On the Tiber’s Shore II

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@TNMan I sincerely respect your decision to step back. If you ever find reasonable peace, God-willing with your wife and family, you will find much rejoicing. If you do not, I pray God’s blessings on you and your family as you live the gospel faithfully as a Lutheran.
 
So awesome! My wife’s lucid dreams that started to then manifest in reality were the reason we started exploring the Catholic faith in haste this past November. Mary continued to show up to her in dreams and an extraordinary amount of reading and study has helped drop a lot of walls.
 
TNMan said:
I’m with you on the intellectual aspect as well. I research and research. I just need to jump into RCIA this year and get it straight from the source.
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I think I have a similar journey to Saint John Henry Newman (anglican > catholic). There is a lot to learn, I am taking some time this year to do the 1 year bible/catechism study and then read up early church history in the following year.

The RCIA I was in, provided online materials, so I managed to compile information, even though I haven’t attended any sessions.
tafan2 said:
This is wrong, IMO. Learning the faith is a life long process. Most of your Catholic friends have varying levels if knowledge.
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I connect more to the intellectual aspect, I need to understand what catholics actually believe before I can go further. For me, joining a church requires a lot of time and discernment. It can be similar to the journey of marriage, would you want to get married to someone right away or spent more time in the dating process before moving to marriage? I believe learning the faith is lifelong similar to after marriage both couples are to grow in the faith together, but I also believe that it is essential to make an informed decision which church I am giving up myself for. And for me, the “dating process” is essentially learning more about church doctrines.
 
gohjedrek said:
I connect more to the intellectual aspect, I need to understand what catholics actually believe before I can go further. For me, joining a church requires a lot of time and discernment. It can be similar to the journey of marriage, would you want to get married to someone right away or spent more time in the dating process before moving to marriage? I believe learning the faith is lifelong similar to after marriage both couples are to grow in the faith together, but I also believe that it is essential to make an informed decision which church I am giving up myself for. And for me, the “dating process” is essentially learning more about church doctrines.
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That all makes sense. I spoke too strongly.
 
Suggestions: Get some Green Scapulars, have them blessed by a Catholic priest, put them around the house, e.g. bedroom, kitchen, living room (wherever he stays the most) and pray the Green Scapular prayer for him: “Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

If someone objects that you’re not Catholic, think of it this way: A Catholic doctor would not turn you away because you’re not Catholic. He’d try to help you because he’s a doctor and that’s his profession.
 
Thank you for this idea. Do the scapulars have to be out where he can see them, or can they be hidden?
 
They can be hidden (e.g. under his pillow), as long as you’re praying the Green Scapular prayer for him.

I had a book (gave it away unfortunately) that was all about the Green Scapular. Many conversions and healings have occurred through the devout use of the Green Scapular. (Pope Pius IX approved the devotion too.)
 
Green scapulars can be sewn into coat linings, placed carefully under shoe linings, inside hat bands, helmets, inside vehicles, and between the mattress and box springs. The prayer is so short that you can say it many times in a single day. Have faith and keep plugging!
 
Another Tiber swimmer here anticipating a long swim!

Had to drop out of RCIA this year and have to sort out some quite major things before I can go back. I just hope I can stay the course, as it really doesn’t feel like it right now

Anyone else dropped out but then gone back to complete the process? Any tips on how to make it through? Did you carry on going to Mass in the meantime or did you make a clean break then return?
 
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I want to share something that happened to me a few days ago. I was thinking about whether I should start regularly attending a Catholic Church, or stay in the Protestant church with my family. While thinking, I heard a voice telling me three distinct messages: “Go there” (meaning the Catholic Church), “Stay there” and “You are wanted.” Then, I had a vision that I was under water, and Jesus was reaching down to help me out. I have never experienced something like this before, ever. It was so powerful. Although the message is clear, I still don’t know what to make of it. I went to Mass this morning (I also went on Ash Wednesday and on Friday). Since the incident on Thursday, I feel…lighter. I should make a habit of weekly Mass attendance, but I would feel a bit selfish doing something just for myself instead of taking my family to a church that appeals to everyone. I don’t know what to do next, but I am feeling more sure of myself.
My question is, do you think I should share this with my local parish priest?
Also, if I start attend Mass regularly, I am bound to eventually run into issues with my very Protestant in-laws regarding things such as what religion my daughter will be raised in. How should I handle this?
 
Nik said:
Another Tiber swimmer here anticipating a long swim!

Had to drop out of RCIA this year and have to sort out some quite major things before I can go back. I just hope I can stay the course, as it really doesn’t feel like it right now

Anyone else dropped out but then gone back to complete the process? Any tips on how to make it through? Did you carry on going to Mass in the meantime or did you make a clean break then return?
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I ran away from RCIA twice, 2011 and 2012, because of struggles with not wanting more children and birth control. Also with guilt issues over mortal sin that I just gave up. That led to 6 years of spiritual darkness and near-atheism. Thankfully through God’s grace, my oldest daughter, my wife, and I will be joining the Church at Easter and nothing is going to stop me this time. I recommend that if you can somehow get back into RCIA now, I would do so. If it’s too late, I would highly recommend starting it back up next year and seeing it through.

One other thing to consider, delaying joining can have unexpected consequences down the road. I feel very strongly pulled toward the diaconate, but you have to have been a Catholic for 5 years before you can apply for the formation program. I’m going to an info session tomorrow just to see if there are any exceptions to that rule, but it seems pretty universal. Had I saw the process through in 2011 or 2012, I could be entering the diaconate formation program this fall. I will trust in God’s timing though, so I am not discouraged. I plan to join the Knights of Columbus and get involved in the mass at my local parish either as a lector, acolyte, or both, or wherever the church needs help. I also plan to continue my learning next year by going through the entire Summa Theologica. Currently, I pray Morning and Evening prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours and a daily rosary with my wife. Hopefully all of these activities should provide a strong foundation for when I enter the diaconate program.

PS: It is not my intention to brag when I note what I’m currently doing and plan to do. It is just an outline of how I feel I need to prepare myself for serving God. It is my hope that others will start a daily rosary and the Morning/Evening prayers as I have found them to be extremely helpful in building up my relationship with Christ.
 
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Nik said:
Anyone else dropped out but then gone back to complete the process? Any tips on how to make it through? Did you carry on going to Mass in the meantime or did you make a clean break then return?
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Dropped out of RCIA this year as well, but it was mainly to explore which aspect of catholic church I want to be in, namely the ordinariate or the ordinary mass. Also, I have minor issues on Catholicism to work out on at my free time.

Watch podcasts of catholic answers, read the bible/catechism (1-year study plan), read early church writings, pray more.

I still carried on going as I believe in weekly obligation. Once you stopped going to Church, you start to tunnel down to disbelief or even if you don’t, the whole concept of going to church becomes pick and choose. It is not up to us to decide, but we are to constantly submit a part of our lives to God. Going to church on saturday/sunday is probably the bare minimum, heard of many who go to daily mass, etc.
 
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Talk to a Catholic priest about it. The devil can look like an angel of light. And St. Ignatius of Loyola in the Spiritual Exercises gives rules of discernment. In fact, when I first started making Ignatian retreats, one year we had a lady who was preparing for Baptism and she was making the Ignatian retreat with us!
 
Enjoyed reading this thread.

Converting to the RCC is a very enriching and thorough process. Please don’t lose heart if you have been at this for a while and are still just toeing the Tiber. It took me a decade to finally cross and even then I had a few small issues I still had with the Church that have since been worked out after conversion. Then dealing with an annulment and a rabid anti-Catholic family member who I respect greatly, plus a spouse who is only semi-Catholic herself as she had a bad experience with the Church, made my process as complicated as they come.

We are all pulling for you as we know how complex each situation is.

Peter tells Jesus that He knows our hearts and He know all things. Your time will come and when it does, I believe you will ultimately come to the conclusion, like I have, that it was one of the best decisions you ever made.

Have a blessed Lenten Season. Even as Protestants you can still join us as we refrain from the greatness of bacon and burgers lol.
 
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Thanks for the encouragement. It’s good to know someone has been in a similar situation and come out the other side.
Unfortunately I can’t complete RCIA until I’ve got some things sorted out - hopefully by next year.

It’s great that you’re joining the church along with your family, it sounds like it will be an Easter to remember.
 
I guess I wasn’t sure if it would be looked upon as a bit odd to carry on going to Mass etc if I’m not on the path to actually enter the Church properly. You’re probably right though that it would be a bad idea to stop going and I do actually want to attend.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement 🙂
 
rlmcc83 said:
My question is, do you think I should share this with my local parish priest?
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Yes, probably – if you feel he is willing to help you out.

My local priest was very helpful in helping me discern what to make of my desire to go back to the Church, and how I should proceed (complex situation). Mass attendance is also one of the things we discussed a lot, and still do discuss. It is a point where his advice has evolved over time, from doing whatever made things easier for my husband, to my feeling bound by the Sunday obligation (baptized Catholic here) and him (my priest) pushing in that direction.

I think discussing your circumstances with your priest, and how to go forward from there, couldn’t hurt.
 
For some people, myself included, joining the Catholic Church is costly. Lots of relational complications. Very inconvenient. It would be far easier to just pick a favorite flavor of Protestantism.
Want to encourage you with this:

Matthew 13:44
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

The reason the people fail to follow Jesus is they have a lack of faith. They don’t think He’s going to come through for them. They anticipate loss and lack if they trust Him.

Friends, He’s trustworthy. The hard things in your life may not go away. But you will be transformed by Him so that you face your hard things with courage and love.
 
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I’m thinking of broaching the subject again with my wife in the next few days. I have a feeling I know how it’s going to go, but this pressing feeling is on me again and I think if I wasn’t meant to at least explore it seriously, that feeling wouldn’t be there.
 
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