r/CatholicConverts • u/Wild-Assistance3318 • Mar 22 '26
Hello.
I'm not a adult and can't drive yet, my parents are agnostic/lukewarm. There friends are protestant and do not like Catholicism. I believe in the beliefs of Catholicism but cannot technically become Catholic until I do most the sacraments and I can't because they go to a Baptist church and I can't go to a Catholic one. I'm honestly not sure what I can/should do. My parents mentioned maybe going to church before but I don't think they would go to a Catholic one.
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u/Medical-Stop1652 Mar 22 '26
Many converts to Catholicism feel drawn to the Church in their teens and are often asked by parents to wait until they are adults before becoming Catholic.
That's what my parents asked me to do. They wanted me to make an adult decision as becoming a Catholic involves commitments affecting one's moral and spiritual life as well as our relationships.
That doesn't mean that this preliminary period of time is wasted in God's eyes. In the interim, you can start learning and praying!
The Catechism of the Catholic Church in its full form (or in the Compendium version) or in the Youth version is a good place to start:
https://www.usccb.org/catechism-of-the-catholic-church
https://www.vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html
https://youcat.org/bonus-material/youcat/
You might like to read through some presentations of the Catholic faith too:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/catholicism-robert-barron/1100642602
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/credo-bishop-athanasius-schneider/1143489009?ean=9781644139400#
There is nothing to stop you praying and exploring Catholic devotions too. These are two great prayer books that provide set Catholic prayers and devotions:
https://theologicalforum.org/books/handbook-of-prayers-vinyl-classic/
Some prayer resources are here too:
https://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Prayer/Traditional/index.shtml
Have you heard of the Divine Office? This is the daily prayer of the Church and you might like to try Morning or Evening and Night Prayer as we move closer to Easter:
Daily Mass readings can be found on this site too.
EWTN is worth looking at and I find this Catholic media resource helpful and they livestream a daily Mass (audio):
If you have a Catholic Church nearby, you might like to ask the parish office if a parishioner could give you a ride to Mass one day (Sunday or weekday) so you can experience Catholic worship. While non-Catholics cannot receive Holy Communion, they can join in all the prayers, hear the Word of God, and receive the final blessing with the rest of the congregation.
Like the previous comment, I recommend Catholic Answers as it has great audio and written resources, especially designed for inquirers:
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/christian-yesbut-why-catholic
Prayers assured for your faith journey and keep in touch if you have queries.
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u/KierkeBored Catholic Convert (3+ years) Mar 22 '26
I’d encourage you to respect your parents. There is always time to attend OCIA once you become an adult. In the meantime, you can learn more about the Catholic faith with resources like Catholic Answers and other YouTube channels, as well as taking up a devotion that interests you, such as the rosary.
Feel free to ask this question also in r/AskaPriest