Where did you learn what you know about Catholicism?

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**If it weren’t for Catholic Answers and a couple online groups, I might have converted to many different religions, lol.:eek: Catholic Answers does great work! I love Catholic Answers! Karl Keating, you the Man! As he sarcastically stated on his recent E-letter: ** “I am more powerful than ‘the Vatican and USCCB bureaucrats.’”

**Well, who knows you probably are, at least in some matters.👍 **
 
My formal education of Catholicism came from 8 years in a Catholic school and later from self-education. In other words, I got the basics in school and filled in the details with self-study. My mom and grandmother were my earliest teachers. They taught by example- no formal lessons there!
 
EWTN!!! i learned much about Catholicism because of EWTN… eventhough i am a catholic since birth!
 
Sad, to say but I learned almost everything I know from the internet! I say sad, because ideally, I should have learned it from my local parish. But having said that, I am very grateful for the internet; because it was so instrumental in my conversion. :clapping:

Pam
 
viktor aleksndr:
EWTN!!! i learned much about Catholicism because of EWTN… eventhough i am a catholic since birth!
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Yep, I should have mentioned EWTN also…so the internet, EWTN and the good folks on forums and chatrooms…Pam
 
I didn’t vote. I went through 12 years of Catholic school and really didn’t learn much at all. I am 52 years old now have been married for 25 years and have 4 adult children. In the last 5 years I have seriously returned to the Catholic Church and am having to find the way with a great deal of reading, many prayers and the help of some very knowledgeable people. There is a lot to learn and unlearn. Sometimes the unlearning is much harder. Trying to bring my husband along on this journey is difficult since he did not have even the Catholic school background. When I was growing up it seemed that we were handed the candy coated version of the Church doctrine, not all of the Faith was handed down and what we were to believed as a Catholic Community was not explained. I feel like I grew up in the dark and now the light is blinding sometimes. I pray everyday that my husband and I are blessed with the belief in all that is Catholic.
 
I learned first at home, from my Grandmother and both Parents, all were very devout Catholics, then I went to 12 years of Catholic Schools, the Nuns, Priests and laypeople who taught there all said the same things my grandmother and parents had told me, we went to Mass quite frequently, all the Priests were very holy and awesome men. I learned very much from them. We went to confession every two weeks, we went to Adoration and we prayed the rosary daily. We read the Bible and I had many people in my life who were either Priests or Nuns, some in my own family. The sisters prayed the rosary daily, went to Mass daily and taught us by example as well as our Cathechism classes. I remember sometimes passing by the convent and hearing the Sisters praying the rosary, we didn’t have much air conditioning back then, so the windows were usually open, I loved their singing also. In High School the Priest taught our Cathechism classes. We knew so many Catholics that we were always going to a Wedding, A Baptism or a funeral it seemed, I was there when my grandmother was given the Annointing of the Sick (Extreme Uncion, Last Rites and Vaticum, (the Eucharist, food for the journey) My grandmother took me to daily Mass when she was alive and to the Sacred Heart Novena and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena. I loved being with her, she was very holy and sweet and she had a very good sense of humor. We had lots of books on the Saints, Catholic newspapers and the Baltimore Cathechism, I believe it was called, seems like everyone I knew was Catholic. I remember the first time I met someone who wasn’t, I was fasinated. They thought I was very strange, I had to go home to pray the rosary and they didn’t have any idea what I was talking about, I tried to explain but their mother over-heard me and pretty much banished me from their house after that.:blessyou:
 
The Sisters of St. Joseph in grade school…

The Christian Brothers in High School…

The Jesuits in College…

The Baptists…they showed me that I am in the one, true church of Christ…CATHOLIC!!! LOL
 
Read, pray, discern…

the Catechism, Dr. Scott Hahn PHd, Patrick Madrid, The Catholic Bible, the history of the Saints…

read, pray, discern…

Blessings,
Joanie
 
I’m still very young, so I’ll I can say is that I’ve learned almost all I know through the excellent CCD program at our church. I’ve learned a lot about the religious life from my first-hand experience volunteering at a convent near us. (Helping in their ministry)
 
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theMutant:
This is an offshoot of the poll, “Why are Catholics so reserved, generally speaking, about sharing their faith?” (forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=16057). It struck me that the overwhelming vote was that Catholics are poorly catechized. I wish the bishops would see that poll and take it as a wake-up call regarding Catholic education and catechesis.

However, if the average Catholic is poorly catechized, from where did you learn what you know about the Catholic Faith?
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Most of what I learned about Roman Catholicism is from Roman Catholic sources, other Roman Catholics, my wife (an ex-roman catholic), and many other resources from Christian book stores.

aka RicGator
 
I chose self study and forums, even though i went through 12 years of Catholic schooling…

I came out of school not knowing really anything about the faith (except Christmas and Easter, etc. …Probably my own fault more than anyone’s)

I couldn’t wait to get out of school and, well, ya know, “get it goin’ on”…

Well, i got it goin’ on in the wrong direction, and it took my world caving in around me to finally bring me to my knees, eventually.
 
As a convert, I chose the “self-study” option since by the time I joined RCIA I already had learned everything they were planning on teaching me and much more.

As I thought about the question, though, I realized there was something else that has deeply influenced my “heart” knowledge of and faith in Catholicism. That is quite simply the amazing man God has placed as the pastor of my parish. In all my years as a Protestant, I **never **knew anyone so profoundly and completely Christ-like. His influence on me has been so strong that even if I had never learned one thing about Catholic doctrine, I would **still **know that Catholicism was true. Any faith that can produce a saint like our beloved Monsignor has **got **to be true.🙂
In His love,
Rhonda
 
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theMutant:
However, if the average Catholic is poorly catechized, from where did you learn what you know about the Catholic Faith?
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In St. Louis it’s the Covenant Network Radio station WRYT AM 1080. They have local shows that are great and they broadcast a lot of EWTN stuff too. Tune in when you are in the area!!
 
:bounce: I study by myself!

The main problem is who speaks for it. Mark Brumley’s books aren’t Holy Writ, but I l-o-v-e the Catechism :eek:
 
Much of what I know about Catholicism I learned from evenjellyculls.
My relatives who were once catholics have become various sorts of “other faiths”. and they do a lot of “interpreting” …so they are always telling me what catholicism teaches.
My main theme is; "Is that TRUE ?
so I go to the catholic church’s official teaching (The Catechumenate) and there I find Truth.
and it is always opposite of what my “my very knowledgeable relatives” tell me.
resulting in (2) branches of “knowledge”
(1)… evenjellycull knowledge of catholicism, and
(2) …Catechumenate knowledge of catholicism.

I try to “Test everything; hold on to what is good.” 1Thes.5:21
 
I learned next to nothing in my religious traingin classes through ninth grade. When my husband and I began dating for the second time (around 7 1/2 years ago), and began talking about getting married, I informed him he needed to get an annulment in order for me to marry him. I didn’t understand why, just that it was so. I couldn’t and wouldn’t marry outside the church, even if I didn’t understand. I knew what I felt when I went to Mass and received communion, again not knowing the details.

That started a huge debate between us that still exists today. He began attacking just about every Catholic belief that is different from his (Lutheren). I didn’t know how to defend myself one bit!!! After that first discussion, I hit the internet with zeal and I haven’t stopped yet. You should hear our discussions now! Now despite his objections, I usually have a good response, or at least a book, article, website, etc. He can’t stand it that I can now debate back. (At least with him).

I still can’t compete with many of you here, at least not yet. Just give me time.

My biggest regret is the wasted years not understanding.

God bless all of you!!!
 
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