Coming Home Where He Belongs

Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue and former member of the ICCEC, has converted to the Catholic Church. Here's some excerpts from a couple of interview/articles from the National Catholic Register:

What took me so long was that I was a cultural Protestant, trained in Protestant theology. I had to look at the parts of my training that were inaccurate or deficient. For the past six years, I have been in the Charismatic Episcopal Church. My conversion began with my friendships with clergy in this Church. They told me that the farther you go in Reformation theology, the more you end up in Catholicism and liturgy.

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In my conversations with Father Mikalajunas, he would tell me that I belonged in Rome, and I would jokingly tell him that he would make a great Baptist preacher. I knew I was being pulled into Rome. At the beginning of Lent, he told me something that made a lightbulb go on. He said that he would receive me into the Church. He knew what I knew — he knew that I knew the dogmas of the Church. He was offering to receive us in the event that I could say, “Yes, I believe.”

I thought, “Oh my goodness,” and felt like the Holy Spirit was showing us a plan for our lives. Father Mikalajunas concurred.

Over Holy Thursday we were received and confirmed at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Binghamton. Father Mikalajunas brought in two witnesses.

When I was confirmed, I had this overwhelming sense that I had just walked into a cathedral that was packed with people — namely, the heroes and martyrs and saints who had gone before us. I felt they were rejoicing and calling us on in our journey. I felt as if I was with these people.

There was a tremendous sense of joy realizing that it was the end of my ongoing struggles.

(Drake, Tim, "Inpersion Interview: From Operation Rescue to Operation Convert," National Catholic Register. 21-27 May 2006 http://www.ncregister.com/articulo4.php?artkod=NDY0)

joining the Catholic Church, came unexpectedly this Lent after what Terry describes as a 20-year search for Truth. That journey is evident from the mementos and books found in the home. A copy of Ott’s Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma sits on the bathroom counter. Luther, Aquinas, Chesterton, Belloc and the early Church Fathers line the bookshelves. A photograph of Terry with Pope John Paul II sits in the home’s entryway, as well as in his library.

Terry is as surprised as anyone by where his journey has led.

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Terry founded Operation Rescue — a group that nonviolently blocked abortion clinic entrances until police physically removed them. Terry was first arrested with the movement in 1986.

While in prison, Terry met Father John Mikalajunas, a prison chaplain working in the Diocese of Syracuse.

“I would come in once a week for those who were incarcerated,” said Father Mikalajunas. “Although Randall wasn’t Catholic, when I had Mass, he would be present.”

That was the start of a 20-year relationship which would ultimately bring Terry into the fullness of the Christian faith.

After that, the two kept in contact through pro-life work, conferences, and luncheons.

“He was always very Catholic, but he kept fighting it,” said Father Mikalajunas.

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Terry and Andrea had independently joined the Charismatic Episcopal Church, a liturgical denomination not in union with Rome.

“I would challenge him, but he was anti-papal,” says Father Mikalajunas. “I would tell him, you are going to other churches to be liturgically Catholic, instead of coming home where you belong.”

(Drake, Tim, "Still Slaying Dragons After All These Years," National Catholic Register. 21-27 May 2006 http://www.ncregister.com/articulo4.php?artkod=NDY1)