CHNetwork Presents

Observing Advent as a New Catholic - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 33

Many of our CHNetwork members will be observing Advent for the first time this year. They often have lots of questions: How does one distinguish Advent from Christmas? How can I help my family enter into this season in a spirit of prayer and hope? And how does it all fit into the bigger Catholic concept of the liturgical year? Matt Swaim talks Lauren De Witt (a Baptist preacher's kid), and CHNetwork's Rakhi McCormick (who grew up Hindu) about how they've incorporated Advent and the liturgical calendar into their family life since they've become Catholic.
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A Convert's Guide to Purgatory - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 32

When someone begins to be open to the possibility of some kind of purification process between this life and heaven, often many practical questions arise: How does it work? Does it hurt? How long does it take? Is it avoidable? Matt Swaim talks to Karlo Broussard, author of "Purgatory is for Real," to tackle some of the common questions that come up among people who have come to accept the basic theological premise of Purgatory, but are curious about how the whole picture fits together. Karlo's book, Purgatory is for Real: https://shop.catholic.com/purgatory-is-for-real/
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Christmas Conversions in Film and Literature - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 31

Ebenezer Scrooge, George Bailey, the Grinch... so many of the most iconic Christmas stories in film and literature hinge upon the idea of a conversion of some kind. Matt Swaim is joined by Joseph Pearce and JonMarc Grodi to look at why Christmas is so often associated with a change of heart, and connect the concepts of memory, charity and truth back to their source: Jesus, whose birth is the occasion for all the celebration. Joseph Pearce's website: https://www.jpearce.co More stories and resources: https://www.chnetwork.org Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/donate

From the Prosperity Gospel to Catholicism - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 30

For many years, Lisa Cooper was deeply involved in the Word of Faith movement, led by such figures as Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, and Marilyn Hickey. While others were mocking these televangelists for their over-the-top personalities and lavish lifestyles, Lisa was looking to them for spiritual guidance. She talks to Matt Swaim about some of the nuances of that theological worldview: the role of language, the thinking around wealth and health, and the celebrity pastor culture. Lisa shares how deconstructing from that form of Christianity led her to find a spiritual home in the Catholic Church. Watch Lisa on The Journey Home: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/lisa-cooper-former-word-of-faith/
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Living Your First Year as a New Catholic - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 29

Whether you entered the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, or at Pentecost, or at some other time, that first year of getting your bearings and living the sacramental life can be full of excitement, disappointment, encouragement, and culture shock.
Matt Swaim, Keith Nester, and Shaun McAfee reflect on what that first year as new Catholics was like for them: the biggest surprises, the most rewarding moments, and the things they wish they had done differently.
Hopefully the conversation is an encouragement to those of you who are navigating your first year in the Church!
Shaun on The Journey Home: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/shaun-mcafee-former-southern-baptist-non-denominational/
Shaun's book, "I'm Catholic, Now What?" https://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Now-What-Shaun-McAfee/dp/1681923432#:~:text=%22Shaun%20McAfee%20has%20packed%20this,how%20engaging%20Catholicism%20can%20be!%22
Keith on The Journey Home: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/keith-nester-former-methodist-pastor/
Keith's book, "The Convert's Guide to Roman Catholicism: Your First Year in the Church" https://www.amazon.com/Converts-Guide-Roman-Catholicism-Church/dp/1700289772/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13QCCI3HNM2NX&keywords=keith+nester&qid=1685613835&s=books&sprefix=keith+nester%2Cstripbooks%2C62&sr=1-1
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A Protestant Guide to Catholic Bibles - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 28

For Protestants of any background exploring Catholicism, the idea of a Bible with a bigger table of contents than they're used to can be a bewildering proposition. So why do Catholics have a different list of Old Testament books than Protestants do? And what are some good starting points for a Protestant who wants to get to know these books? Matt Swaim welcomes Gary Michuta, author of "Why Catholic Bibles are Bigger" and "The Case for the Deuterocanon" to unpack the differences between Protestant and Catholic Bibles, and the history behind how those differences came about. Gary Michuta's website: https://www.handsonapologetics.com
Gary's YouTube channel, "Apocrypha Apocalypse": https://www.youtube.com/c/apocryphaapocalypse
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Pro Baseball and the Journey to the Catholic Faith - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 27

Dan Venezia grew up in New York City, and while his baseball skills caught the notice of the Minnesota Twins, spiritually he was in the wilderness. Wade Gaynor came from a strong Christian family in Kentucky, and when he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers, he took his strong Methodist faith to pro baseball with him, and met his wife, Neena, along the way. Neena, Wade and Dan share the ways their experience of Minor League Baseball shaped their way of looking at the world, especially in regards to faith, and how the things they encountered ended up uniquely leading each of them to the Catholic Faith. Dan's written testimony: The Sacrifice that Brought Me Home https://chnetwork.org/story/sacrifice... Neena's written testimony: A Pick-up, a Pope Book, and a Profession of Faith https://chnetwork.org/story/a-pick-up... Neena's children's book: A Garden for Mary https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Mary-Ne... Our Online Community: https://community.chnetwork.org Support our work: https://www.chnetwork.org/donate

Becoming Catholic While Teaching at a Private Christian School - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 26

Many private Christian schools have their staff sign an annual doctrinal statement, to ensure consistency of belief and teaching in their communities.
But many of those doctrinal statements are also crafted so as to exclude Christians from certain theological backgrounds, especially Catholics.
So what happens when a teacher at one of those schools decides to become Catholic?
Matt D'Antuono and Dr. Annie Bullock both had that experience, and share how their interest in Catholicism affected their work as private Christian high school teachers, what happened when they actually became Catholic, and how they've found ways to use their gifts and passion for education now that they've come into the Church.
Dr. Bullock's episode of The Journey Home: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/dr-annie-bullock-former-baptist-and-episcopalian/
Matt D'Antuono's episode of The Journey Home: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/matt-dantuono-former-evangelical-protestant/
A written version of Matt D'Antuono's story: https://chnetwork.org/story/discovering-the-beauty-of-the-truth/
Matt D'Antuono's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matt-DAntuono/author/B0764HQM3H?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
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Do Converts Really Make the Best Catholics? – CHNetwork Presents, Episode 25

Often, due to their zeal and the amount of research they do, converts to Catholicism are treated like experts on the Faith, who have somehow figured it out more even than people who've been Catholic their whole lives.But is that really the case?Matt Swaim talks to Casey and Erin Phillips and Lorelei Savaryn about their own experience of being active Evangelical Christians, the way that formed them to think about Christianity, and how it fueled their passion about being Catholic once they discovered the reality of the Church. They also discuss the pitfalls that can be present to new converts, and how those who are new to the Church shouldn't let the fact that they've learned a lot of information serve as a substitute for actually experiencing formation in their newfound faith.
Casey and Erin's podcast
Lorelei's website

Fitting in at Your Parish as a New Catholic - CHNetwork Presents, Episode 24

Many inquirers feel drawn to the Catholic Church because of the beauty and power of her teachings and sacraments. But many of them are coming from church backgrounds -- especially Evangelical ones -- where they felt welcomed and included, and their experience of visiting a Catholic parish can feel like the exact opposite of that. Matt Swaim talks to Jennifer Fitz and Rakhi McCormick about their own experience of this phenomenon when they were becoming Catholic, how to remedy some of those frustrations, and how the Mass is fundamentally different than the kind of worship experience that so many of us have come from. Jennifer's Substack articles on this topic: http://jenniferfitz.substack.com
Jennifer's Journey Home episode: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/jennifer-fitz-catholic-revert/
Jennifer's written conversion story: https://chnetwork.org/story/tossed-about-then-reeled-in/
Rakhi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rakstardesigns
Rakhi's Journey Home: https://chnetwork.org/journey-home/rakhi-mccormick-former-hindu/
More of Rakhi's story: https://chnetwork.org/insights/hinduism-and-catholicism-rakhi-mccormick/
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