Thinking about Catholicism but unsure

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Hi all! I haven’t been a regular at church in a while, but I have attended a couple masses, since I’ve started to get interested in Catholicism. I seem to like mass better than my regular Protestant services but there are a few large questions I’ve had. My main question is about the saints and Mary. Now I do realize you don’t pray to Mary or the saints. I’ve had my 2 catholic friends try to explain it, but frankly both aren’t very intelligent. (One converted to Catholicism last year simply because it accepted drinking more than his baptist church and he has a strong hatred for gay.) Do Catholics pray through these saints and Mary because they are already in heaven? Or am I completely off point? Thanks in advance for any responses.
 
Tylim said:
Hi all! I haven’t been a regular at church in a while, but I have attended a couple masses, since I’ve started to get interested in Catholicism. I seem to like mass better than my regular Protestant services but there are a few large questions I’ve had. My main question is about the saints and Mary. Now I do realize you don’t pray to Mary or the saints. I’ve had my 2 catholic friends try to explain it, but frankly both aren’t very intelligent. (One converted to Catholicism last year simply because it accepted drinking more than his baptist church and he has a strong hatred for gay.) Do Catholics pray through these saints and Mary because they are already in heaven? Or am I completely off point? Thanks in advance for any responses.
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Catholics ask the saints to intercede for them through prayer, just as we ask our friends to pray for us. Since the saints are in Heaven, they are close to God.

[BIBLEDRB]rev 8:3[/BIBLEDRB]
 
Tylim said:
he has a strong hatred for gay.
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He’s going to be in for a big surprise and some Christian growth - Catholics love people with same-sex attraction.

(It’s the acting out on sexual urges outside of marriage that sinful)
 
benjohnson said:
He’s going to be in for a big surprise and some Christian growth - Catholics love people with same-sex attraction.

(It’s the acting out on sexual urges outside of marriage that sinful)
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👍

So does LCMS. 🙂
 
Tylim said:
Hi all! I haven’t been a regular at church in a while, but I have attended a couple masses, since I’ve started to get interested in Catholicism. I seem to like mass better than my regular Protestant services but there are a few large questions I’ve had. My main question is about the saints and Mary. Now I do realize you don’t pray to Mary or the saints. I’ve had my 2 catholic friends try to explain it, but frankly both aren’t very intelligent. (One converted to Catholicism last year simply because it accepted drinking more than his baptist church and he has a strong hatred for gay.) Do Catholics pray through these saints and Mary because they are already in heaven? Or am I completely off point? Thanks in advance for any responses.
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If by “pray to” you mean worship, no we don’t worship Mary and/or the saints. 🙂 However we do pray to them for their intercession.

The saints are a part of the “communion of saints” of which there are three parts, those still on earth, those in heaven and those in purgatory. All three are part of the Body of Christ and are one, not divided for death does not divide us except physically. We are all joined to Christ and so are one in him no matter if we are living or dead. Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us about it: scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p5.htm#946.
 
Watch the interviews with Marcus Grodi (Journey Home) on YouTube.

You will find dozens of highly intelligent people answering all your questions!
 
Thanks for all the info. Another idea that’s is very foreign to me is purgatory. What scripture backs this up? I’m not attacking it I just want to know so I can research it.
 
When I first converted to Catholicism I was quite unsure about Mary and the Saints. I accepted that it was OK to ask them to pray for me since all are alive to God but I didn’t really feel the need to do so. And that’s fine, lots of Catholics rarely invoke the aid of the Christians in heaven, the only thing required is to believe that it is both possible and helpful to do so.

The longer I have been a Catholic though and the more I have read or heard about the lives of the saints and the reflections people have made about Mary the more I have realised that they are each of them instruments of God at work in the world. In their lives on earth they conveyed the goodness of God to each person they encountered, in their lives in heaven they continue their work of saving souls for God through prayer and adoration. And so it helps us here below to ask them to include us in their Holy work by adding their voices to our petitions.

My most recent blog Mary and Christian Meditation is about just this. But remember even if you don’t find having a relationship to our Lady and the saints helpful at this time it doesn’t mean that you can’t be a Catholic.
It always pleases Jesus when we show love for His mother and it always pleases Mary to lead us to Jesus.
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benjohnson said:
He’s going to be in for a big surprise and some Christian growth - Catholics love people with same-sex attraction.

(It’s the acting out on sexual urges outside of marriage that sinful)
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Exactly. Also I think it’s disappointing he has a ‘strong hatred’ for anyone. That’s not what Christianity is about.
 
Tylim said:
Hi all! I haven’t been a regular at church in a while, but I have attended a couple masses, since I’ve started to get interested in Catholicism. I seem to like mass better than my regular Protestant services but there are a few large questions I’ve had. My main question is about the saints and Mary. Now I do realize you don’t pray to Mary or the saints. I’ve had my 2 catholic friends try to explain it, but frankly both aren’t very intelligent. (One converted to Catholicism last year simply because it accepted drinking more than his baptist church and he has a strong hatred for gay.) Do Catholics pray through these saints and Mary because they are already in heaven? Or am I completely off point? Thanks in advance for any responses.
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Think of Mary the way you might your departed Mom…Think of the Saints the way you might think of a dear grandparent or friend who’d died…you might feel like saying every now and then to any of them “I miss you…I wish you could help me…please pray for me.”
That’s really the essence of it.
There is no catholic REQUIREMENT to direct prayers to saints.
But why not have friends in heaven?

Think of Purgatory as a gift…where we get to get rid of some of the lingering issues and sins of our lives, so as to be better prepared for Heaven. We don’t think of it as a punishment (as most outside catholicism do)

Now I have to say I’m baffled by your friend. Hating gays is certainly NOT part of catholicism. Is he for real?
(Maybe I should be asking: are you?)
:confused:
 
Tylim said:
Thanks for all the info. Another idea that’s is very foreign to me is purgatory. What scripture backs this up? I’m not attacking it I just want to know so I can research it.
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A resource to help with questions with the faith,
usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/

The catechism is free online. Check half-price books, I got two copies there, one in English and one in Spanish for under $5. Also, I am over half a century old, and realized that the protestant motto of ‘sola scripura’ and the practice that something can only be true if its in the Bible, is actually not a Biblical teaching. The Bible does support scripture AND church tradition AND what was passed from the Apostles to the church from Jesus. The Catholic faith contains the fullness of the faith.
 
benjohnson said:
He’s going to be in for a big surprise and some Christian growth - Catholics love people with same-sex attraction.

(It’s the acting out on sexual urges outside of marriage that sinful)
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Sorry, but I do not get that part “(It’s the acting out on sexual urges outside of marriage that sinful)”. Do you mean if same sex-attracted people get Married it is OK for the Catholic Church?
 
MacQ said:
Now I have to say I’m baffled by your friend. Hating gays is certainly NOT part of catholicism. Is he for real?
(Maybe I should be asking: are you?)
:confused:
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He’s very much forreal. We’re only 20 year old kids and one day sitting at lunch he says “I decided to become catholic!” When I asked him why his reasons were 1. They’re fine with him drinking (he regularly gets hammered at all church events), 2. "I hate gays and Catholics don’t like em ", 3. He doesn’t believe women should speak in church and his last church had a woman preacher. His argument were women can be priest so it’s fine.
 
Tylim said:
He’s very much forreal. We’re only 20 year old kids and one day sitting at lunch he says “I decided to become catholic!” When I asked him why his reasons were 1. They’re fine with him drinking (he regularly gets hammered at all church events), 2. "I hate gays and Catholics don’t like em ", 3. He doesn’t believe women should speak in church and his last church had a woman preacher. His argument were women can be priest so it’s fine.
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I hope his conscience is tweaked and he matures in the faith!
 
Tylim said:
He’s very much forreal. We’re only 20 year old kids and one day sitting at lunch he says “I decided to become catholic!” When I asked him why his reasons were 1. They’re fine with him drinking (he regularly gets hammered at all church events), 2. "I hate gays and Catholics don’t like em ", 3. He doesn’t believe women should speak in church and his last church had a woman preacher. His argument were women can be priest so it’s fine.
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Wow, it’s kind of unbelievable that he passed RCIA then… First, Catholics aren’t fine with being alcoholics. Second, we love gay people, we just don’t support them acting in sin in a homosexual relationship. Third, the Catholic Church has great respect for women. Look at Mary, nuns, female saints… And female lectors read in my church all the time. Just because they’re not priests doesn’t mean women aren’t active!

Either way, if you have questions, come to us on here before going to them and I hope you find your path!
 
(One converted to Catholicism last year simply because it accepted drinking more than his baptist church and he has a
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The Bible spells out what consequence of drunkedness could be. It’s isn’t pretty.
strong hatred for gay
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There’s no place for hate in the Catholic Church.
 
I suggest if you really are interested in catholicism, you call the catholic churches in your area and find an RCIA program.
It’s not just for people who already decided to become catholic…it’s also for enquirers.

Although you’ve gotten some excellent answers so far here, RCIA would be the best place for you to get your questions answered. …
 
Tylim said:
He’s very much forreal. We’re only 20 year old kids and one day sitting at lunch he says “I decided to become catholic!”
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You don’t just “decide to become a Catholic” any more than you just "decide to become an American. The norm is to go through RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation for Adults).
When I asked him why his reasons were 1. They’re fine with him drinking (he regularly gets hammered at all church events),
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How many events does a parish have that involves alcohol? Most of our parish events are Mass, adult faith, retreats, etc. At the events where alcohol is served, we card. How does a 20 year old get by not being carded?
  1. "I hate gays and Catholics don’t like em ",
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He’s quite misinformed here.
  1. He doesn’t believe women should speak in church and his last church had a woman preacher. His argument were women can be priest so it’s fine.
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Confused as to what you are saying here.
 
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