Jess410:
. I have a friend who attends church so I think I might ask to go with her just b/c I’m a little shy to go by myself. I
've gone for confession before, but it was a long, long time ago. When do you do that?
Well anyway I think I would like to go to the bookstore to learn more. I . . I would really just like to learn more by reading the Bible and any other books that look like they may be helpful.
great idea for a first step, start attending Mass with a friend and ask Jesus to help you learn what you need to learn, and do what you need to do. Pick up a bulletin, it will tell you the times of confession, or give the priest’s phone number to call for an appointment. Just tell him where you are coming from and he will be overjoyed to guide you. Just confess what you can remember, knowing all your past sins will be forgiven. The enormous grace and feeling of well-being from this sacrament will overwhelm you and give your great joy. Then you can start receiving our Lord in Holy Communion, and each time you do, pray for grace to believe more, learn more, and love more.
books: you are right, begin with the Bible, but not on page 1. Read the Gospel of Mark first, you can read it in a couple of evenings because it is the shortest and tells in an immediate way the great things Jesus did for us. You can look for a Catholic bible in the bookstore, but you can read it in any bible you have. Don’t worry about the footnotes for now, just read the story. If something you read makes an impact or awakens a strong feeling, pray with that verse.
Your parish will have classes you can attend to learn more, the priest will tell you about them, and books available to purchase or borrow. The best thing to pick up and Borders or B & N is “Catholicism for Dummies” this will bring you “up to speed”, help you recall what you have forgotten about the faith, and why Catholics do what they do. It will tell you how to pray the rosary, and you can get one for low cost or free from your parish. That is the best daily prayer to begin with.
I would not load up on a lot of other books just yet. Wait a while till you have been attending Mass and receiving the sacraments for a while.
Then when you start getting a lot more questions, get a Catechism of the Catholic Church, around $10 at bookstores or less on-line, get somebody from your parish to show you how to use it. Then you can look up specific topics. But it is tough to wade through on your own.
Bottom line: Mass, confession and return to communion first, with daily prayer, then read the Gospel, then read other books and study and join a Confirmation class. It is not necessary to have a college degree in “Catholic” to return to the sacraments. Do not delay, this week is a great time, in fact, pick up the phone book, find the phone number of the Catholic Church nearest to you and make that call. We are all praying for you. Welcome home.