Puritan Pastor in Revolutionary America Becomes Catholic: The Conversion of John Thayer | Ep. 69

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOM
In our first episode since Easter Sunday, and in light of the extraordinary number of new Catholic converts this year, we cover the amazing (and very familiar sounding!) conversion account of the first early American Puritan Pastor to the Catholic Faith. His name was John Thayer. He was known to Benjamin Franklin, and even challenged John Adams on Luther and Calvin. He converted in 1783, the same year the United States won its independence from Great Britain, and later became a priest dedicated to evangelizing his beloved America.
Christ is King! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction
03:58 - Roadmap
05:16 - Historical Context
11:58 - Conversion: Intro
13:32 - Family Background
15:18 - Traveling to Rome, Prejudice Against Catholics Melting
17:35 - Inspiring Thought at the Pantheon
19:59 - Desiring to Learn the Catholic Faith to Shed Prejudice
25:05 - Catholic Unity of Faith + Diversity of Opinions
28:17 - The Instability of Protestantism
30:38 - Inquiring into the Catholic Faith + Respecting Guardian Angel
32:38 - The Miracles of St. Benedict Joseph Labre
35:50 - Surrounded by Catholic Truth, But Still Unwilling to Convert
37:23 - Discovering "Manifesto of a Christian Knight Converted to the Catholic Religion"
40:40 - Deciding to Become Catholic
41:50 - Final Obstacle: Veneration of Mary and the Saints
45:23 - Greatly Changed Upon Becoming Catholic
48:52 - Conclusion of the Conversion Story
49:42 - Concluding Reflections
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