Question for converts to Catholicism about sacraments

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Since Catholicism has some sacraments that my faith tradition (Methodism) doesn’t have, I was just curious which Catholic sacraments do former Protestants find to be the most beneficial in your walk with God?

For example, confession/reconciliation. Although it might be tough to confess one’s sins to a priest at first, my guess is that it would also be liberating to hear from the Lord’s representative that your sins have been forgiven beyond the shadow of a doubt — not just hoping that He did. Also, just the fact that you know you’re accountable to someone who is acting on behalf of Christ might make someone think twice before committing a sin. Just curious what others think, especially Catholics who used to be Protestant who might be able to relate to where I’m at now. Much appreciated.
 
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I can’t answer your question but I haven’t seen you around in a while and just wanted to say hello and its good to see you!
 
Hi SuscipeMeDomine,
Thanks. I took a break for over a year or so from this forum but am glad to be back, although I have still listened fairly regularly to Catholic radio (EWTN) all along.

The truth is that I am happy in my faith tradition but sometimes wonder what I’m missing out on by not ever having been a Catholic and partaking of all the sacraments. While I like and highly respect Cradle Catholics, I’ve found that I tend to relate more to the converts who came from an evangelical Protestant background.
 
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Not a Catholic, but the thing that Catholicism has that (my section of) the Anglican Church doesn’t that most appeals to me is Confession, for the reason you stated.
 
No confession? By which I assume is meant individual auricular confession?
 
Correct. We do have the corporate confession in the liturgy.
 
Tommy999 said:
Since Catholicism has some sacraments that my faith tradition (Methodism) doesn’t have, I was just curious which Catholic sacraments do former Protestants find to be the most beneficial in your walk with God?

For example, confession/reconciliation. Although it might be tough to confess one’s sins to a priest at first, my guess is that it would also be liberating to hear from the Lord’s representative that your sins have been forgiven beyond the shadow of a doubt — not just hoping that He did. Also, just the fact that you know you’re accountable to someone who is acting on behalf of Christ might make someone think twice before committing a sin. Just curious what others think, especially Catholics who used to be Protestant who might be able to relate to where I’m at now. Much appreciated.
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Matrimony. There is a particular sacramental grace given in it.
By these gifts the parties are assisted not only in understanding, but in knowing intimately, in adhering to firmly, in willing effectively, and in successfully putting into practice, those things which pertain to the marriage state, giving them in fine right to the actual assistance of grace, whensoever they need it for fulfilling the duties of their state. (Casti Connubii)
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Above all, the Eucharist. I don’t know anything about Methodism, but when I look back on those Anglican Sunday services and compare them with the Catholic Mass, it seems they were missing out the most important thing of all. They kept the secondary things, like the hymns and the sermon, but without the Eucharist it was like a car without wheels.
 
Thus I assume no individual auricular confession. Odd.

While I have no use for the 79 book, there are points. Such as the Form for the Rite(s) of Reconciliation. Better than the simple suggestion in the 28 Book, in the Exhortations.
 
I know I make a living around here remarking on the motleyness of Anglicanism, generally, and you never know what you are going to get, etc, but this last statement throws me. What Prayer Book did you use, what jurisdiction did you worship in, to find these Eucharistically neutered services? Did you attend only Morning Prayer/Evening Prayer?
 
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Yeah. I’m ACNA, so we don’t use the 1979 book, but we do have a form for auricular confession. But my church is a more Reform Anglican church; I’m the the odd man out there.
 
My sympathies. Part of why I can wish the ACNA success, but only from a distance.

By Reform, are you suggesting the REC strand in the ACNA?
 
Yes, only Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. I was never confirmed. It was the Church of England, in England.
 
Makes more sense. Not that there was no Eucharistic service, but that, by definition, you were not allowed to partake.

Times change, though.
 
No, there was no Eucharistic service within Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. I don’t know how they handle these things nowadays, but back in those days Holy Communion was a separate service.
 
I just mean that it’s very Protestant. The clergy are all from the more Calvinist wing of the church, with the corresponding flimsy view of the sacraments. Complete with generic modern praise songs!

Still, it was probably the only way I could have gotten my wife, who grew up PCA, into a liturgical church with weekly Communion.
 
Correct. But it is common (in my experience) for MP/EP to add Holy Communion in addition to the basic service - thus announced as Morning Prayer with Holy Communion. At which, generally speaking, a non-confirmed person would not be allowed to receive. There are exceptions and the rule is not as stringently enforced as it once was, I have noticed.
 
You illustrate why I am not interested in the ACNA. Personally.

My wife grew up Southern Baptist. She leapt at the Continuing Anglican Church we found, around 20+ years ago.
 
I’d certainly rather be in a more catholic continuing Anglican church, but I also like going to church with my wife. And neither one of us would be willing to go to the modern Episcopal Church. Baby steps.
 
Unfortunately I don’t think you’ll be selling your wife on going to a catholic church, given how you mentioned she has an axe to grind with Catholicism
 
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