YouTuber finds faith: from evangelical roots to Catholic conviction
A YouTuber disillusioned with his experience in an Austrian evangelical Protestant environment has found a spiritual family and home in the Catholic Church, embracing rich tradition and liturgical beauty.
In the process of sharing his conversion story, the channel of the YouTuber, who goes by “Pillar and Foundation“ (“Säule und Fundament“), has grown to almost 14,000 subscribers.
For a Vienna-based channel in German, this is a considerable audience, and Jean, the 26-year-old married convert behind the project, recently shared his journey from being a member of a Protestant Free Church to Catholicism with CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.
Apostolic connection and liturgical beauty
In countries with a history of state churches, like Austria, Germany, and others in Europe, evangelical and Pentecostal congregations often fall under the broader category of “Freikirchen” — literally “free churches” — due to their independent status.
Jean’s journey into the Catholic Church was propelled by an earnest desire to align himself with the apostolic tradition, a lineage he felt was absent in his previous religious experiences.
“I can finally stand by the disciples of the apostles and say that I have a connection with them. Not only to them but above all to the Church that the Lord Jesus founded,” Jean told CNA Deutsch.
Catholicism’s aesthetic and doctrinal aspects significantly influenced the conversion.
The YouTuber articulated a profound appreciation for the Church’s liturgical practices and architectural magnificence, stating: “I am always impressed anew by the incredible beauty of the Catholic religion. Here, I mean above all the holy Mass and the interior architecture of Catholic churches.”