Fair Warning

from one of the greatest converts Catholicism has ever seen. Dale Ahlquist lays it out. Excerpts:

...Almost every convert will recognize the three stages of conversion that Chesterton describes: The first stage is, Patronizing the Church. The second, Discovering the Church. And the third is. . . Running away from the Church.

The convert takes his first step rather unwittingly when he decides he’s going to be fair to the Catholic Church. He does not think the Roman religion is true, but for the first time, he also doesn’t think that the accusations against the Church are true. This important first step leads to a long and enjoyable second step, which is the utter fascination of learning what the Catholic Church really does teach. Chesterton says this is the most pleasant part of the business, “easier than joining the Catholic Church and much easier than trying to live the Catholic life. It is like discovering a new continent full of strange flowers and fantastic animals, which is at once wild and hospitable.” But then the convert suddenly realizes with a shock that he can no longer be detached and impartial about the Catholic Church.

It is impossible to be just to the Catholic Church. The moment a man ceases to pull against it he feels a tug towards it. The moment he ceases to shout it down he begins to listen to it with pleasure. The moment he tries to be fair to it he begins to be fond of it.

But then comes the final stage: fear. “It’s one thing,” says Chesterton, “to conclude that Catholicism is good and another to conclude that it is right. It is one thing to conclude that is right and another to conclude that it is always right.”

At that delicate last stage, Chesterton observes that it is no longer the Church’s enemies who are holding the convert back, but “only the word of a Catholic can keep him from Catholicism. One foolish word from inside does more harm than a hundred thousand foolish words from outside.” He points out a problem that plagues the Church still: Catholics who not only do a very poor job of presenting their faith, but actually manage to repel converts who are pounding on the door trying to get in. Every Catholic would do well to read this book. Besides being better equipped to deal with converts, they would have a deeper appreciation of the faith in which they were formed. Especially the realization that the Church, as Chesterton say, “is larger on the inside than it is on the outside...”