(LifeSiteNews) — On this episode of Faith and Reason, Mother Miriam discussed her remarkable conversion story from Judaism to Protestantism and eventually to Catholicism. The panel then analyzed the latest headlines, including the second attempt on the life of a heroic bishop in Sudan, a Canadian town voting to ban LGBT “Pride” flags, Alberta passing a bill banning men from competing in women’s sports, and more.
The panel opened the episode by asking Mother Miriam to share her conversion story. The nun emphasized that she was raised in a conservative Jewish household and was taught that the Messiah would one day arrive and bring peace to the earth.
When she was about 11, Mother Miriam started to question whether the Messiah would really come. Flash forward many years, when she was in her 30s, her brother told her about the Jews for Jesus ministry.
“I was in my early 30s when my own brother was searching for truth. Not denying our Jewish roots, but something didn’t fill our hearts. And he found out there was such a thing as Jewish people on the face of the earth who believed that Jesus Christ, a name that wasn’t pronounced in my home, was the Jewish Messiah,” Mother Miriam said.
She expressed shock that Jewish people could believe that the Messiah had already been on earth 2,000 years ago but not set up His kingdom.
“He didn’t set up His kingdom, nobody knows He was here, the world doesn’t change. Life still doesn’t make sense, and He left. How insane could that be?” she added.
The nun then explained that after she happened to move to California, she met with Jews for Jesus members, who, over a year-and-a-half, showed her that the bloodshed in Mosaic law couldn’t take away sin, but only the blood of the Lamb (Christ) could. Her time with the Jews for Jesus ultimately led her to accept Christ.
She then joined a Protestant church, Grace Community Church, where she served as a deaconess and ran the evening Bible school for 18 years while being catechized to be staunchly anti-Catholic.
“So I knew the Church was Satan’s system and all of that. [I thought,] ‘I’m not going to be Catholic.’ In that summer, I listened to the tapes of a certain troublemaker named Scott Hahn, who was a Presbyterian minister [who] became Catholic. … But that started my journey,” Mother Miriam said.
Later in the episode, the panel discussed Sudanese Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali narrowly escaping death after being harassed, robbed, and severely beaten by the Sudanese armed forces for the second time. The bishop’s jaw was even broken so badly that he couldn’t eat following the assault.
Westen noted that he and other African bishops are truly witnessing to the Catholic faith.
“The heroic witness of this bishop is, hopefully, an example not only to all the lay faithful but hopefully also to the clerics, the bishops of the world, so they can see someone who’s truly offering himself in a very real way,” the host said.
Mother Miriam agreed, underscoring that the African bishops are putting Western bishops to shame with their heroism.
“And I tell you, the bishops of Africa in general have put our bishops to shame with Fiducia Supplicans, with sticking to Church teaching, with the priority of the family. And this bishop is the most recent example of truly why you wear the red sash of truly giving your life to Christ. And we are so, so grateful on this side of the ocean,” the nun said.
Deacon Keith echoed these sentiments and underscored how Africa is on fire for the faith.
“Africa is on fire with the Holy Spirit, and the Church in Africa is a sign of hope for our future, and maybe that’s going to be the next pope out of Africa. … And I don’t think people realize the courage that these African bishops and Church leaders are showing. And that’s what’s needed right now,” the deacon said.
For more discussion on Bishop Tombe‘s suffering for the faith, Mother Miriam’s full conversion story, and much more, watch or listen to this episode of Faith and Reason.
Faith and Reason is available by video via LSNTV on YouTube, Rumble, Banned, and right here on LifeSiteNews.
It is also available in audio format on Acast. To subscribe to the audio version on various channels, visit LifeSite’s Acast web page here.
We’ve created a special email list for the show so that we can notify you every week when we post a new episode. Sign up now by clicking here.
Learn more
Catholic bishop narrowly escapes death after brutal assault by Sudanese paramilitary group
Trump ignites tensions with Trudeau after joking Canada should become 51st US state
Canadian town votes to ban pro-LGBT ‘Pride’ flags, designs on public infrastructure
Alberta passes bill banning men from competing in women’s sports
Canadian pro-life heroine Linda Gibbons acquitted of mischief charge
Canadian MP introduces petition to protect Christians from threats to their freedom
Conservative MP launches initiative to combat anti-Christian bigotry in Canada
Legal group to help Canadian Catholic school teen suspended for defending female-only bathrooms
Why Was a Canadian Student Expelled From Catholic School for Opposing Transgender Bathroom Policy? [National Catholic Register]
Join the novena for the conversion of Pope Francis