Converts to Catholicsm -- Did you assent to anything you didn't fully believe in?

[Tommy999]

Thanks for your insights, Della and SoMissCatholic. I especially appreciated the quotes from Tim Staples. His analogies were very helpful, as was your info. I think he comes from a similar background as mine so I can relate to him a lot.

If I understand correctly, Catholics do not consider Mary as divine nor do they worship her in the ‘adoration’ sense of the word, correct? If that is the case, I feel more comfortable and can accept and believe that. I have always believed she is worthy of deep respect and honor as the mother of Christ and that some of my fellow protestants don’t pay enough attention to her.

A couple of follow -up questions, if I could:

Praying to saints and Mary:

1. I still cannot fully comprehend why Catholics want to pray to Mary and the saints when they can pray right to God through Christ, although I hope to be able to understand it better some day.

I understand that the saints and Mary are intercessors who pray to the Lord for us and the prayers of the righteous availeth much according to James 5:16, but praying to them (to me at this stage of my journey) is like purposely going traveling from LA to New York by plane and insisting on stopping and changing planes in Denver and Chicago (praying to Mary and saints) when you have a direct flight (direct prayer to God thru Christ) at your disposal if you so choose.

1. *Salvation question *
   I invited Christ into my life by faith when I was in my late teens while watching a Billy Graham crusade and sincerely repenting of my sins. I asked Christ into my life to be my Lord and Savior and I meant it with all my heart.

It was a life-changing event that kick-started my faith journey that continues to this day. I believe I was “born again” at that time. I wasn’t guaranteed salvation but it was definitely a special event that I still remember vividly. That experience allowed me to realize that I was a sinner who was in need of salvation. The Holy Spirit then began to work on me and point out and convict me of sins I didn’t even know I had as well as those I knew I had but didn’t think were a big deal.

I finally realized my body was a temple of the Holy Spirit and I couldn’t just keep doing some of the things I was doing to displease God. Also, those things just didn’t feel right to do anymore after accepting Christ as my Savior.

I also started to enjoy reading and mediating on scripture and – most of all – growing in my walk with Christ and serving God and putting others before myself. I also started looking forward to going to church instead of it being a religious duty I performed with my family and couldn’t wait for it to be over. It became the highlight of my week from then on.

Question 1:
Does Catholicism celebrate this kind of experience as valid or toss it out as evangelical jibber-jabber?

Question 2:
I find it difficult to fathom how a Catholic who lived a good Christian life would be banished to hell if he happened to commit a mortal sin but died in a car accident before he was able to go to confession and get the sin absolved. Is that what Catholicism teaches would happen to that person?

I would like to think that God would have mercy and weigh the person’s whole life and not decide the person’s eternal destiny on the last thing the person did, which seems to be a harsh way to judge someone’s life. Please clarify this for me, if you don’t mind. Perhaps I am misunderstand something.

I appreciate all the replies and the help you’ve give me. You are all right in my book.

 

[Tommy999]

Thanks, Della and SoMissCatholic. Very helpful.

 

[Techno2000]

Question 2:
I find it difficult to fathom how a Catholic who lived a good Christian life would be banished to hell if he happened to commit a mortal sin but died in a car accident before he was able to go to confession and get the sin absolved. Is that what Catholicism teaches would happen to that person?

I would like to think that God would have mercy and weigh the person’s whole life and not decide the person’s eternal destiny on the last thing the person did, which seems to be a harsh way to judge someone’s life. Please clarify this for me, if you don’t mind. Perhaps I am misunderstand something.

An Unpublished Manuscript on Purgatory

I can tell you about the different degrees of Purgatory because I have passed through them. In the great Purgatory there are several stages. In the lowest and most painful, like a temporary hell, are the sinners who have committed terrible crimes during life and whose death surprised them in that state. It was almost a miracle that they were saved, and often by the prayers of holy parents or other pious persons. Sometimes they did not even have time to confess their sins and the world thought them lost, but God, whose mercy is infinite, gave them at the moment of death the contrition necessary for their salvation on account of one or more good actions which they performed during life. For such souls, Purgatory is terrible. It is a real hell with this difference, that in hell they curse God, whereas we bless Him and thank Him for having saved us.
catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=6253

 

[Tommy999]

To SoMissCatholic,
I Like your name. Isn’t that where the famous Brett Favre went to college and played college football?

 

[SoMissCatholic]

To SoMissCatholic,
I Like your name. Isn’t that where the famous Brett Favre went to college and played college football?

Indeed it is . I’m a huge Southern Miss football fan, although we haven’t had much to cheer about the last three years.

I’ll respond to the follow up questions in your other post as soon as I get some time to sit down and write a decent reply.

In the mean time, I think you might enjoy Tim Staples’ conversion story “Jimmy Swaggart Made Me Catholic!” He has a similar Billy Graham crusade story to yours in his talk. It is available on DVD, CD, or MP3 audio. I personally have the MP3 audio version. I listened to it while travelling over this past Christmas holidays and very much enjoyed it.

 

[Della]

(Shortened to allow replies because of character limits)

A couple of follow -up questions, if I could:

Praying to saints and Mary:

1. I still cannot fully comprehend why Catholics want to pray to Mary and the saints when they can pray right to God through Christ, although I hope to be able to understand it better some day.

I understand that the saints and Mary are intercessors who pray to the Lord for us and the prayers of the righteous availeth much according to James 5:16, but praying to them (to me at this stage of my journey) is like purposely going traveling from LA to New York by plane and insisting on stopping and changing planes in Denver and Chicago (praying to Mary and saints) when you have a direct flight (direct prayer to God thru Christ) at your disposal if you so choose.

The Church has always taught that the dead are not dead, but alive in Christ–they are part of what is called the Church Triumphant since they are in heaven with God. This teaching is part of the Communion of Saints in which all the faithful, living and dead, pray for each other (although the saints in heaven don’t need our prayers). I too wondered about praying to saints but after reading one of the great saints on the topic I came to see that the saints in heaven are our helpers and intercessors before God. They don’t stand in the way between us and God, they help make the way open for our prayers.

Think about it this way, we who are still living in this world are subject to our own selfish desires and are prone to sin–even if we have the best intentions. Our prayers, therefore, are not perfect, nor do we alway pray with the best intentions nor in line with God’s will. By directing our prayers through the saints, they present our petitions cleansed of these impurities and in full accord with God’s will–being perfected in God’s love they can do nothing else. As Christ gave us on earth the ability to help each other by calling upon his name, so the saints in heaven can do the same thing–only their ability is not hampered by lack of faith or selfish motives or any other thing that would render them contrary to God’s will.

1. *Salvation question *
   I invited Christ into my life by faith when I was in my late teens while watching a Billy Graham crusade and sincerely repenting of my sins. I asked Christ into my life to be my Lord and Savior and I meant it with all my heart.

It was a life-changing event that kick-started my faith journey that continues to this day. I believe I was “born again” at that time. I wasn’t guaranteed salvation but it was definitely a special event that I still remember vividly.

Question 1:
Does Catholicism celebrate this kind of experience as valid or toss it out as evangelical jibber-jabber?

The Church indeed recognizes such experiences as valid, but they aren’t our salvation–that is an ongoing process not a one time decision, as you cited. Christ didn’t tell his Apostles to go into all the world and tell people to accept him as their personal Lord and Savior. Rather he told them to teach, preach and baptize for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is our initiation into Christ. God, being God can and does operate outside the sacraments, but they are the ordinary means of obtaining his saving graces. Oftentimes people, who have a sudden awakening to faith think that that was the beginning of their spiritual journey, but actually it began long before that in their baptism. We may have several spiritual experiences or none at all in our lifetime, but these do not save us–it is faith in Christ that saves–a living faith in which one takes advantage of every spiritual help and grace we can get, for we need them to combat the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Question 2:
I find it difficult to fathom how a Catholic who lived a good Christian life would be banished to hell if he happened to commit a mortal sin but died in a car accident before he was able to go to confession and get the sin absolved. Is that what Catholicism teaches would happen to that person?

I would like to think that God would have mercy and weigh the person’s whole life and not decide the person’s eternal destiny on the last thing the person did, which seems to be a harsh way to judge someone’s life. Please clarify this for me, if you don’t mind. Perhaps I am misunderstand something.

For one to be culpable of commiting a mortal sin three criteria must be met: Firstly it must be a grave matter, secondly the person must know that, and thirdly he must commit a grave sin willingly/deliberately. Let’s take adultery for example. How many people can say they don’t know it’s sinful? Most of us know that it is. What if we do it willingly and under no duress? Are we not guilty of this sin–have we not rendered moot all the good we did? And what did one who commits a sin willingly and deliberately have to do to do it? He has to reject God’s command against this sin.

Now, a person may be tempted beyond their capacity to resist–which shows a weakness in their spiritual lives they might not have known existed. If they are truly repentant, but cannot get to confession, God knows that the person has made perfect contrition for it. Still, having made perfect contrition we Catholics go to confession to be reconnected to the Church, the Body of Christ, against whom we have sinned and have damaged by our sin–this is called “absolution.”

We don’t see God as waiting and wanting to pounce on us, but rather as one who knows our hearts better than we do. He wants to have mercy on us. It’s up to us to let him and to be on guard against even minor sins so that we aren’t led into complacency and thus leave ourselves open to graver temptations.

 

[petra22]

i made the the great tiber swim last year but i feel the lord had been calling me to the catholic church for a while. When i moved to a new area the calls became stronger and i knew there would be difficult obstacles due to my marriage and hubby’s past marriage. I tried to appease god by asking about other churches in the area that were closer.

One day, as i drove past a lutheran church i asked god “what about there, i can be accepted there as i am”.

A voice as clear as day (it totally rattled me when i heard it) said “i want you in truth.”

i found the nearest catholic church and if the priest had told me the sun was purple i would have accepted it, no questions asked. So, whatever i read in the catechism became what i believed from the moment i read it. I had and have no problems professing the faith statement.

i believe you heard it as clear as day!! Did you look around to see where the voice came from???

 

[pablope]

Thanks to all for your advice and for sharing your experiences with me.

Just FYI… this is where I am at more specifically in my spiritual journey:

 

[Bookcat]

One can give ones YES! without understanding it all…one can in “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5; cf. Acts 6:7, Rom 16:26, Rom 6:17). By grace and freely given yes.

Key is that one comes to know that Jesus founded the Church - that one gives ones Yes to him. One does not need to understand it all (even the Apostles did not understand all right away -but when others left him Jesus asked if they too were going to leave - and Peter said - where would we go? You have the words of eternal life…)

“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

~ Pope Benedict XVI Deus Caritas Est

“In fact, at the root of every doctrine or value is the event of the encounter between man and God in Jesus Christ. Christianity, before being a moral or an ethic, is the event of love, it is the acceptance of the Person of Jesus.”

~ Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday, 14 November 2012

"The Letter to the Hebrews presents it in this way: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents like Isaac and Jacob had, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has sound foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (11:8-10).

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews is referring here to the call of Abraham, recounted in the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. What did God ask of this patriarch? He asked him to set out, leave his own country to journey to the land that he would show him: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1).

How would we have responded to such an invitation? In fact it meant setting out with no directions, no knowledge of where God would lead him; it was a journey that demanded radical obedience and trust, to which faith alone gives access."

~ Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday, 23 January 2013

"Dear friends, we too are called to grow in faith, to open ourselves in order to welcome God’s gift freely, to have trust and also to cry to Jesus “give us faith, help us to find the way!”. This is the way that Jesus made his disciples take, as well as the Canaanite woman and men and women of every epoch and nation and each one of us.

Faith opens us to knowing and welcoming the real identity of Jesus, his newness and oneness, his word, as a source of life, in order to live a personal relationship with him. Knowledge of the faith grows, it grows with the desire to find the way and in the end it is a gift of God who does not reveal himself to us as an abstract thing without a face or a name, because faith responds to a Person who wants to enter into a relationship of deep love with us and to involve our whole life."

–Pope Benedict XVI

vatican.va/holy_father/be…110814_en.html

 

[Bookcat]

One can give ones YES! without understanding it all…one can in “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5; cf. Acts 6:7, Rom 16:26, Rom 6:17). By grace and freely given yes.

Key is that one comes to know that Jesus founded the Church - that one gives ones Yes to him. One believes yes what the Church Teaches - because of him.

One does not need to understand it all --even the Apostles did not understand all right away -but when others left him Jesus asked if they too were going to leave - and Peter said - where would we go? You have the words of eternal life…

“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

~ Pope Benedict XVI Deus Caritas Est

“In fact, at the root of every doctrine or value is the event of the encounter between man and God in Jesus Christ. Christianity, before being a moral or an ethic, is the event of love, it is the acceptance of the Person of Jesus.”

~ Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday, 14 November 2012

"The Letter to the Hebrews presents it in this way: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents like Isaac and Jacob had, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has sound foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (11:8-10).

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews is referring here to the call of Abraham, recounted in the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. What did God ask of this patriarch? He asked him to set out, leave his own country to journey to the land that he would show him: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1).

How would we have responded to such an invitation? In fact it meant setting out with no directions, no knowledge of where God would lead him; it was a journey that demanded radical obedience and trust, to which faith alone gives access."

~ Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday, 23 January 2013

"Dear friends, we too are called to grow in faith, to open ourselves in order to welcome God’s gift freely, to have trust and also to cry to Jesus “give us faith, help us to find the way!”. This is the way that Jesus made his disciples take, as well as the Canaanite woman and men and women of every epoch and nation and each one of us.

Faith opens us to knowing and welcoming the real identity of Jesus, his newness and oneness, his word, as a source of life, in order to live a personal relationship with him. Knowledge of the faith grows, it grows with the desire to find the way and in the end it is a gift of God who does not reveal himself to us as an abstract thing without a face or a name, because faith responds to a Person who wants to enter into a relationship of deep love with us and to involve our whole life."

~ Pope Benedict XVI vatican.va/holy_father/be…110814_en.html

 

[petra22]

I began looking into Catholicism to “prove” it wrong. After reading some Catholic books I was surprised to find that I couldn’t prove any of my ideas. Rather, the answers I found were cogent, reasonable and spiritual. Still, I had deep reservations, especially about Mary who I thought Catholics worshiped. In my desire to learn the truth, I took her on first. I have to laugh at myself now because I hardly realized at the time that in such encounters, Mary always wins.

I read “The Song of Bernadette” because I’d seen the film as a girl. Mary spoke to me afterwards, but I wasn’t ready to accept such a Catholic idea. But, I was intrigued, just the same by Bernadette’s story and the holiness I saw in her life. So, I bought a rosary and timidly began to pray with it–just to see if it was okay. I was testing Mary to see if she met my shibboleth. I can’t believe my hubris, but that’s what I did Well, instead of being affronted, she treated me with the utmost courtesy. As I held that rosary in my hands and prayed in my own way–I didn’t know the Hail Mary nor what other prayers went with praying a rosary–peace of a kind I’d never known before came over me. I sensed Jesus present through the Holy Spirit in the midst of that peace.

Other encounters with Marian theology led me to ask the very sensible question: “If the Church is right about Mary, is it right about everything else?” and “Does the Church have that authority?” I wrestled with these questions for some time, but in the end had to admit that a Church which Christ founded would have to have all his promises, as well, and be right in matters of faith and morals. I started RCIA where many of my misconceptions were erased. I didn’t fully understand everything the Easter Vigil I was received into the Church, but like marrying my husband, about whom I didn’t know everything, I took it on faith that as I grew in my faith fuller understanding would come–and it has. I don’t pretend to understand everything even after 25 years of being a Catholic, but I do know I made the right decision in submitting my heart and will to Christ’s Church in which I have the fullness of the faith available to me.

What a beautiful testimony. Thanks.

 

[Tommy999]

To SoMissCatholic:

Yes, it would appear that I share some common background with Tim Staples. I would be honored to meet him some day, if God allows it. I can relate to how he explains Catholicism in terms that evangelicals can understand and relate to, although you folks do a good job of it, also.

 

[Tommy999]

One can give ones YES! without understanding it all…one can in “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5; cf. Acts 6:7, Rom 16:26, Rom 6:17). By grace and freely given yes.

Key is that one comes to know that Jesus founded the Church - that one gives ones Yes to him. One believes yes what the Church Teaches - because of him.

One does not need to understand it all --even the Apostles did not understand all right away -but when others left him Jesus asked if they too were going to leave - and Peter said - where would we go? You have the words of eternal life…

“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

~ Pope Benedict XVI Deus Caritas Est

“In fact, at the root of every doctrine or value is the event of the encounter between man and God in Jesus Christ. Christianity, before being a moral or an ethic, is the event of love, it is the acceptance of the Person of Jesus.”

~ Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday, 14 November 2012

"The Letter to the Hebrews presents it in this way: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents like Isaac and Jacob had, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has sound foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (11:8-10).

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews is referring here to the call of Abraham, recounted in the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. What did God ask of this patriarch? He asked him to set out, leave his own country to journey to the land that he would show him: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Gen 12:1).

How would we have responded to such an invitation? In fact it meant setting out with no directions, no knowledge of where God would lead him; it was a journey that demanded radical obedience and trust, to which faith alone gives access."

~ Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday, 23 January 2013

"Dear friends, we too are called to grow in faith, to open ourselves in order to welcome God’s gift freely, to have trust and also to cry to Jesus “give us faith, help us to find the way!”. This is the way that Jesus made his disciples take, as well as the Canaanite woman and men and women of every epoch and nation and each one of us.

Faith opens us to knowing and welcoming the real identity of Jesus, his newness and oneness, his word, as a source of life, in order to live a personal relationship with him. Knowledge of the faith grows, it grows with the desire to find the way and in the end it is a gift of God who does not reveal himself to us as an abstract thing without a face or a name, because faith responds to a Person who wants to enter into a relationship of deep love with us and to involve our whole life."

~ Pope Benedict XVI vatican.va/holy_father/be…110814_en.html

Thanks, Bookcat. I follow your point that the obedience of faith is the key. I have some more serious thinking and pondering to do. Please pray for me. I am slowly running out of reasons not to become Catholic.

 

[Tommy999]

To deepen your understanding… catholiceducation.org/en/religion-and-philosophy/apologetics/purgatory-holy-fire.html

 

[Bookcat]

Thanks, Bookcat.

Your welcome.

"Not without reason, Christians in the early centuries were required to learn the creed from memory. It served them as a daily prayer not to forget the commitment they had undertaken in baptism. With words rich in meaning, Saint Augustine speaks of this in a homily on the* redditio symboli,* the handing over of the creed: “the symbol of the holy mystery that you have all received together and that today you have recited one by one, are the words on which the faith of Mother Church is firmly built above the stable foundation that is Christ the Lord. You have received it and recited it, but in your minds and hearts you must keep it ever present, you must repeat it in your beds, recall it in the public squares and not forget it during meals: even when your body is asleep, you must watch over it with your hearts.”[16]

At this point I would like to sketch a path intended to help us understand more profoundly not only the content of the faith, but also the act by which we choose to entrust ourselves fully to God, in complete freedom. In fact, there exists a profound unity between the act by which we believe and the content to which we give our assent. Saint Paul helps us to enter into this reality when he writes: “Man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved” (Rom 10:10). The heart indicates that the first act by which one comes to faith is God’s gift and the action of grace which acts and transforms the person deep within.

The example of Lydia is particularly eloquent in this regard. Saint Luke recounts that, while he was at Philippi, Paul went on the Sabbath to proclaim the Gospel to some women; among them was Lydia and “the Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). There is an important meaning contained within this expression. Saint Luke teaches that knowing the content to be believed is not sufficient unless the heart, the authentic sacred space within the person, is opened by grace that allows the eyes to see below the surface and to understand that what has been proclaimed is the word of God.

Confessing with the lips indicates in turn that faith implies public testimony and commitment. A Christian may never think of belief as a private act. Faith is choosing to stand with the Lord so as to live with him. This “standing with him” points towards an understanding of the reasons for believing. Faith, precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what one believes. The Church on the day of Pentecost demonstrates with utter clarity this public dimension of believing and proclaiming one’s faith fearlessly to every person. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that makes us fit for mission and strengthens our witness, making it frank and courageous.

Profession of faith is an act both personal and communitarian…"

~ Pope Benedict XVI Porta Fidei

“Evidently, knowledge of the content of faith is essential for giving one’s own assent, that is to say for adhering fully with intellect and will to what the Church proposes. Knowledge of faith opens a door into the fullness of the saving mystery revealed by God. *The giving of assent implies that, when we believe, we freely accept the whole mystery of faith, **because the guarantor of its truth is God who reveals himself and allows us to know his mystery of love.”
*

~ Pope Benedict XVI Porta Fidei (emp. added)

 

[Bookcat]

Also See The Catechism on Characteristics of Faith: scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s1c3a1.htm#153

 

[jmcrae]

A couple of follow -up questions, if I could:

Praying to saints and Mary:

1. I still cannot fully comprehend why Catholics want to pray to Mary and the saints when they can pray right to God through Christ, although I hope to be able to understand it better some day.

I understand that the saints and Mary are intercessors who pray to the Lord for us and the prayers of the righteous availeth much according to James 5:16, but praying to them (to me at this stage of my journey) is like purposely going traveling from LA to New York by plane and insisting on stopping and changing planes in Denver and Chicago (praying to Mary and saints) when you have a direct flight (direct prayer to God thru Christ) at your disposal if you so choose.

God isn’t a vending machine. God is love. God’s Kingdom is a family, and all of the Saints (including you) are members of His family. Speaking with God (prayer) is not about “getting something” - it’s about building a relationship with Him.

When you go to your father’s house for Christmas, you get to speak directly with your father - but is that all you do, exclusively? Do you not also speak with your mother, and your sisters and brothers, and your nieces and nephews, and even with the wife and children who came with you?

That’s how it is with us. We speak to the Saints because we love them; not because (or not solely because) of what we can get them to do for us.

When we pray, it’s a bit like being on the phone with your Father’s house - you want to speak with your Father, of course - but why not speak with other members of the family, too, while you happen to be on the line? And when we get to Heaven, we will be worshiping and adoring God with all the Saints together in one place, and we will be as much with them as we are with God.

1. *Salvation question *
   I invited Christ into my life by faith when I was in my late teens while watching a Billy Graham crusade and sincerely repenting of my sins. I asked Christ into my life to be my Lord and Savior and I meant it with all my heart.

It was a life-changing event that kick-started my faith journey that continues to this day. I believe I was “born again” at that time. I wasn’t guaranteed salvation but it was definitely a special event that I still remember vividly. That experience allowed me to realize that I was a sinner who was in need of salvation. The Holy Spirit then began to work on me and point out and convict me of sins I didn’t even know I had as well as those I knew I had but didn’t think were a big deal.

I finally realized my body was a temple of the Holy Spirit and I couldn’t just keep doing some of the things I was doing to displease God. Also, those things just didn’t feel right to do anymore after accepting Christ as my Savior.

I also started to enjoy reading and mediating on scripture and – most of all – growing in my walk with Christ and serving God and putting others before myself. I also started looking forward to going to church instead of it being a religious duty I performed with my family and couldn’t wait for it to be over. It became the highlight of my week from then on.

Question 1:
Does Catholicism celebrate this kind of experience as valid or toss it out as evangelical jibber-jabber?

I know lots of Catholics who have had similar experiences, and who hope that everyone gets to have at least one, at some point in their lives.

Question 2:
I find it difficult to fathom how a Catholic who lived a good Christian life would be banished to hell if he happened to commit a mortal sin but died in a car accident before he was able to go to confession and get the sin absolved. Is that what Catholicism teaches would happen to that person?

I would like to think that God would have mercy and weigh the person’s whole life and not decide the person’s eternal destiny on the last thing the person did, which seems to be a harsh way to judge someone’s life. Please clarify this for me, if you don’t mind. Perhaps I am misunderstand something.

We can’t actually know what happens to specific individuals when they die, and without knowing exactly what they were thinking of at the time they committed sin, we can’t predict what might happen to them.

We can hope that everyone would at least repent in their hearts after realizing they had committed a sin, and if the sin was mortal, we hope they would make a Perfect Act of Contrition.

I also know from personal experience that even if you are convinced you’re dying, you still might not be motivated to seek forgiveness for your sins, simply because you are in an altered state of consciousness that makes it impossible for you to think straight.

Therefore, pray for the dead, and look to yourself, that you avoid sin and avoid being in a state of mortal sin for any longer than necessary; keep short accounts with the Lord, and become known to a good Confessor. It’s also a good idea to keep a card in your wallet that says, “I am a Catholic. If I am unconscious or in danger of death, please call a priest.”

I appreciate all the replies and the help you’ve give me. You are all right in my book.

You’re not so bad yourself.

 

[Della]

Tommy999:

Marian dogmas: To me, Catholics run the risk of ascribing Mary divine qualities through titles like "Queen of Heaven’ and “Mother of God”. I believe she is a special and blessed woman for giving birth to Christ, but I can never venerate her to the point where I adore her like she is on a par with God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. I would have to learn where to draw the line better before I could feel comfortable praying to Mary.

There are three issues here: Mary’s titles, her place in the economy of salvation, and the veneration due to her as the Mother of the Lord.

All Mary’s approved titles were given to her not primarily to give her praise or recognition, although it’s fine that they do that, but to tell us things about her Son, Our Lord. Her titles support the Church’s teachings about him.

The title Queen of Heaven is not a doctrine of the Church, so we are free to use it or not, but it does not violate any of the teachings of Christ. This Marian title reminds us that we shall reign with Christ, as St. Paul wrote:

2Tim2[11] The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;
[12a] if we endure, we shall also reign with him.

Mary is reigning with Christ, as are the saints in heaven–because this is one of the promises of Christ to his faithful. Mary, being the Mother of Christ and the most faithful believer is honored as the greatest of the saints.

The title “Mother of God” is official Church teaching and with good reason. In 431 AD a Church Council was held at Ephesus to discuss various matters. One of them was to define, once and for all, Christ’s nature. Nestorius and 16 other bishops held that Jesus was not truly God and man at his conception in Mary’s womb but that divinity was conferred on him sometime afterwards. The Council decided that this idea was heretical, declaring that Mary was the Mother of God, Theotokos=Godbearer. That Jesus has two natures in a hypostatic union making him truly God and truly man, as we recite in the Creeds.

Mary wasn’t merely a vessel into which Christ was poured like water into a pitcher. She was his true mother, the mother of the whole person of Christ not just of his humanity. She who was created by God bore her Creator into the world. This is a great mystery of our faith, as mysterious as the Christ’s redemptive act of dying gives us life. It was God condescending to save us through the flesh of the Second Adam–it’s the very essense of the Incarnation.

Mary is the Second Eve who by her fiat, her yes to God, ushered in the age of grace through her obedience just as Eve ushered in the age of sin through her disobedience. We honor her as our spiritual mother, our sister in the faith, our example of perfect discipleship, our heavenly queen, our intercessor with God. For these reasons she is given “hyperdulia” or “exalted veneration,” whereas the saints are given “dulia,” veneration. Only God receives “latria” or adoration. Adoration/worship requires sacrifice on our part. No Catholic offers Mary sacrifices for sin, but rather we offer the one sacrifice of Christ, re-presented in the Eucharist to God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. God never said we cannot give people due praise for their faithfulness–he himself exalts the faithful, after all. And he is not jealous of the love we give each other in Christ because that love comes from him and is directed back to him. Mary’s whole desire is to bring us to her Son, to love us as her children, and to see us in heaven with her and the saints where we will all enjoy the Beautific Vision of the Blessed Trinity.

 

[simspt]

Background:
I am an evangelical protestant who is considering Catholicism after I stumbled onto a Catholic radio station on my way to and from work several months ago and have been listening to it ever since, which led me to CAF.

I’ve asked a number of questions on CAF which the Catholic faithful have patiently and charitably answered for me. I’ve called in to a few radio shows (local and national) and asked questions there too, which definitely took me out of my comfort zone because it is not like me to do that normally. However, they are honest and sincere questions asked out of respect.

After considerable contemplation, research, soul-searching and prayer, I have come to believe in many of the truths of Catholicism but there are still a few points of doctrine with which I still struggle
Question for Protestant converts to Catholicism:
In order to become Catholic, did you assent to at least one Catholic belief that you had issues with at the time of conversion only to later grow to believe in it or did you wait until you were able to believe in everything completely before converting?

If so, can you elaborate how you were able to overcome your obstacle and come to believe in the belief that had caused you to struggle earlier on?

Much obliged. :tiphat:

I still struggle with capital punishment. I have very deep convictions morally that not only those who commit murder but also child molestation including Priests should be put to death. Its one of those moral issues the CC teaches against that to this day I find very difficult to accept.

 

[Della]

I still struggle with capital punishment. I have very deep convictions morally that not only those who commit murder but also child molestation including Priests should be put to death. Its one of those moral issues the CC teaches against that to this day I find very difficult to accept.

Actually, the Church doesn’t teach against the death penalty, rather she discourages it in very strong terms:

2267 Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.

Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity “are very rare, if not practically non-existent.”