ABSTRACT
The narratives written by converts to Roman Catholicism yield valuable information regarding the process of becoming a Roman Catholic in nineteenth-century America and provide answers to a variety of questions. Each narrative bears the stamp of its author's individuality: his experience is uniquely his own. But as careful examination of each shows, the narratives share common elements: a focus on conversion, an attempt at self-justification, and explanation and defense of Roman Catholic belief and piety. The chapter includes a brief sketch of the author's life, a review of the structure and content of his narrative, and a discussion of his conversion experience. The purpose of this analysis is twofold: to gain an understanding of the way in which these authors experienced and perceived conversion to Roman Catholicism and to examine the development and function of the distinctive form of spiritual autobiography which they produced.
