How an agnostic became a priest: ‘C.S. Lewis ruined everything’

Last updated on: December 18, 2017 at 11:50 am by Deacon Greg Kandra

How an agnostic became a priest: ‘C.S. Lewis ruined everything’ 2017-12-18T11:50:38-05:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A great vocation story from The Arlington Catholic Herald, on the journey of Deacon Michael Baggot, who was ordained this past weekend:

Deacon Baggot was born in Texas in May 1985, but spent most of his life in Virginia, where his family moved to be closer to his grandmother. While his parents were both born Catholic, they had fallen away from the faith. It was through his grandmother that he caught glimpses of Catholicism. But while he was very close to her growing up, she never pressured him to share her beliefs — she only prayed.

With no direction as a child, he drifted into an agnostic view of God and the world.

“My sensitivity to the beauty of nature and art led me to conclude the existence of a creator,” said Deacon Baggot. “But I did not believe that creator had any impact on my life.”

He regarded those with religious beliefs to be good, but unintelligent, people holding onto a fantasy. But as much as he wanted nothing to do with religion, he could not avoid the allusions and references to Catholic culture as he read. He realized if he wanted to teach literature one day, he needed to learn more about this religion, so he studied it as if it were mythology.

On one of his many trips to the library he picked up a book called, Intellectuals Speak Out about God. Opening the cover, he found an introduction by Ronald Reagan and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI.

It slowly was becoming more reasonable to believe in God’s existence. During high school, he met a friend, one of the smartest people he knew. The only problem was this friend was a devout Christian.

“I thought if I only just studied the Bible and found the contradictions, I could save him,” said Deacon Baggot.

In an effort to rescue his friend, Deacon Baggot read the New Testament and prepared to challenge the book’s main character — it did not go as planned.

“I was instantly impressed with the person of Christ,” said Deacon Baggot, who recognized that Christ had solid moral advice that could help his life. However, he was hesitant to accept the miracles and other supernatural aspects of the text. He needed more information and headed to the local bookstore.

Among the countless books on religion and mythology, a little volume called Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis caught his eye.

“I had enjoyed Narnia so I knew he was an excellent writer, and it was a small book, so I thought ‘this couldn’t hurt,’” said Deacon Baggot. “C.S. Lewis ruined everything,” he laughed. “I’m one of the many victims of Lewis.” The book helped him understand the deepest truths of the faith.

Read it all. Ad multos annos!

Photo: Regnum Christi

Voices & Views

Previous Post

December 18, 2017

Vatican issues new guidelines on handling relics

Next Post

December 19, 2017 Famed 'Rosary Priest' Father Patrick Peyton moves closer to sainthood

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism education Education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized Vatican VATICAN vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many books of the Bible are named after women?

Select your answer to see how you score.

3 2 4 1

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »