Thulcandra is written and maintained by Matthew Horwitz, 24, a native of California. He intends to use this blog to discuss matters of Christian doctrine, faith, and the joy and suffering that are part and parcel of a life spent seeking God through the silence of this world.
It would be nice if you can share with the readers of your blog why you decide to convert to Catholicism. From your surname, if I am not wrong, are you Jewish?
Sorry for taking so long to respond, vivator. I’m still getting the hang of this whole blogging thing, and I didn’t even notice that you’d posted a comment until today.
My decision to join the Catholic Church was one step—I can hardly call it the end result, since the process is still ongoing—in the journey I’ve taken over the past several years from the religion of my youth into unbelief and despair and back to faith and hopeful trust in God. It has been a long road and a difficult one, and I’ll probably spend the rest of my life trying to sort out what’s happened thus far. This, in part, is why I’m reticent to write about the subject: it would take a great deal of time and emotional energy, which are two things I don’t have a whole lot of right now.
Additionally, like most converts to Catholicism, I have an opinion corresponding to every major issue facing the Church today. If how things have changed for me since April is a reliable indicator, in six months these opinions will be substantially different. For a number of reasons, a discussion of my conversion would give me occasion to grandstand about some of these things, about which I know little and understand less. I’s a failing of mine, and one to which I’m trying to avoid falling prey.
So for right now, I’m going to avoid the subject, if you don’t mind. Ask me in a few years, and maybe I’ll tell you.
I will answer your question, though. My father is a non-practicing Jew; my mother, who was baptized Episcopalian as an infant but wasn’t raised with a strong religious faith, became a Christian several years after she had met and married my father and a few years before I was born. As a result my upbringing could best be described as nondenominational Protestant: my family belonged to congregations associated with various denominations throughout the years—Episcopal, Presbyterian, Christian, Covenant—but has never stuck with one in particular. I went to a Lutheran middle school and a Catholic high school, and the churches I attended in college were nondenominational, in flavor if not in actual affiliation. (I think one was Baptist and another connected with Calvary Chapel.) So now the religious situation in my family—I’m an only child—is even more messed up than before: a Jewish father, an evangelical Protestant mother, and a Catholic son. You can imagine the conversations we have over dinner.
Regardless of what I’m willing to talk about, I hope that you find something of value here (at least after I stop posting 19th-century apologetics tracts). Oh, and I’ll make sure to check out your blog, too. Take care.
Nice blog. I enjoyed your article on progressives and conservatives and linked in my blog. I’ve also added you to my blogroll. All blessings, Dwight Longenecker
Thanks, Fr. Longenecker! I’ve added you to my blogroll as well.
I just found your blog today and really enjoyed your deep and thoughtful writing. I have added you to my blogroll. – Teresa
Thank you, Teresa! I’ve returned the favor.
I thought your reply to vivator was exceedingly self-aware, humble, astute…in a word, wise. Rare qualities in one of such young age. I am impressed. Regardless of the confusion over the dinner table, your parents seem to have done much right.
I like your blog.
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement, LuceMichael. I’m glad that you like my blog. I’ve had a lot on my plate these past few months, and updates have been slow in coming; I do have are a few ideas bouncing around in my head, though. Stay tuned.
Good. After I read your blog, I noticed that the dates were long ago and I wondered. It would be good to have your voice on here again.