Why I Left the Catholic Church after 26 Years

Why did I leave the Catholic Church after 26 years? I grew up in a devout Roman Catholic family, attended Catholic schools, went to Mass every Sunday, confessed my sins to priests, received Communion hundreds of times, and even attended a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Rome. But despite knowing so much about God, I never truly knew Him personally. In this video, I share my journey from Catholicism to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, including my struggle with drug addiction, the night God changed my life in a rehabilitation center, and the biblical truths that transformed my understanding of salvation, prayer, confession, the Eucharist, and Communion. We'll examine what the Bible teaches about knowing God personally, why Jesus is our one mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), and what the tearing of the temple curtain means for every believer. This isn't an attack on Catholics or the Catholic Church. It's my personal testimony of what I left, what I'm grateful for, and what I discovered through studying Scripture. Whether you're Catholic, Protestant, or simply searching for answers about Christianity, I hope this conversation encourages you to move beyond religious routines into a genuine relationship with Jesus. Subscribe to Get Into the Word with Robby Gallaty for more biblical teaching, Catholic vs. Protestant comparisons, church history, and Bible study from a Hebraic perspective. ORDER MY NEW BOOK: Wait/Hear: Recapturing the Lost Art of Hearing God’s Voice: https://a.co/d/056HzYLF GET FREE VIDEOS: https://www.waithearchallenge.com 📖 Want to go deeper on the Jewish roots of Jesus? Start here → The Forgotten Jesus: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087PFKTMX MORE RESOURCES BY ROBBY 🌱 The Discipleship Trilogy — Growing Up · Firmly Planted · Bearing Fruit: https://replicate.org/resources 👥 The Movement Ready Church: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F7F52V8Y 🕊️ Recovered (Robby's Story ): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1535909838 📖 Foundations (260-Day Reading Plan ): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1430045558 📖 The Practice of Prayer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8P2M3FN CONNECT 🎙️ Podcast: The Forgotten Jesus — https://www.youtube.com/@TheForgottenJesusPodcast ⛪ Church: Long Hollow Church — https://longhollow.com/ 🔁 Ministry: Replicate — https://replicate.org/ 📲 Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/rgallaty/ 🔔 New videos every week — subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss the next one. 00:00 Why I Left the Catholic Church After 26 Years 01:05 My Catholic Upbringing 03:10 What I Still Love About the Catholic Church 04:45 I Knew About God, But Didn't Know Him 06:15 The Truth About Communion and the Eucharist 08:00 Why I Felt Separated From God 09:35 The Temple Curtain Was Torn 11:15 Jesus Is Our One Mediator 12:35 My Journey Through Addiction and Rehab 15:05 The Night Jesus Changed My Life 16:30 Why I Really Left Catholicism 17:35 Religion vs. a Relationship With Jesus 18:25 How You Can Know Jesus Personally