Wisdom - for protestants

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athalia said:
The CHnetwork has been so helpful! I am really looking forward to RCIA and I’ve bought the book already.

Is it common for RCIA’s to feel angry? I am so angry with my protestant teachers - I feel like I’ve been deceived and kept in the dark. Being angry is not really good - and I can’t muster up any gracec for them so I’ve kept my distance. But I am so cranky.
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I’ve recently broken ties with my Lutheran former church as well. Mainly for me it’s just so awkward and difficult to tell everyone there my lengthy story of how today I find myself at the doorstep of the Catholic church. Maybe someday it will be easier. If you listen to Marcus Grodi and his guests very much (and most other converts to Catholicism as well) you’ll hear them give the proper credit to the Protestant teachers of their pasts. Most of those teachers mean well and are trying to serve God even though they are lacking the entire truth about the Christian faith that is only found in the Catholic Church. Pray for them and appreciate the lessons they taught you from Scripture.
 
betsybug354 said:
I’ve recently broken ties with my Lutheran former church as well. Mainly for me it’s just so awkward and difficult to tell everyone there my lengthy story of how today I find myself at the doorstep of the Catholic church. Maybe someday it will be easier. If you listen to Marcus Grodi and his guests very much (and most other converts to Catholicism as well) you’ll hear them give the proper credit to the Protestant teachers of their pasts. Most of those teachers mean well and are trying to serve God even though they are lacking the entire truth about the Christian faith that is only found in the Catholic Church. Pray for them and appreciate the lessons they taught you from Scripture.
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It’s a lack of grace on my behalf and I acknowledge that. I no longer attend any church - waiting for RCIA to start.

Can I ask a quick question - and what point in time do I begin to sit under the priest (in terms of authority). Is it at the start of RCIA, the end, or after baptism?
 
athalia said:
The CHnetwork has been so helpful! I am really looking forward to RCIA and I’ve bought the book already.

Is it common for RCIA’s to feel angry? I am so angry with my protestant teachers - I feel like I’ve been deceived and kept in the dark. Being angry is not really good - and I can’t muster up any gracec for them so I’ve kept my distance. But I am so cranky.
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Anger is an understandable reaction. Anger is a passion that, properly used, opposes evil (CCC 1765), but can also be a vice that leads to other sins (CCC 1866). Those who taught you are not evil - they are simply wrong. Do not hold them accountable as much as those who taught them. These days, no one seems to take James 3:1 seriously.

The proper response to anger is to humble yourself in prayer on their behalf. Contemplate the potential danger their souls are in and the poverty of their spirits from the lack of the full truth. They need prayer badly. You will feel your anger melting away as you pray for them. I heartily suggest that you pray for them in the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. No better place on earth to be.

Welcome home, and may Christ’s peace be with you.
 
athalia said:
It’s a lack of grace on my behalf and I acknowledge that. I no longer attend any church - waiting for RCIA to start.

Can I ask a quick question - and what point in time do I begin to sit under the priest (in terms of authority). Is it at the start of RCIA, the end, or after baptism?
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You must have been baptized as a Baptist, right? If so, the Catholic Church recognizes and honors that Christian baptism. If not, then I would suggest that you place yourself in obedience to the priest as you would under pastor at your former communion. Father is there to teach, but much more importantly, he has the authority of Christ to forgive your sins and to feed you the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus. Amazing.
 
po18guy said:
Anger is an understandable reaction. Anger is a passion that, properly used, opposes evil (CCC 1765), but can also be a vice that leads to other sins (CCC 1866). Those who taught you are not evil - they are simply wrong. Do not hold them accountable as much as those who taught them. These days, no one seems to take James 3:1 seriously.

The proper response to anger is to humble yourself in prayer on their behalf. Contemplate the potential danger their souls are in and the poverty of their spirits from the lack of the full truth. They need prayer badly. You will feel your anger melting away as you pray for them. I heartily suggest that you pray for them in the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. No better place on earth to be.

Welcome home, and may Christ’s peace be with you.
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What is the blessed sacrament?
po18guy said:
You must have been baptized as a Baptist, right? If so, the Catholic Church recognizes and honors that Christian baptism. If not, then I would suggest that you place yourself in obedience to the priest as you would under pastor at your former communion. Father is there to teach, but much more importantly, he has the authority of Christ to forgive your sins and to feed you the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus. Amazing.
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Yes - I was baptised. Not by a pastor - just by a friend in the local creek. Full immersion - just once though, and in the name of Jesus.

If I understand correctly, this means that I can voluntarily submit to the authority of the priest from day 1 - is that right?

Thanks again!

Blessings
 
And sorry - one more question 😊.

I set my religion to other - mostly out of respect for the other catholics. I don’t know when I am allowed to claim that I am RCC? Is it when I finish RCIA? What do I call myself in the mean time?
 
athalia said:
What is the blessed sacrament?
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The Blessed Sacrament is the consecrated bread which has become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. As it is His true presence, it is the source and summit of the Christian faith. Now, it takes great faith to believe in your heart that what appears to be bread is actually the true presence of our Lord. But, that is precisely what it is - the best-kept secret in all of Christianity. You may have heard of something called “adoration” or “holy hour.” What that is, is a devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Blessed Sacrament. A consecrated host is placed in a fixture called a monstrance and placed on the altar for our devotion. Monstrance? That sounds weird, huh? But, do not think of monster, but of deMONSTRAte, as that is its origin - to demonstrate. The greatest Catholics of all time, to include all of the recent popes, have had a great devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, spending an hour per day in His presence, praying and listening, but not with their ears. With their hearts.

I can tell you from personal experience that miracles happen there. If your heart is open and willing, you will experience an intense, overshadowing and permeating presence of the Holy Spirit that will take your breath away. Powerful. Life changing.
athalia said:
Yes - I was baptised. Not by a pastor - just by a friend in the local creek. Full immersion - just once though, and in the name of Jesus.
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No written record of that, and it does not appear to follow the trinitarian formula which Christ specified in Matthew 28:19. So, you will likely need to be properly baptized at the Easter vigil mass. This is something to discuss with Father.
athalia said:
If I understand correctly, this means that I can voluntarily submit to the authority of the priest from day 1 - is that right? Thanks again!

Blessings
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Discipleship is a process. It begins with an act of the human will and proceeds from there. Since your local priest is your spiritual father, you may indeed choose to follow him, to listen to him, to subject yourself to his spiritual advice and teaching. That is what being a disciple is all about.

You are entering into an undiluted, unadulterated Christian faith. If you believe in miracles, you will see miracles. There is no limit to your spirituality in the Catholic faith. As you go through the RCIA process, get a book on the Saints and read a bit into their lives. Most impressive and inspiring. There is zero reason that you cannot be listed among them one day.
 
athalia said:
And sorry - one more question 😊.

I set my religion to other - mostly out of respect for the other catholics. I don’t know when I am allowed to claim that I am RCC? Is it when I finish RCIA? What do I call myself in the mean time?
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Well, this is Catholic Answers after all! Why not list your faith as “RCIA” as many others do? That gives us an accurate sense of your faith journey.
 
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