Walter

First Name: Walter
Last Name: Brietzke

Your Story: Hello - I am a convert from the Anglican faith. I was born in Calgary Canada in 1936. My mother was an Anglican although we did not go to church to often. My father was baptized Lutheran but did not go. I moved to Australia when I was 21 and married an Australian, Anglican girl from a very devout Anglican family. We had two boys both baptized Anglicans while in Australia. We lived their ten years and then moved to Calgary Canada. Another boy was born here and was also baptized in the Anglican church.

We went to church fairly regularly but I confess I didn't know much about the Christian God. I just assumed was our way of worshiping. One day at work I overheard a Pentecostal telling another fellow about the rapture and that changed my life. I went home and started to read the bible to find out all about this - particularly Revelation. I had what I guess the protestant would call a religious experience. I cried like a baby.

From that time on I couldn't get enough of the Bible and Christian books. I read all kinds on all subjects ie. End times books of all sorts - Tim LaHaye, Hal Lindsey etc. and I believed it all. Also became involved in the charismatic movement - spoke in tongues etc. I tell you - it was a privilege to be amongst the chosen and to escape the tribulation - being born again you know.

I stayed in the Anglican church for most of my all of my life although I had serious doubts as to which denomination was the correct one. Just couldn't find it. My wife and I were quite involved. She taught Sunday school and sang in the choir. Also was a good organizer there. I sang in the choir and was what they call a lay reader which is kind of like a sub-deacon I suppose. I read the Old Testament lessons and the epistles or arranged for someone else to do so. Anyway one day on the internet I decided to type in the word catholic. I had never given it much though before and wasn't too much interested in a non-Christian group. My daughter-in-law was Catholic and I wasn't pleased when they wanted to baptize my granddaughter in the Catholic Church. We did manage to have our grandson baptized Anglican.

Anyway I read a debate between a Catholic and James White on sola Scriptura and sola fide. When I finished I was hooked - I was going to become a Catholic. How do I tell my wife and the people at the church that I was going to do that? I could no longer go there. My wife Jill was very upset when I told her. She could not believe her ears. I had been hoodwinked. I could understand how she felt as I had at one time was going to become a Pentecostal or maybe a Baptist but decided that the Anglicans were as true as any and I liked their form of worship. My middle son was getting married in a couple of weeks and she had enough on her mind. This was all happening in August of 2002.

I started RCIA in Sept. and joined the Catholic Church at the Easter vigil in 2003. It was the best thing that I have ever done. By the way after reading the debate I read through the catechism and many conversion stories on Marcus Grodi's Coming Home Network. I read as many articles as I could on a number of Catholic websites by many apologists such as Steve Ray. Read an article by a gentleman named Ed Hara on covenant theology which basically sealed my belief in it. There is much more that could be written in between the lines but I imagine this will give some idea of my story. Jill says she will never leave the Anglican church - all I can do is pray on that. Thank you for the chance to tell my story yours in Christ.

Walter