to the Church.

The Catholic Times profiled a few of the new Catholics who came into the Church recently at Ohio State.

And April 14th was the feast of St. Peter Gonzales, who became a priest initially to rise in the social order, but had a major conversion when his horse got spooked and threw him onto a dung heap.

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

As we continue through the Easter season, Tom Nash explained why Easter is not a pagan observance.

uCatholic explored what Jesus was doing during the 40 days after his resurrection.

And Clement Harrold reflected further on the descent of Jesus to the dead on Holy Saturday.

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A member who’s trying to make Catholic friends, another member who feels overwhelmed by how much there is to learn about Catholicism, and all our members who were just received into full communion recently at the Easter Vigil — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“Remove grace, and you have nothing whereby to be saved. Remove free will and you have nothing that could be saved.”

St. Anselm of Canterbury

Feast Day: April 21st

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #401 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

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The latest from CHNetwork

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was a powerful conversation with Nora Jensen about her path from Wicca to Catholicism.

On the latest Deep in Christ, JonMarc Grodi started a new series focusing on the way that the Church thinks about prayer.

In a new episode of On the Journey, Kenny Burchard shared how his zeal got him into trouble in his first year as a new Christian.

Our featured CHNetwork Community Question involved tithing, taxes, and charitable contributions; some members shared how these questions were addressed in their previous religious traditions.

And on a new Signposts, former Church of Christ minister Lawain McNeil shared how Sheldon Vanauken and Walker Percy helped lead him to the Catholic Church.

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

Keith Little interviewed former Protestant pastor Gerard Figurelli about his journey back to the Catholic Faith.

Robert De La Noval reflected on the nature of intellectual conversion, especially in regard to college students.

Ten students from Catholic University of America were received into the Church at the Easter Vigil.

More than sixty people entered the Church at a single parish in the Diocese of Columbus.

More than 700 people were baptized at Easter in Nigeria, according to Catholic News Agency.

Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles welcomed a record number of new Catholics at Easter.

And Aleteia reported on the many thousands more who were received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil.

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

The Vatican this week released a document on human dignity that articulated the Church’s position on a number of hot-button issues, from gender theory, to surrogacy ,to abortion, euthanasia and much more. Read the full text of it here.

And a high school student in Missouri has created a mosaic of Fr. Augustus Tolton using over 20,000 dice.

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A member who’s looking for ways to get involved in their parish, another member who has lots of questions about how to incorporate confession more regularly into their life, and all our members who were just received into full communion recently at the Easter Vigil — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“Whatever happens, remember: God doesn’t abandon anyone.”

St. Giuseppe Moscati

Feast Day: April 12th

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #400 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.

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“[For the Latter Day Saints,] it is a mandatory 10%. In fact, it’s so mandatory that it’s required to get into the highest heaven. You have to receive temple ordinances to get to the highest heaven, and you have to tithe 10% to get into the temple. So a 10% tithe is one of the major points on which your eternal destiny hinges. Also, we gave a “fast offering” every month that goes to the needs of those struggling in our congregation specifically. That is left to the discretion of the giver and is often based on how much money you save by fasting for two meals on the first Sunday of the month (an LDS tradition which is actually one of my favorites).” -A.C.

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“When I was an Evangelical, we were taught to give ten percent. We had a lot of teaching about money. Occasionally we had some pretty guilt-inducing animated videos inflicted on us about tithing. A popular one was using the story of Cain and Abel as a lesson in tithing. Also it was said that unless you were a regular ‘ten-percenter,’ you would never be considered for the church eldership team. When I looked up Catholic teaching on giving, it made a lot more sense I’m glad to say!” -V.W.

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“As a non-denominational Christian, tithing was 10% of our gross income. Giving is a representation and demonstration of your faith and following of Christ. And is one of the items of the checklist to become a member.” -T.K.

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“My husband belonged to a church where the pastor mentioned tithes at every service. Scripture was read about giving and receiving 100 fold, and about God blessing those who tithed. Testimonies were given about how a raise was given at work or blessings were received due to being a faithful tither. It seemed like something from a prosperity-type gospel. Of the Catholic Churches I’ve attended, I’ve never heard tithing mentioned except once, and that was when there was the possibility of some of the smaller Churches being closed, including that particular church.” A.J.

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So what about Catholics? Is there a set amount one must tithe in the Church?

It turns out that your obligation to give, according to the Catholic Church, doesn’t have a specific number or percentage attached to it. That may be in part because Catholicism has a wide socioeconomic range among Her membership, which includes people from both the wealthiest and poorest places on earth. But the Church DOES have something to say about the obligation to give, and it’s detailed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church starting around paragraph 2041. That information is included in what are called the Precepts of the Church—essentially the “bare minimum” obligations
for a Catholic. Giving is addressed in the fifth one:

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church (primarily
   Ash Wednesday and Good Friday).
5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

You’ll often hear Catholics refer to three ways to fulfill that 5th Precept: Time, Talent, and Treasure. What that means is that you can provide for the Church’s needs by giving time to help out in various efforts or works, talent in the sense that you bring your personal gifts and skills and offer them in some way for the building up of the Church, and treasure, meaning financial support in whatever way you discern God is asking of you.

“Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.” -St. Gregory Nazianzen
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The latest from CHNetwork

The April CHNewsletter is out! Read it here.

This week’s episode of The Journey Home was an encore of our conversation with Rachel Lu, who shared her path from the Latter Day Saints to the Catholic Church.

In a new episode of On the Journey, we started a series exploring how Kenny Burchard went from being raised without religion to becoming a “born again” Christian.

And JonMarc Grodi issued an official welcome to all of you who came into full communion with the Church this past weekend at the Easter Vigil!

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CONVERTS AND CONVERSION

Upcoming Journey Home guest Phillip Campbell reflected on the numerous Catholic conversions that took place around the world this Easter weekend.

Among those numbers were 660 received into the Church in the Archdiocese of Baltimore alone.

Matt D’Antuono shared the role the Eucharist played in his journey from Protestantism to Catholicism.

The National Catholic Register highlighted a Catholic convert and soccer star who is supporting pregnancy care for moms in need of help.

Solène Tadié looked at how the Church is responding to a wave of Muslim converts to Christianity in France.

An Austrian YouTuber has shared the reasons behind his journey from Evangelicalism to Catholicism.

APOLOGETICS PICKS OF THE WEEK

Elizabeth Huddleston published a short guide to understanding papal documents and how they work.

And Dr. John Cuddeback reflected on how to make Easter the cornerstone of your year.

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A member seeking friendships at the parish level, another member struggling with health difficulties as they seek to enter the Church, and all our members who were just received into full communion this weekend at the Easter Vigil — these are just a few of the people we are praying for and working with at The Coming Home Network. Please help us continue to support those on the journey by visiting chnetwork.org/donate today!

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“Do you desire to study to your advantage? Let devotion accompany all your studies, and study less to make yourself learned than to become a saint. Consult God more than your books, and ask him, with humility, to make you understand what you read. Study fatigues and drains the mind and heart. Go from time to time to refresh them at the feet of Jesus Christ under his cross.”

St. Vincent Ferrer

Feast Day: April 5th

The post The CHNetwork Weekly Roundup #399 appeared first on The Coming Home Network.