How do I decide which church I should belong to?

[heather_8txjn8]

I am a 23-year-old single mother of two boys. I never attended church as a child except with friends every once in a while. I don’t want to raise my children the way I was raised and I would like them to attend church. The problem is which one? I know this is probably hard but could I get a basic summary of what the Catholic teachings are? I have narrowed my choice of churches so far down to Church of Christ, Latter-Day Saints, and the Catholic Church. Perhaps you could tell me the differences between the churches and why I should chose to attend a Catholic church? Thank you.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

The easiest way to decide which church you should belong to is to find out which Church Jesus Christ founded. To be a Christian is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, so it makes sense that the primary goal of someone seeking to live a Christian life is to attend Christ’s own Church.

The only church that can trace its history back to Jesus Christ himself is the Catholic Church. The Latter-Day Saints were founded by Joseph Smith in the nineteenth century and the United Church of Christ – assuming that is the denomination of the “Church of Christ” to which you referred – was founded in 1957. Similarly, all other Christian churches were founded centuries after Christ, with the sole exception of the Catholic Church.

For more information about Catholic beliefs, please see the links below. During your research, if you have further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Catholic Answers directly for personalized assistance. God bless.

**Recommended reading:

Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth
How to Become a Catholic**
Exploring the Catholic Church by Marcellino D’Ambrosio
Catholicism for Dummies by Frs. John Trigilio and Kenneth Brighenti