My Reversion To Catholicism
   Let me introduce myself and tell you a little about me.  My name
is really Thomas Fulton Navarra, (middle name after the Late
Archbishop Fulton John Sheen of Radio and early TV series "Life Is
Worth Living!"  The Actor Martin Sheen took his stage name
"Sheen" after him. His real name before becoming a movie star was
Estovez.  Anyway, I was born into a Catholic family in 1956 and
presently live in Northeast Ohio.  I am a steel worker, (since 1989)
and I presently live on the grounds of a Catholic National Shine as a
Hermit of sorts.  I rent a vacant retirement apartment from the
Shrine and help in various ways.  It really is quite beautiful and
peaceful.  It was a real struggle for me to leave my prior worldly
lifestyle to accept the invitation by the Rector of this Shrine to
move out here.
  Since coming to live at the Shrine, I have had many wonderful
spiritual experiences or awakenings, if you will.  It is a literal
Sanctuary where the evils and temptations of the world dare not
encroach!  It is my little slice of Heaven on Earth!  I have
consecrated my life to Jesus as slave and servant of the servants of
God, whoever they are!  Once married, (although not in the eyes of God, but
just legally), I have been divorced since 1987.  I never remarried.  At
the time of my divorce, I was a Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy.  
I spent 13 years in the Navy, but left so I could get custody of my
three daughters upon my divorce.  Later, my mom told me that
while I was in England, (before my divorce) she was vacuuming the
floor and she had an overwhelming burden to stop and immediately
pray, "Mary, bring him home now!"  I was in Southern England,
drinking and drinking and when I would sober up, I would drink
some more.  My wife and children had returned early to the states
and I was to remain another year in the UK.  My marriage was in
trouble, but I was oblivious!  When my mom intuitively sensed
trouble for me, my wife and our daughters, she prayed.  I was home
in three days on some sudden military temporary errand and I never
returned!  My life was about to be turned every which way but
loose.
   You see, even though I was your basic heathen, drunkard,
atheist; I felt the unmistakable presence of a Heavenly Mother, Par
Excellence, arranging or rather, re-arranging my life so that I could
be the custodial parent for the girls.  I stopped drinking and went
through the ugly process of the divorce.  I started experiencing a
strange thing that repulsed me at first, but that invisible Mom would
not permit me to do what I had an urge to do...RUN!   Someone, or
something was messing with a very private part of me, my soul!  
Someone was speaking to my soul, convicting me of the miserable
life I had been living, and calling me to renounce these former ways
and follow a new path.  Someone was telling me to "Do whatever
He tells you." And so, I began to see in my minds eye, whole
thoughts, some in the form of personal helps, some in the form of
poetry, many surrounding the theme of Love, a new kind of love I
had not known.  Unconditional Love for everyone, even my
Ex-wife.  A very strange change for me!  Like some kind of nut, I
began leaving notes all over the house, on the mirrors, the
refrigerator, the doors.. "Love, Love" or "Love Unconditionally"
One thing led to another, and I was guided to the little closet we
Catholics call "The Confessional;"  and as I began, "Bless Me
Father, for I have sinned, it's been 20 years since my last
confession," I burst into tears, telling Jesus, (even though I was with
this Priest), I have sinned , my God, I turned my back on You and
lived only for myself!" It was my literal experience and living out of
the "Prodigal Son", seeing the miserable state I was in, returning
Home to my Father! When this Catholic Priest spoke the words, "I
absolve thee in the name of Jesus Christ,"  it really was Jesus telling
me, "Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more."  Thus began my
new life and is how I eventually wound up here at this Shrine after
raising my three daughters, now a steel worker living a celibate life
of service to Jesus and His Heavenly Mother who refused to let go
of me during my darkest days.
   I have had a lot of time to study Comparative Theology and
Religion.  I have accumulated way too many books, tapes and
papers.  Prepared for something of an Apostolate, not for the sole
purpose of promoting the Catholic Church, but for the main
purpose of bringing souls to Jesus Christ through a ministry of love,
unconditional love!  I discuss this elsewhere on this site in, "Loving
Your Way Into Heaven" , which sheds some light on this ministry
of love, both from my perspective and the Catholic Church's
perspective.  Another purpose I have is to help souls persevere
through their own dark days so that we may all receive our
promised crown in heaven!
   Archbishop Fulton Sheen once remarked that there are only the
smallest percentage of people who dislike the Catholic Church for
was She really is!  But there are many who dislike Her for what she
is not!  In other words, the majority who criticize or fear the
Catholic Church, (as I once did), do so based on what others have
told them, not on what She really Teaches!  For example, we
Catholics are forbidden to worship Mary or anyone but God.  We
are, however,  permitted to honor and venerate her as the Mother
of Jesus, God the Son!  We do not pray to Mary as if she were God,
but just like I would ask you to pray for me to God, we ask the
Mother of Jesus to ask her Son for something, just like she did at
the wedding feast at Cana!  If I were to ask YOU to pray to God to
heal my poor eyesight, would you say that I was praying To You or
worshiping You?  Mary was indeed holy, as the Archangel Gabriel
proclaimed her to have found favor with God, full of grace!  When
she died, do you suppose Jesus would permit the body of His
Mother to rot in a grave?  Don't you think Jesus would follow His
own Scriptures that promise not to allow the bodies of any of His
Holy ones to see corruption. (in the grave)? When Mary, or any
other Christian dies, do they cease to be members of Christ's
Church, which Scripture calls the Body of Christ?   No, death does
not separate us from our brothers and sisters in Heaven.  And if
they are in Heaven, then they are Saints!  And if Saints, then
Scripture tells us they present our prayers to God from a gold
censor! (see Rev) So we pray to the Saints in Heaven.  Mary, in her
Canticle with Elizabeth, declares that all generations shall call her
"Blessed!"  This is a PROPHECY!  (Luke 1:46-49) Catholics have
been fulfilling this Prophecy for generations!  (Hail Mary, full of
Grace, blessed are you among women)  If you choose to proceed
roaming this site, I can promise you that you will see what The
Catholic Church really Teaches!  Then you are still free to dislike or
fear Her, but for what She is, not for what you have heard She is or
teaches!  Make sense?
                          Your friend in Christ Jesus,
                                Tom (Fulton)          
                  http://www.whisperingangelsgift.com/