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I'm joining the Catholic Church next month. Advice/Books/Etc.?

Posted on 05/28/2008 6:05:04 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007

Hello fellow Freepers. I believe this is my first post on the Religion forum.

Over the past week or so, I put some thought into something I've been pondering for a while; my spiritual welfare. As it was, I had been part of the 'Sola Scriptua' school of thought (Evangelical Christian). By the Bible and only the Bible. Sounded good enough.

Well...what about before the Bible was put into word? It stuck in my head when reading an article earlier on FR concerning a deconstruction of Sola Scriptura and its inherent weaknesses as a foundation for one's faith.

This, combined with a genuine lack of churchgoing (as a family, we've been uncertain about going to various churches, given that top-down problems with Episcopal/Methodist/etc. churches and their increasing liberalization are a genuine problem for one's spiritual welfare), compelled me to make a decision.

I don't know if my family will follow me, persay, but I'm going to go ahead and take the plunge.

Next month, I'm going to the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle near my home, and I'm joining the Roman Catholic Church.

As is, I have a few volumes of the Magnificat pamphlet and the Catechism of the Catholic Church to read.

Any other pointers from other Catholic Freepers?


TOPICS: Catholic; Evangelical Christian; History; Ministry/Outreach
KEYWORDS: catholic; convert; religion; tiberswimteam
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To: Dr. Eckleburg; Ultra Sonic 007
If you are being called to...

*venerate Mary as "co-redeemer"
You should first understand that "venerate" DOES NOT mean "worship" and that "co-redeemer" DOES NOT mean "equal to the Redeemer."

*consider your priest as "another Christ"
This has NEVER been taught.

*pray to dead people rather than Jesus Christ, the "one mediator between God and men"
Again, this has NEVER been taught.

*say a man in Rome in "infallible" in religious matters (recall JPII kissing the Koran)
Again, this has NEVER been taught.

*believe that vain and changeable tradition is equal to and even superior to God's holy word...

Not even sure what this nonsense refers to, but it probably has something to do with a 16th Century invention.

261 posted on 05/29/2008 8:39:06 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: Gamecock

Did you ask the standowner if he was Muslim? They sell lots of icons to the Greeks who also visit Mary’s house.

Pretty pictures. Hope you picked one up.


262 posted on 05/29/2008 8:43:01 AM PDT by OpusatFR (Will hijack threads for cheese.)
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To: divine_moment_of_facts
That's really interesting. I'm assuming you're basing it on Romans 1:19 and similar thoughts?

I would disagree (surprise surprise) I think that without much training most of us learn that obeying our parents and keeping our promises is good. But when a promise and our duty to our parents conflict, then I think we are right to seek advice. So I'm certainly in the informed and educated school of thought.

263 posted on 05/29/2008 8:44:12 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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To: wagglebee

Wagglebee, why bother? Some protestants only want to reprise old arguments, drag the same old stuff from thread to thread, get attention, and twist the Catechism.

I don’t think our young poster has any problem with what he wants to do.

Others can make up their own minds, based on what is posted on these threads by the various groups.

I am sure the differences will be *quite* clear.


264 posted on 05/29/2008 8:47:04 AM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: Dr. Eckleburg

“If you are being called to...

*venerate Mary as “co-redeemer”

Prove it. Find the Dogma.

I don’t have venerate anyone. I am called to Adore God.

As I said, Prove it. Where is the Dogma?

You keep posting these calumnies that will be accounted for one day.


265 posted on 05/29/2008 8:47:05 AM PDT by OpusatFR (Will hijack threads for cheese.)
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To: XeniaSt
Membership in any man-made religion, will not bring you salvation for your sins !

I was not aware anyone claimed this.

Only a personal relationship with the YHvH, the creator of the universe, will provide you with the means to ask Yah'shua for His Salvation for your sins.

The Catholic Church is a great place to do this.

The only place to begin a personal relationship with the creator of the universe, the Jewish Messiah, is in His Holy Word.

Not scriptural.

266 posted on 05/29/2008 8:51:05 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: wagglebee

My pastor refused to baptize my son because he hadn’t seen any checks with my name on them in the collection basket.


267 posted on 05/29/2008 8:53:30 AM PDT by Hatteras
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To: OpusatFR

Jesus Christ Himself is reading this thread.

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Of course, there are always the “neighbors from hell.” :D


268 posted on 05/29/2008 8:54:51 AM PDT by Judith Anne
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To: Dr. Eckleburg
*venerate Mary as "co-redeemer"

Not currently Catholic doctrine.

*consider your priest as "another Christ"

This does not mean what it is being contorted to mean...it does not mean each priest is some kind of fresh Messiah.

*pray to dead people rather than Jesus Christ, the "one mediator between God and men"

They are not dead.

*say a man in Rome in "infallible" in religious matters (recall JPII kissing the Koran)

Infallibility applies when it is invoked. JPII kissing the Koran, if that is what it was, was not an ex cathedra declaration of a doctrine of faith.

*believe that vain and changeable tradition is equal to and even superior to God's holy word...

Catholicism does not teach that.

269 posted on 05/29/2008 8:56:44 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Judith Anne
We even have to love and pray for the neighbors from hell.

Even the tax collectors love their nice neighbors~ Matthew 5:46

< g >

270 posted on 05/29/2008 8:57:21 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: wagglebee

The most vicious anti-Catholic fetishists repeat the same lies about Catholicism over and over no matter how often they are corrected.


271 posted on 05/29/2008 8:58:12 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: OpusatFR

I would have bought one (for the right price) and removed that tacky jee jaw from the bottom.


272 posted on 05/29/2008 8:59:09 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Hatteras
My pastor refused to baptize my son because he hadn’t seen any checks with my name on them in the collection basket.

A protestant preacher once threw his snake at me because my MasterCard pin number wasn't working.

273 posted on 05/29/2008 9:00:45 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Judith Anne
Jesus Christ Himself is reading this thread.

Does this mean I have to stop making silly attempts at jokes?

274 posted on 05/29/2008 9:00:56 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.)
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To: Ultra Sonic 007
What about Catholic periodicals and magazines like Catholic Digest ? Are you interested in those, or just books? For books, someone waaaay upthread mentioned My way of Life : the Summa Simplified by Farrell & Healy; that and This is the Faith by Canon Francis Ripley and The Faith Explained by Leo Trese in addition to the oft mentioned Catechism are all recommended. Also, be sure to check out TAN books; they have new writers like Joan Carroll Cruz and Scott Hahn, but they also offer many classics (St Teresa de Avila, St Francis de Sales, St John of the Cross, Catherine Anne Emmerich, Venerable Mary de Agreda etc.) You can download and/or print off their 40 page catalog at their site.
275 posted on 05/29/2008 9:02:21 AM PDT by Verloona Ti (We must stick together against the foe who wants to kill , forcibly convert, or dhimmify us all.)
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To: Judith Anne

You have to see the misery beneath the ugliness and then love the heck out of ‘em.

I also see the fear in them sometimes. “What if I’m not right..?” That’s the unspoken unthought fear that grips them. There’s an obsessiveness underneath that compels me to pity.


276 posted on 05/29/2008 9:03:19 AM PDT by OpusatFR (Will hijack threads for cheese - brie or better. No Borden's please.)
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To: Theo
The arrogance is just tiring.

Various members of the Jewish community think the same of Christianity in general. Should we stop preaching Christ, the Messiah?

277 posted on 05/29/2008 9:03:42 AM PDT by Rutles4Ever (Ubi Petrus, ibi ecclesia, et ubi ecclesia vita eterna!)
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To: Mad Dawg
Does this mean I have to stop making silly attempts at jokes?

I know I'm banking my hopes that "Suffer the little children to come unto me" will also be read "Suffer the little childish ones to come unto me."

Otherwise I'm going to have to bolt one of those "ELECT" vanity plates to my car and turn Calvinist.

278 posted on 05/29/2008 9:04:08 AM PDT by Petronski (Scripture & Tradition must be accepted & honored w/equal sentiments of devotion & reverence. CCC 82)
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To: Hatteras; Judith Anne; Petronski; narses; Mad Dawg; dangus; Coleus; NYer
My pastor refused to baptize my son because he hadn’t seen any checks with my name on them in the collection basket.

This may be true of Protestant pastors, but not Catholic.

If you are claiming that this happened in a Catholic church, I suspect that he was joking. Unlike many Protestant churches, the Catholic Church is not in the habit of having a yearly fundraising service where congregants are encouraged to pledge a sum of money.

I AM NOT saying that you are lying, but I DO NOT believe what you are saying. And I certainly DO NOT consider your claim to be "proof" that the Church places any emphasis on the monetary gifts of Catholics.

279 posted on 05/29/2008 9:04:20 AM PDT by wagglebee ("A political party cannot be all things to all people." -- Ronald Reagan, 3/1/75)
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To: Petronski

“...removed that tacky jee jaw from the bottom.”

I liked it. Of course, I’m pretty tacky myself.


280 posted on 05/29/2008 9:05:11 AM PDT by OpusatFR (Will hijack threads for cheese - brie or better. No Borden's please.)
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