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

[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?

[Cheverus]

Honestly, I think you should read :

The Grunt Padre
The History and Future of the Roman Liturgy
Why Catholis Can’t Sing
The Faithful Departed by Phil Lawlor

The last one is so you can go in eyes open, overall anything by Ignatius Press is good, solid and often edifying.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

So far, NO protestant here has defined his/her denomination, so we can all examine their beliefs in the light of our own.

Respectfully, Judy, you may have not been paying attention when Gamecock and Irish Tenor and ears-to-hear and Alex Murphy and Par35 and I said we were Presbyterian.

And when ForestKeeper and Wmfights and Harleyd D and Blue-Duncan and 1000silverlings and forthedeclaration and Uncle Chip and Manfredthewonderdawg said they were Baptists. And when Old Reggie said he was Unitarian. And when xzins said he was Methodist.

I guess you missed all those posts.

Why anyone would respond to a questionnaire, especially when the protestant cohort is also summoned to the questionnaire, is beyond me.

I'm not sure I understand that remark, but since in the first few sentences of this thread Ultra Sonic 007 made a distinction between his move away from some sort of evangelical roots, it would be pertinent to know what he's actually talking about.

After all, he brought it up.

[Campion]

And is it ever possible for a RC poster NOT to accuse others of "hating the Catholic church" and "spreading lies about it" when we are merely in discussions about various theology points on which we disagree?

Sure.

Telling somebody they believe or do something they don't, in order to discredit them and scandalize others, is not "a discussion about various theology points on which we disagree," is it?

[OLD REGGIE]

"...but as a Catholic, I will continue to “Welcome home” anyone I want to and I guarantee you I won’t have one twitch of conscience."

I believe the Catholic Church is the correct Church for some. A non Catholic Church is correct for others. God is with all of us without regard to affiliation.

Are you prepared to be as accomadating to one who leaves Catholicism for Protestantism?

[Judith Anne]

Thanks. I missed those threads.

[Judith Anne]

My son did. No problem. He is Methodist, as his wife and children also are.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

bringing in material from another thread are considered very bad form on the Religion Forum.

The rules state we are not to carry over arguments from one thread to another.

But if we couldn't make reference to what another person has said from thread to thread, we'd all have to ask each other "what church do you belong to?" over and over again on each new thread.

You said repeatedly that you "bow to only Christ." Therefore, it's a puzzling statement to anyone who knows Catholics regularly bow to Mary and saints.

Are you the only Catholic who does not bow to Mary or saints, or do you bow to Mary and saints and somehow reconcile that with your earlier remark that you "bow to only Christ?"

We can only go by what you tell us.

[OLD REGGIE]

The Rosary... learned at my Grandmother’s knee... carried with me through my entire life.... thank you Memere.

French Canuck? (Not meant in a derogatory manner). :)

[Jaded]

I’d be interested in reading them. Thanks.

[Chode]

Welcome Home... Gods Love.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

But as we've seen, to disagree with Rome is to be accused of "hating Rome."

Telling somebody they believe or do something

Protestants are prefectly aware of what Catholics believe themselves to be doing.

Protestants have every right in the world to compare what Rome is teaching to what God's word says, thereby illustrating how far apart those two things are.

You're free to disagree. And so am I.

[divine_moment_of_facts]

Guess you've never run into any of those hellions, uh, kids whose parents belong to the "we'd never stifle his creativity!" school of child-rearing!

But surely you must have noticed that people's consciences vary widely.

Peoples "behavior" vary widely, not their consciences. We are all born with the same conscience whether we choose to use it or not.

I do accept natural law, but, in general, people's untrained "consciences" are far more sensitive to offenses of others against their own perceived rights than they are to their own offenses against the claims of others.

It's not that their consciences are untrained, it's their emotions that are untrained.

Get it yet? ;)

[wmfights]

And when ForestKeeper and Wmfights and Harleyd D and Blue-Duncan and 1000silverlings and forthedeclaration and Uncle Chip and Manfredthewonderdawg said they were Baptists.

And proud of it! Our wives, moms and grandmas can out cook anybody's pot luck. Of course thats after we run around with rattlesnakes and do all our secret cult activities like praying and worshiping God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

I know we are not so sophisticated that we bow down to statues, people, wine and wafers but we manage.

[Antoninus]

And yet I've never known a Roman Catholic who has not bowed to Mary or to a saint, as you yourself have proudly announced.

My statement was not made proudly. Pride is the characteristic of someone who exalts themselves to the point where they refuse to acknowledge and be humbled by the brilliant examples of sanctity and devotion to Jesus Christ provided by the Blessed Mother, the Apostles and all the other martyrs, saints, blesseds and venerables which the Catholic Church has produced by the thousands and tens of thousands.

If I met Pope Benedict, I would kiss his ring. Not because I worship him. But because I hold him and the office of the papacy in the profoundest respect as Christ's vicar on earth. If that makes your ears burn, then so be it. Learn some humility and you may yet understand.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

secret cult activities like praying and worshiping God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Shhh... (You, too?)

Oh, my.

[wmfights]

Oops!

I let the secret out didn't I. Usually a couple toothless guys holding rattlesnakes at the entrance to the church scares away the lukewarm.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

If that makes your ears burn, then so be it.

The discomfort is more in the stomach region.

Learn some humility and you may yet understand

"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make her boast in the LORD" -- Psalm 34:1-2

---

"Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." -- 1 Corinthians 10:14

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Since Judith Anne has now rescinded her complaint and been shown that we Sola Scriptura Protestants have given out our denomination, perhaps you could answer the question, Ultra Sonic 007. The question was...

Sorry if you've already told us this on the thread, but since your second post was a "Catholic ping," and you said you were previously "part of the 'Sola Scriptua' school of thought (Evangelical Christian)," would you tell us what evangelical church you last attended and belonged to as a member and when that was?

[tiki]

While I know you and the stuff you post, you have obviously overlooked me and my previous posts for the past 9 or so years and you’ll have your answer.

Yeah, I could answer you outright but it is like everything else on these threads, it has been answered numerous times.

[TASMANIANRED]

You can’t teach an old bigot new tricks.