Question for non-Catholics?

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Tommy999 said:
I used to participate more and ask a lot of questions on this forum, but haven’t done so as much recently because most of my questions were answered to my satisfaction in the past couple of years.

However, I still regularly listen to Catholic radio (Oklahoma Catholic Broadcasting Network) and gain insights that help me in my daily Christian life.

I also want to thank all the Catholics who were patient and understanding in answering my various questions. You really exhibited the patience of Job in your dealings with me and I will be forever in your debt. May the Lord richly bless all of you. 👍

I am happy in my current faith tradition but sometimes feel the call to consider Catholicism, although I still have a few obstacles to overcome.

While strong at times and at other times faint, I seem to constantly feel drawn to Catholicism like the drumbeat in the movie ‘Jumanji’, which is why I keep returning like a cat to the front door of the nice people who feed it. 🙂
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I felt the same, Tommy. I did NOT want to convert lol. I examined the RCC for almost a decade before it happened.

I knew I had a painful annulment process and more difficult road ahead of me if I did, but I felt it was what I must do, so here I am. And very glad I eventually did it, BTW. Was not initially received well by my fellow Protestants, but once they see you still love the Lord just as much or more than before, they ease up and respect your decision. We believe this is the fullness of the Christian faith, and even though they disagree, they certainly respect fellow Christian’s desire to delve in deeper, spiritually.

God bless you on your journey, wherever it leads. And thanks for your presence on this forum. 🙂
 
dnu said:
As an inactive/former Catholic, i enjoy a forum with clean language and the occasional thread that is intellectually satisfying to read. *** I am also a history nerd*** and the history of western civilization can’t be told without including the Catholic Church.
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Eastern civilization as well. The Catholic Church goes back to Jesus and the apostles

For some highly condensed history of the 1st 4 centuries

Links are all operational

The Church has been Catholic from the 1st century. The English word Catholic is a transliteration of the Greek katholikos which is a compound word from kata, which means according to, and holos, which means whole. catholic.com/tracts/what-catholic-means

So one THEN can ask, where does kata holos appear in scripture and particularly kata holos ekklesia ?

Acts 9:31 the church throughout all, [from the Greek study bible] ἐκκλησία,καθ’,ὅλης ,τῆς ,Judea and Galilee and Sama’ria…" = Kataholos Church.

Ignatius was Bishop of Antioch from ~69 a.d. to ~107 a.d. He was ordained by the apostles, and was a direct disciple of St John. It was in Antioch where the disciples were first called Christian Acts 11:26 . And Ignatius in his writings uses both “Christian” and “Catholic Church” in his writings.
  • St Ignatius, uses Christian in (ch 2) and Catholic Church in (ch 8) Epistle to the Smyrnæans of which schismatics won’t be going to heaven Epistle to the Philadelphians (ch 3) . As an aside, where would Ignatius learn to teach that warning and corresponding consequence for one’s soul, for commiting and remaining in the sin of schism / division from the Catholic Church? Paul condemned division / dissention from the Church Romans 16:17-20 , Galatians 5:19-21 and that came from Jesus who does NOT approve of division in His Church John 17:20-23 , and since the HS only teaches what comes from Jesus John 16:12-15 no one can say the HS inspired all the division we see today in Christianity. There is no expiration date to that warning and condemnation
  • St Polycarp, Bp Smyrna, disciple of St John called the Church the “Catholic Church” The Martyrdom of Polycarp
  • Muratorian canon earlychristianwritings.co…uratoria n.html uses authority of “Catholic Church” in determining the canon
  • Irenaeus ~180 a.d. wrote “Against Heresies” called the Church the “Catholic Church” Adversus haereses [Bk 1 http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103110.htm”]Chapter 10 v 3], and also Irenaeus who was taught by Polycarp, teaches all must agree with Rome [Bk 3, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103303.htm”]Chapter 3, v 2-3]
  • Cyprian~250 a.d. calls the Church the Catholic Church Epistle 54
  • The Nicene Creed, 325 a.d., it’s a matter of faith to believe in the “One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church”
  • Augustine ~395 There are many other things that most justly keep me in her * bosom. . . . The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep, down to the present episcopate. And so, lastly, does the name itself of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has thus retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house.Against the Epistle of Manichaeus Called Fundamental (ch 5 v6)
  • etc
The same Church Pope Francis is over today, 266th successor to St Peter.*
 
lanman87 said:
Why are you participating on this message board?

For me, my son has been dating a Catholic girl (who we love to death) for several years. This past spring, after saying I’m not going to be Catholic for years, he said, “I might become Catholic”. His girlfriend had given him Rome Sweet Home by the Hahn’s to read.

I figured that I should learn about Catholicism so I can at least carry on a conversation with him. I’ve started reading books about Catholicism from both Catholic and Protestant apologist, trying to dismiss any blatant propaganda from both sides.

That is what brought me here. We have very few Catholics in my city and the only Catholic family I know is that of my sons girlfriend. I figured I could get my questions answered on this board.
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How are things going so far? I didn’t know this was your story, when you and I previously had about 6 exchanges.
 
steve_b said:
How are things going so far? I didn’t know this was your story, when you and I previously had about 6 exchanges.
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It is good to see you realize that some who have differing viewpoints from your own actually have their own story that once understood may change how quickly hells judgement needs to be pronounced.
 
steve_b said:
How are things going so far? I didn’t know this was your story, when you and I previously had about 6 exchanges.
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It has been an interesting study on my part. My son and his girlfriend are still working through the issue. In another post I told the advice I gave him.

“If you decide to be Catholic then be 100% Catholic. Don’t join because of a girlfriend (or wife), don’t join because the Mass is a beautiful and peaceful service (which it is), don’t join because the priest is a great guy (the next one may be a jerk) and so forth. If you join the Catholic church do so because you believe what Catholics teach. If you don’t believe what Catholics teach then don’t become a Catholic.”
 
Wannano said:
It is good to see you realize that some who have differing viewpoints from your own actually have their own story that once understood may change how quickly hells judgement needs to be pronounced.
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There’s a key phrase in all of this.

“Once one comes to the knowledge of truth, THEN”
 
lanman87 said:
It has been an interesting study on my part. My son and his girlfriend are still working through the issue. In another post I told the advice I gave him.

"If you decide to be Catholic then be 100% Catholic. Don’t join because of a girlfriend (or wife), don’t join because the Mass is a beautiful and peaceful service (which it is), don’t join because the priest is a great guy (the next one may be a jerk) and so forth. If you join the Catholic church do so because you believe what Catholics teach. If you don’t believe what Catholics teach then don’t become a Catholic."
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Good advice.

I would just add, lots of people believe in all sorts of things. It doesn’t mean that all of what they believe in is true…Correct? One always needs to provide evidence properly referenced, for what they believe to be true. I would say the same to your son.

Jesus established only one Church on Peter and the apostles in union with Peter. That’s right out of scripture. There is to be zero division in it. Not my words but from Jesus.** John 17:20-23**

There can only be one Church then, that qualifies. One only has to look at the history that is already there and easy to see. #24
 
I initially joined to find out what my official status is with the Catholic Church. I am a former Catholic. (I know…many of you here have trouble with that term, even to the point of insisting that once a Catholic, always a Catholic, but I do not agree.) Having been taught for twelve years by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and even serving as an altar boy, I had had it drummed into me that any defection from the Catholic faith would result in my damnation . I did not believe that when I left Catholicism nor do I believe it now. I have found that about half the participants in these forums would condemn me without question while the other half seem to be more rational, forgiving and open to discussion. I continue to participate here because I find it interesting and often reinforcing of my decision over fifty years ago.
 
Agape_Thom said:
I initially joined to find out what my official status is with the Catholic Church. I am a former Catholic. (I know…many of you here have trouble with that term, even to the point of insisting that once a Catholic, always a Catholic, but I do not agree.) Having been taught for twelve years by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and even serving as an altar boy, I had had it drummed into me that any defection from the Catholic faith would result in my damnation . I did not believe that when I left Catholicism nor do I believe it now. I have found that about half the participants in these forums would condemn me without question while the other half seem to be more rational, forgiving and open to discussion. I continue to participate here because I find it interesting and often reinforcing of my decision over fifty years ago.
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I welcome your participation. 🙂
 
Lenten_ashes said:
I felt the same, Tommy. I did NOT want to convert lol. I examined the RCC for almost a decade before it happened.

I knew I had a painful annulment process and more difficult road ahead of me if I did, but I felt it was what I must do, so here I am. And very glad I eventually did it, BTW. Was not initially received well by my fellow Protestants, but once they see you still love the Lord just as much or more than before, they ease up and respect your decision. We believe this is the fullness of the Christian faith, and even though they disagree, they certainly respect fellow Christian’s desire to delve in deeper, spiritually.

God bless you on your journey, wherever it leads. And thanks for your presence on this forum. 🙂
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Thanks, Lenten Ashes. I find you to be a reasonable and fair person from what I read in your posts, and you seem very respectful of your previous faith tradition and those in it. I could see myself sitting down with you and learning a lot from your experiences.

Unlike some Catholics whose approach comes across as condescending and arrogant to me sometimes, your respect of others and invitational/welcoming approach to Catholicism I find very appealing and shines through in your posts.

If I ever convert to Catholicism some day, I don’t foresee myself ever having bad feelings for the faith tradition in which I was raised, because my Presbyterian parents raised me to love and revere God with all my heart and to love my neighbor as myself, and my later evangelical experience has taught me to learn and apply Jesus’ teachings to my life and to read my Bible regularly.

Sometimes on this forum I see Catholic converts who seemingly forsake or condemn their Protestant heritage or think there was little or no value in it. I could never do that.

If anything, I sometimes envision Catholicism and the ability to participate in all of the sacraments like Reconciliation to be “the icing on the cake” of the Christian faith, and not a case where you have to destroy the cake altogether and start from scratch.

Just my two cents.
 
Agape_Thom said:
I initially joined to find out what my official status is with the Catholic Church. I am a former Catholic. (I know…many of you here have trouble with that term, even to the point of insisting that once a Catholic, always a Catholic, but I do not agree.) Having been taught for twelve years by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and even serving as an altar boy, I had had it drummed into me that any defection from the Catholic faith would result in my damnation . I did not believe that when I left Catholicism nor do I believe it now.
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That said, what do you do with this? #25
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Agape:
I have found that about half the participants in these forums would condemn me without question while the other half seem to be more rational, forgiving and open to discussion. I continue to participate here because I find it interesting and often reinforcing of my decision over fifty years ago.
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God gave us ALL, free will. And you are exercising it as we all do. I likewise am making a choice.

In extension God did NOT give us free license to do whatever we choose. Our actions and our choices have consequences, both good and bad…agreed?

For those who insist on doing their will over Our Lord’s will, then at our death, that’s why there is a permanent separation.
 
Tommy999 said:
Thanks, Lenten Ashes. I find you to be a reasonable and fair person from what I read in your posts, and you seem very respectful of your previous faith tradition and those in it. I could see myself sitting down with you and learning a lot from your experiences.

Unlike some Catholics whose approach comes across as condescending and arrogant to me sometimes, your respect of others and invitational/welcoming approach to Catholicism I find very appealing and shines through in your posts.

If I ever convert to Catholicism some day, I don’t foresee myself ever having bad feelings for the faith tradition in which I was raised, because my Presbyterian parents raised me to love and revere God with all my heart and to love my neighbor as myself, and my later evangelical experience has taught me to learn and apply Jesus’ teachings to my life and to read my Bible regularly.

Sometimes on this forum I see Catholic converts who seemingly forsake or condemn their Protestant heritage or think there was little or no value in it. I could never do that.

If anything, I sometimes envision Catholicism and the ability to participate in all of the sacraments like Reconciliation to be “the icing on the cake” of the Christian faith, and not a case where you have to destroy the cake altogether and start from scratch.

Just my two cents.
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The one thing that gave heart to my decision to enter RCIA was the priest who led the group saying to us, “You don’t have to abandon all you learned and had as a Protestant. Rather, we hope you will build on your past faith journey and enrich us with your experience.” Whew! What a relief that was to me, for I still struggled with some things, even though I knew I had to make the step towards Catholicism at that point in my life. I was afraid that all I’d had of Christ would be null and void. I have to laugh at myself now for thinking that way, but I it was a big concern for me at the time.

Not all my experiences in some of the Protestant denominations and sects I had a part in were positive, but I chalked those up to individual failings and taking some things too far–such as judging other people’s souls based solely on which faith community they belonged to or personal assessment. Anyway, negative experiences can be washed away in forgiveness, if any is required, no matter what faith community we attend or decide we need to be a part of, yes? 🙂
 
Tommy999 said:
Thanks, Lenten Ashes. I find you to be a reasonable and fair person from what I read in your posts, and you seem very respectful of your previous faith tradition and those in it. I could see myself sitting down with you and learning a lot from your experiences.

Unlike some Catholics whose approach comes across as condescending and arrogant to me sometimes, your respect of others and invitational/welcoming approach to Catholicism I find very appealing and shines through in your posts.

If I ever convert to Catholicism some day, I don’t foresee myself ever having bad feelings for the faith tradition in which I was raised, because my Presbyterian parents raised me to love and revere God with all my heart and to love my neighbor as myself, and my later evangelical experience has taught me to learn and apply Jesus’ teachings to my life and to read my Bible regularly.

Sometimes on this forum I see Catholic converts who seemingly forsake or condemn their Protestant heritage or think there was little or no value in it. I could never do that.

If anything, I sometimes envision Catholicism and the ability to participate in all of the sacraments like Reconciliation to be “the icing on the cake” of the Christian faith, and not a case where you have to destroy the cake altogether and start from scratch.

Just my two cents.
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Brother Tommy, that is quite a compliment. 🙂 Thanks so much.

I met the Lord in August of 2003. A Protestant minister whom I had never previously met or talked to, prayed for me over the phone. It was quite an experience and really changed my life. Had it not been for that minister faithfully serving the Lord, I may still be a agnostic to this day. So I don’t get it when Catholic converts rip on their former denominations. If anything it is a nice stepping stone, like I think you are saying.

I know of a Catholic Priest who said that even though Protestants lack the entire deposit of the faith, they often do more with less . And that’s true, imo. Your parents sound like good examples of that. So many Protestants are wonderful Christians who follow the Word to the best of their ability. Even though we have disagreements, I respect and admire their love for the Word.

The Lord be with you.
 
Agape_Thom said:
I have found that about half the participants in these forums would condemn me without question while the other half seem to be more rational, forgiving and open to discussion. I continue to participate here because I find it interesting and often reinforcing of my decision over fifty years ago.
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I understand this. I’d make two points. Don’t be Catholic or not Catholic because of Catholics. Be Catholic or not Catholic because of the Faith. Also, sometimes it is easy to zero in on the examples that reinforce our decision and not pay attention to other evidence. That said, I hope all us Catholics can be better representatives of the Faith.
Tommy999 said:
If I ever convert to Catholicism some day, I don’t foresee myself ever having bad feelings for the faith tradition in which I was raised, because my Presbyterian parents raised me to love and revere God with all my heart and to love my neighbor as myself, and my later evangelical experience has taught me to learn and apply Jesus’ teachings to my life and to read my Bible regularly.

Sometimes on this forum I see Catholic converts who seemingly forsake or condemn their Protestant heritage or think there was little or no value in it. I could never do that.
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The only bad feelings I have are for what I consider a misrepresentation of or unfairness to the Catholic Faith. I am thankful for all the good my Protestant upbringing gave me.
 
I’ve always had a long-standing respect for and fascination for the Catholic Church as a whole, and a good 1/3rd of my family are themselves Catholic. Therefore being on CAF gives me a chance to explore this faith for myself and learn more. 👍
 
Della said:
The one thing that gave heart to my decision to enter RCIA was the priest who led the group saying to us, “You don’t have to abandon all you learned and had as a Protestant. Rather, we hope you will build on your past faith journey and enrich us with your experience.” Whew! What a relief that was to me, for I still struggled with some things, even though I knew I had to make the step towards Catholicism at that point in my life. I was afraid that all I’d had of Christ would be null and void. I have to laugh at myself now for thinking that way, but I it was a big concern for me at the time.

Not all my experiences in some of the Protestant denominations and sects I had a part in were positive, but I chalked those up to individual failings and taking some things too far–such as judging other people’s souls based solely on which faith community they belonged to or personal assessment. Anyway, negative experiences can be washed away in forgiveness, if any is required, no matter what faith community we attend or decide we need to be a part of, yes? 🙂
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What an insightful priest! He sounds like he was a good and understanding priest.
 
lanman87 said:
Why are you participating on this message board?

For me, my son has been dating a Catholic girl (who we love to death) for several years. This past spring, after saying I’m not going to be Catholic for years, he said, “I might become Catholic”. His girlfriend had given him Rome Sweet Home by the Hahn’s to read.

I figured that I should learn about Catholicism so I can at least carry on a conversation with him. I’ve started reading books about Catholicism from both Catholic and Protestant apologist, trying to dismiss any blatant propaganda from both sides.

That is what brought me here. We have very few Catholics in my city and the only Catholic family I know is that of my sons girlfriend. I figured I could get my questions answered on this board.
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You will get all kinds of answers here - some excellent and some not so excellent. The best advise I can give you is to refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church when you have specific question.

The book itself is rather expensive but for me it has been worth the price.

You can also study it at ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/files/assets/basic-html/page-I.html

A good book to read is - “Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II”
by George Weigel

I am a convert myself. To me it has been like being in a castle, when I discover a new room and think that I have learned all there is to learn, another door opens into another room filled with new mysteries and beauty to explore. I loved the Christian Church I grew up in. My love for Jesus and my love for the Bible was given to me in that church. I lost none of that and gained so much more when I became a Catholic.
 
steve_b said:
Eastern civilization as well. The Catholic Church goes back to Jesus and the apostles

For some highly condensed history of the 1st 4 centuries

Links are all operational

The Church has been Catholic from the 1st century. The English word Catholic is a transliteration of the Greek katholikos which is a compound word from kata, which means according to, and holos, which means whole. catholic.com/tracts/what-catholic-means

So one THEN can ask, where does kata holos appear in scripture and particularly kata holos ekklesia ?

Acts 9:31 the church throughout all, [from the Greek study bible] ἐκκλησία,καθ’,ὅλης ,τῆς ,Judea and Galilee and Sama’ria…" = Kataholos Church.

Ignatius was Bishop of Antioch from ~69 a.d. to ~107 a.d. He was ordained by the apostles, and was a direct disciple of St John. It was in Antioch where the disciples were first called Christian Acts 11:26 . And Ignatius in his writings uses both “Christian” and “Catholic Church” in his writings.
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v 3], and also Irenaeus who was taught by Polycarp, teaches all must agree with Rome [Bk 3, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103303.htm”]Chapter 3, v 2-3]
  • Cyprian~250 a.d. calls the Church the Catholic Church Epistle 54 & one’s unity in this Church is important for salvation [Epistle 73 (http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050673.htm)
  • The Nicene Creed, 325 a.d., it’s a matter of faith to believe in the “One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church”
  • Augustine ~395 There are many other things that most justly keep me in her * bosom. . . . The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep, down to the present episcopate. And so, lastly, does the name itself of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has thus retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house.Against the Epistle of Manichaeus Called Fundamental (ch 5 v6)
  • etc
The same Church Pope Francis is over today, 266th successor to St Peter.*
 
Addressing the original question, I’m here because, although I’m now attending an Episcopalian church I dearly love, I was raised a Catholic and it’s always in the back of my mind that I may someday return, although probably not for a long time. (And I have a lot of Catholic guilt, too.) I don’t know any Catholics where I live so this forum and a couple of Catholic blogs give me sort of a connection to the Catholic Church.
 
I started out watching EWTN and listening to EWTN radio and wanted to learn more so when I heard about this site I came to ask questions and to learn. I don’t come as often as I used to but continue to come just to read the various topics. I’ve learned not only about Catholicism but also from the variety of other denominations represented here.
 
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