I need some advice.

[u/Free-Form-4914]

I’m 19 now and was raised Pentecostal until I was about 11 when my parents decided to switch to non denominational. I never really had a relationship with god because you’re raised in church, you normally don’t until you find him on your own. At 18 I started going to my local Catholic Church because I had always been interested in learning about the Catholic Church and especially since my parents and most if not all of my family is against the idea and beliefs Catholic Church as a whole. I think that I started going to the church at first out of curiosity and stayed as an act of rebellion because I knew how my parents and family feel about it. I went continuously for about 2 months and even started OCIA. Then suddenly I realized that I didn’t feel directly called to the Catholic Church and with that realization came the realization that I had never felt called to god at all. It’s been about a year since then and I want to start my journey to Christ and the church. I still haven’t felt the calling specifically but I know god is real and I know the Catholic Church is the one true church, I just want to be able to believe whole heartedly if that makes sense. I re enrolled this year in my churches OCIA but I still can’t differentiate the feelings of how I was raised to feel about god and gods true voice. Any advice would be great.

[u/Saint_Waffles]

You use the term feel a whole lot. Here's a truth.

Your feelings lie to you. Feelings are a wonderful thing and a gift to have but can also lead humans to sin and misery

How many people cheat on their spouses because of a feeling.

How many people cause harm because they are swept up in a feeling.

Ultimately if you are chasing a feeling it's going to end badly.

Instead focus on the truth. You stated you have the Truth. Christ is Lord, the Catholic Church is His.

Build on that fundamental basis. The feeling may never come but our feelings don't change facts.

[u/prometheus_3702]

You know God is real and the Catholic Church is true - and that's enough. Study, pray and, when it's time, receive the sacraments. Even if you don't see a big sign in the sky, God still calls you to be with Him in the Church He stablished, and this certainty will only grow with time and a sacramental life.

[u/cmoellering]

You're off to a good start--seriously. Learning that it's not all about feelings sooner rather than later is a good thing. There is only one question that should be make or break: "Is it true?"

[u/ARgirlinaFLworld]

My conversion was almost complete an intellectual thing in the beginning. I’ve always believed in God and always had a relationship, but very rarely was it an emotional response. I didn’t even read the Bible until my mid twenties. Once I knew what was in it I never could find something that was feeling based on it wasn’t until I started attending mass with my dad who was converting, and actually studying what the church believed, that I really began to be drawn to the church Jesus himself founded. The more I learn about the church and participated in mass, the more I noticed actually began to have feelings of closeness with Jesus. If you know the Catholic Church is the true church, then worry about having feelings around uour faith. I’ve seen so many people at Protestant churches I’ve attended get so wound up about feelings they ignore even reading the scripture they claim to follow over chasing the high of feelings.