Doug Doughan tells his conversion story….

I was raised in a great Catholic family.  There were eight of us kids and our parents made sure we were brought up to revere and worship God.  We prayed at meals and Sundays were days of rest. We worked hard during the week and attended church each weekend and went to catechism classes.  

I can still remember the times in church when my brother and I would start to giggle because of something we found funny, only to feel a quick tap to the back of the head from one of our parents.  Church was a place of reverence and awe.  Even though going to Mass was mandatory in our family, I always felt a need or desire to be there.  

Many of my friends were Catholic and attended catechism with me.  I was often reminded not to question, just believe, so I did — for the most part.  But like many kids, by the time I reached my teen years, my faith was becoming less important to me. 

Through my high school years, I was very involved in athletics and started dating a young, beautiful blond-haired Methodist girl named Dawn who later became my wife.  

She would often accompany me to Mass on Saturday night.  Dawn would later in our marriage tell me that my faith in God was one of things that attracted her to me.

Don’t take this wrong — I was by no means a saint — I had my issues and struggles, but I never lost sight that there was a God who loved me and cared for me.   I also knew I had better not forget Him, for I heard He had a place for the “bad” kids and I did not want to go there!

I graduated from high school in 1977 and went to college.  Even while at college I knew it was important to attend Mass, so I always did, even though I would go out and party with my friends afterwards.  Dawn and I continued to date on and off throughout those years as well.

In March of 1980 I finally settled down (a little) and married Dawn. Since she was raised Methodist, we got married in her Methodist church with approval of the Catholic Church.  My priest had taught the Pre-Cana classes we attended and was also present during the wedding.

Life was good.  Dawn was beginning classes to become Catholic and we both had decided that we wanted to have children right away. So, in God’s timing we had our first born the following February: a son, Trinity Douglas.  

Life was still pretty good — for me — but not necessarily with us.  You see, my wife and son needed a father and a husband, but they were stuck with a young farmer who was hardly ever around. Soon the struggles in our marriage started and it wasn’t too long before the word “divorce” started to be spoken. 

Now, neither of us came from separated homes and we both knew divorce was wrong.  So, we struggled, mostly between each other.   Not many people knew we were having problems.  

During this time, Dawn and I had some very close friends who had become born again Christians.  She would periodically get together with them and pray together.  Eventually, as she began to share with them some of our marital struggles, they started praying for me and asking God to change me.

For “the rest of the story” click here.

His story is also on YouTube, interview by Marcus Grodi on EWTN’s The Journey Home>>

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