Newt Gingrich

Newton Leroy Newt Gingrich is a candidate for President of the United States for the 2012 election of the Republican Party. He is a former Protestant Lutheran and Southern Baptist denominations that officially decided to become Catholics when Pope Benedict XVI visited the U.S. in 2008. He sees the U.S. today are too secular and require a touch of faith. In contrast to Obama's anti-life, Newt Gingrich is a pro-life. Here is a testimony to his faith which translates from the National Catholic Register.

I am often asked when I chose to become Catholic. However, it is more truthful to say that during the course of several years, I gradually became Catholic and then one day decided to accept the Faith who had just had my embrace.

My wife, Callista, a Catholic all his life and has been a member of the National Pilgrimages Basilica Choir Immaculate Conception in Washington DC for 15 years. Although I used to be a Southern Baptist (one of the Protestant denominations), I have attended Mass with Callista every Sunday at the Basilica to watch him sing with the choir.

I accompanied Callista to Rome in 2005, when the Choir was invited to sing at the Basilica of St. Peter. Over there, I had the opportunity to speak at length with Monsignor Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica in Washington DC, about faith, history and many cultures, including secularism challenges that face our country (ie United States). Our conversation was so enlightening and intriguing.

During the trip, I experienced my first trip to the Basilica of St. Peter and I remember my amazement when I was in the presence of the historical truth of the Church on that day. At the same time, I was influenced by some of the books I was reading, including the book The Cube and The Cathedral by George Weigel about the crisis of secularism in Europe and another book entitled The Final Revolution on the role

Christianity in freeing Eastern Europe from dictatorship atheist. I was also moved by the reflections of Pope Benedict XVI in his book Jesus of Nazareth that, "God is the principal issue: whether he real, reality itself, or He is not [true]? Is he good or whether we should find ourselves goodness? "

During our travels, whether Callista and I were in Costa Rica or Africa, he (Callista) did not give up to find a local Mass on Sunday. Listen to "Amazing Grace" sung in Chinese language at Mass in Beijing is a wonderful experience and worship with the faithful around the world opened my eyes to the diversity and richness of the Catholic Church.

During the trip a decade, and which faith and history contained in the Catholic Church's life increasingly apparent to me and the centrality of the Eucharist in the Catholic Mass more and more apparent.

Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States in 2008 was a turning point for me. The Holy Father led the Vespers / Liturgy of the Twilight festive with U.S. bishops at the Basilica underground church in Washington. Callista Choir was asked to sing for Pope Benedict at vespers and as a husband, I have a unique opportunity to attend a papal visit and I am so deeply moved by the event.

Catching a glimpse of Pope Benedict that day, I was stunned for happiness and peace that he radiated. Radiating joy and presence of the Holy Father was a moment of affirmation about the many things I am thinking and have experienced for several years.

That afternoon I told Monsignor Walter Rossi that I want to be accepted into the Catholic Church and he agreed to include Callista as my supporters. Under the supervision of Msgr. Rossi, I learned the Catechism of the Catholic Church during the next year and received in the Church in March 2009 in a beautiful Mass at St.. Joseph's on Capitol Hill.

After over a decade - perhaps throughout life - my faith journey, I finally was home.