I've Been Having Doubts

[Ave Maria]

Hi everyone. I have been having doubts about the Catholic Church. I have even been considering the possibility of the Episcopalian Church. I need some advice and prayers. Please give me some advice and pray for me.

 

[Dream]

What specifically are your doubts?

 

[metherion]

what doubts have you been having?

Metherion

 

[Michie]

Prayers for you.

My advise as a convert.

I think we all go through periods of doubt & questioning.

But if you feel God has led you there & you are there so to me, that is a pretty big indication, then you need to follow through.

If you are looking for a demomination that fits, feels convenient, then that is a big red flag.

Our faith is not based on feelings & how a Church makes us feel. It's based on a decision to follow Jesus under the guidance of the Church.

You need to get into reading more about the Faith. Stop looking over the other side of the fence.

If you are looking for greener grass, you will not find it.

Finally, if you suffer from depression, etc. You must take that into account with the highs & lows.

I can't convince you.

That is something God does within the heart.

But do use commonsense & weigh all these things out & take them into account.

You could lay out black & white truth as to why you should be a Catholic Christian but it would not suffice.

It really is something that is a grace bestowed by God. But you must cooperate with that grace.

Prayers for you.

 

[Ave Maria]

What specifically are your doubts?

what doubts have you been having?

Metherion

I'm not really having any doubts in particular about the Catholic Church. I guess you could say that I have been looking at the Episcopal Church and wondering why I can't go there. Could you all possibly give me some advantages that the Catholic Church has over the Episcopal Church? I know that the Episcopal Church is much more liberal and that is one reason why I am choosing to stay Catholic. I honestly don't see myself leaving the Catholic Church. I just kind of have questions.

 

[Dream]

I'm not really having any doubts in particular about the Catholic Church. I guess you could say that I have been looking at the Episcopal Church and wondering why I can't go there. Could you all possibly give me some advantages that the Catholic Church has over the Episcopal Church? I know that the Episcopal Church is much more liberal and that is one reason why I am choosing to stay Catholic. I honestly don't see myself leaving the Catholic Church. I just kind of have questions.

Well, if you believe the Catholic Church contains the fullness of Truth, why look any further?

 

[NDIrish]

I'm not really having any doubts in particular about the Catholic Church. I guess you could say that I have been looking at the Episcopal Church and wondering why I can't go there.

The answer is very simple; because God doesn't want you there. Read and pray on 1 Corinthians 1:10. Do you see this command obeyed in the Episcopal Church (or any Protestant church, for that matter)?

 

[Ave Maria]

Well, if you believe the Catholic Church contains the fullness of Truth, why look any further?

Very good point. And I do believe that the Catholic Church contains the fullness of Truth. But is it possible that any other church contains the fullness of Truth as well?

 

[QuantaCura]

Could you all possibly give me some advantages that the Catholic Church has over the Episcopal Church?

just to name a few (and not to disrespect all those who are members of that community in good faith):

The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

The fact that the Catholic Church is built on the rock and therefore is not tossed about by every wave of doctrine.

The Episcopalian Church didn't exist until King Henry wanted a divorce, creating the Anglican Church, then the colonies in America won their independence from England and the Anglicans there didn't want to be bound to the Church of England anymore.

 

[Ave Maria]

The answer is very simple; because God doesn't want you there. Read and pray on 1 Corinthians 1:10. Do you see this command obeyed in the Episcopal Church (or any Protestant church, for that matter)?

Wow. You are right. There are divisions in the Episcopal Church and indeed in the Protestant Church as well. I never really realized this about the Episcopal Church though.

I do have a question though. There is this one Bible verse that Protestants use to condemn praying to the saints. I know of Bible verses that support praying to the saints and believe that praying to the saints is perfectly Biblical but this one verse really confuses me. Could you please explain it?

1 Timothy 2:5 DRB For there is one God: and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus:

 

[QuantaCura]

Very good point. And I do believe that the Catholic Church contains the fullness of Truth. But is it possible that any other church contains the fullness of Truth as well?

No, if they believed the exact same things as Catholics, they'd be Catholic

Also, two contradictory things cannot both be true.

 

[Ave Maria]

just to name a few (and not to disrespect all those who are members of that community in good faith):

The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

The fact that the Catholic Church is built on the rock and therefore is not tossed about by every wave of doctrine.

The Episcopalian Church didn't exist until King Henry wanted a divorce, creating the Anglican Church, then the colonies in America won their independence from England and the Anglicans there didn't want to be bound to the Church of England anymore.

Yeah the fact that the Anglican Church was founded by King Henry wanting a divorce kind of keeps me away from the Episcopal Church/Anglican Church as well.

But the Anglicans do believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The question is, do they actually have the power to transubstantiate the Eucharist?

 

[Ave Maria]

No, if they believed the exact same things as Catholics, they'd be Catholic

Also, two contradictory things cannot both be true.

Hmmm, you are right there. I am loving this thread. It is really strengthening my faith in the Catholic Church. Thanks guys!

 

[BAFRIEND]

Hi everyone. I have been having doubts about the Catholic Church. I have even been considering the possibility of the Catholic Church. I need some advice and prayers. Please give me some advice and pray for me.

You keep doing this, right?

 

[QuantaCura]

But the Anglicans do believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

Some do and some don't. There isn't a unifed teaching on this. My brother is an episcopalian (who has begun to grow in interest in Catholicism) and his church believes it is symbolic.

In a similar situation, one of the things that led my girlfriend out of the UCC is that they have no binding creed--their "beliefs" were all pretty much optional.

 

[Ave Maria]

You keep doing this, right?

Please don't be angry with me. At least I am coming here to get my doubts addressed. My faith in the Catholic Church is being strengthened by this thread. I apologize for leaving in the past. I sincerely do apologize.

 

[Ave Maria]

Some do and some don't. There isn't a unifed teaching on this. My brother is an episcopalian (who has begun to grow in interest in Catholicism) and his church believes it is symbolic.

In a similar situation, one of the things that led my girlfriend out of the UCC is that they have no binding creed--their "beliefs" were all pretty much optional.

Wow I didn't know that. I thought the Episcopalians/Anglicans belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was pretty much universal.

 

[QuantaCura]

Wow I didn't know that. I thought the Episcopalians/Anglicans belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was pretty much universal.

Here's a good article:

In Search of Eucharistic Theology in the Episcopal Church (This Rock: June 1999)

 

[Ave Maria]

Wow. You are right. There are divisions in the Episcopal Church and indeed in the Protestant Church as well. I never really realized this about the Episcopal Church though.

I do have a question though. There is this one Bible verse that Protestants use to condemn praying to the saints. I know of Bible verses that support praying to the saints and believe that praying to the saints is perfectly Biblical but this one verse really confuses me. Could you please explain it?

1 Timothy 2:5 DRB For there is one God: and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus:

Can someone please explain this Bible verse to me?

 

[Ave Maria]

Here's a good article:

In Search of Eucharistic Theology in the Episcopal Church (This Rock: June 1999)

Thank you.