Considering Catholicism. A question on congregations

Hi Mayim! Welcome to OBOB and ChristianForums.

As I take it, Catholicism has different orders and rites within it. I know of a couple by memory. But does there exist a Catholic order or rite which is similar to Methodism?

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You would be right about the rites (lol). There are 24 self-governing Churches that make up the Catholic Church, and there are probably around two times as many different rites that have developed over the centuries. Rite, in this sense, refers to a way of expressing the Catholic faith in worship, prayer, and other ways.

There is no rite or church in the Catholic Church as a whole that is associated with Methodism. The closest analogue we have are the Ordinariates of the Latin Church. They are made up of former Anglicans and Episcopalians (as well as other Protestants) who have joined the Catholic Church. They worship God and pray according to liturgical books that are informed and influenced by the Book of Common Prayer. They believe everything the Catholic Church believes, but they have kept various traditions that originated in the early English church and Protestantism. It's very cool.

Mainly, adhering to iconoclasm and a lack of veneration towards saints.

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All of the churches in the Catholic Church profess iconodulism (veneration of images) and veneration of the saints. It is part of our beliefs as Catholics since it goes back to the early Church and, we believe, has foundations in the Scriptures.

In private devotions though, we are always free to emphasize certain things or not.

I ask because I am flirting with perhaps converting, but these areas are sticking points.

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I can relate. I am a revert from the Southern Baptist community, and so veneration of saints and images were stumbling blocks for me.

If you are interested in converting, might I suggest that you take some more time to check out why we believe what we believe about veneration of images and saints? You've probably already done a lot of that (good for you!), but there's a lot of riches in Catholic teaching. Personally, one reason why I came to accept the practice was because I saw how there are Biblical foundations and historical reasons why Catholicism does it. These resources would be a great place to get started. Also, I'm sure we'd all be happy to discuss the issues if you would like.

In any case, you are most welcome here! God bless you.

מים said:

As I take it, Catholicism has different orders and rites within it. I know of a couple by memory. But does there exist a Catholic order or rite which is similar to Methodism?

Mainly, adhering to iconoclasm and a lack of veneration towards saints.

I ask because I am flirting with perhaps converting, but these areas are sticking points.

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There are many rites but one creed, many variations in worship but all believing essentially the same thing.. And you would have a certain freedom to emphasize or de-emphasize various things in your own spiritual path. For example, praying the Rosary is optional. For years I didn't partake of it.

You are totally free to not have anything to do with statues or praying to saints. I'm not drawn to either, and just focus on other things.

I may lean towards them when I have fully mastered the Gospel......which of course won't be this side of Heaven. I find for many people they focus on these extra things more than the foundation, and that does not help the Church. But don't think because they do it - you have to.

מים said:

As I take it, Catholicism has different orders and rites within it. I know of a couple by memory. But does there exist a Catholic order or rite which is similar to Methodism?

Mainly, adhering to iconoclasm and a lack of veneration towards saints.

I ask because I am flirting with perhaps converting, but these areas are sticking points.

Click to expand...

You're not obligated to venerate Saints, but if you're considering Catholicism that's a teaching of the Church you'll have to reconcile with before you're confirmed. One cannot be a Catholic and sit in opposition to any of her teachings. The Catholic faith is not a buffet menu that we choose from which items we'd like to consume and leave the rest behind. It's all or nothing in Christ's Church.

As far as rites, there are a plethora. There's the Latin Church, which makes up the majority of Catholicism, and then there are also 23 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches of various rites like Maronite Catholics, Ukrainian Greek Catholics, Melkite Catholics, etc. There's also the Anglican Ordinariate which is made up of former Anglican parishes who decided as a parish to convert together to the Catholic faith and retain their English liturgy (appropriately modified and vetted by the Church so as to fall in line with Catholic theology). Given the similarities between Anglicanism and Methodism, you might say that the Ordinariate would be the closest thing. Though the Ordinariate would most resemble High Church Anglicanism, or in like manner, the Traditional Latin Mass.

If you decide to convert you, like all of us who have converted, would go through the process of RCIA. It's a series of classes taught over a 12-18 month period of time (typically - it can be longer if desired/needed). The first stage is inquiry, and that's where a good RCIA instructor will dispel all the myths, misconceptions, and rumors people believe about Catholicism. Eventually, when the inquirer is ready, he'll advance to the catechumenate which will be more in-depth instruction in the Church's teachings. Everything from the Nicene Creed to the Sacraments to the Saints, and so on. There are a couple of rites along the way culminating in your confirmation (which for a lot of people lands on Easter, but for someone who's already baptized it could be anytime if their priest agrees that they're read).

I would advise taking it one step at a time. If you're curious, contact your local parish and express that curiosity. It may begin as simply as having a conversation with the parish priest or an RCIA instructor to suss out where you're at. Then if you feel like maybe you'd like to proceed, then they would likely invite you join their RCIA group whenever it meets (it might be taking a break during the COVID shut downs though).

I want to add that the reason you have to believe in all the teachings of the Catholic Church if you become Catholic is because it's not simply a church, it's the church. In Matthew 16, Jesus said that he would establish his church with Peter as the leader, and he gave Peter a special authority. He said that this church would never be defeated. "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Peter was the first pope in the Catholic Church, and all popes after him have been his successors. There is actually a church literally built over the tomb of Peter. It's St. Peter's Basilica.

Just as a person cannot become Christian without faith in God and faith that everything Jesus Christ taught is true, a person cannot become Catholic without faith that extends from the words of Jesus Christ regarding his church. If you believe that Jesus Christ established this church and granted special authority and protection to it, as he said in the Scriptures, then you will also believe that everything the Catholic Church teaches is true.

I used to be a Protestant and converted to Catholicism when I learned these things, and learned that all the bad things I'd heard about the Catholic Church, things like veneration being idolatry, were actually not true at all. I highly recommend looking into these things. It's just too important not to.

Great responses here, but I would offer checking the Coming Home Network (The Coming Home Network - Discover Catholicism, Come Home). They have tons of conversion stories and most of them by former clergy in their pre-Catholic life. There are likely folks that have wrestled with similar problems and their stories will explain how they overcome them.