Newt Gingrich to become Catholic
November 19, 2008 by Taylor Marshall
Filed under Faith, Headlines, Politics
Newt Gingrich is preparing to enter the Catholic Church at Easter of 2009.
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[...] Guess who is becoming Catholic? Click here. [...]
It was rumored, after his most recent meeting with Pope Benedict at the Vatican, that Bush 43 was ready to do the same. The Newtster’s sincerity is in question. Perhaps he’s trolling for a book idea.
This is a real problem. While I, as a convert, appreciate individuals’ desire for communion with the Catholic Church, for ages, the Church has upheld standards for converts.
Mr. Gingrich has been married three times and divorced twice. In fact, he has, himself, admitted that his third wife was his mistress during his second marriage.
We are a Church of sinners.
“Uphold standards for converts”? That’s a remarkably forthright denial of grace.
Actually, Gingrich has only been married sacramentally once, to his current wife. Therefore, he is not living in any lifestyle sin that would be grounds for prevention of reception into the Church. Assuming Reconciliation for past sins (and there seem to be many), there is nothing barring him from full communion. Remember, St. Paul murdered Christians before becoming one our most revered saints. As for the news itself, where’s the source? I’ve also heard that President Bush is considering conversion as well (which also seems to be unsourced).
I have been expecting Newt (and President Bush) to join the Church for some time. If you’ve listened to Newt for the past 10 years, he has been very verbally supportive of the Church - even before he married Calista. Once he married Calista, I knew it was only a matter of time.
I think President Bush will join the Church after he leaves office. Like Tony Blair, he will wait and then convert. I am certain that Bush’s brother Jeb ( a convert) has been a huge influence on him - not to mention Blair’s and the past two popes’ influence.
For those who are “appalled” that the Church would admit a “serious” sinner into the Church, don’t forget that St. Paul killed Christians before he became the Church’s most famous converts.
Yes… we are a church of sinners, not a museum of saints.
Well, I guess that lessens the chance that the Clintons would become Catholic, doesn’t it?
Concerning the conversion of George Bush to Catholicism: Don’t hold your breath. He needs to raise money for his library when he leaves office, and his conversion would be poorly received by Evangelicals.
I’m always glad to see converts. I’m sure his priest has jumped thru appropriate hoops to deal with his marriage issues. I wonder how much Tony Blair’s conversion will count in the conversion of the Bush team, possibly the Bush families, and certainly other republicans who’ve had lots of time and moral discussions with him. I’m sure he’s praying for all of them, as most Catholics should be praying for those they know and the leaders of our country. If Newt’s one of us, I’ll rejoice as i do with all converts, and hope he lives a full and happy, very-Catholic life!
Newt Gingrich will indeed enter the Catholic Church this Easter (2009), and that’s pretty darn neat!
Please do not judge, let all come to Christ’s Church if they are sincere.
Thank you for all the people who reminded one writer that we are all sinners, and cannot “earn” our way in to the Catholic Church or heaven, for that matter. Someone who is willing to study the faith and spend hours in RCIA will probably not be doing it just for kicks… we do have standards in that one cannot make an emotional decision to become Catholic and boom, you’re in. Those who want to become Catholic must take their time, and make sure it is the right decision after much prayer and learning!
As a History Major there is no wonder why Newt Gingrich is coming home to the Catholic Church. For over 2000 years in times of Government disarray and confusion people have turned to the one true apostolic church for direction and stability.
For those commenting that he shouldn’t be able to convert because he’s been divorced twice, need to understand about the Sacrement of Confession and forgiveness. We have no idea how Mr. Gingerich is making reparation for his sins through the Sacrement of reconciliation (which he must receive before converting). Never underestimate the power of Christ’s mercy.
I used to agree with Groucho Marx when he said, “I don’t care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members,” then I remembered I was a Catholic.
I haven’t seen Newt’s latest wife, but I bet she is considerably younger and quite attractive.
If that’s what it took, I’d change my religion to. LOL
if newt is sincere i suggest he read the vatican 2 documents on social justice as well as john paul ii’s encyclical’s on social justice. he might just think twice or maybe more if he is to be intellectually honest. what a thought an intellectually honest politican.
Some mentioned the example, influence, and “prayers” of Tony Blair on the possible conversion of high profile persons, like Bush. Tony Blair is not at all a model Catholic, nor his wife. They are pro-choice, pro-homosexual marriage, and loudly and unabashedly pro-contraception. When the wife gives a talk she never fails to say how much of a boon to women the pill was and refers to one of children as an “accident.” IMHO, they are not gonna bring anyone to faith that they themselves are not really apart of.
Being “born & raised” Catholic, going to Mass at least 6 days a week, (Catholic School) I know that Our Lord is ALWAYS & FOREVER more than willing to forgive. Remember? He forgave during his torture and death on the Cross. So why not Newt? If a person is SINCERELY honest, and TRULY asking forgiveness, and WILLING to become ONE with Christ, and IS going to receive the Sacrement of Confession, hopefully he can live the life of a good Catholic. Just a thought….God forgives in all Churches that worship Him…..not just Catholic. A Priest taught us in our Senior year, and laughingly said, lots of folks will be surprised when they get to Heaven, they will have to “rub elbows” with people of all religions. There is good and bad in all.
We only have sinners in the Catholic church . Others please find something better to do with your time . Seriously ; part of any conversion is the humility
to name your sins and ask our Savior Jesus Christ for fogiveness and the faith to believe it happens .
Youre in Christ
BOBy
Welcome home, Newt!
St. Augustine lived with a woman and had an illegitimate son prior to converting and becoming a priest. May Newt become a modern day Augustine!
BobG
Praise GOD!
The Church has always been a beacon for intellectual, truth seeking men & women. I’m so happy to see modern great thinkers finding their way home. In a time when people are leaving Christianity and The Church for secular reasons - its good to have big name people like Blair and Newt join the Fold.
As someone said earlier - don’t hold your breath for Bush to come home, but it has nothing to do with his library, it has to do with blood line. Daddy is big time, old school Freemason. W would be disinherited in a most ugly way. Its too bad, I think he is a true Christian not a fair-weather believer.
As a Baptist, I am amused to read these fawning notes of acceptance to Mr. Newt. Especially interesting is Susan Schaefer’s comment that he is not doing this for “kicks”, that the Church has “standards” and it is not enough to make an “emotional” decision to switch religions. Yet on the Fox Sunday morning program Newt referred only to a sense of peace he found in the Church. Certainly an emotion.
I hope Newt finds true peace in his new home. I was ignorant of the fact that one needed “standards” to form a relatonship with God. It appears Newt has met the “standards” of the Catholic Church. We country bumpkins will miss him as he moves to a higher plain.
It looks to me that Newts first two sessions of wedding vows (fidelity in sickness and in health etc.) do not count because these two ladies were not Catholic. Now he owes it to his partner in adultery to help her rehabilitate herself in the eyes of her “faith community” by being catechized and standing up at the Easter Vigil and declaring that he wants communion with Rome. Presto chango all will be overlooked and the two old gals who took care of him in earlier days can just be used and forgotten. I daresay Newt and wife could have gotten the same deal in a Protestant church without all the sacramental mumbo jumbo.
Newt is a 33 degree freemason. So is Bush and Bush Sr.
Not sure about Tony Blair.
Freemasons and Communists have been infiltrating the Catholic Church for quite some time.
Freemasons have been and still are enemies of the church.
Kathleen,
That’s true, but are you surprised? Satan has been infiltrating the true Church since the time of Christ. Judas Iscariot comes to mind. Do these facts somehow prove that Catholicism and the ministry of Christ are invalid?
anybody opposing sinners into our Holy Catholic Church, ……..”let the one with no Sin cast the first stone…”
“……………………..Thank you God that I am not like them Tax Collectors….” I can go on and on…!
The first requirement to become a Christian is to be a sinner. Those who think they are without sin fool themselves. The second is to turn from sin and toward Christ. This is called repentance. With confessing our sin to God, asking for His forgiveness, and through belief asking that His death on the cross become the payment for our sins, we become believers. The central part of this process is the belief that Christ is God, and the belief that His blood wipes away our sin. I am proud of Newt. Now He will begin the slow process of change called santification. The Holy Spirit handles that process. This is coming from a Baptist that appreciates the Catholic church.
I don’t think we have right to judge Newt Gingrich’s intentions and charity requires us to assume they are good. About the marital/divorce history, resolution is between Newt and God and no doubt his Confessor is being of assistance - we should keep out of this area. I will say a prayer for Newt and I hope Newt might say one for me - I ain’t perfect! Being a Catholic could help in politics: Hitler was an altar boy, Stalin a seminarian. My father told me that when he heard a guy trumpeting that he was a Catholic, he would keep a firm hand on his wallet until the guy was out of sight!
For those who attempt to judge Mr. Gingrich negatively, is it not strange that we show hatred and contempt for those who sin differently than we do? signed just another catholic
Only if we were to learn that Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il, Netanyahu, the head of Hamas and a few others of their brand were to do the same.