Finding orthodoxy

[JonathanSantiago]

I was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church . I was forced to attend mass. When I was a little boy , I don't mind going to the mass. In my teens years I never felt the connection with God in the Roman Catholic mass. My doubts start to rise when I realized several Roman Catholic dogmas are man made inventions and without a real
Biblical foundation. For example papal supremacy , the purgatory , the doctrine of original sin , immaculate conception etc. In my 20's I was a atheist. I rejected everything related to religion. In my late 20's I start reading books about buddhism. I studied all the buddhist nikayas ( the collection of Buddha discurses). I found buddhism very interesting but something was missing the connection with God. I start studying the history of Christianity with the purpose of searching about our faith roots. I start to read about Orthodox christianty . I realized this is the original church of Christ , the New Testament church. I created a account the Orthodox Christianity net size. All the members helped me finding a Orthodox parish. And finding a Orthodox Church close to my home in Puerto Rico is very hard. Almost impossible. I will attend the Divine Liturgy every week. I hope the conversion process and baptism will not take too long. Your new brother in Christ.

[Maria]

Welcome to E Cafe.

[JonathanSantiago]

Welcome to E Cafe.

Thanks.

[Barbara]

Do you have any Orthodox Churches at all in Puerto Rico, JonathanSantiago ?
Perhaps there are some missions, but I assume they would be what we call "World Orthodox".
Here, we are True Orthodox. However, we are not anywhere near as large a movement as
the main World Orthodox Churches, so it is even less likely that there would be a True Orthodox parish
for you to attend Divine Liturgy at all, let alone every Sunday, as you wish !
Maybe you could discuss with some of us about starting a True Orthodox mission over there ?
Or maybe that's too much to absorb at once.
Congratulations on your having gotten away from Buddhism. There are so many awful fringe groups calling themselves
"Buddhist chanters" that one could become seriously brainwashed. For that's what they do, deliberately, too.

Glad you plucked up the courage to break away, even though you were only studying books.
How admirable that you found Orthodoxy. Or maybe you had some experience which led you here ?

[JonathanSantiago]

Do you have any Orthodox Churches at all in Puerto Rico, JonathanSantiago ?
Perhaps there are some missions, but I assume they would be what we call "World Orthodox".
Here, we are True Orthodox. However, we are not anywhere near as large a movement as
the main World Orthodox Churches, so it is even less likely that there would be a True Orthodox parish
for you to attend Divine Liturgy at all, let alone every Sunday, as you wish !
Maybe you could discuss with some of us about starting a True Orthodox mission over there ?
Or maybe that's too much to absorb at once.
Congratulations on your having gotten away from Buddhism. There are so many awful fringe groups calling themselves
"Buddhist chanters" that one could become seriously brainwashed. For that's what they do, deliberately, too.

Glad you plucked up the courage to break away, even though you were only studying books.
How admirable that you found Orthodoxy. Or maybe you had some experience which led you here ?

We only have 3 legit orthodox churches in the Puerto Rico island. I already visited the St Pyridon Orthodox Church. The church is from Holy Metropolis of Mexico Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. I visited the verspers service in the Saturday and the Divine Liturgy this past Sunday. The church provided the vespers service and the Divine Liturgy every week. The odds of finding a legit Orthodox Church in Puerto Rico and close to my home is almost zero. I guess I'm lucky or blessed. Your new brother in Christ.

[Handmaiden50]

Welcome, Jonathan!

I was also raised Roman Catholic and in my late teens became involved in the Catholic Charasmatic Renewal. Shortly thereafter I left the RCC for a non-denominational charasmatic church, and in my mid 20's left that and attended Presbyterian/Reformed denominations for a great many years. I'm on a journey toward Orthodoxy as well and I attend liturgy at a local church usually every other week, as I'm still in transition out of my old church.

[JonathanSantiago]

Welcome, Jonathan!

I was also raised Roman Catholic and in my late teens became involved in the Catholic Charasmatic Renewal. Shortly thereafter I left the RCC for a non-denominational charasmatic church, and in my mid 20's left that and attended Presbyterian/Reformed denominations for a great many years. I'm on a journey toward Orthodoxy as well and I attend liturgy at a local church usually every other week, as I'm still in transition out of my old church.

Thanks you. I hope you find a Orthodox Church soon and be baptized. I can't wait for my baptism.