What Difference Will Becoming A Catholic Make?

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Friends: OK I’m in RCIA because I feel the Catholic faith and Church are THE Truth, but what difference should it make in my life by doing this? Any thoughts here? I suppose I could have just believed this in my heart and still attended a Protestant Church with my family.-----but somehow God made me an “all or nothing” kind of gal and I suppose I was answering God’s call. Now I really ask this question—what difference will it/should it make in my life? Hopefully a very good one! Any thoughts from all you apologists here??? Has anybody asked the same question???

God Bless~~
 
I sometimes wonder, Sparkle, when I watch the actions of my fellow Catholics. 😦

I think it’s what you make of it, though. Don’t be discouraged. It’s made a difference in my life. 🙂
 
I really did notice the difference until I entered into a Peraonal Relationship with Christ. Then and only then did all we do as Catholics make sense. I could not imagine going back. Once you feel the “Real Presense” of Christ in the Eucharist you will feel the same.
 
WOW I am not a good writer so I can’t express the absolute wonderment of your question. The one thing that leaps to my mind is the Euchrist. The receiving of the Body Blood Soul and Divinity of Our God. There are many other reasons but this alone should humble us into submission to His Church. Nothing Else is of importance and that includes
" sometimes wonder, Sparkle, when I watch the actions of my fellow Catholics. 😦 "
 
Start reading biographies about the lives of the Saints. See how much difference the Catholic Faith made in their lives. You’ll discover how much there’s still lacking in your walk with God.

Who knows? From what you can learn about the lives of Saints (the ones that have made it into heaven), your walk with Christ might one day be found in the lineup of biographies of Saints. Heaven is the limit!
 
THE
EUCHARIST
I WOULD
DIE
***WITHOUT ***
**
**
***THE ***
EUCHARIST
 
Hello Sparkle,

The way that we love Jesus and the Father is by doing Their will. Jesus willed that there be one person, St. Peter and his successors, in unequalled authroity over all of His followers. Jesus even put St. Peter above the other elleven Apostles. Most nations, groups and organizations put one person in unequalled authority over the rest of the individuals in the group. This authority unites groups in the direction they go as a united group. I believe that it is this unity which Jesus dearly desires in His followers. To respect Jesus’ will that there be one person in unequalled authority over all His followers is a way of saying, “I love you, Jesus”.

**NIV JOHN 14:23 **

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

**NAB MAT 16:13 Peter the Rock. **

"Blest are you, Simon son of John! No mere man has revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. I for my part declare to you, you are ‘Rock’, and on this rock I will build my church, and the jaws of death shall not prevail against it.

Peace in Christ,
Steven Merten
www.ILOVEYOUGOD.com
 
But Sparkle, it’s not an easy journey…it will probably make your life more difficult…no more pill, no more missing Sunday church, no more self gratification, no more watching or reading porn-type things, no more divorce, abortion, etc…

But are any of these bad things? Yes! They all are! It’s good that we are without these…but it’s a hard road.

The greatest difference is you know you will have made the right choice regarding your salvation. The only thing that matters in this life is serving God the way he intended. And you are going to be able to do that! You’ll have the ticket to heaven! What could be any greater than that? (Just don’t sell your ticket to Satan!) You will be a better person for it; a person of love and charity.
 
I would suggest you read “The Lambs Supper” by Scott Hahn. I have been Catholic all my life, but this really hit a cord with me…I never looked at the Eucharist the same way after I read it!!
Besides belonging to the one true Church that Jesus Christ started, as a Catholic you will be able to take part in the Sacraments of the Church.
These seven Sacraments were “instituted by Christ”. The Church cannot institute new sacraments or take any away.
The seven Jesus has given us are: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony.
The most important thing about the Sacraments is they give “sanctifying grace”🙂
hang in there…your Catholic faith may take time to mature and someday you will know it was all worth it!
 
not to be antiecumenical here, but the difference it makes could be eternal life vs eternal damnation…

yes, we have God’s grace, and we trust that grace to save us, even those of us who, for some reason, cannot or have not come into the church He gave us.

but He DID give us a church. a means, a channel, by which we can receive His salvation.

HE is present in the church. in the eucharist. in persona christi in confession. in a sacrament of baptism. HE is there. what difference does it make? it makes all of the difference.

no one is saying life will be easier. when you’re doing things the right way, they’re often harder. but He gives us the church, and the sacraments, for our GOOD, for eternal LIFE, that we might have life, and that more abundantly. ultimate, eternal life.

i can tell you, from being a convert from protestantism to catholicism, that it makes all the difference in the world.

we’re not saying ‘how do the lives of the catholics you know differ from the lives of protestants you know?’ that seems to be what many on this thread have addressed.

what we’re answering is: what difference does Jesus make in the life of a person?
 
On Marcus Grodi’s TV program on EWTN called The Journey Home, he interviews converts to the Catholic faith, often former Protestant clergy. The last question he asks each of them is, “How has coming home to the Catholic faith brought you closer to Jesus Christ?” And they all have an anwer.
 
Todd Easton:
On Marcus Grodi’s TV program on EWTN called The Journey Home, he interviews converts to the Catholic faith, often former Protestant clergy. The last question he asks each of them is, “How has coming home to the Catholic faith brought you closer to Jesus Christ?” And they all have an anwer.
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I second this suggestion.

When you read how many Protestants who became Catholic now feel they are experiencing the fullness of our faith, it helps seal the cause.

I feel the Mass is all the difference. I love going to Mass to celebrate the sacrifice of our Lord. I don’t go to get self-help lectures as nice as they may be. My incentive to go is to be with the Lord in all the fullness I can.

Also the communion of the Saints. The warmth, love and intercesion of our Blessed Mother!!!
 
and don’t forget the healing sacrament of reconciliation.

after telling my protestant friends about my experiences with confession, MOST of them (no exaggeration) end the conversation by asking ‘can i go to confession?’

the answer to that, of course, is yes. they can go. they can’t receive absolution, unless they’re catholic. but they can go and confess their sins and the priest will pray with them.

i’ve received SO MUCH grace and healing and emotional cleansing from confession. it’s like having a counselor. i suppose it IS having a counselor. and divesting yourself of all the things you’ve carried around with you all week, or all day, or all your life! even, and after the priest doesn’t even bat an eye at what you’ve said, he says those amazing words:

‘i absolve you my brother in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit’.

as a protestant, i believed i was forgiven. as a catholic, i experience it.
 
Wow–thanks so much you guys! What replies!!!

Before I started in RCIA, I used to go up for the Eucharist anyway, knowing in my heart I believed!!!-and I would get so emotional!!! but so fulfilled like nothing else–and like no other church service----now since I can’t, guess I’m honestly starting to yearn for it!!! I know being a Catholic WILL make a difference—I guess----as someone reminded me --the sacraments-----yes --that is an absolutely awesome thing isn’t it? And being in the huge gigantic family of Catholics since the beginning of Christianity------BUT------still tell me anybody----how has being a Catholic vs. a Protestant changed your practical side of life??? made you different??? more peaceful? more eager to serve the Lord? More spiritual? I’ve noticed along this journey----every other church service I attend seems SO lacking -------something is SO missing--------it must be the real presence along with alot of other stuff too!!! thx again for all the wonderful comments!!!

God Bless~~
 
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Mijoy2:
I feel the Mass is all the difference. I love going to Mass to celebrate the sacrifice of our Lord. I don’t go to get self-help lectures as nice as they may be. My incentive to go is to be with the Lord in all the fullness I can.
Also the communion of the Saints. The warmth, love and intercesion of our Blessed Mother!!!
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WOW–nicely put Mijoy2!!!

So many churches today are just that --self-help lectures!!! And I love to feel the presence of the Saints as depicted on the stained-glass windows too!!! It’s like they’re right there sitting next to me in the pew!!! How Protestants seem to forget this!!!
 
Your life will be filled with grace!

Because only the Catholic Church has the fullness of the Sacraments that Jesus instituted, you can only receive sacramental grace on an ongoing basis as a Catholic.

Every time you receive communion.

Every time your sins are forgiven by Jesus, through the priest, in reconciliation.

Every time you pray before Jesus, Truly Present in the Holy Eucharist during adoration or before the Tabernacle!
 
As a former Protestant being received into the Church on January 30, I can point out several changes in my personal spiritual journey as I made this transition:
  1. A sacramental outlook. I now worship more with my body, appreciate outward signs of reverence much more. It feels much more ‘complete’ to be able to satisfy all five senses in worship. Just spending time looking up at a crucifix or a statue of Jesus is powerful. We are visual creatures…statues and icons are great aids for getting us into ‘prayer and worship mode’.
  2. Mary! Our Blessed Mother can be a great friend and intercessor. A devotion (a personal relationship, if you will) to her is priceless. Her presence in your life can make a big difference. She will draw you closer to Jesus.
  3. The Saints. Learning from their lives can make you a better person, and bring you closer to Christ. Invoking their intercession makes your prayers all the more powerful.
  4. EUCHARIST! But I haven’t experience this yet…but soon. In Protestant churches you can be nourished intellectually, but in the Catholic Church you’re spirit will be fed directly by Christ Himself as well! There is nothing that can compare.
  5. Clear guidance. You will no longer have to rely on your personal interpretations of the Faith. The Magisterium clearly lays out what Christ has revealed to us. (OK…there are still things to debate and discuss…but the basics are all there for us…the Catholic Faith is BEAUTIFUL).
 
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twf:
As a former Protestant being received into the Church on January 30, I can point out several changes in my personal spiritual journey as I made this transition:
  1. A sacramental outlook. I now worship more with my body, appreciate outward signs of reverence much more. It feels much more ‘complete’ to be able to satisfy all five senses in worship. Just spending time looking up at a crucifix or a statue of Jesus is powerful. We are visual creatures…statues and icons are great aids for getting us into ‘prayer and worship mode’.
  2. Mary! Our Blessed Mother can be a great friend and intercessor. A devotion (a personal relationship, if you will) to her is priceless. Her presence in your life can make a big difference. She will draw you closer to Jesus.
  3. The Saints. Learning from their lives can make you a better person, and bring you closer to Christ. Invoking their intercession makes your prayers all the more powerful.
  4. EUCHARIST! But I haven’t experience this yet…but soon. In Protestant churches you can be nourished intellectually, but in the Catholic Church you’re spirit will be fed directly by Christ Himself as well! There is nothing that can compare.
  5. Clear guidance. You will no longer have to rely on your personal interpretations of the Faith. The Magisterium clearly lays out what Christ has revealed to us. (OK…there are still things to debate and discuss…but the basics are all there for us…the Catholic Faith is BEAUTIFUL).
Click to expand...
twf:

Thanks for sharing. You’re awesome!!!
 
You are right. The Catholic religion is a very rich religion.

I also agree with what you said about Mary. Her gfts to us including
the rosery brings people closer to Christ. We all need to continue to learn about our faith. I recently discovred this web-site and I love it!
God bless you and continue grow.
 
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