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shipma2
Guest
im a non active mormon and want to convert to catholcisism. how do i do this? steps and tips please
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1ke
Guest
Call your local Catolic parish and ask about inquirer’s classes. The formal process for jning the Church is RCIA, Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.
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Telstar
Guest
That’s a good sign.
If you’re serious, then you can go to (or call) your nearest Roman Catholic Church and ask them about their RCIA classes, that should be just starting up for the year. You can go to those classes to learn about, and ask any questions about the Catholic faith, and the Church. There is absolutely no pressure to continue if you should change your mind, but it will give you all the information that you’ll need to at least get started on the path. Some people might not feel comfortable finishing the process in their first attempt, but it’s all up to the individual. You can continue taking those classes and attending Mass (without Communion) until you feel that you’re ready to ‘take the plunge’.
I hope you can find whatever you might need to join us. The more the merrier.
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tlimon
Guest
You should be careful about what parish you contact about RCIA. Generally, and this may sound bad, but I would stay away from the Jesuits because they are a hot bed of heresy. If I were you, I would first try to contact a parish that offers the latin mass. This is not to say the latin mass is better, but the priests who offer the latin mass seem to have a stronger disposition toward orthodox Catholicism.
So, basically my advice comes to this: I would ask around for parishes in your area that faithful to the Pope and the Church. This shouldn’t deter you from the Catholic Faith, it’s just to say that there are Judases in our midst and you should be careful.
Very Best,
Thomas
p.s. I hope you do convert!
So, basically my advice comes to this: I would ask around for parishes in your area that faithful to the Pope and the Church. This shouldn’t deter you from the Catholic Faith, it’s just to say that there are Judases in our midst and you should be careful.
Very Best,
Thomas
p.s. I hope you do convert!
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antihippy79
Guest
Welcome home. Christ Jesus has been waiting for you your whole life. Step 1: Pray for faith, strength and courage. Repent of sin. Step 2: Contact a parish and sign up for RCIA. Get a catechism and start reading. Step 3: after RCIA, receive the sacraments. Repeat step one and three until death.
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BigFellaMick
Guest
Can I ask in what way Jesuits are heretical? I’ve talked to one via email correspondence and he certainly knew his stuff about the faith and helped me with a question I had. I don’t know as much about the Jesuits as I should like too. Jesuits are the majority of the religious priests in the world. I find it hard to believe that they are a hotbed for heresy? Can you please point things out that I can look into myself? Thanks in advance.
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choliks
Guest
Whoa! I think you went overboard here, brother. Generalizing that the Jesuits are a hot bed of heresy when you haven’t met all of them.
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Anna_Scott
Guest
shipma2,
Catholics are giving you advise regarding moving into RCIA for Catholicism. I praise God for your choice to leave the Mormon Church.
There are important steps you need to take to officially leave the Mormon Church. You may already have this information; but I will post it just in case you need it.
The Mormon Church will often rush to excommunicate, when they realize a member is really going to leave. Then, if the member speaks out against the LDS Church, at a later date; the Mormon Church can more easily slander the person’s reputation, and point to the fact that the church Excommunicated them.
However, as soon as a person submits a formal request to resign from any church in the U.S., including the Mormon Church, the church no longer has the legal right to hold court, excommunicate, or take any other action against the individual. There are laws that protect an individual’s right to resign from a religion; and there are already legal precedents.
The following link provides a simple summary of 2 court cases, as well as very helpful advice regarding the steps you need to take to resign from the Mormon Church.
dailykos.com/story/2008/10/14/11624/597/670/629888
(Emphasis is mine.)
"LEGAL PRECEDENTS
There is one case in particular that has clearly established in case law a right that most of us believe we had all along: the right to simply resign from a church. A second case is important to establish the church’s vulnerability to lawsuits when they refuse to honor resignations.
GUINN V THE CHURCH OF CHRIST OF COLLINSVILLE
Final decision by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, January 1989
Marian Guinn, a member of the Church of Christ of Collinsville, OK, hand delivered her resignation to the minister after he told her he was going to excommunicate her for fornication.
The minister refused to honor the resignation, went ahead with the ‘excommunication’ and then announced it from the pulpit. Guinn sued and was awarded $390,000. On appeal the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that Guinn’s resignation was effective immediately and that anything the church or the minister received Guinn’s resignation was tortable.
In other words, she could sue for anything they did after she resigned. The court ruled that with her resignation Guinn withdrew her consent to being treated as a member and she withdrew her consent to being subject to church discipline.
Of extra importance is the fact that the court ruled that the right to freedom of religion also includes the right to unilaterally resign from a church.
In several subsequent court cases the Mormon church has agreed to the principles established in Guinn. They have not even attempted to argue that the principles do not apply to them.
THE NORMAN HANCOCK LAWSUIT (Mesa AZ 1985)
In 1985 the Mormon church ‘excommunicated’ Norman Hancock AFTER he submitted a letter of resignation to the church.
Hancock filed an $18 million lawsuit against the church, saying a person has a right to voluntarily resign from a church.
The suit was settled out of court and the settlement was sealed. An account on line reports that Hancock filed the suit himself, without the aid of a lawyer, after studying the Guinn case.
The same account says that church lawyers started discussing with Hancock just how much money he wanted, but he told them he didn’t want their money, that what he wanted was to have his name cleared. Church representatives agreed to change the records such that there would no longer be any record of an ‘excommuication’: the records would show that he resigned (that he asked for ‘name removal’).
. . .The Guinn and Hancock cases were the end of the era when the church told members that there was no way to stop being a member except by excommunication. The church began having a process it calls ‘name removal’.
However, the church still tells bishops and stake presidents that a member who is ‘transgressing’ should not be allowed to resign, that “name removal should not be used as a substitute for church discipline”.
If you’ve paid attention to the Guinn case, you already know that the church is wrong about that and they can be sued for ‘excommunicating’ someone who already resigned. At church headquarters they know this very well and they will usually put a quick halt to ‘discipline’ proceedings if they find out that the former members knows what his or her rights are."
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Site content may be used for any purpose without
explicit permission unless otherwise specified.
“Kos” and “Daily Kos” are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC
So, we are protected by the laws of our country. We have freedom of religion, which includes the right to resign from any religion, without the religious leaders/church taking any further action against us.
I encourage you to read **Leaving the Mormon Church: mormonnomore.com/ **before you resign. Read all the instructions on the website. There is a sample resignation letter at this link: mormonnomore.com/sample-letter. Again, get all the facts before you submit your letter.
Prayers and blessings for your journey into the Catholic Church,
Anna
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JReducation
Guest
That’s not fair. The Society of Jesus is an order of 18,000+ men with 24 provinces around the world, which continues to make very good contributions to the Church and society. Like every large family, it has loose cannons.
Heck, my biological family is much smaller than the Jesuits and probably has more loose cannons.
I’d hate to be blaimed for their faults.Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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Stavros
Guest
I am a baptized Catholic, converted from Mormonism about 5 years ago. I started a thread here a few months ago when I resigned from the LDS church. I was not an active member of what would be my current ward at any time before my conversion, so the process, while time-consuming, was not too terribly bumpy. I even put PDFs of my letters that were received from the church at the various points of the process.
Thread: Sent in my official resignation letter to the LDS church
If you are considering converting, I would get a hold of your local parish right away, as RCIA classes are starting in most diocese during this time of year. RCIA is a set of classes that start around this time every year, and go until 8 weeks after Easter Sunday. In the parish where I was baptized, we met twice a week - once on Wednesday night, and once during Mass each Sunday. We’d stay for the readings, and then leave during the Mass of the Faithful to have classes on the readings of the day.
The only burp I had as a convert was that my husband was a baptized Catholic, so we had to get convalidated before I could get baptized. As a baptized Mormon, you will get re-baptized on Easter Sunday if you do decide to convert, as the LDS baptism is not considered to be a valid Christian baptism.
The process takes many months, but by the time you finish it, you will realize what a blessing it is to really understand the core basics of the Catholic religion before committing to living according to the guides of the magistrate of the Catholic church. I also found that I had to be “retaught” many things about such simple concepts as heaven, the passion of Christ, the nature of God, etc. Having that time to study gave me confidence that I was making the right decision.
I also discovered fairly recently that I have some very unique spiritual “scars” from being raised LDS, and I’m working with my spriritual director to help heal those scars. One of the biggest scars and habits is what I call “checklist” spirituality that I developed as a Mormon. “Did I read the Book of Mormon today? Check! Did I journal today? Check! Did I go to the temple this week? Check!” That habit can easily translate over to Catholicism - “Did I say my Rosary today? Check! Did I say my blessing before my meal? Check!” The habit can also be the start of a very scrupulous episode if the checks are not all completed.
When I first became Catholic, instead of focusing on a relationship with Christ, I was getting bogged down and overwhelmed in devotions and making sure I say the “right” prayers. Now I focus on staying in the presence of God and walking with him as often as I can.
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RebeccaJ
Guest
Pick up a Catholic study Bible, online, or at a Catholic bookstore. Or, there is a free one here. The footnotes are useful for someone who is not from Catholic or mainline Protestant background.
The Catholic Church uses a liturgical calendar, with scripture readings every day that are used church wide. So, even if you can’t read a lot of the Bible at once, at least read, pray and contemplate on the daily readings. You can find them here.
RCIA will teach you, but RCIA is just one night a week. You really need to add to RCIA with prayer, daily readings of the Bible, study of what you are learning and going to Mass every Sunday at least. Keep in mind that RCIA is a process, not a program of steps and at the end of those steps you’re a graduate. RCIA teaches you Catholic doctrine, but it is also a period of discernment, where you are discerning your own life and how it relates to what you are learning. Your life will evolve, for some very drastically, other more subtle. This is all a part of the process, which is learning how to live a Christian life in the Catholic church. Prayer is a very important aspect of discernment. I have always liked the website sacredspace.ie as an addition to my own personal prayers.
The Catholic encyclopedia is a good resource, though keep in mind the free online version is over 100 years old, and some practices have changed. That is here.
There are a lot of good books to read! If you find yourself focusing on any particular subject for any reason, just ask in these forums for book recommendations. For the basics all in one, I recommend “Ascend: The Catholic Faith For A New Generation”
God bless you on your journey.
PS: Be sure to read Stavros’ posts. This process is not a list of things to do, but the way in which the Catholic Church brings you into communion with herself, which is a relationship with Jesus, and through Him, all the baptized. This is the most important aspect of conversion. We are converted to Christ, becoming a new creation and a living stone in His Church. RCIA gives the foundation for a journey that lasts a lifetime.
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Lefty0908
Guest
In fairness, you should also give a written statement to your Latter-day Saint bishop that you would like your name removed from the membership records of that church. Much that is untrue about the Latter-day Saints is propounded here, but it is absolutely true that the two faiths hold some doctrines that cannot be reconciled. I would think that you would want your break to be clean and not have any remaining vestiges of your former faith. I’m sorry for your choice but do wish you God’s blessings.
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twopekinguys
Guest
It isn’t required, or necessary for a letter to be “given” to anyone other than the membership department in SLC. They will notify the appropriate bishop.
Remember, the resignation is effective the moment in arrives there in the mail. Giving a copy to the bishop, or whomever, is merely a duplication of efforts, and puts the person resigning in a more awkward position.
Why make a difficult situation even more difficult?
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RebeccaJ
Guest
Removing my name from the Mormon list means as much to me as removing my name from a marketers list. Not worth my time or the effort. It certainly isn’t necessary or required.
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Lefty0908
Guest
With all due respect, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Termination of LDS membeships begin at the local level with a bishop.
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Lefty0908
Guest
Your impressive disdain aside, as long as your membership record remains with the LDS church, you’ll show up on their membership lists (duh!) and as a result will more likely be contacted by all those well-meaning, smarmy people with whom you want nothing to do.
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NewSeeker
Guest
The process for terminating LDS memberships according to the church process and the process for terminating church memberships in the eyes of the law are two different things. It’s not required to contact the local bishop. Once any properly-constituted church official (your bishop; your stake president; Scott Dodge in the Member Records Division is SLC) gets your letter, in the eyes of the law, you’re out.
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catholic-rcia
Guest
Do you have any questions? I have been helping with the RCIA for 13 years. I was raised LDS but my Baptism into Christ happened in Logan Utah 13 ago. It has been a fantastic journey. You can visit my site at www.utahmission.com or e-mail me at utahmission@aol.com
Everything on the site was given to me by Catholics who know their faith. Hit the Augustine link on the left and let his words sink in.
God Bless
In Christ Jesus
Also www.chooseyourcross.com
If you want I would love to make you a Cross. No cost to you, Jesus will pick it up if you know what I mean. it would be one you are not seeing at the site.
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NewSeeker
Guest
If the membership removal request goes directly to Scott Dodge, and the letter requests no further contact whatsoever, the church is legally required to comply and remove the name from the records. Only that one request is required. That’s the best approach if you desire no further contact from local church officials.
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truthsave
Guest
steps to follow
1- Burn the garments if you have them. Don’t even keep them in your house. Any acting inside a mormon temple is deeply against Christian teaching in the name of Crist so it is extremely blaspheme. Even the thing that there are secret things. Jesus said He never did anything in secret.
2- **a talk with your mormon bishop **
(you should be firm in your decision and willing to be respected and no having any missionary visit from trying to get yo back. If you do and they don’t respect your wish just don’t talk and tell them the Lord may forgive you. For my personal point of view it is too much letting get in your house. Follow St. Paul advice)
3-** Name removal**
4- Getting a written confirmation of your name removal. It is important. You could discover that even after your decision your name is stil there. The president of the stake or something like that (I don’t remember the term in english) could state that the desision is not only yours but also his. Yes it is crazy but it happened to my wife.
5- reading every single day a Christian cathechism. The basics are completely differents. After years of false doctrine teaching something automatically rest inside of you.
6- Change attitude. It is not necesary true for your soul salvation what it makes you feel good.
generally is the contrary. If you have the choice between trusting yourself or the saying of a Christian saint be humble, he is righ not you. It is like you think to know how to cook a dessert but a great cook tells you you are making a mistake. You would keep on thinking you are righ and he is wrong. Make a comparison from who you are and who Christ is. How you live and how Christ lived and his apostoles. (of course not the mormon apostols. They live normal wordly life).
7.- **Pray every day the Holy Virgin Mary **to have the patiente to pray for your soul, since you don’t really know what to ask.
8- **Focalize that the idea of what is good for a men generally is far away from our Lord **idea that is impenetrable. Remember that when St. Peter whanted to save Jesus from death Jesus called him Satan, your think like men not like God.
9- Be grateful for the extraordinary grace that has been given you to be able to recognize the faulsity you where belonging to. Be grateful the Lord opened your eyes and mind and heart and that gave you the courage to change despite all the difficulties you will be facing.
Lord bless you brother
1- Burn the garments if you have them. Don’t even keep them in your house. Any acting inside a mormon temple is deeply against Christian teaching in the name of Crist so it is extremely blaspheme. Even the thing that there are secret things. Jesus said He never did anything in secret.
2- **a talk with your mormon bishop **
(you should be firm in your decision and willing to be respected and no having any missionary visit from trying to get yo back. If you do and they don’t respect your wish just don’t talk and tell them the Lord may forgive you. For my personal point of view it is too much letting get in your house. Follow St. Paul advice)
3-** Name removal**
4- Getting a written confirmation of your name removal. It is important. You could discover that even after your decision your name is stil there. The president of the stake or something like that (I don’t remember the term in english) could state that the desision is not only yours but also his. Yes it is crazy but it happened to my wife.
5- reading every single day a Christian cathechism. The basics are completely differents. After years of false doctrine teaching something automatically rest inside of you.
6- Change attitude. It is not necesary true for your soul salvation what it makes you feel good.
generally is the contrary. If you have the choice between trusting yourself or the saying of a Christian saint be humble, he is righ not you. It is like you think to know how to cook a dessert but a great cook tells you you are making a mistake. You would keep on thinking you are righ and he is wrong. Make a comparison from who you are and who Christ is. How you live and how Christ lived and his apostoles. (of course not the mormon apostols. They live normal wordly life).
7.- **Pray every day the Holy Virgin Mary **to have the patiente to pray for your soul, since you don’t really know what to ask.
8- **Focalize that the idea of what is good for a men generally is far away from our Lord **idea that is impenetrable. Remember that when St. Peter whanted to save Jesus from death Jesus called him Satan, your think like men not like God.
9- Be grateful for the extraordinary grace that has been given you to be able to recognize the faulsity you where belonging to. Be grateful the Lord opened your eyes and mind and heart and that gave you the courage to change despite all the difficulties you will be facing.
Lord bless you brother
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