Ex-Protestants’ group hoping to meet Pope

CEBU City, Jan. 13, 2015—A group of former Protestant pastors who had crossed over to the Catholic Church expresses joy at the forthcoming apostolic and state visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines on Jan. 15-17, hoping to meet the Vicar of Christ in person.

“We welcome you to the Philippines. We are hoping and praying to meet you personally. Thank you so much for coming to the Philippines. We always remembered you in our prayers,” he shared.

Dora embraced Catholicism following a spiritual awakening.

For five years before his baptism, he had engaged in an in-depth study of Christian doctrines and found the fullness of what Jesus actually taught in the Catholic Church, in between ministering to his congregation, the Pure Gospel of Jesus Christ International Ministries, Inc., which he had founded in Cebu City.

Raised in a devoutly Protestant family, he hated anything that smacked of Rome.

From his father, he learned how to break into pieces statues of saints, especially of the Blessed Virgin, considering them “idols”.

In 2007, he was formally received into the Catholic Church having been baptized and confirmed by no less than then Cebu Auxilliary Bishop, now Dumaguete Bishop, Joselito Cortes.

Today, the Association of Pastors Converted to the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines boasts 136 members, most of whom are former anti-Catholic preachers like himself.

Dora and his group now tour the country, making rounds of parishes to give witness to their conversion, as well as to invite both cradle Protestants and former Catholics to reconsider Catholicism.

For their Facebook page, visit https://www.facebook.com/convertedpastors?fref=ts. (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)