WHY are you Catholic?

[Callin]

In short, because I wanted to know truth, and didn’t care if that meant converting to another religion, or abandoning them all. I gave all religions a fair chance, and Catholicism seemed to be the most plausible, by far the least contradictory, and best able to defend its beliefs. Even today, 99% of the arguments I hear against it are all based on misconceptions or put forward without any facts or evidence.

I regularly pray to God to lead me to the truth, and he has yet to lead me away from Catholicism, so a Catholic I shall remain.

 

[Tips22]

Thank you all so much for your answers so far (and your prayers), and I apologise if my original questions seemed leading - I did not mean them to be but I figured it would be helpful to give various accepted reasons and see if they were true.

It’s truly enlightening to hear so many stories and reasons for your beliefs and I now see how searching for truth and it just ‘feeling right’ plays far more of a role than I ever considered.
Your stories about how you got where you are now are inspiring. I have learnt more from this project than I ever expected I would, especially about your faith. And I would love to hear more.

Here’s another question, if you don’t mind… what would you yourself say is the main ideal or idea behind Catholicism? Sum it up in a sentence or two. Getting personal responses, even if I can’t use them in my project, is ultimately more useful than the official ones I seem to find, for my own learning curve.

Again, thank you all. :thumbsup:

 

[Joe_5859]

Here’s another question, if you don’t mind… what would you yourself say is the main ideal or idea behind Catholicism? Sum it up in a sentence or two. Getting personal responses, even if I can’t use them in my project, is ultimately more useful than the official ones I seem to find, for my own learning curve.

Again, thank you all. :thumbsup:

God created us for union with him and eternal happiness. We messed it up. So he became a man (Jesus) to bridge the gap and enable us to once again be united with him in eternal happiness.

 

[SteveVH]

Here’s another question, if you don’t mind… what would you yourself say is the main ideal or idea behind Catholicism? Sum it up in a sentence or two. Getting personal responses, even if I can’t use them in my project, is ultimately more useful than the official ones I seem to find, for my own learning curve.

The main idea behind Catholicism is salvation through the suffering, death and ressurection of Jesus Christ who remains with His Church in the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. It is a divine institution made up of sinners.

 

[chrisb]

Good Question, I don’t know…

 

[Usbek_de_Perse]

God created us for union with him and eternal happiness. We messed it up. So he became a man (Jesus) to bridge the gap and enable us to once again be united with him in eternal happiness.

I am not a Roman Catholic, but for the first time, I am at least open to the possibility.

I am attracted to two things in particular, those are
a) the authority of the magisterium
b) the discipline of the church.

I am repelled by several things:
a) the authority of the magisterium
b) the discipline of the church,
c) papal infallibility,
d) the idea that 2000 years of Church history can be seen to contain a thread of unbroken, uncontradicted, consistent truth.
e) As an Anglican, I just like the way we all do things our own way within a broad umbrella of tradition.

I am attracted to the new Coetibus Anglicanorum provisions. I am not sure how to handle all the female priests in the Anglican churches, and some provision must be made to really open the door for Anglicans. I am not saying they must be priests in the Catholic sense, but at least deaconesses (defining this in a way consistent with recent RC teachings, such as a consecrated licensed lay person permitted to proclaim the gospel).

I dearly wish for Christian unity. And I feel that as an Anglican, I have an obligation to work toward Christian unity not by converting to Rome directly, but by helping to pave the way for unity between these churches.

 

[Marie5890]

Here’s another question, if you don’t mind… what would you yourself say is the main ideal or idea behind Catholicism? Sum it up in a sentence or two. Getting personal responses, even if I can’t use them in my project, is ultimately more useful than the official ones I seem to find, for my own learning curve.
:

Um, anyone who doesnt say “salvation” doesnt understand the Scriptures. No offense.

 

[adstrinity]

The Neighbour’s Dog told me.

When do you need all the answers in?

 

[jmcrae]

Thank you all so much for your answers so far (and your prayers), and I apologise if my original questions seemed leading - I did not mean them to be but I figured it would be helpful to give various accepted reasons and see if they were true.

It’s truly enlightening to hear so many stories and reasons for your beliefs and I now see how searching for truth and it just ‘feeling right’ plays far more of a role than I ever considered.
Your stories about how you got where you are now are inspiring. I have learnt more from this project than I ever expected I would, especially about your faith. And I would love to hear more.

If you’re up for a bit of reading, click on the link in my signature to get to my conversion story. At the end of that page, there is another link that describes the day itself.

Here’s another question, if you don’t mind… what would you yourself say is the main ideal or idea behind Catholicism?

The Catholic Church is the audible voice and physical presence of Jesus Christ in the world today. When the Church commands us to do something, this is Christ Himself telling us to do it. When the Church acts (for example, when poor people are given hope in the midst of some kind of disaster), it is really Christ acting in the world. Whenever we obey Christ, whether it’s something as simple as cleaning up our room, or something as complex as getting food aid to the Third World, we are Christ’s hands and feet, making the world a better place for everyone in it.

 

[A_Lion_Of_Islam]

If you’re up for a bit of reading, click on the link in my signature to get to my conversion story. At the end of that page, there is another link that describes the day itself.

The Catholic Church is the audible voice and physical presence of Jesus Christ in the world today. When the Church commands us to do something, this is Christ Himself telling us to do it. When the Church acts (for example, when poor people are given hope in the midst of some kind of disaster), it is really Christ acting in the world. Whenever we obey Christ, whether it’s something as simple as cleaning up our room, or something as complex as getting food aid to the Third World, we are Christ’s hands and feet, making the world a better place for everyone in it.

You are saying the leaders of the Church are a mouthpiece for God? May God guide you to the truth…

 

[jmcrae]

You are saying the leaders of the Church are a mouthpiece for God? May God guide you to the truth…

Not at all. I am saying that the Church as a whole is God’s voice, speaking to us. Not any particular individual or class of people (although obviously some classes of people have different gifts than others).

 

[Reuben_J]

Because it is the Church founded by Jesus Christ. Started by Jesus with the apostle Peter as its first head on earth, it has never changed and its line never interrupted until today.Not only spiritually but physically one could almost see Peter presiding at the Vatican where his tomb is still intact together with the martyrs of the first century. It is so amazing how the word of Jesus seems so much alive when he said the Gate of Hell will not prevail against this Church despite all kinds of attacks it endured throughout the centuries.

If I am to be a Christian, it has to be Catholic*. Everything else falls short so why should I settle for less?

God bless.

• I was cradle Catholic, almost lapsed for a while during my early youth, but rediscover the faith and has never looked back since then.

 

[Reuben_J]

You are saying the leaders of the Church are a mouthpiece for God? May God guide you to the truth…

Though not exactly the same, there is no difference than in Islam where certain Muslim clergies of given position can only make the call on certain aspect of the religion.

Hope you’ll stay longer here and you’ll know more about the Catholic Church. It would be good to make an informed comment on anything as much as possible.

God bless you.

 

[aspirant]

what would you yourself say is the main ideal or idea behind Catholicism? Sum it up in a sentence or two.

God is Love. God the Father sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. If the Spirit of him who raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you. Having escaped the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire, we may become partakers of the divine nature.

(I stole that from the Apostles John, Paul, and Peter, but I myself say it.)

 

[mark_a]

For my college essay I must find various reasons as to why people are Roman Catholic, so I’m asking for your reasons as to why you believe in, practice the faith of or live as a Roman Catholic, of any kind. Examples are given below…

Is it just in case? As in ‘it’s not worth risking damnation to not believe’?

Is it because you were brought up by your family as Roman Catholic and have known it all your life?

It it because God helped out in a crisis of life that you had?

Is it because you want an explanation as to WHY things happen?

Is it to fill a gap as to how to live your life morally or the lives of your children?

Or is it something else? Marriage? Convert? etc…

All answers are welcome!!!

Yes