By Amy White
The Texas Catholic
The reason Tay McRaney loves being a Catholic is not about a “something” but about a “someone,” said the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church parishioner in answer to the seemingly simple question: Why are you Catholic?
A convert to Catholicism, McRaney’s early faith was nurtured not within the context of a Catholic parish but in the Southern Baptist church in which he was raised.
“I was raised to love and follow Jesus Christ using the Bible as my guide,” McRaney, 77, said. “Although I did not have all the treasures of Catholic tradition, I did have the Word of God and the testimony of others, which was sufficient to get me baptized and a desire to follow after Jesus.”
Throughout his youth, McRaney was a very involved member of his Christian community and, early on, even considered becoming a preacher someday; but as he entered his teenage and young adult years, he started to drift from his faith.
“Early on, I pursued my career more than my faith. I was blessed with some worldly success but was still empty,” shared McRaney, who is now retired from a career in sales. “The dynamics of my faith was like a roller coaster ride, up and down … I did not fully return to pursuing righteousness for two decades.”
That “empty” feeling McRaney felt during those years dissipated, he said, when he invited Christ back into his life in his thirties. He cited a conversion experience in a hotel room where, during a low time in his life, he opened a Bible to a beloved verse of Scripture, John 3:16, which speaks of God’s love.
“I found the Jesus of my youth and began my journey back home where he was waiting for me,” McRaney said.
“It was quite a while before I seriously explored what the Catholic Church taught. When I finally did, I saw the beauty and saving ministry of Jesus as I had never seen before … I discovered the miracle of the Eucharist and the help of all the sacraments,” shared McRaney, who is married to a Catholic. He added, “Father (Bruce) Bradley has shown me that pursuing the Catholic faith has a ‘rubber meets the road’ Christian mentality that means more about action and less about lip service.”
McRaney was received into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil on March 30, 2013. Since then, McRaney has adopted that “rubber meets the road” attitude in his own practice of faith: leading Scripture study classes at his parish, attending retreats, and serving incarcerated individuals through Kolbe Prison Ministries and Rebound Ministries.
Reflecting on his faith journey, McRaney expressed gratitude for the many members of his community who have given him guidance along the way — whether parish clergy and staff, fellow parishioners, or the countless other Catholics throughout the diocese and beyond who continue to contribute to the life of the Church.
“I love the people of my Seton parish community and our Dallas diocese. I love being able to grow in my faith with my wife. I love being even a small part of our parish ministries. I love these great-big-hearted Catholic people. I have so many to thank for helping me on my faith journey,” he said. “This is exactly where I want to be, right in the middle of an action-oriented parish that loves Jesus and the Church he founded, the Catholic Church.”
“I am convinced the Catholic Church has the fullness of faith as Jesus taught. The real presence of Christ in the consecrated host of the Eucharist is indeed a someone (Christ) not a something,” he added. “I could not imagine wanting to walk away from the privilege of being able to receive it. I love everything about being a Catholic.”
Editor’s Note: Do you have an answer to the question: Why are you Catholic? Email [email protected] with a few details about your story of faith for consideration in The Texas Catholic’s “Why I am Catholic” series.
Cutline for featured image: Tay McRaney, a parishioner of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Parish in Plano, is pictured in the church on June 4. McRaney shared his story of conversion with The Texas Catholic as part of the “Why I am Catholic” series. (AMY WHITE/The Texas Catholic)
