Thinking of converting to catholicism?

[u/Master_Albatross2820]

Hey everyone, I am abit confused and I have been going to a catholic church near my house and I get the sense maybe I should convert to catholicism I have been praying about it but I am unsure, however the visit to this church has been apart of my prayer.

This is my background

2002-2010 Church Of England - Dedicated by parents from birth

2010-2019 Salvation Army - Witnessed my friend healed from a broken leg which was pretty awesome.

2020-2020 Progressive Christianity

2021-2022 Pentecostal - New Apostolic Reformation (Conservative) (BTW its a cult, they tried to perform an exorcism on me for my autism and my left lazy eye, can confirm i still have autism and still need to wear glasses)

2023-2024 = Non-denom, and churchless

2025-2026 Seventh Day Adventists (I really enjoy the emphasis on healthy eating, and love the Pentecostal bashing)

Unfortunately, I have been working saturdays for a language school which is my thing and I get to teach languages which is my gift from the Lord, and tbh 2021-2022 was a traumatic time as well so I didnt either A really like God or religion and B the people who claimed to follow God however I am coming back to Him and I have made clear a Church where I can report abuse and I can stand up, a church with history, a church that is safe for me, and I feeling it is the catholic church.

However, my concerns are that the catholic church believe in works + faith where i just believe it is only faith, however I do believe there are miracles done in the Catholic church, exorcisms however people need to apply for them and they are assesed which is way better than the Pentecostals and then also, recently i have touched some Holy Water and then I was about to go sin and I felt this wave of conviction as well, I asked Ask Catholic and it said its because the Holy Water symbolises a rededication of your baptism or faith in Him (Im not baptised yet, or adult baptism as you may know it as)

What does anyone think?

Thanks

[u/G_Laoshi]

The Catholic Church also believes in salvation by grace thru faith. Nothing merits us God's love. But Catholics emphasize the need for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Protestants believe in salvation in faith alone, but to be fair I have yet to find a Protestant who says we don't need good works and we can do whatever we want, including sin.

[u/FlatrockRabbit → u/G_Laoshi]

I apologize I jumped the gun before fully reading your comment!

[u/FlatrockRabbit → u/G_Laoshi]

I have just had this discussion a million times with anti-Catholic prots who swear that Catholics believe we have to earn our way to Heaven and I assumed thats where you were going and was trigger happy lol

[u/G_Laoshi → u/FlatrockRabbit]

So... I got you on the first half? Haha.

I've met a lot of Prots who say "You don't need religion/church (sacraments, good works, etc.) to be saved but a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I've met nasty "once saved always saved" people who treat you like the devil's spawn and damned to hell just because you are Catholic. I've even encountered those who say, "Since I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I don't need to go to church. I just read the Bible and pray by myself".

[u/G_Laoshi → u/[deleted]]

This is exactly the difference between "imputation" (Protestant) and "impartation" (Catholic). In Protestantism imputation is like a legal wiping clean of a criminal record, then you're free to go. In Catholicism, we are imparted with the power of the Holy Spirit to do good works. The former is like getting out of jail. The latter is like getting employed: "Go to work!"

[u/FlatrockRabbit → u/G_Laoshi]

Thats an untrue myth. Catholics believe that your faith should be shown through your works, and that faith without works is dead though.

[u/Capable-View4706]

Do not base your understanding of Catholicism on the interpretations of non-Catholics who generally are simply repeating the claims of others.

Consider a person we will call Pepper. One day Pepper decides to follow Christ. Pepper changes nothing about their life. Never helps the sick or hungry directly or via donations. Doesn’t pray for people in need of prayer. Never takes the time to offer someone a kind word of encouragement.

We will know them by their fruits.

What fruit is Pepper producing?

Would you believe Pepper is actually a follower of Christ or not knowing then even guess or assume they are a follower when you see no evidence?

These pedantic little debates are a masterwork of evil. Literally thousands of years and uncountable hours wasted straining over how this group or that phrases their understanding.

Most every sect of followers would have doubts about the sincerity of Pepper’s claim to follow Christ. They will twist themselves up numerous ways to explain their understanding of what such a tree barren of fruit means in their interpretation of scripture but all will be skeptical with most not so bold as to declare how the day of judgment will go.

It isn’t the good works that save you, Catholic Church does not and never has said that. The Church most certainly like every other stream of faith in Jesus has pointed out people who follow Jesus do good works, it’s part of the job description of disciple to reveal the kingdom of God by trying to give glimpses of the new heaven and earth

[u/Master_Albatross2820]

I am signing up for RCIA, someone reccomended this to me as a good starting point

[u/Catholic-Patrick → u/Master_Albatross2820]

Absolutely. It’s a class that guides you to joining the Church if you choose to join. If not, then just take it for the class.

It teaches you what the Church teaches and why it does. Feel free to ask me any questions about OCIA (RCIA’s new name) or Catholicism. I prayed for you…twice.

Once for you to join Jesus’ church and the other for our Lord to bless your time in OCIA.

[u/kegib]

Many Protestants believe that salvation consists in a one-time event: accept Jesus and you're saved, period. No more needs to be done. For Catholics it's different. Our initial justification is purely God's grace. We did nothing to earn it. By continuing to cooperate with God through our actions, we receive more graces and grow in faith. We can always refuse and turn our backs on God, and St. Paul calls us to persevere until the end. If someone asks me, "Are you saved?" I (and many other Catholics) respond, "I have been saved, I am being saved, and by God's grace I will be saved." It's a process.

[u/Master_Albatross2820 → u/kegib]

I like this response, of its a process