JoAnna Wahlund

JoAnna is married and has four children. This is her story as a lifelong member of the Lutheran church to Catholicism.

I was born to lifelong Lutherans (ELCA) who, of course, baptized all their kids Lutheran. I was baptized on December 28, 1980 -- a date that I realized, soon after my conversion, as the Feast of the Holy Innocents. I sometimes wonder why I wasn't baptized sooner given that I was born six weeks prematurely, but I suppose that in Lutheran circles baptism isn't considered crucial for newborns, even premature ones.

Nicole Motsch-DeMille

Nicole Motsch-DeMille was a graduate of Lutheran schools and an active member of her Lutheran parish until some casual research led her and her family into a major life change . . . and into the Catholic Church.

I am a forty-one year old wife and mother, former high school English teacher and native New Yorker who converted to Roman Catholicism after living my entire life up to that point as a devout and active Lutheran.  I attended private Lutheran schools from Kindergarten to twelfth grade.  I served Communion at my Lutheran parish.  I wrote and taught Confirmation curriculum.  I married in the Lutheran Church and baptized both of my children there.  I cannot say I was unhappy as a Lutheran, but I did have questions and unresolved issues, Scriptures that didn’t square with what my pastors and religious instructors taught, and a longing for something “more.”  

Richard Lane

Richard is a full time Catholic lay evangelist and frequent guest on various Catholic television and radio programs. Richard is the proud husband of Donna L. Lane and a beautiful daughter, K. Alexandria Lane

I was born in 1965 to Mary Lane (Alexander), now a retired Educator for the Highland Park, Michigan School district. My mother was famous in her own right. She was actually the first African-American female model that Coca-Cola ever hired in 1956.

My father was arguably the greatest Cornerback in National Football League (NFL) History; drafted as a free agent walk on in 1952 by the Los Angeles Rams, it was in his rookie year that he set an NFL record (that still stands throughout the 2010 NFL Regular Season) for most interceptions in one season. That was when they had 12 game seasons and played REAL Football; leather helmets, not a lot of padding and no face masks. In 1953 he would be traded to, at that time they were called the Chicago Cardinals, and played with them through the 1959 Season. In 1960 he was traded to and finished his career in 1966 with the Detroit Lions. In 2009, I believe Sports Illustrated and ESPN ranked the 100 most feared men to ever play the game of Professional Football, and my father came in SECOND… only to the great Dick Butkus. In 1974 my father received the highest honor to be bestowed upon anyone ever affiliated with the NFL, he was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame; his name was Dick “Night Train” Lane.

George M. Sipe

George is a husband of 30 years and father of one daughter. A life-long, single denomination Protestant he was as surprised as anybody to find himself becoming Catholic. Since 2006, he runs his own company creating and managing the web presence of small businesses.

How I Became an Ex-Lutheran

I have many fond memories growing up in my Lutheran LCA church. Our congregation was small but tight-knit. Our church building was of an older, majestic style located in a small city that once saw greater numbers on Sunday. My parents were married there. My brother and I were baptized there.

While no one would have called us "bible thumpers," we were quietly religious.

Welcome to Why I’m Catholic's Lutheran converts section. Our hope is to bring present inspiring Lutheran conversion stories to Catholicism to help evangelize and spiritually edify the digital world.

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