Patrick Madrid | What Every Catholic Should Know About Mormonism | Defending the Faith

Patrick gave this talk, "What Every Catholic Should Know About Mormonism", during the 2014 Defending the Faith Conference.

Find more from Patrick Madrid:

---------------------------------------

Questions or Comments about these videos?

[ericaetaylor]

I joined the LDS church at 16 years old. My mother and father were going through a divorce and the LDS sisters were extremely kind to her. I spent the next 12 years in the church, attended BYU and BYUI, got married in the temple and everything. When I had my son, I slowly began to realize that while I, personally, felt just "okay" being a member of the church, I knew I didn't want my son to be in it. I couldn't explain it then, but I just felt it was wrong and I couldn't subject my child to it. I began to research the faith, learn about the church history, and actually studied scripture deeply. I QUICKLY realized that while the LDS church teaches some lovely ideas and doctrines, they were simply and so incredibly, OBVIOUSLY, false. I stepped away from it slowly, and my husband soon followed for his own reasons.

I spent the next three years in a "where do I go from here" confusion. I tried New Age, I tried going back to my Protestant roots (what I was originally raised before I became LDS), and then thought I was Agnostic. But one day, I felt impressed to buy a new Bible (I threw out all my old Mormon things including my old scriptures previously), and study. I had a PASSION to learn God's word again. I came across some passages that would eventually lead to exploring Catholicism. Primarily, John 6, where I came to really believe Jesus meant His literal flesh and blood. I realized that I had never considered becoming Catholic because it was engrained in me as child that Catholicism was NOT an option. They "worshipped Mary" and "prayed to saints" and all that stuff, lol. And if there's one thing Protestants and Mormons can agree on, is how much they hate Catholics.


But by studying the Word AND studying the Church Fathers and early Christian history (something I was never encouraged to do in Protestantism or Mormonism or even knew were available to me) I realized there was a rich Christian history that pointed directly to the Catholic Church.

All that to say, I am still learning and researching, but I begin RCIA tomorrow! Please pray for me!

[Poeina]

I am the only Catholic in my family much of my family is LDS and I live in Utah. Pray for me to be a bold evangelizer!

[bhaktabdrtamang]

I have been active Catholic since my childhood. Through an elderly coupIe I came to know about Joseph Smith and his findings. I have then read the Book of Mormon and the story of its founder . At the end of the book it says ask whether this book is written by God or the Satan. I WAS IN MY 20's then. I decided to really ask by fervent prayer and at the end I was inspired by the unknown force within me which led me to throw away the Book of Mormon and stick to the Holy Bible and continue to become even more stronger Catholic.

[videonmode]

Props to Mormons for always being super friendly, not easy in this day and age.

[jordysavage]

I was raised Mormon (they prefer to be called LDS now but when I was young that wasn't the case). I served a mission, I lived and breathed that church for 19 years. I ended up realizing it wasn't true on my mission. I was finding inconsistency after inconsistency, including a ton of highly trinitarian verses throughout the book of mormon.

I remember walking into a catholic church on my mission, in prince edward island. I felt so much peace, I went there so much my companion started getting upset at me.

Now I'm in the RCIA. All glory to God!

[ivankrushensky]

While I was in grad school on an externship I had a LDS classmate and were shared a room. We talked about Catholicism and Mormonism, and I'll never forget him saying that if he weren't Mormon, he would be Catholic because it makes the most sense to him. That meant a lot to me. As far as I know, he never converted. But just the fact that he didn't run me down and I never ran him down, but we listened to each other to the point that he even thought about making that statement, it meant a lot.

[alidashutts]

This was enlightening! My daughter was raised Catholic, had a friend in the Mormon church. Was invited to their church and welcomed with open arms and befriended many missionaries that passed through our area. She was baptized in the church and is now married to a Mormon. It breaks my heart. I pray for them.

[alanbourbeau]

I recently met Patrick Madrid at a Connecticut Catholic men's conference. And he's another inspiration to me like Scott Hahn.

[lakotafire]

I'm a retired helicopter flight RN and living in AZ. Out of curiosity, I read the book of mormon, pearl of great price, and doctrine and covenants. IMHO, I found the books, particularly the b of m, to sound like the ramblings of a schizophrenic patient I had studied in college. I mean absolutely no disrespect to the poor folks who must undergo this mental illness. There is no treating Jesus as the Son of God. Thanks be to God for our Catholic Faith!
May God bless you all.

[HolyMoly]

My husband and I were not raised as Christians, but in my 40’s I kept getting the desire to find a church and began “trying out” most of the Christian churches in our town (over a few years time).

We had 4 kids (not raised in any church) and our oldest married a Mormon girl in 2000. After our first grandchildren arrived we decided to find out about the LDS faith. We had the lessons from the sisters and prayed but I just couldn’t get past the reverence for Joseph Smith. It really turned me off. Also - not being allowed to attend their wedding was an enormous sore spot - that practice is so divisive and wrong.

The prayers with the lessons did however leave me open to belief in Jesus Christ - which I had never felt - only a vague higher power belief. I knew really nothing about Christ. But I knew I could never have testimony of Joseph Smith which is what we were asked to do.

I began attending a Bible study with a First Baptist group and occasionally going to their services. One day a member of the study fervently proclaimed that the Mormons were going to hell. Stood up and gestured down and spoke with very strong conviction. No one contradicted him. I got very upset and told him my son, daughter in law and grandkids weren’t going to hell! Well, another religion bites the dust for me.

My husband says - let’s check out the Catholic Church - he went to a Catholic high school for 3 years and had a fondness for it. I was super hesitant so he asked the priest to call me so I could ask him if he believed the Mormons were going to hell. I will never forget his loving answer. “Well, that wouldn’t be a very loving God now, would it?” I now know some Catholic theologists don’t agree with him but it was exactly what I needed to hear and it is certainly what I believe.

After a few months of attending Mass, my husband and I started RCIA and I became Catholic at the age of 53.
I am so happy and grateful for our blessed church - I have been on the RCIA team for several years and I love being a lector. My semi-agnostic former self would never have dreamed that I would ever be lectoring the word of God in front of a congregation - and a Catholic one at that!

My problem is that I can’t really even ask questions of my seven beautiful, loving, talented, kind LDS grandchildren. Occasionally they will say things like theirs is the one true Church and Joseph Smith is a prophet. That doesn’t happen often, but I can’t say anything. I know that would be forbidden and my son and daughter in law would not want that influence on their kids. I pray for them and try to set an example as a Catholic grandma who is filled with the Holy Spirit. I did take one of my granddaughters to church one time when she was spending the night and I was going to lector. She said she really liked it - she knelt and read the Creed and I was apprehensively excited! But she is now on a mission for her church. You never know though! If I became Catholic anyone can!

[elainelksuabernet]

I went to the Mormon school for 3 years, and of course I learn about Joseph Smith and I didn’t feel anything there, but through my research and sufferings, I found the Catholic Church instead and converted to the faith.
If you need to know the Catholic faith, always do your research and pray about it, God always answers, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth.

[carmensiu]

Thank you for the detailed explanation of Mormonism. I wish more people would question what they believe in. Always seek the real truth. 

[huascarmora]

I have talked to mormon missionaries, they come once, maybe twice and then, they never come again in front of my house. Because i start questioning them about their thinking, and that happens also with the jehovas witnesses. GOD bless his true church.

[atjh]

A superb presentation by Patrick Madrid! Thank you!

[dominicvesuin]

Very inspiring, I wish catholic authorities in our Arch Diocese, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea invite catholic apologists like Mr Madrid, Hahn, Trent and the other great apologists to give talks on many issues in relation to Catholicism.

Sad to note many Catholics leave the church because of their shallow knowledge and understanding of Catholicism.

I appreciate the great works of catholic apologists which has strengthened my faith.

Everyday I listen to Catholic answers and other catholic networks like catholic truth, journey home program, and so on.

I'm blessed having apologists like Patrick.
God bless!

[bmullins]

I'm a convert from a reformed Protestant tradition. Mr.Madrid's arguments against the Mormon teaching of the Great Apostacy (36:40+) also apply to my former Protestant belief that the Catholic Church went off the rails at some unspecified point, probably in the time of Constantine. But, when I looked into the matter, I concluded the biblical and historical evidence did not support such a position. Now, as a Catholic, I cringe when I consider how my Protestant brothers and sisters agree with the Mormons on this point.

[Student______]

Something about Mormons is that it helps to be nice to them. It doesn’t help to make them feel like they are being put on the defensive. They are extremely nervous about being persecuted and rejected. They want to feel like others respect them as people. So don’t be rude or arrogant with them. Be patient and understanding. For many of them, Mormonism has been their whole world.

[susanp.fujita]

What a SPOON FED learning for me!!! Many Thanks Patrick Madrid. Will have to BEAR my own WITNESS from now. THANK YOU SO MUCH for this very INSPIRING and EDUCATIONAL talk. GOD BLESS YOU MORE AND MORE AND MORE!

[guyfihi]

I respect Patrick Madrid and listen to his radio show almost every day.  He misspoke about Blacks being allowed into the priesthood in 1968, it was actually 1978.  I moved with my Irish/Catholic family to Utah in 1964 when I was 16.  I recall my middle aged neighbor back in Utah telling me and my brothers about the "black skin as a curse" belief of Mormons.  We questioned him incredulously about this, telling him we, and the Catholic Church, did not share this belief and he got very frustrated.  Finally he said, and I quote, "How would you like your sister to marry a big black n....r."  We told him that was her decision, not ours.  He walked away in frustration.

[Robert-rwlm]

Im a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I disagree with some stuff here, but in the end this video is so much stronger then anything from evangelicals.