What is it about converts?

[SoCalLocal]

Had this discussion with my wife a few days ago in the car. We were listening to EWTN and Scott Hahn was on.
So we tuned him out and were discussing how annoying so many converts are. I'm not talking about the unwilling fiance who goes to RCIA to please the other half, I'm talking willing. What is it? Over-compensation for not being a cradle Catholic?
I'm talking about things like:

Obsession with Sacramentals. Find a gung-ho convert who doesn't have tons of rosaries, wears a scapular - indeed, worries about which scapular to wear, keeps holy water in the car, that sort of thing.

Obsession with apologetics materials. They even buy Scott Hahn books.

Reading encyclicals for fun. Knowing which document of V2 covers what, for example.

Trying to be more Catholic than the Pope. No interests outside church.

Worries that the priest made a mistake. This one  in particulat annoys me. It reduces the Mass to superstition. If he doesn't say the magic words exactly right, and if he doesn't move his hands just so at the right time the spell, oops, I mean transsubstantiation (or absolution), won't happen.

Any ideas? Any similar experiences?

[Rosarium]

Had this discussion with my wife a few days ago in the car. We were listening to EWTN and Scott Hahn was on.
So we tuned him out and were discussing how annoying so many converts are. I'm not talking about the unwilling fiance who goes to RCIA to please the other half, I'm talking willing. What is it? Over-compensation for not being a cradle Catholic?
I'm talking about things like:

Obsession with Sacramentals. Find a gung-ho convert who doesn't have tons of rosaries, wears a scapular - indeed, worries about which scapular to wear, keeps holy water in the car, that sort of thing.

Obsession with apologetics materials. They even buy Scott Hahn books.

Reading encyclicals for fun. Knowing which document of V2 covers what, for example.

Trying to be more Catholic than the Pope. No interests outside church.

Worries that the priest made a mistake. This one  in particulat annoys me. It reduces the Mass to superstition. If he doesn't say the magic words exactly right, and if he doesn't move his hands just so at the right time the spell, oops, I mean transsubstantiation (or absolution), won't happen.

Any ideas? Any similar experiences?

"Obsession" is thrown around casually on this forum too much.

Do you mean an actual, true obsession, or just a strong interest?

As for the things you listed, this describes many good Catholics, except they aren't "obsessions".

Getting the form right is important and is so important that during an ordination everyone participating takes extra care to observe it to ensure there are no mistakes.

[Credo]

SoCalLocal, I understand where you're coming from. In many ways I do think it has to do with people wanting to "catch up" on lost time. While not a convert in the technical sense, I did have a "conversion experience" and so can sympathize with a lot of the behaviors you described. Generally these things go by the wayside as the Christian matures.

As for the things you listed, this describes many good Catholics, except they aren't "obsessions".

I don't know about the precise terminology, but there are a good many Catholics out there who spend way too much time worrying over things like the holding of hands during the Pater Noster (annoying though it may be). For those interested in researching rubricial mountains created from molehills, on the Catholic Answers they're legion.

[spera]

um. i'm a cradle catholic....and you basically described me. lol

[GodFirst]

um. i'm a cradle catholic....and you basically described me. lol

Ditto.

[ResiduumRevertetur]

Wow. Sounds like we converts are really annoying. Sorry 'bout that.

[jovan66102]

Had this discussion with my wife a few days ago in the car. We were listening to EWTN and Scott Hahn was on.
So we tuned him out and were discussing how annoying so many converts are. I'm not talking about the unwilling fiance who goes to RCIA to please the other half, I'm talking willing. What is it? Over-compensation for not being a cradle Catholic?
I'm talking about things like:

Obsession with Sacramentals. Find a gung-ho convert who doesn't have tons of rosaries, wears a scapular - indeed, worries about which scapular to wear, keeps holy water in the car, that sort of thing.

Obsession with apologetics materials. They even buy Scott Hahn books.

Reading encyclicals for fun. Knowing which document of V2 covers what, for example.

Trying to be more Catholic than the Pope. No interests outside church.

Worries that the priest made a mistake. This one  in particulat annoys me. It reduces the Mass to superstition. If he doesn't say the magic words exactly right, and if he doesn't move his hands just so at the right time the spell, oops, I mean transsubstantiation (or absolution), won't happen.

Any ideas? Any similar experiences?

I'm a convert. Don't have tons of rosaries. I've worn a fiveway scapular for years, never worried about it. No holy water in the car, indeed I have trouble remembering to keep the stoup full at home!

Not 'obsessed' with apologetics materials. Never bought a Scott Hahn book. In fact the only apologetic material I've ever bought is Fr Colgan's 'Catechism for Adults' to give to interested people and a little booklet listing 'Catholic proof texts' in Scripture.

I read the Social Encyclicals and V II documents long before becoming a Catholic Don't think I've ever read any other Encyclicals.

Vast interests outside the Church, politics good beer, food, general literature, history (not just Church history), etc., etc.Never worry about 'mistakes' tho' I often get irritated at obvious, intentional liturgical abuses.

Just my two cents (Canadian, about 1.9 cents US!)

[GodFirst]

SoCalLocal, I have to ask what is up with all the lax Catholics who think "anything goes" and that it's alright to be free-spirited. Such is not the narrow road to life that our Lord talked about. Yes, we can go overboard I don't disagree but if someone does something for the sake of the truth, especially that of the Divine Catholic Faith, then when is the big deal: Where is the sin? Stop being jealous of another's sanctity and love of the only Divine Religion and start correcting the plank in your own eye.

[GodFirst]

I'm a convert.

Aren't you a convert from the Eastern Schism though? That's not much of a conversion, materially speaking.

[StrictCatholicGirl]

Obsession with Sacramentals. Find a gung-ho convert who doesn't have tons of rosaries, wears a scapular - indeed, worries about which scapular to wear, keeps holy water in the car, that sort of thing.

Obsession with apologetics materials. They even buy Scott Hahn books.

Reading encyclicals for fun. Knowing which document of V2 covers what, for example.

Trying to be more Catholic than the Pope. No interests outside church.

SoCalLocal, what you described fits a lot of cradle Catholics too. I love converts. We have no idea what it feels like to be "them."

Remember they chose Catholicism - and we who grew up with it have to choose it at some point too. This means falling in love with Christ and His Church - and it results in a long "honeymoon stage" where one has a desire to know everything about the Faith.

The way I look at it, it's good practice for heaven because everyone there has only one thing on their mind and it ain't football [or writing poetry - insert your own 'interest outside the church' here].

- Lisa