Mark Drogin was born a Jew. But once he converted to Catholicism, was he still a Jew?
How did this man journey from Jewish atheist, to college drug addict, to a hippie living in a commune, and finally to devout Catholic?
Find out on today’s show.
Mark contacted the Edith Stein society and was told to contact Father Klieber, who worked with him and encouraged him to read the writings of Rabbi Zolli, Chief Rabbi of Rome who held this most influential position during World War II. The Rabbi had converted and stated that his conscience required him to confess his belief in the God of Israel and that Jesus is the Messiah.
In the commune there was strong anti-Catholic sentiment.
But when Roe v. Wade came out, it was the Church that stood up for life and that caught his attention. Later he watched the movie, “A Man for All Seasons,” detailing St. Thomas More and how he stood up for his beliefs against King Henry VIII. Those were two events that led him to take a deeper look at the Church.
Mark says he knows now he made the correct decision, but initially it was more of a giant leap of faith.
One morning in Mass at the Consecration he began trembling and realized that Jesus is present in the Eucharist. In some ways, he feels Catholicism is not a new religion but a vessel to administer the mercy of God and grace-filled sacraments from Jesus the Son of God.
Although a Messianic Jew, Jews and Gentiles are all now part of the mystical body of Christ.
A native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, he runs a dermatology practice in Fort Wayne, Indiana. And he has endured prolonged bouts of severe anxiety, which had a profound impact on every aspect of his life, including his medical practice.
Father Richard Conlin is a Catholic priest in the diocese of Vancouver, British Columbia. As the Catholic Church kicked off a campaign to educate the faithful on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, I asked him to share his thoughts.
Jamie McAleer resides in North Carolina with her husband, Jack, and their three children — Lauren, Jennifer, and Alexander. However, their journey to parenthood wasn’t always easy.