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May 25, 2004
Conversion
Head of Christian Coalition in Alabama converts to Catholicism
He acknowledges that the reaction by his Protestant constituents may be mixed."We didn't make this change to win friends and influence people and do it from a popularity standpoint, because we knew that in the state of Alabama, this is probably not a popular position to take in the Christian movement," he says. "So it remains to be seen."
Posted by Amy Welborn | Permalink
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» Alabama's Christian head converts to Catholicism from DeoOmnisGloria.com
John Giles, the president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, and his wife just converted to Catholicism this Easter. I found this tidbit interesting: Giles says he knew the questions would come because as a Protestant he, too, had mistaken... [Read More]
Tracked on May 25, 2004 9:36:16 AM
Comments
Sweet Home is my home as well and it is a popular posistion with me and more importantly God.
Opinions are more mixed down here than you would expect (I am also a convert) and especially around Birmingham and Cullman/Hanceville areas (north AL) with EWTN and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, St. Bernard Monestary and Ave Maria Grotto . . . Alabama feels no less a home to me now than it did before coming to the real HOME. I pray Mr. Giles finds the same.
I think most would agree that converting from shouting Roll Tide on Saturday to War Eagle would cause deeper and more lasting familial rifts. (you would have to live here to understand)
God bless you Mr. Giles and your wife.
Posted by: Paladin of Faith & Reason at May 25, 2004 8:18:42 AM
I'd like to read a copy of that eight page letter. A simple search didn't turn it up.
Thanks for posting this, Amy.
Posted by: Eutychus Fell at May 25, 2004 8:45:10 AM
This is very interesting. My wife and I are also Alabamians who recently converted. The Catholic community in Alabama is still small, but vibrant (as far as I can tell). A lot of Southerners are naturally drawn to the Church because of its stubborn traditionalism, and as the mainline protestant denominations continue to whimp out, I wouldn't be surprised to see something of a Catholic renaissance in the South.
While traditionaly critical of the Catholic Church, everything from the work of Flannery O'Connor to EWTN (in Alabama) has changed the typical perspective Southerns have towards the the Church from open hostility to respect (and a little jealousy). My mom, for example, is a good Baptist lady who went to Bob Jones and teaches Sunday School. However, she's always watching EWTN, reading the Catechism, and quizing me on Catholic tradition.
I would love to see this trend continue.
Posted by: Tom C at May 25, 2004 10:28:12 AM
Courage beyond the capacity of we Cradle Catholics to understand. Boy, you newbies really put us to shame- Shea, Hahn, Grodi, Neuhaus, too many on St. Blog's to acknowledge. Two more folks who saw Truth and didn't shy away from it. Welcome, welcome, welcome.
Posted by: Gerard E. at May 25, 2004 10:29:41 AM
From what I've heard, this is not quite so uncommon as it used to be. From my experience, Southern Catholics are a pretty tough, canny bunch--being a long-despised minority will do that for you. Our two biggest Catholic literary lights were Catholics who gave much better than they got: O'Connor and Walker Percy. That's a good way to earn respect in those parts. Percy offered an anecdote along those lines involving an anti-Catholic burst at the barbershop. The topic changed to religion, and a non-Catholic named Lester quickly snarled: "The Catholic Church is a piece of s--t!" His associates, including Percy, sat for an uncomfortable moment, then Percy chimed in.
"Well, let's think about that one for a minute. Starting, Lester, with the fact that you're something of a s--t yourself...."
Posted by: Dale Price at May 25, 2004 11:31:10 AM
Another Alabama Catholic chiming in here. Saw this story in the local paper this morning and was delighted.
My wife and I converted in 1981 so have been at this a while now. Mr. Giles is not as unusual as one might think, given the historically miniscule Catholic presence here. Catholic leadership and steadfastness in the pro-life movement has been a tremendous witness to evangelicals.
Actually it seems to me that liberal Episcopalians often give evidence of greater visceral anti-Catholic feeling than evangelicals, although the Pope-is-the-Antichrist crowd is certainly still very much alive. L.E.'s don't express it as vehemently, of course.
We live in the Mobile area, which in many ways seems like another state, being something like 30% Catholic (vs. what? 5%? in the rest of the state). A bit of a New Orleans flavor, both Southern and Catholic. Lived in the Huntsville area through the '80s and like this diocese much better.
Posted by: Maclin Horton at May 25, 2004 11:33:33 AM
Another Catholic Alabamian who now lives in Georgia here. Does anyone know the age or hometown of Mr. Giles? I went to high school with a John Giles. If he is 38 or 39 and from Huntsville then I think I know him.
This is great news for the Church and for Alabama.
Maclin,
What parish did you attend in Huntsville in the 80's. I was a member of Holy Spirit from 1979 to 1988.
Posted by: Tim at May 25, 2004 11:45:40 AM
In regards to Maclin's comment about liking Mobile better than Huntsville, my parent's soon to be former parish, Holy Spirit has a new pastor and associate pastor who are very orthodox and 'making changes' after decades of a "Renew" atmosphere. Too bad my folks are moving to Florida.
Speaking of Mom, she just found out yesterday morning her heart bypass surgery 6 months ago wasn't very successful. Would you all, especially you Alabama Catholics, pray for Patricia and her doctors that the Holy Spirit will guide them in making the right decision on what course to take with regards to treatment and/or surgery.
Posted by: Tim at May 25, 2004 11:57:32 AM
Welcome Home! Bring more home through your witness.
Posted by: cathy at May 25, 2004 12:26:44 PM
My wife and I will be moving to Mobile in August, anyone care to give me the inside scoop on the Church down there? Could anyone recommend a good parish?
Posted by: Tom C at May 25, 2004 12:41:32 PM
Like Gerard, I am in awe of converts who come in from somewhat hostile territory. I often wondered if I could have made the transition. Being that God saw fit to make me a cradle, I don't have too strong a desire to know the answer.
Posted by: c matt at May 25, 2004 1:01:55 PM
Tim--
We were at Visitation, downtown. Glad to hear about Holy Spirit--"'Renew' atmosphere" certainly seems to fit my impressions of the liturgy there (not to mention the classic '60s architecture). On the other hand, though, sometime around '88 that parish introduced Perpetual Adoration, which certainly made a huge difference to me and no doubt to the parish.
Tom C.--
Email me and let me know what general area you expect to be living in and I'll tell you whatever I know. The Mobile area includes several dozen parishes, quite a lot for a city in the South (e.g. for comparison, Huntsville is about the same size and has I guess half a dozen). On the whole this diocese is pretty solid.
Posted by: Maclin Horton at May 25, 2004 2:58:14 PM
Tim,
I am a convert who lives in Madison, just outside of Huntsville. I will be praying for your mom. God bless you all.
Posted by: Emily at May 25, 2004 9:34:13 PM
Cool. I was going to make a remark along the lines "to have a Catholic renaissance implies there was a strong Catholic tradition to begin with", but I forgot about the great Southern Catholic writers.
I grew up in Georgia, and didn't really encounter much hostility - but that's because we were in Savannah and Atlanta (and, as I've said often, everyone who went to my church was Catholic...) It wasn't until I was in high school in North Carolina that I heard the lies about the Church, and had to tell even the more "enlightened" people that no, we no longer sold indulgences, and we had our Masses in English, and we do eat meat on Fridays outside of Lent (well, some of us do. My husband is a vegetarian.)
There are a lot more Catholics in the South now, not just due to conversion, but due to that Yankee invasion as large companies realize we're not all a bunch of hicks. I decided to do a reverse invasion, and am living in Yankee-central, New York City. It's really neat being able to walk three blocks to my parish church, and being able to go to St. Pat's Cathedral during my lunch hour, and (if I wanted) to find a Mass in almost any language I desired.
Still, it takes a lot of courage to convert from an evangelical Protestant church in the South. It's quite the dominant culture, and some of the churches are quite hostile to Catholicism (along the lines that we're a bunch of statue-worshipping Papists set out to dominate the world...)
Posted by: Meep at May 26, 2004 4:03:50 AM
Thanks for the prayers on behalf of my mother Emily.
Maclin, true about perpetual adoration at Holy Spirit. I think my folks have been participating since the beginning. I moved in 1988. Visitation certainly does not have the typical 60's architecture does it.
Posted by: Tim at May 26, 2004 11:00:36 AM
Conversion to the Catholic church is becoming an increasingly popular thing in this part of the South (Arkansas). People are getting tired of wimpy doctrine and religion that only leads you to make more converts (Southern Baptist) without anything in between. Ultimately, I think, as well, the two real remaining pro-life movement churches (Catholic and Southern Baptist) have sort of opened communication, with the Catholics getting the upper hand. Ecumenism is really only a method of conversion anyway.
Posted by: Clayton at Feb 13, 2005 8:41:22 PM
