Reasons why I should become Catholic?

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Horizon87 said:
Thank you for these very wonderfully thoughtful replies.

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Have not read any of mine, or is it just that British mannerism?
Horizon87 said:
. Therefore I need to address some anxieties.

How strict will the Catholic Church be with attendance?
Am I going to have to commit to a very strict Christian lifestyle?
Will I be expected to go away and do lots of studying?
Will I need to be heavily involved in all a activities?

I think I also need some further inspiration because of my anxieties. It should be enough with what some of you have said, but my mind is trying to make sure I make the right decision. If I do join, I will also need to convince my family to join me most likely. I have already discussed joining a Church with them. They are very open, but I want to give them a stong reason on why Catholic Church is good for us as a family, otherwise I may end up doing this on my own, which I don’t want, as I want my family to join me in having a spiritual enlightenment. I mean after all, they are the ones who went to the Vatican and gave me the gift of a Catholic Bible and rosary beads!😠😄
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Your sincerity is refreshing. To come as a family is well in line with The Gospel. How many times is a complete household Baptized and brought into the fold? Still your joining is conversion from what I gather from your witness. And there may be stronger antipathy between separated brothers than from those who never knew of Christ. How this came to be must involve the enemy, principalities and powers under Satan’s rule.

Only The Holy Spirit can convince you. Pray the Rosary and let Mary introduce you to her Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus gave the Baptized a new relationship with God and The Third Person of The Godhead is encountered with an intimacy of the new age, the time we await the return of Christ. Ask God to guide you.

I could better recommend the church if more Catholics considered the questions you ask. Unfortunately not as many do consider you questions rightly as they ought. You will need to jump this hurdle in converting, also. But do convert and wake up your Catholic brothers who are napping, please do.
 
Horizon87 said:
Hello I am new here…

So I ask why I should be Catholic over the other Christian demonintions - can you convince me the Catholic way is the right way?

Thanks.
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For some Early Church History,

[http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/]

Read

Clement of Rome. He settles sedition by the bishops of Corinth Greece, in approx 80 a.d. This is during apostolic times, Clement is 3rd successor to Peter in Rome.
look at Ignatius of Antioch… eg, letter to the Smyrneans, and Philadelphians

Ignatius was installed as bishop of Antioch, circa 68 a.d., by the apostles, and was a direct disciple of St John the apostle.

Polycarp bishop of Smyrna and direct disciple of st John the apostle

Irenaeus, who wrote “Against Heresies” circa 180 a.d., was from Smyrna, knew Polycarp, and was made bishop of Lyon, in present day France.
As a suggestion open up “Against Heresies” and go to book 3, chapter 3 and read paragraphs 1-3

I have a lot of recommendations, but start with those 3 suggestions, and let’s talk
 
Horizon87 said:
Thank you for these very wonderfully thoughtful replies.
I have some apprehension because of the way it is perceived in the UK, especially among people I know such as friends and family. Therefore I need to address some anxieties.

How strict will the Catholic Church be with attendance?
Am I going to have to commit to a very strict Christian lifestyle?
Will I be expected to go away and do lots of studying?
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Re: Mass attendance

I will try and condense for space

Heb 10
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment,and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 A man who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy at the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Unpacking that

deliberate Failure to meet on the Day, (Sunday)is already a sin with huge consequences
“the Day” = the LORD’S DAY / Sunday/ the Day Our Lord Resurrected
“sacrifice for sin”, & “blood of the covenant” = the words Our Lord spoke instituting the Eucharist [ Matthew 26:28 , Mark 14:24]
i.e. They are celebrating the Mass
THAT’s why those who deliberately fail to celebrate Mass (the Eucharist) on Sunday after being given the knowledge of truth,
◦ there no longer remains for Them, a sacrifice for sin
◦ They Spurn the Son of God
◦ They outrage the spirit of grace
◦ a fearful prospect of judgement awaits Them
◦ and a fury of fire will consume these adversaries
Does that sound like it’s only a suggestion to attend Mass on Sunday, or a command?
Does it sound like a venial sin to deliberately miss Mass on Sunday or a mortal sin?

Re: living a strict Christian life, and keep up with your knowledge of the faith

Peter answered that

2 Pet 1
5 For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; 11 so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I hope this helps
 
England was once a great Catholic nation and has a strong & rich Catholic heritage. Since 2009, many Anglicans have returned to the Catholic Church with the establishment of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. Anglican priests who return to communion with Rome are permitted to remain married as Catholic priests and allowed to say Mass according to the traditional Anglican rite.

If you are looking for reasons to convert, read up on Blessed John Henry Newman, an Anglican priest who became a Catholic cardinal in the late 19th century. His rationale for converting should speak directly to your experience. He is also one of the most influential Catholic theologians of modern times and has had tremendous impact on current thought, especially his views on the development of doctrine.

I wish you the best!
 
As far as convincing family to draw closer to Catholicism, remember that it’s up to God how He desires to move family members closer… that’s His job (in a sense), not ours. All we can be are living examples of the Christian lifestyle, pray for them, and accept them where they’re at, while hoping that they accept us where we’re at too. I can only imagine what St. Monica felt when her son (St. Augustine of Hippo) continued to deter himself from God, even though she tried so hard to convince him to reconsider a Christian lifestyle, rather than in continuous sin. She eventually found that praying for her son was all she could do- & that’s okay, because when we let God do His part, change happens patiently and unexpectedly in His time, not ours. Jesus already accepts us where we’re at, why not accept others where they’re at, especially our family?. You will find that in everyone [even you & I], there is goodness and brokenness- these are opportunities for God to bring together our experiences and others’ (even family) experiences to recognize commonalities, uniquely, to open up to them and let them open up to you, patiently… & see how God brings together families one moment at a time, even spiritually. In some instances, prayer is all we can do for loved ones and in other instances, God is calling us to share something with them when the opportunity presents itself and embracing that quality time with them and letting God do His part… sometimes we experience healing within those encounters that can heal and bring together broken families. God works in mysterious ways; trust Him and rely not on your own ways, but God’s ways. 1 Corinthians 13. I know it’s hard with family, but it is also worth it in the long run. Praying for you.
 
Same with me.

Sought out to prove the RCC wrong and expose it…and end up going through RCIA, getting a painful annulment done, etc, etc.
 
At least there is a Catholic Church nearby- it may be small, but it’s a start into perhaps a new chapter of your life, if you’re willing to find out. In all experiences of our lives no matter what it is, God is always with us; there is nothing to be anxious about, if we let Him guide us. Although easier said than done, when we do recognize His presence presently with us, likely you will experience peace and less anxiety (especially since fear, anxiety, doubt, negativity~ aren’t from God anyways). You may want to search via Internet the Catholic diocese (church parishes) within the UK [I googled that & found 22 dioceses of Catholic churches located in UK- so you’ve got many to choose from to explore your search, depending on how far you’re willing to travel].

Your need for more inspiration is understandable and perhaps you are looking for inspiration that you can relate to. I’m sorry I don’t know what type of inspiration may influence you the most, but God knows; trust Him in everything. For starters, focus on your faith journey rather than what your family may think. If you decide to become Catholic, it is your decision for your life; not theirs. The Holy Spirit seems to be calling you to something more outside of the Church of England, and all you can do is follow, pray, live in the moment, and see what happens.

Anyone who isn’t Catholic is not required to attend Mass every Sunday, because they’re simply not Catholic. Anyone who does decide to attend the Mass at a Catholic Church will receive a blessing by the priest- this happens when Catholics walk in line during “Communion” (to receive the Eucharist) toward the priest… in that case, you simply cover your chest with your arms [right arm crossing upward toward left shoulder & left arm crossing upward toward right shoulder- the standard way to know one isn’t Catholic to then receive a blessing]. Most Catholics don’t have a ‘very strict Christian lifestyle’- being Catholic is not as bad as people make it to be.

If you decide to become Catholic by joining RCIA (that’s the process to become Catholic), here are some aspects to keep in mind:
~We are human just like everyone else. We sin, make mistakes, etc. that everyone else does too. But we have the Sacrament of Confession (also known as Reconciliation) to confess our sins & mistakes to a priest for our souls to be rejuvenated and aligned toward pleasing God with our lives. Being obedient (open-mindedly) to attend Mass every Sunday as Catholics is not a bad thing… typically those that desire disobedience from God have something selfishly to hide within their lives that has something to do with submitting one’s will with higher authority (God), rather than attending church itself; an excuse. It is one’s soul that is at stake, if the Catholic person decides to not attend Mass every Sunday… that’s between the person and God. ~all I can do is pray for them.

In terms of the ‘very strict Christian lifestyle’- the answer is no. That strict Christian lifestyle is typically for those discerning a (catholic) religious Vocation to the priesthood, religious life (males: to be priests, brothers, or friars. females: to be nuns or sisters). As long as you accept and follow the Catholic Church’s teachings (attend Mass every Sunday & holy days of obligation [usually feast days of Mary & Saints- those are to honor the Saints & Mary as the Mother of God]), go to Confession (at least once a month~ again, not all Catholics do this for different reasons, but most do), pray, & strive to love and serve others the way Christ has done for us is highly recommended. Keep in mind, though that everyone is different & unique. Meaning that God speaks to us differently… although God is calling me to interpret the Catholic Mass to deaf people to serve Him with that ability, God may be calling you to touch others’ lives (even your family) in ways that only you can do (with Him) with what abilities He has given you, for the purpose to give Him glory and build His Kingdom here on earth- to ‘bring all souls to Heaven.’

You aren’t expected to “go away & do lots of studying”- that is part of discerning a religious Vocation (except the ‘go away’ is more like spending quiet time w/ God in silence and in community to pray & contemplate & the 'do lots of studying is more like visiting religious communities or doing schooling for priesthood to study the way of life), if one is called to that. There are multiple resources, references, and ways to live a virtuously Catholic lifestyle without the strictness that you seem to be focusing more on… Catholicism is much more enriching than that and the more you dive deeper into exploration, the more you will understand what I mean.

There’s no need to get involved ‘heavily’ with all church activities. Do what works for you, what you enjoy doing, & what God may be calling you to do thru prayer. There’s nothing wrong with getting involved at church (it’s a great way to grow spiritually [whether thru cantoring, joining the choir, being a lecturer, being a Eucharistic Minister- not a priest but a lay person who assists within Communion, servers, greeters, etc.- God made us diverse to come together and celebrate the Mass like pieces of a puzzle to form an image & likeness of Him.
 
Yes i agree that this is evidence that early Christians were Catholic.

Its a tragic mistake that pagans mistook Catholics for Cannibals. But i couldn’t help but find it humorous.
 
They should make a movie where a man starts out as atheist, tries to infiltrate the church and expose it and ends up becoming Catholic.
 
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Check out~ Restless Heart: The Confessions of Augustine movie (2012)… you can watch it free via YouTube. FYI- it’s over 3 hrs long, but a significant film regardless. Quite similar.
 
IWantGod said:
They should make a movie where a man starts out as atheist, tries to infiltrate the church and expose it and ends up becoming Catholic.
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They did. Besides the St. Augustine movie, check out the 2016 movie: Risen
 
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Nobody is going to convince you of anything. Faith is a gift of Grace. You should become a Catholic because you believe it is true. Attend a Catholic Mass. Does it speak to you?
 
Simple, the bible says Saint Peter was given the keys to heaven. He died in Rome, the Papacy (Pope) line is continued, all things Christian connect wonderfully to heaven. It really is that simple!

If you agree with the “Protestant reformation” to the point of believing the grievances outweigh the legitimacy of the Vatican, you might find yourself a Lutheran.

The interpretation of Confession is a big one coming into the modern Church. If you believe a priest can hear your sins rather than confessing them to someone else will grant you absolution (washing them away), you are in the right place. Also, performing a holy act which is done in the same way Jesus blessed bread and wine at the last supper must be accepted.
 
I sometimes suggest that people go to a daily Mass and sit in the back and observe. It seems to be more “low key”.

People are there during their busy day. They have to get to work, etc.
 
If you want to encounter Jesus Christ in the most intimate and sublime way possible, I highly recommend doing that through the means He established, i.e. His Mystical Body, the Catholic Church.
 
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