I think I want to be a Catholic

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I am an Episcopalian. My denomination is dying, My dad always joked that being Episcopalian was almost like being Catholic, but you didn’t really have to believe in God. I think he was referring to John Shelby Spong. He was also a little bitter when they started ordaining women as priests. I used to think he was an old crank, but now I see that women’s ordination was the first crack in the dam. Once it became okay to stray from scripture in the ordination of women, it was no longer possible to stand against the ordination of practising homosexuals. The Anglican Communion has shown itself impotent against heresy. I am heartbroken, but I have come to believe that I must leave this beautiful denomination.

But I have reservations about Catholicism. I am not at all sure that Mary holds a special place in heaven, and I do not feel comfortable praying for her to intercede on my behalf. Nor do I believe in praying for the intercessory prayer of saints, for that matter. I wonder about Purgatory, and don’t understand about the Magisterium of the Church. I could be convinced on the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, and I really prefer the doctrine of transubstantiation to the symbolism of my communion,

Can any Catholics help me out? What is the most important reason to become Catholic? Is my reticence on the subject of Mary a bar to being a Catholic?

Or for you Protestants out there, why should I NOT become Catholic?

Please, no flippant answers. I am genuinely searching.
 
I suggest a very good book for you to read, entitled “Rome Sweet Home”, by Dr. Scott Hahn.
 
entropent said:
I am an Episcopalian. My denomination is dying, My dad always joked that being Episcopalian was almost like being Catholic, but you didn’t really have to believe in God. I think he was referring to John Shelby Spong. He was also a little bitter when they started ordaining women as priests. I used to think he was an old crank, but now I see that women’s ordination was the first crack in the dam. Once it became okay to stray from scripture in the ordination of women, it was no longer possible to stand against the ordination of practising homosexuals. The Anglican Communion has shown itself impotent against heresy. I am heartbroken, but I have come to believe that I must leave this beautiful denomination.

But I have reservations about Catholicism. I am not at all sure that Mary holds a special place in heaven, and I do not feel comfortable praying for her to intercede on my behalf. Nor do I believe in praying for the intercessory prayer of saints, for that matter. I wonder about Purgatory, and don’t understand about the Magisterium of the Church. I could be convinced on the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, and I really prefer the doctrine of transubstantiation to the symbolism of my communion,

Can any Catholics help me out? What is the most important reason to become Catholic? Is my reticence on the subject of Mary a bar to being a Catholic?

Or for you Protestants out there, why should I NOT become Catholic?

Please, no flippant answers. I am genuinely searching.
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Hello,
Welcome to Catholic Answers Forum.

These things are not easy, for I am stuck between churches myself, and the Catholic Church near me closed it’s doors.

I sincerly hope that the Holy Spirit can guide you to the place of worship best for you.
 
I personaly think that the forums can be very confussing with contradicting statements from all. Some of the infrormation is good but other information is not. The best thing is to get the catechism of the catholic church and listen to the archived shows on EWTN
ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/intro.asp
and the archived shows on catholic answers
catholic.com/radio/calendar.php
They are reliable sources and you will hear what the church really teaches. The book mentioned above is a good book also. A catholic book store would provide you with alot of choices.

Mary is an issue for many and it is a misunderstanding in most noncatholics eyes. It will take some time to sort it out but be patient. The Catholic faith is very beautiful and full of scripture and full of Christ.

Oh you might try attending Mass as an observer to get aquainted with the faith first hand.

God bless you on your journey
 
I converted from the EC to the CC in 1992. I just celebrated 15 years as a Catholic last fall.

I highly recommend that you get a Catechism and start studying, begin attending a Catholic parish, and sign up for RCIA-- which will likely be just about to end about now and will resume in the fall. Some parishes have year-round RCIA, but most run on a school year type schedule b/c it’s hard to get people to come during the busy summer months.

I understand where you are coming from because I left the EC for the same reason-- women’s ordination led me to recognize the EC for what it was… a schismatic church in rebellion against the legitimate authority established by Christ. Once you recognize Authority as bibilical, there is only one Church that has it.

The way I approached some of the things I either hadn’t given much thought to or wasn’t too keen on was that if I believed in the authority of the Church then they couldn’t be wrong and I needed to keep studying.

I never saw these reservations as impediments to converting. I sort of approached it as “ok, this is out there… it’s not of immediate importance and I can assent to it even if I don’t see how it’s true…” Later came the ability to see the truth of the teaching and fully embracing it.

It’s a journey. You START where you are and then you keep learning. So, don’t let your current concerns stop you from beginning the journey.
 
I think the Catholic Church is all about the priesthood - that special ministry, we believe, created by Jesus - to absolve you of your sins and create the Eucharist.

Also, as for your concerns regarding praying to Mary and the Saints… Well, Jesus said “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (see Matthew 18:20).

So, if Mary is in heaven praying, and somebody on earth is praying with Mary, why wouldn’t Jesus be “in the midst of them”?
 
Hi

There are groups of Episcopalians who have converted to Catholicism with their priests and Rome has allowed them to retain parts of their former liturgy along with the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. 👍 Please go to this website of a church in Texas that uses this liturgy. I’m sure the converts in that church will have plenty of information for you and faith journeys to share.

atonementonline.com

God Bless
 
entropent said:
I am an Episcopalian. My denomination is dying, My dad always joked that being Episcopalian was almost like being Catholic, but you didn’t really have to believe in God. I think he was referring to John Shelby Spong. He was also a little bitter when they started ordaining women as priests. I used to think he was an old crank, but now I see that women’s ordination was the first crack in the dam. Once it became okay to stray from scripture in the ordination of women, it was no longer possible to stand against the ordination of practising homosexuals. The Anglican Communion has shown itself impotent against heresy. I am heartbroken, but I have come to believe that I must leave this beautiful denomination.

Have you read the summaries of Anglican theologians in the 60’s-70’s? They said they could find no theological reasone why women cannot be Priests beyond that men we just traditionally the Priests, I don’t see why that’s a problem for Anglicanism as they do not hold to the Tradition like Catholics.
But I have reservations about Catholicism. I am not at all sure that Mary holds a special place in heaven, and I do not feel comfortable praying for her to intercede on my behalf. Nor do I believe in praying for the intercessory prayer of saints, for that matter. I wonder about Purgatory, and don’t understand about the Magisterium of the Church. I could be convinced on the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, and I really prefer the doctrine of transubstantiation to the symbolism of my communion,
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Can any Catholics help me out? What is the most important reason to become Catholic? Is my reticence on the subject of Mary a bar to being a Catholic?

Or for you Protestants out there, why should I NOT become Catholic?

Please, no flippant answers. I am genuinely searching.

Read up on it I suppose
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In your quest for which religion to join, sometimes it’s best to study the true origins of religions. If you are in between religious belief systems, maybe you are questioning religion altogether? I would suggest reading some books that trace the origins of religions, including Christianity. Such as the best sellers, “Dare to Think for Yourself, a Journey From Faith to Reason”, by Betty Brogaard, or “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins. “The God Delusion” traces the history of religions through out the centuries. There is also “A History of God - The Study of Judiasm, Christianity and Islam”. Can’t remember the author right now. Good luck!
 
entropent said:
ICan any Catholics help me out? What is the most important reason to become Catholic? Is my reticence on the subject of Mary a bar to being a Catholic?
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We can certainly help you out. Once you study the Catholic Faith and learn that she is indeed the Bride of Christ left to us through His Apostles, you will begin to see how the EC is only a faint shadow of the Truth.

The most important reason to become Catholic is Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Period. Everything else - if you truly believe what Catholics believe about the True Presence - flows from this. Everything. Even Mary will make sense to you.

Please take a look at These Podcasts. Each is about 40 minutes long, and you only have to click to listen - so perfect sized bites to get you going and start answering your questions. Should you ever have any questions regarding anything in them, you can call Saint Michael’s Media directly to speak with someone at: 866-738-1207 and ask for Mike or Simon. They will be happy to help you.

I will pray for you in your search for the Truth. My heart breaks for those of your faith who are so very misled and where it is leading them - even farther and farther from the Truth.

God Bless on this holy Palm Sunday

~Liza
 
entropent said:
I am an Episcopalian. My denomination is dying, My dad always joked that being Episcopalian was almost like being Catholic, but you didn’t really have to believe in God. I think he was referring to John Shelby Spong. He was also a little bitter when they started ordaining women as priests. I used to think he was an old crank, but now I see that women’s ordination was the first crack in the dam. Once it became okay to stray from scripture in the ordination of women, it was no longer possible to stand against the ordination of practising homosexuals. The Anglican Communion has shown itself impotent against heresy. I am heartbroken, but I have come to believe that I must leave this beautiful denomination.

But I have reservations about Catholicism. I am not at all sure that Mary holds a special place in heaven, and I do not feel comfortable praying for her to intercede on my behalf. Nor do I believe in praying for the intercessory prayer of saints, for that matter. I wonder about Purgatory, and don’t understand about the Magisterium of the Church. I could be convinced on the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, and I really prefer the doctrine of transubstantiation to the symbolism of my communion,

Can any Catholics help me out? What is the most important reason to become Catholic? Is my reticence on the subject of Mary a bar to being a Catholic?

Or for you Protestants out there, why should I NOT become Catholic?

Please, no flippant answers. I am genuinely searching.
Click to expand...
I can’t answer all of your questions, but I would like to let you know that not all Catholics are big on the Saints. I believe that Mary and the other saints can intercede for us here on Earth. But I have no special devotion to any Saint, not even Mary. It’s not required. 🙂
 
Sophie said:
In your quest for which religion to join, sometimes it’s best to study the true origins of religions. If you are in between religious belief systems, maybe you are questioning religion altogether? I would suggest reading some books that trace the origins of religions, including Christianity. Such as the best sellers, “Dare to Think for Yourself, a Journey From Faith to Reason”, by Betty Brogaard, or “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins. “The God Delusion” traces the history of religions through out the centuries. There is also “A History of God - The Study of Judiasm, Christianity and Islam”. Can’t remember the author right now. Good luck!
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I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but these are the worst recommendations I have ever seen for somebody looking into Catholicism. Dawkins book especially is an unvarnished attempt to belittle and falsely present religion in general and Christianity in particular.

If one is interested in studying comparative religions, at least stay away from pop-atheism schlock. :rolleyes:
 
entropent said:
I am an Episcopalian. My denomination is dying, My dad always joked that being Episcopalian was almost like being Catholic, but you didn’t really have to believe in God. I think he was referring to John Shelby Spong. He was also a little bitter when they started ordaining women as priests. I used to think he was an old crank, but now I see that women’s ordination was the first crack in the dam. Once it became okay to stray from scripture in the ordination of women, it was no longer possible to stand against the ordination of practising homosexuals. The Anglican Communion has shown itself impotent against heresy. I am heartbroken, but I have come to believe that I must leave this beautiful denomination.
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Greetings Entropent!

You came to a great place. All the answers to your questions can be found here. Take a good look around, take your time and question all things through the Spirit.

What makes the Anglican denomination beautiful is it’s resemblance to it’s spiritual ancestor - the Catholic Church. What is happening in the Anglican denomination is no different than the other Protestant Denominations - their lack of a central authority is leading to a multitiude of interpretations of God’s Word.

Study the Catholic Church and Protestant denomincations. Keep one goal in mind - the Truth. The absolute Truth. You will find that Jesus established only one Church to protect and proclaim that truth. That Church still exists today. Once you convince yourself of that conclusion, then study on the history and theology of the sacraments, Mary and other stumbling blocks you may have.

God Bless You!

Sincerely in Christ,

Corrgc

P.S. My scripture study leaders are both former Episcopalians. They’re love for Christ and his Church are evident in every way.
 
Fidelis said:
I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but these are the worst recommendations I have ever seen for somebody looking into Catholicism. Dawkins book especially is an unvarnished attempt to belittle and falsely present religion in general and Christianity in particular.

If one is interested in studying comparative religions, at least stay away from pop-atheism schlock. :rolleyes:
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I am not sure what the person that posted that is trying to do But it is word for word from the same person on another thread. I think we have a atheist troll.
 
Sophie said:
In your quest for which religion to join, sometimes it’s best to study the true origins of religions. If you are in between religious belief systems, maybe you are questioning religion altogether? I would suggest reading some books that trace the origins of religions, including Christianity. Such as the best sellers, “Dare to Think for Yourself, a Journey From Faith to Reason”, by Betty Brogaard, or “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins. “The God Delusion” traces the history of religions through out the centuries. There is also “A History of God - The Study of Judiasm, Christianity and Islam”. Can’t remember the author right now. Good luck!
Click to expand...
These books have been roundly and fully answered in CAF and all over the Web and academia. They are not taken seriously by actual historians, because they are without any solid basis. “Delusion”, for instance, is based on a totally mind-bending conceit that anything that can be perceived by the brain can be hallucinated and therefore isn’t real. “History of God” is a faded piece of Twentieth-Century liberal wish-tory.
 
entropent said:
I am an Episcopalian. My denomination is dying, My dad always joked that being Episcopalian was almost like being Catholic, but you didn’t really have to believe in God. I think he was referring to John Shelby Spong. He was also a little bitter when they started ordaining women as priests. I used to think he was an old crank, but now I see that women’s ordination was the first crack in the dam. Once it became okay to stray from scripture in the ordination of women, it was no longer possible to stand against the ordination of practising homosexuals. The Anglican Communion has shown itself impotent against heresy. I am heartbroken, but I have come to believe that I must leave this beautiful denomination.

But I have reservations about Catholicism. I am not at all sure that Mary holds a special place in heaven, and I do not feel comfortable praying for her to intercede on my behalf. Nor do I believe in praying for the intercessory prayer of saints, for that matter. I wonder about Purgatory, and don’t understand about the Magisterium of the Church. I could be convinced on the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, and I really prefer the doctrine of transubstantiation to the symbolism of my communion,

Can any Catholics help me out? What is the most important reason to become Catholic? Is my reticence on the subject of Mary a bar to being a Catholic?

Or for you Protestants out there, why should I NOT become Catholic?

Please, no flippant answers. I am genuinely searching.
Click to expand...
The journey from the Episcopalian church to the Catholic church If you decide to convert would not be hard. Remember that it was only because the King of England wanted a divorce that there became a separation in the First place. As for devotion to the Saints There is no mandate of it, but as others have posted With The Blessed Virgin and Saints we never pray alone to God and Jesus the saints when asked will pray with us. May God Bless you on your discernment of Faith.
 
A couple of books which do a good job of educating about the Catholic faith and Catholic view of Protestant faith are “Catholicism for Dummies”, “Fundamentalism and Catholicism” and the “Surprised by the Truth” series. As a lifelong Protestant and Episcopalian until 2006 I found it very helpful to take an unbiased look at the Catholic Church. You will find a lot of information that counters the generally accepted, though often incorrect, beliefs protestants have about the Catholic faith. Good Luck. I understand how painful it can be.
 
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