Question for Cradle Catholics

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LeahInancsi

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I’m a 50 year old new Christian who happens to be Catholic. I’ve spent $2,000 on various Catholic books, but I’d prefer to learn about my new religion with the company of other Catholics (Sunday School kind of thing). It seems that the average Catholic in the pew isn’t interested in learning the Bible or the Cathechism. I’m looking for fellowship!!!

I’m looking for answers for life-long Catholics and any converts who have some suggestions I haven’t read in other threads.

:heaven: I wish my grandmother (cradle Catholic) were still alive 'cause she could give me the answer I’m looking for and what I need to do. :heaven:
 
Dear LeahInancsi,

Wow … $2,000 worth of books? Awesome investment! Books, books, books, books, books, books, books! Can you tell I love them yet? :love:

Which ones are your favorite? Maybe we could get a discussion group going here? :cool:

I’ve mostly got older ones that belonged to my dad … fortunately he started giving them away before the basement flooded out the ones on the bottom shelf. The one I’m reading right now is “Orthodoxy” by G.K.Chesterton.

~~ the phoenix
 
I had a really good religion teacher in high school. I also did a lot of reading of books on my own, as well as had some great spiritual mentors. I’m still on my journey of learning, though, and still have a long way to go.
 
the_phoenix said:
Dear LeahInancsi,

Wow … $2,000 worth of books? Awesome investment! Books, books, books, books, books, books, books! Can you tell I love them yet? :love:

Which ones are your favorite? Maybe we could get a discussion group going here? :cool:

I’ve mostly got older ones that belonged to my dad … fortunately he started giving them away before the basement flooded out the ones on the bottom shelf. The one I’m reading right now is “Orthodoxy” by G.K.Chesterton.

~~ the phoenix
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My biggest investment in books has primarily been Biblical commentary and catechism related. Some on church history. While I’m in this thoroughly rotten frame of mind, it might do me some good to read a bunch of books I have by Henri J. M. Nouwen. It also might be a good time to dive into some G.K. Chesterton. I’m really in the pits spiritually.

I’ve told myself in the past that spirituality come from within, but this time I’m looking for someone to hand it to me on a platter.

Thank you for this little bit of inspiration. 🙂
 
I’ve learned more in the last couple years of self-study and reading than CCD ever taught me. That’s a blessing, though!

My parish has a bible study group but the time it meets is not good for me. Instead I go to a group at another local parish. How cool to have the choice of two when hardly any parish I’ve attended 'till now even had ONE! I hope this is a growing trend in Catholic parishes.
 
Dear LeahInancsi,

If you need a pick-me-up, yes, definitely G.K. Chesterton’s your man.

Here’s a quote from “Orthodoxy”:
This is the thrilling romance of Orthodoxy. People have fallen into a foolish habit of speaking of orthodoxy as heavy, hum-drum, and safe. There was never anything so perilous or so exciting as orthodoxy. It was sanity: and to be sane is more dramatic than to be mad. It was the equilibrium of a man behind madly rushing horses, seeming to stoop this way and to sway that, yet in every attitude having the grace of statuary and the accuracy of arithmetic. The Church in its early days went fierce and fast with any warhorse; yet it is utterly unhistoric to say that she merely went mad along one idea, like a vulgar fanaticism. She swerved to left and right, so as exactly to avoid enormous obstacles. – G.K. Chesterton
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Pretty cool, huh? 🙂

~~ the phoenix
 
I learned the basics in CCD classes(like everyone her who is a cradle catholic) I actually began to get a thourough understanding of it here, on CA. 😃
 
dear: leahlnancsi i wish i can have as much book as you do. iam a cradle catholic but a lot of the book that i have use to help me understand my faith, and aswer questions has come from convert fundamentalist such as scott hahn and david currie. maybe you can tell me about some of the book you have read.i will truly appreciated. st jude pray for all… 🙂
 
  • from the Mass! - that is the first and most important thing!
  • the Sunday school
  • my parents
  • my brother
  • my Bible study group
  • Books
  • online Catholic website such as CAF 🙂
 
I learned from my parents, and I attended 11 years of CCD. (I had a job during my senior year of high school, so did not attend CCD.)

I have to say that CCD focused very little on the bible, so my exposure to the bible was pretty much limited to the selected readings at mass. Since the selected readings were taken out of context, I really didn’t learn much from that. It wasn’t until my 30’s, when I began an adult bible study and we would study an entire book of the bible, that I began to realize what I had been missing.
 
Joe_Kelley said:
Reading, tapes, discussions, talks, etc.
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I have the books covered. I’m more of a visual person (it comes in handy as an CPA), so it looks like I’m going to have to buckle down and actually read them.

I would never belong to any other religion, but I was hoping the Catholic church would make a better effort at educating it’s adult converts. What are they doing with the new people who know nothing of Jesus Christ or any other part of the Bible?

I know the answer to these questions, I’m just in a answer-demanding mood.

Thanks for your answer.
 
Priscilla_Ann said:
I learned from my parents, and I attended 11 years of CCD. (I had a job during my senior year of high school, so did not attend CCD.)

I have to say that CCD focused very little on the bible, so my exposure to the bible was pretty much limited to the selected readings at mass. Since the selected readings were taken out of context, I really didn’t learn much from that. It wasn’t until my 30’s, when I began an adult bible study and we would study an entire book of the bible, that I began to realize what I had been missing.
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The biggest complaint of Protestants who have left the Catholic church is actual rage that no one told them about the Bible. I’m very happy that you didn’t fall through that crack.
 
LeahInancsi said:
The biggest complaint of Protestants who have left the Catholic church is actual rage that no one told them about the Bible. I’m very happy that you didn’t fall through that crack.
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Me, too! God’s Word is like food for my soul. If I miss a few days, I begin to crave it even more. It helps me to know God in a personal way.
 
Dear Leahlnancsi
I am also a CPA and love tapes, CD’s as well as books. Catholic Answers radio Q&A has been extremely helpful as well as Scott Hahn tape series on scripture.
For some reason I felt called to study and learn to make up for what was never taught correctly. I understand that I must prepare myself for the people that God will send into my life. We must study and learn how to communicate the truth.
Years ago, I went to the funeral of a priest that I considered very special who died at the age of 42. I felt the great loss personally and wondered who would take up the slack that was present. Now I know. If it is not me, then who. God has given me gifts that are not mine to hoard. They are to be shared with the community to build God’s Kingdom. You have gifts also. They will blossom with prayer and study, but do not neglect prayer. It is the stuff that binds our learning with the Creator.
Mdcpensive1
 
Sad to say I learned very little in CCD or parochial school about the bible (just went through 6th grade). I began to learn when I attended my first Catholic retreat, TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) in college. I’ve done some study on my own with the help of study guides, but really started to learn over the past few years with the help of EWTN, our local Catholic radio station, Catholic Answers Live, and reading and listening to tapes – especially Scott Hahn.

There are others out there who are eager to learn. Maybe you need to volunteer to start your own bible study or catechism discusion group in your Church?
 
Didi said:
There are others out there who are eager to learn. Maybe you need to volunteer to start your own bible study or catechism discusion group in your Church?
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I’d love to do that someday, but I just don’t think I have the background, yet.
 
I am actually a revert. I was baptized as an infant, went to CCD and received Holy Communion and Confirmation. Then I went to Catholic high school and even Catholic college. When I was in my mid-twenties, I fell away from the Church and did not practice any religion. A friend of mine happened to take me to a Christian music festival where there were representatives from various churches (Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Methodist). Somebody from the Baptist church gave me a Bible (KJV). I had never read the Bible before. I was searching for meaning in my life at the time, but I did not know Who I was looking for. I decided to read the Bible all the way through. After reading this Protestant Bible, I realized that everything I had been taught in Catholic school was true. I repented first to God and then to my priest and went back to the Catholic Church. I found out that there was an adult Sunday school class in my parish which studied the Bible. I joined the class and have been a member for many years now. I also read the Bible on my own all the way through. So I credit the Baptist church for leading me back to the Catholic Church, and I credit my parish for showing me what the Bible says to Catholics. Most of all, I credit God, the Holy Spirit, because I would not be where I am or understand anything without Him.
 
I learned the Catholic take on Scripture from the 21 Ecumenical Councils, about 200 papal documents from around 60 popes, and the writings of all 33 Doctors of the Church 🙂

Of course, I could have just gotten all the information summarized nicely in the Catechism, but what can I say, I like primary sources and I had some spare time 😃

My father and CCD classes gave me a very basic foundation before I began studying myself 👍
 
Genesis315 said:
I learned the Catholic take on Scripture from the 21 Ecumenical Councils, about 200 papal documents from around 60 popes, and the writings of all 33 Doctors of the Church 🙂

Of course, I could have just gotten all the information summarized nicely in the Catechism, but what can I say, I like primary sources and I had some spare time 😃

My father and CCD classes gave me a very basic foundation before I began studying myself 👍
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That is wonderful. God bless your father for teaching you so well. :heaven: :signofcross:
 
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