Curious to Join Catholicism

[OnAJourney]

So to make a long story short, I’m in the process of exploring Christianity and I feel very drawn to Catholicism. Growing up I never had much interaction with church apart from going to the Lutheran Church where my cousins went a few times. But now as an adult I’m out exploring on my own totally independently.

However, I feel that my aspergers makes it hard for me to really go into depth with the theology apply it to my own life. I tend to be very literally minded and super analytical, to a fault at times. And I worry about services overloading my senses. I’ve learned to manage and overcome certain aspects of my disability, but sound is one where I really struggle even today as an adult.

Then there’s my sexuality, I happen to be gay as well. I want to be a faithful Catholic, but I worry about failing to do so because of my orientation.

I guess I just feel really nervous and scared because I’m doing all of this and I’m afraid of not being understood at one of the churches in my area. If you have any advice or words of encouragement I would greatly appreciate it, thanks.

 

[ColorMomma]

Welcome and God bless. God wants you to grow closer to Him. You are beloved in His eyes. There are always pitfalls on the journey. We all have areas in which we struggle for holiness. Keep learning and contact your local parish.

 

[Fraevo63]

Please don’t worry so much about theology. The heart of our faith is that Jesus is the Christ, God’s only Son who died for the sins of the world, and that God did indeed raise Him from the dead. Believe this because it is true and be baptized if you aren’t already. God forgives all of our sins.
Welcome to faith. Welcome to God’s love, grace and everlasting mercy.

 

[therese1998]

Don’t worry too much about the theology. You may find it interesting or it may be something you’re not interested in. Everything you need to know will be reviewed in the classes you take before you enter the church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is also something you will want to invest in as well as a good Catholic bible. These make a great foundation for any of the teachings of the Church that you may have questions about.

Also, remember that there’s theology that is very complicated and can twist your brain in knots (think St. Thomas Aquinas) and there’s theology that is just as deep but more relatable (at least for me, it is) like the Little Way of St. Therese. It’s not great theology that makes you a saint, it’s great love.

The issue with sexual orientation is one you will have to spend some time in prayer about. Should you choose to join the church, the classes you take ahead of time will give you the information you need. Be sure you understand WHAT the teaching of the Church is regarding orientation and sexual expression and WHY she teaches as she does. Then, you will be in the best position to discern about it.

Having Asperger’s should not be an issue to joining the Church. Again, the classes you take and perhaps some troubleshooting with a helpful priest can point you toward some strategies you can use to deal with some of the sensory information that you may encounter.

The journey I made into the Catholic church was a very special time in my life and I wish you many blessings as you discern.

 

[OnAJourney]

I suppose that’s a way to look at it. I just have worries about having people within the church that can understand some of my issues and where I’m coming from. I feel in some respects that I experience God and faith differently because of my disability. And I don’t want that to prevent me from finding a place to feel at home.

 

[Justin_Mary]

I feel in some respects that I experience God and faith differently because of my disability.

We have an awesome God who relates to each & every one of us individually. As an individual you are unique & only you can relate to God as you.

 

[TTLE127]

Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you (pray it) and speak to a Catholic priest. Anybody can be a Catholic! God bless!

 

[OnAJourney]

I’m starting to feel that way. I have trouble because my faith is very fragile at the moment. There are times where I feel like I’m growing, but then I have days where I feel totally on my own. Like today at work it was really bad. But then when I came home it felt like I wasn’t alone like I was at work. I make sure I pray each night because it gives me comfort and I feel like God is there patiently listening

 

[OnAJourney]

I do pray each night and morning when I wake up for work. I feel that for me, it helps and it’s something that I should do. I’ve also invested in a Great Adventure bible for study purposes, growing up I didn’t read the bible very much despite being raised in a fairly religious and conservative area.

 

[chessnerd321]

I tend to be very literally minded and super analytical, to a fault at times. And I worry about services overloading my senses.

I don’t mean to down talk your disability. I’m sure you experience literal-mindedness differently than many. That said, I know plenty of very literal computer, math, and engineering people who have a home in the Catholic Church (me included). In fact you’ll probably find that compared to many denominations, Catholicism (at least Latin rite Catholicism) is very literal and analytical. Which isn’t to say we don’t believe in the supernatural or the mystics and miracles because we do. But as a Protestant I was made to believe that if I didn’t feel the right emotions at the right times in response to the right songs/sermons I was a bad Christian. I have not run up against that in Catholicism.

About the music/sensory overload: perhaps you would be more comfortable going to an early morning daily mass. There there will probably be one or less sung hymns, and the prayers of the mass, if sung at all, will probably be unaccompanied. I would recommend a 7-9 am mass on a random weekday. If you decided to go on Sundays, then I would recommend finding a musically simple parish which I would define as just using a piano or organ and a choir. Some parishes are definitely much more calm than others. Don’t be discouraged. I’m confident you’re looking in the right place by choosing the Catholic church.

 

[humbleseeker]

Here is a thread open right now that might be of help:

Cerebral Catholics and Emotional Catholics Spirituality

At the lunch after may sister in law’s funeral I was asked to offer the prayer. I turned to the gal next to me and noted that I felt kind of odd being a Catholic being chosen for the funeral of a Baptist at a Methodist church . . . she shrugged and said “Don’t ask me; I’m Mormon”

I definitely was the cerebral type, with eight years of Jesuit education. But some time in the Eastern church has kind of spun me about on that . . . A few years a…

 

[OnAJourney]

Sometimes I feel my literal mindedness undermines my faith and it’s very hard to grow. I suppose it’s harder in my case because I grew up not really having any connection with going to church. I’m still growing in my faith, but I do feel that the catholic church would be a good place for me to grow my faith as opposed to my experiences with protestant churches.

 

[chessnerd321]

Sometimes I feel my literal mindedness undermines my faith and it’s very hard to grow.

I understand. Perhaps you would benefit from reading the Summa Theologica by St Thomas Aquinas. He has a systematic and very logical approach (to the extent that in his own day his work was criticized for taking the mystery out of God). While it’s not the catechism and shouldn’t be regarded as the final answer, Aquinas is probably in the top three Christian thinkers of all time, so his words can be generally trusted. You might appreciate his approach.

It is available in it’s completeness for free here: http://www.newadvent.org/summa/, but I recommend just searching “Aquinas on _____”. Like if I wanted to know “Is drunkenness a sin?” I might Google “Aquinas/Summa Theologica on Drunkenness/Alcohol”. (It’s a sin btw)

 

[OnAJourney]

I’ll have to look into that. And i do really appreciate the help. The more I look at things and think about them, i do believe the Catholic Church could be a place for me. For a lot my family they don’t like the structure and order of the Catholic Church, but honestly I feel like I genuinely need it on account of my disability. Having been to a conservative Lutheran Church and churches of other denominations I just don’t feel like I could really grow with that

 

[therese1998]

if I didn’t feel the right emotions at the right times in response to the right songs/sermons I was a bad Christian. I have not run up against that in Catholicism.

I experienced this as well. St. John of the Cross, Mother Theresa and other saints were critical in helping me to realize that your feelings aren’t necessarily a commentary on your faith or your relationship to God.

Sometimes I feel my literal mindedness undermines my faith and it’s very hard to grow

My son, who as HFA, feels this way, as well. He truly believes in God, but the mystical is very hard for him to grasp. He struggles in his English classes as well, because of the large amount of reading fictional books. As he said, “If it’s fiction, it’s not true…it’s a lie. Why would I want to read lies?”. With that type of literal-mindedness it can be challenging to grasp the mystical realities of our faith, I understand. What I’ve told my son (and he’s an adolescent, so he’s still developing) is to worry less about having all the answers and more about giving to God, through your Mass attendance and participating in the sacraments, all the difficulties you have with understanding Him. He can handle them Giving up the need to understand RIGHT NOW and being content with learning slowly, slowly as you grow in your faith and journey with Him may allow you to continue on with more peace in your heart. I hope this helps anyway

Perhaps you would benefit from reading the Summa Theologica by St Thomas Aquinas. He has a systematic and very logical approach (to the extent that in his own day his work was criticized for taking the mystery out of God).

Great idea! I actually read very slowly through Summa Theologica because I am so NOT logical and it’s an exercise in concentration for me to stay focused and absorb the information OTOH, I read Story of a Soul very quickly and related to it very much. It’s another thing that I love about the Church is that there is a place, and a friend, for every personality and learning type

For a lot my family they don’t like the structure and order of the Catholic Church,

It’s funny. When I told my Protestant mother that I was converting to Catholicism, she was puzzled. She kept saying “But you hate rules and have-to’s…why would you choose Catholicism?” I still don’t know the answer to that other than to say “I didn’t. HE chose me to be Catholic”.

Good luck to you. Hope this helps

 

[OnAJourney]

I feel like the Catholic Church has the structure that I can be comfortable in. I just don’t feel like the protestant churches really understand how to handle people with autism or those who fall within the spectrum. I think that within protestant churches there’s not really an awareness of it like there is within the Catholic Church. I feel like I’m more likely to encounter those that can understand me as a Catholic than as a Protestant