Can anyone offer me some advice?

[bliz]

By all means, go and visit the Catholic church and chat with the priest.

You might also want to visit an Orthodox church...

...and a couple of Protestant churches, Lutheran and Episcopalian, in particular.

I'd be very surprised if you don't find a home somewhere in this group. Even if the first church is a good fit, take the time to visit others anyway. Then you will really be sure you have found your church home.

God bless you on your journey.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Bliz, not to sound hard or even difficult, but sometimes learning about Catholicism is so indepth and difficult enough - that seeking out answers to all those others you listed would become overwhelming if not confusing which would probably only make the journey daunting.

I am sure it is best to discover the ancient Church [in depth] and all she offers the soul by the graces of her sacraments....while experiencing the shepherd's lead of the Pope, whom is the successor of the Apostle who was choosen to be the shepherd of the Church. [Peter - do you love Me? Feed My sheep]

Minty - best wishes.
If you have questions of a specific nature - just ask.

 

[Catholic Wife]

I am so confused right now

I'm new to Christianity as a whole (11th March, to be exact), but I find myself drawn, incredibly drawn, towards Catholicism lately. There is just...something... that has drawn my attention. I love the idea of the rosary, the veneration of the Virgin Mary and the other Saints, the idea of confession. I have never even set foot inside a Catholic Church in my life, but I have a great desire to go to one (I know that I can't take communion, but I'm not too bothered at the moment, I just feel that I need to be there).

My family would never understand this...they accept me being a Christian, even though they are not...but I myself have said in the past and recently, so many things against Catholicism in general that this sudden need to embrace all things Catholic would baffle them (as it is baffling me, to be honest).

I could have written a very similar post 20 years ago. I come from a non-religious family didn't understand my becoming a Christian, and the REALLY didn't understand why I became Catholic. They aren't anti-Catholic or anti-Christian, but they still don't understand the "need" I had/have for "religion". The first time I went to Mass, I knew I was "home". But for years before that, I was drawn to Catholicism for reasons I didn't understand. My advice is to go, learn, pray and open your heart to God's calling - no matter where it leads you.

how do I reconcile the things that I believe in now with the things that I would need to believe in in order for this change to be.

There were things I didn't understand completely when I first converted - especially the "specialness" of Mary. I didn't completely "believe" some teachings; but I accepted that the Church fathers are smarter and more learned than I am, accepted their authority and kept praying for understanding. Some things took more than 10 years for me to understand and fully "believe". As ProScribe said:

Conversion is a process that takes many years. So basically, you could spend the rest of your life learning about Catholicism or Orthodoxy.

I totally agree with this! It is sooooo true!

 

[D'Ann]

Minty

There has been so much good advice here. I especially agree with Anglian.

Take it a step at a time... with prayer. You are a blessing.

God's Peace

 

[Anglian]

Dear Minty,

I hope that the advice offered is not too overwhelming. It boils down to two things: try it and see; and know that God loves you, and that Christ died and rose again for you.

We are, each of us, children of God. He reaches out to us where we are, and sometimes we do not understand why He reaches us in one place and calls us to Him there; well, we see now as through a glass darkly, one day it will be different.

All we can do is to follow when He calls. There is not, I suspect, one of us who does not hold our Church dear, but that is because it is where we encounter the Risen Christ. I am not a Catholic, but I find that that Church makes a great witness in the world to the Faith, and I also find the hostility encountered by Catholics from other Christians sad - as I find all dissension between the children of God sad.

You go as you are guided. What matters is that when you hear His call, you drop everything and you follow Him.

May He bless you and keep you, may He make His face to shine upon you, and may you know His love and peace,

Anglian