Conversion Story

One of my favorite online conversion stories has a passing reference to today’s saint, Blessed André Bessette:

 

I went to Montreal to meet a famous New Age Guru who was going to give me a new name like "Sri Baba." I was going to abandon everything and move to a little cult town in Virginia called Yogaville. I took the bus to Montreal. I got lost in Montreal and got off the bus. I looked up and saw a huge Church. It was Saint Joseph's Oratory. I was struck by its beauty and majesty.

 

I walked into the Church and saw elderly women putting their hands on the feet of the statue of Jesus. They were whispering prayers and humbly walking away with their heads bowed. I was very moved and said to myself, "These women have faith!  Maybe the Church isn't a cold stone building full of hypocrites" - which was my attitude before that moment. I walked around the tomb of brother Andre. (I bet he was interceding for me). I felt very moved and went upstairs to the large Church upstairs. The lights were off, and the Church was empty. There was just a light on the Cross. Unlike my experience at Madison Square Garden, this time I was alone with the Lord. It was just me and Him. I lay face down on the stone floor and said:

 

"Lord Jesus, I don't know you at all, but here I am, thinking of changing my name, of leaving my home, and joining a cult. Could you please come into my life? Take my heart, take my health, take my circumstances, take everything about me. I'm yours.”

 

I got up and lost all interest in the Guru and the cult I was going to join. I was infused with the Holy Spirit. The New Age was gone - thank God! I stood up tall and walked out of there a new man - a man called to the Holy and Apostolic Catholic Church.

 

 

You can find the rest of his story here at: http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/personal_testimony.htm#montreal2