Leah Libresco
Washington (CNN) – She went from atheist to Catholic in just over 1,000 words.
Leah Libresco, who’d been a prominent atheist blogger for the religion website Patheos, announced on her blog this week that after years of debating many “smart Christians,” she has decided to become one herself, and that she has begun the process of converting to Catholicism. According to Dan Welch, director of marketing for Patheos, Libresco’s post has received around 150,000 page views so far. - Read the rest.
How cool is that?
This is big. Really, really big. Susan Boyle big. Justin Bieber big.
You just know the Catholic Church is the true Church when the Libresco story goes viral. There's gotta be a script here someplace Barbara Nicolosi!
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.
Seriously - prayers and best wishes for Leah Libresco. You ain't seen nothin' yet. You can become a saint now too. God bless you!
NB: You know what's really nice about this? She seems like a nice young woman too. Not like some of those former filthy, slutty, alcoholic converts. What? I'm just kidding.
+JMJ+
ReplyDeleteI'm going to comment before you take this down. LOL!
I wish her well on her RCIA journey and figuring out how to deal with the fact that she likes to have sex with anyone regardless of their gender.
ReplyDeleteAnd, not to be outdone, Deacon Kandra has just now figured out the MSM doesn't tell the truth and refuses to cover up for them anymore. Really?
Once again - my mistake. I didn't read the fine print. I thought Libresco already converted - it appears she's just thinking of doing so.
DeleteJust starting the process. IMO she should quit blogging and concentrate on her studies. She's obviously a bright young lady, but it appears the lure of 150K on her article may be too much for her. But that's just me...
Delete150k hits
DeleteFWIW, she neither sought nor expected the volcanic response. I'm personally amazed by it, and a little worried for her. Conversion is tough enough without being in a media fishbowl. She's in my prayers. A good egg and honest as the daylight.
ReplyDeleteMark Shea
If she hadn't "sought" the response, she wouldn't have posted it...
DeleteI doubt she sought the response, much less, expected it. It just happened. We are all surprised by it I'm sure. I do think she is simply inquiring into the Catholic faith at this point - isn't RCIA pretty much about all of that? It seems to me her conversion from atheism has taken place, and she is on her journey. I agree she is as honest and transparent as the daylight.
ReplyDeleteI do hope she encounters a good spiritual guide and teachers in RCIA and can pretty much ignore the Catholic blogosphere. I think of the verse from the Song of Songs as regards such graces she must be experiencing, "Do not rouse, do not stir up love before its time." God bless her.
Oops. I did it again Britney! Anyway - it appears Leah believes in the Eucharist - now that is Catholic. If I were her I would still ignore the Catholic blogosphere - it is so not the Church.
DeleteIn all sincerity (no snark at all) I'm bound to ask:
ReplyDeleteWhy is this a big deal?
Is this the first atheist to ever convert?
I guess I don't spend enough time on the internet to know or have an opinion.
No snark here either, but I think bloggers, Twitter and Facebook made it a big deal - now MSM is picking it up.
DeleteHigh profile blogger convert... seen it before... will see it again.. bah
ReplyDeleteIf she hadn't "sought" the response, she wouldn't have posted it...
ReplyDeleteUm, she ran a blog about an atheist arguing with believers. Are you seriously suggesting that she should have just suddenly gone radio silent without explanation? Or should she have simply lied about her conversion and continued to blog as an atheist?
Why the hostility? She seems to me to be acting with integrity. You talk as though her conversion is really motivated by some base desire for something as dumb as blog traffic. Why would you suppose something so venal? Or if that's not what you are implying then what *are* you implying? In heaven there is more joy over one sinner who repents than over 99 who have no need of repentance. Why, then, in the blogosphere is there this bitchy, catty sneering instead? She's a kid, trying to the right thing. Help her and pray for her. Don't backbite her. Sheesh!
Mark Shea
Not hostile or venal. Just stating a fact.
DeleteI can't speak for Adrienne but I never thought Leah Libresco was out for attention with this - I admit I initially misunderstood that she had already converted - which I thought was/is great. I never heard of her before this development. My noting it is because it has become an internet sensation/novelty and I'm documenting my impressions.
DeleteOn a personal note. I'm not in a position to criticize her at all. Before I came back to the Church I was into Eastern spirituality - that was on my way back to the Church - at that point I was no longer an athiest and I believed in a God. I only gradually returned to the Church through a series of events - which finally led me to believe Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Conversion is a process - and is ongoing.
Very few ever embrace the whole thing right off the bat - which explains why we have RCIA. Right now I can think of only three - St. Paul, Edith Stein, and Alphonse Ratisbonne - all three were pretty much instantaneously converted and understood everything at once.
That said, I don't think it is a bad thing for people to question these stories when they come along.
I've only read what Leah, you and Elizabeth have written, as well as an interview Libresco did over the weekend - that is why I said she is still in process of inquiring. I wish her well.
No. A fact would be something like, "Leah Libresco's announcement of her conversion received X number of hits."
ReplyDeleteA catty, sneering and uncharitable opinion, which claims that her motivation for making her announcement was not "Trying to be truthful" but the lure of 150K hits is not stating a fact. It's stating a nasty and catty accusation that has, so far as I can see, no basis in fact.
Sheesh! Grow up and take some responsibility when you make a pissy comment, woman.
Mark Shea
Terry:
ReplyDeleteYou're a mensch!
Mark Shea
Leah didn't mention the 150,000 page views, Patheos did.
ReplyDelete"According to Dan Welch, director of marketing for Patheos, Libresco’s post has received around 150,000 page views so far." (one of many sources)
Leah seems to be handling the hubbub quite well so far. It's everybody opining about her conversion that's causing the ruckus.
"In heaven there is more joy over one sinner who repents than over 99 who have no need of repentance." I agree. Let the angels and saints do all the rejoicing in heaven, and maybe us bloggers should shut the hell up.
Except you Terry - keep talking.
Well said, Larry.
ReplyDelete