 Disgusted with his life, he began to seek spiritual guidance, visiting churches of the city, where he would spend hours in prayer.In May 1847, while playing the organ for a Benediction service in the former Church of St. Valerius (), he became overwhelmed by an intense experience of submission, which he again experienced at the same service the next day, at which time the thought came to him that he should become a Catholic.While he was in Ems, Germany, to give a concert, he was again overwhelmed during the services in a local church there and resolved to take this step.