Studies in the Catholic Faith!

[Primox]

In my faith, there are an endless number of things I want to study, as per my interest. I’ve compiled a list of topics; some general, branching into specific; some specific, without any general header. The list isn’t ranked in any type of order. I have three inquiries regarding the list.

What would you rank as being the most important things to study first?
Is there anything you think I could add to the list or make more specific?
Is there anything that ought to be removed from the list?

Any further comments of questions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

-The Papacy / apostolic succession / infallibility
-Position of Mary in the Catholic Church
-The Virginity of Mary
-Apparitions of Mary or Christ
-The Holy Eucharist / Adoration / Miracles
-Confession / Reconciliation
-Marriage / What constitutes a Marriage / What are the married obligated to do for God and each other
-Baptisms (Water / Fire / Spirit?)
-A treatment or defence for Old-Testament violence
-A treatment or defence for Old-Testament Bigotry
-A treatment or defence for the position of women in the Bible
-Tithes
-The nature or levels of Heaven and Hell
-Protestant schisms / divisions
-Theology of the Body (and how we ought to view sex)
-Homosexuality as regarded by the Church (and Homosexual marriage)
-Female ordination and teaching as regarded by the Church
-Abortion as regarded by the Church
-War as regarded by the Church
-Defence for the pain and suffering in the world
-Prayer (how we ought to pray, what, why, and how often) / The efficacy of Prayer
-The nature of God’s will
-How faith is grown, sown, and nurtured
-What are Saints?
-What are angels / guardian angels / what are the roles and nature of angelic beings?
-The extent of providence
-How should one understand Trinity
-The ranking (or whether there is ranking) of various sins)
-Gifts of the spirit / prevalence of these gifts
-On works vs. faith
-Distinction between venial and mortal sins
-How one should (and to what degree) regard the Law of Moses
-What are the virtues / how are they acquired / what is the nature of them
-What constitutes idolatry / materialism?
-How / under what circumstances should one understand penance / should it take place?
-On the remission of sins
-How should or does one experience contrition?
-Intercession of the Saints / Intercessory petitions
-History of the early church
-Fulfilment of Old-Testament prophecies
-Defence or explanation for crusades / inquisitions / indulgences
-The Catechism of the Catholic Church
-On evangelization
-Charity: in what measure ought a person to be?
-The paradigm shift from “reason is bad” to “reason is good”
-A defence or explanation of Catholic Control throughout history
-Modern day miracles and their efficacy (healings / resurrections)
-Evolution of the liturgy
-Parts, meaning, significance, and history of the Rosary
-Objects of the Mass
-Catholic Eschatology (last things)
-Science vs. Religion vs. Philosophy
-Meanings and dates of / for Holy days
-History of the Popes / various Saints
-Ordinances / Sacrifices in the Old-Testament
-The Apocrypha
-Free Will and determinism
-Dualism
-The Lord’s Prayer / parts and interpretation
-Learning / on learning Latin / Greek / Ancient languages
-Proper role of a Catholic in the community
-On the Sign of the Cross and other traditional acts in Catholicism
-The Fate of individuals in other Religions
-Doctrine of salvation
-The Nature of God
-The existence of God
-Of allegorical / topological pictures in Old-Testament readings
-How one ought to view doctrine
-On Backsliding
-The unforgivable sin
-Alternative views of Christ (from other Religions)
-Exegesis and Eisegesis
-The extent or limits of personal revelation
-Divisions of religious living (monasticism / asceticism / nuns / monks / hermits)
-Other divisions (Of martyrs, missionaries, televangelists, ministers)
-Distinction between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God
-The names of God
-Being a Christian in an increasingly non-Christian world
-Rapture: what is believed about it?
-Nature of Satan – the extent of the powers and hosts of wickedness
-What constitutes the world / how does one detach?
-How does one align him or herself with God?

 

[jmjconder]

I believe that following the four pillars of the Church as laid out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the best method. Clearly the Church knew what she was doing…

 

[Mark77]

The Eucharist is the key to everything, start with that. Read John 6 and read the Catechism;

"The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.” (CCC 1324)

Study the Early Church, St Paul says; “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”

“Martin Luther himself confirms that the early Church unanimously taught the Real Presence: 'of all fathers, as many as you can name, not one has ever spoken about the sacrament as these fanatics do. None of them uses such an expression as ‘it is simply bread and wine’ or ‘Christ’s body and blood are not present.’…Certainly among so many fathers and so many writings a negative argument should have turned up at least once, as happens in other articles; but actually they all stand uniformly and consistently on the affirmative side” Luther’s Works (St Louis Mo: Concordia Publishing 1961), vol 37, 54.

"God Is Love" (1 Jn 4:8) and Jesus gave us the Eucharist and His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church to nourish us, to teach us and to guide us through this difficult life.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

 

[reginacaeli]

In my faith, there are an endless number of things I want to study, as per my interest. I’ve compiled a list of topics; some general, branching into specific; some specific, without any general header. The list isn’t ranked in any type of order. I have three inquiries regarding the list.

What would you rank as being the most important things to study first?
Is there anything you think I could add to the list or make more specific?
Is there anything that ought to be removed from the list?

Any further comments of questions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

-The Papacy / apostolic succession / infallibility
-Position of Mary in the Catholic Church
-The Virginity of Mary
-Apparitions of Mary or Christ
-The Holy Eucharist / Adoration / Miracles
-Confession / Reconciliation
-Marriage / What constitutes a Marriage / What are the married obligated to do for God and each other
-Baptisms (Water / Fire / Spirit?)
-A treatment or defence for Old-Testament violence
-A treatment or defence for Old-Testament Bigotry
-A treatment or defence for the position of women in the Bible
-Tithes
-The nature or levels of Heaven and Hell
-Protestant schisms / divisions
-Theology of the Body (and how we ought to view sex)
-Homosexuality as regarded by the Church (and Homosexual marriage)
-Female ordination and teaching as regarded by the Church
-Abortion as regarded by the Church
-War as regarded by the Church
-Defence for the pain and suffering in the world
-Prayer (how we ought to pray, what, why, and how often) / The efficacy of Prayer
-The nature of God’s will
-How faith is grown, sown, and nurtured
-What are Saints?
-What are angels / guardian angels / what are the roles and nature of angelic beings?
-The extent of providence
-How should one understand Trinity
-The ranking (or whether there is ranking) of various sins)
-Gifts of the spirit / prevalence of these gifts
-On works vs. faith
-Distinction between venial and mortal sins
-How one should (and to what degree) regard the Law of Moses
-What are the virtues / how are they acquired / what is the nature of them
-What constitutes idolatry / materialism?
-How / under what circumstances should one understand penance / should it take place?
-On the remission of sins
-How should or does one experience contrition?
-Intercession of the Saints / Intercessory petitions
-History of the early church
-Fulfilment of Old-Testament prophecies
-Defence or explanation for crusades / inquisitions / indulgences
-The Catechism of the Catholic Church
-On evangelization
-Charity: in what measure ought a person to be?
-The paradigm shift from “reason is bad” to “reason is good”
-A defence or explanation of Catholic Control throughout history
-Modern day miracles and their efficacy (healings / resurrections)
-Evolution of the liturgy
-Parts, meaning, significance, and history of the Rosary
-Objects of the Mass
-Catholic Eschatology (last things)
-Science vs. Religion vs. Philosophy
-Meanings and dates of / for Holy days
-History of the Popes / various Saints
-Ordinances / Sacrifices in the Old-Testament
-The Apocrypha
-Free Will and determinism
-Dualism
-The Lord’s Prayer / parts and interpretation
-Learning / on learning Latin / Greek / Ancient languages
-Proper role of a Catholic in the community
-On the Sign of the Cross and other traditional acts in Catholicism
-The Fate of individuals in other Religions
-Doctrine of salvation
-The Nature of God
-The existence of God
-Of allegorical / topological pictures in Old-Testament readings
-How one ought to view doctrine
-On Backsliding
-The unforgivable sin
-Alternative views of Christ (from other Religions)
-Exegesis and Eisegesis
-The extent or limits of personal revelation
-Divisions of religious living (monasticism / asceticism / nuns / monks / hermits)
-Other divisions (Of martyrs, missionaries, televangelists, ministers)
-Distinction between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God
-The names of God
-Being a Christian in an increasingly non-Christian world
-Rapture: what is believed about it?
-Nature of Satan – the extent of the powers and hosts of wickedness
-What constitutes the world / how does one detach?
-How does one align him or herself with God?

Since, according to your profile, you’re not currently Catholic, I would recommend that you start with a simple catechism for an overall view. Some possibilities are the Baltimore Catechism, Catechism of St. Pope Pius X, Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Catechism of the Council of Trent, Catechism of the Catholic Church (from most simple to most complex).
But I would also focus in on papal authority and papal infallibility. Because as a Protestant, this is the hinge with all the other Catholic-Protestant differences lie.
For the other aspect, you might also look at the Church Fathers to see how the early Christian community lived.

You appear to be discerning. In order to discern whether to become a Catholic, you need the basics on what the Catholic Church teaches. The rest will come in time as you go more in-depth. Your list is quite long.

 

[Jesus_123]

I believe that following the four pillars of the Church as laid out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the best method. Clearly the Church knew what she was doing…

I agree . . . it is the soundest and most complete reference guide you will ever find . . . and studying it will marvelously enrich your soul, spirit and mind . . . and it begins in the Prologue with what indeed is the most important priority . . .

PROLOGUE

“FATHER, . . . this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” :bible1: 1 Timothy 2:3-4 ** "There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved: than the name of Jesus."**

- Catechism of the Catholic Church+​

Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the
Father,
but by me.
John 14:6
:bible1:

You’ve amassed quite a list . . . just remember . . . as finite beings . . . we learn . . . *here a little . . . there a little . . . *portion by portion . . . don’t just flood your soul with knowledge alone . . . take time to . . . “listen to-and-for-God” . . . as you study . . . so that He can impart wisdom about the facts you are absorbing . . . to benefit and enrich your soul and spiritual life . . .

"But seek ye first the

• kingdom of God, +
  and his righteousness;
  and all these things shall be added unto you.
  Matthew 6:33
  :bible1:

*God bless as you seek and follow His pathway Home to the Catholic Church . . . *

. . . all for Jesus+​

 

[Primox]

I believe that following the four pillars of the Church as laid out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the best method. Clearly the Church knew what she was doing…

Tell me a little bit about the pillars, jmjconder. Perhaps in a broader scope, my list is ammenable to them (or maybe not). But I don’t know what they are, so help me out here.

The Eucharist is the key to everything, start with that. Read John 6 and read the Catechism;

"The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.” (CCC 1324)

Study the Early Church, St Paul says; “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”

“Martin Luther himself confirms that the early Church unanimously taught the Real Presence: 'of all fathers, as many as you can name, not one has ever spoken about the sacrament as these fanatics do. None of them uses such an expression as ‘it is simply bread and wine’ or ‘Christ’s body and blood are not present.’…Certainly among so many fathers and so many writings a negative argument should have turned up at least once, as happens in other articles; but actually they all stand uniformly and consistently on the affirmative side” Luther’s Works (St Louis Mo: Concordia Publishing 1961), vol 37, 54.

"God Is Love" (1 Jn 4:8) and Jesus gave us the Eucharist and His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church to nourish us, to teach us and to guide us through this difficult life.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

This is great, Mark. Thank you. The Holy Eucharist is definitely something I want to understand broad and deep. You can only imagine how I pine for it when others go up to receive it.

Since, according to your profile, you’re not currently Catholic, I would recommend that you start with a simple catechism for an overall view. Some possibilities are the Baltimore Catechism, Catechism of St. Pope Pius X, Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Catechism of the Council of Trent, Catechism of the Catholic Church (from most simple to most complex).
But I would also focus in on papal authority and papal infallibility. Because as a Protestant, this is the hinge with all the other Catholic-Protestant differences lie.
For the other aspect, you might also look at the Church Fathers to see how the early Christian community lived.

You appear to be discerning. In order to discern whether to become a Catholic, you need the basics on what the Catholic Church teaches. The rest will come in time as you go more in-depth. Your list is quite long.

What is the basis behind all these different catechisms? Also, I should make it a little clearer that I fully intend to be instituted into the Catholic faith. There are countless things I still need to discern but not to the end of whether I should convert. Thank you for the advice!

I agree . . . it is the soundest and most complete reference guide you will ever find . . . and studying it will marvelously enrich your soul, spirit and mind . . . and it begins in the Prologue with what indeed is the most important priority . . .

Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the
Father,
but by me.
John 14:6
:bible1:

You’ve amassed quite a list . . . just remember . . . as finite beings . . . we learn . . . *here a little . . . there a little . . . *portion by portion . . . don’t just flood your soul with knowledge alone . . . take time to . . . “listen to-and-for-God” . . . as you study . . . so that He can impart wisdom about the facts you are absorbing . . . to benefit and enrich your soul and spiritual life . . .

"But seek ye first the

• kingdom of God, +
  and his righteousness;
  and all these things shall be added unto you.
  Matthew 6:33
  :bible1:

*God bless as you seek and follow His pathway Home to the Catholic Church . . . *

. . . all for Jesus+​

Thank you, this is very good. I hope and pray that all the things that I study will bring me closer to God and that I, by proxy, may be a light to discerning others, one day.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

My dear friend

I would just suggest that if you spend 1 hr in study spend 2 hrs in prayer at least. All the learning in the world is useless if we have not love according to scripture. We get love which is the life giving living love - grace, by prayer and good works. Learning is great and vital but understanding and appreciation of what we learn comes through grace and prayer.So fit in the need for grace and the light which comes from prayer if you can. That’s my thoughts.

May God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[Joannm]

I would begin with the creed. We use that as the basis for all our teaching in RCIA. From there you can branch out…but you need to know the basics of what we believe as Catholics.

 

[Primox]

My dear friend

I would just suggest that if you spend 1 hr in study spend 2 hrs in prayer at least. All the learning in the world is useless if we have not love according to scripture. We get love which is the life giving living love - grace, by prayer and good works. Learning is great and vital but understanding and appreciation of what we learn comes through grace and prayer.So fit in the need for grace and the light which comes from prayer if you can. That’s my thoughts.

May God bless you:thumbsup:
John

This is true. Thank you!

I would begin with the creed. We use that as the basis for all our teaching in RCIA. From there you can branch out…but you need to know the basics of what we believe as Catholics.

Apostle’s Creed?

 

[theladyiscrazy]

familycatechism.com/

This is a very user friendly catechism. It is done in question and answer format, so that might be a great place for you to start with some of your questions.

 

[StrawberryJam]

I read all the words that Jesus said in the bible first. I found a blog with a link to them. I think there a bibles that have his words in red.

 

[Primox]

familycatechism.com/

This is a very user friendly catechism. It is done in question and answer format, so that might be a great place for you to start with some of your questions.

Wow, this is awesome! Thanks so much. This will be a huge help.

I read all the words that Jesus said in the bible first. I found a blog with a link to them. I think there a bibles that have his words in red.

This is also helpful, thank you.