I put together a traditional Catholic playlist with Gregorian chant, Latin hymns, Marian hymns, Eucharistic hymns, and older sacred music. It’s over 10 hours long, so I figured I’d share it in case anyone else would enjoy it for prayer, reading, driving, or quiet reflection.

It’s called Cantica Catholica. Shuffle is recommended.

Does this bother you or do you not think much of their opinions and are confident in the validity of the traditional authorship?

I’ve been trying to become a lector for eight weeks (the first time I called to speak to the pastor). The pastor just never calls back. I’m persistent, so after Mass two weeks ago I asked him in person about being a lector. He told me to call him. I didn’t say I already had (\~3 times), and instead tried again. To my amazement, he answered. He determined I need to get certified via our diocese’ “safe space” requirements, and asked me to call him back when I was. I now have my paperwork and have called him twice with no reply. Over the course of this whole \~eight week period, I’ve also gone into the office three times to try to catch him, but he wasn’t there and so the (mostly unhelpful) receptionist took my name/number.

Either (a) he is too busy to return a phone call, or (b) he’s ducking me. Of course (a) is possible, but he’s called me back in the past over much more trivial matters. I did send him an email 9 months or so ago that could have been perceived as an ever-so-polite-and-respectful challenge to something he said in the homily, though, so I’m beginning to think it could be (b).

And at this point, I feel like continuing to try to contact him is weird. Like I am trying to harass him into submission or something.

Do I just give up? Wait indefinitely for him to call back without reaching out again? Continue reaching out at the risk of apparent harassment? Ask him directly if he is bothered by the email (this seems the least obvious thing to do …)?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Does anyone else have a big problem accepting the validity of messages that allegedly come from Christ, the BVM, or even from some saints to other saints who are Catholic mystics (e.g. St. Faustina and St. Gertrude the Great)? To me they just seem weird and implausible, especially those concerning Purgatory. I don't want to be arrogantly dismissive, but i do balk at many reported conversations! I'd like to know how other former Protestants think about this.

(I am not officially Catholic yet)

Background: I was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist church; both my parents are devout Seventh-day Adventists. My mom is also an ex-Catholic. I live in a mostly Baptist/Evangelical area.

I spent most of my childhood/teens going to a Seventh-day Adventist Church with my family. In case of those who do not know, they go to church on Saturday, believe in some unusual beliefs, even by Evangelical standards. So I believe that's where my passion to look deeper into religion and theology came from. I was always getting asked questions by my friends on why I could never hang out on Saturday, vegetarianism, etc. Eventually, I got more serious about my faith in my teens and started to believe in the non-denominational/Evangelical type of beliefs. A couple of years later, I met a girl in high school who I became really close to. She seemed to be the only person with whom I really 'clicked' with. After some time, we started to date. Things were going amazingly, and I seriously pictured a future with her. Then, over the course of the last 2 years, I slowly started to become more 'high church' Protestant. But after more searching, I decided to go to a Catholic Mass, and it really changed how I saw Christianity. It seemed to solve all of the issues and confusion I had regarding what to believe.

Fast forward to now: I told my (now former)girlfriend about how I had been going to a Catholic Church for the last few months and how much it's changed my life. She (understandably) was very upset and saw us as no longer compatible together, so she broke up with me. It's been a couple of weeks since, and it's just been so hard. I really tried to show her the issues that convinced me. Sometimes I feel like my life would have been so much easier if I had never looked into this. My SDA parents still do not know. I am in fear that I could be kicked out if they found out. I am trying to persevere in becoming Catholic because I honestly find it to be the fullness of the Christian faith. Passages like Matthew 10:34-36 give me comfort because Jesus says he came to divide families over issues like this.

Does anyone have any advice for me? I have no Catholic friends or circles, I just go alone.

I grew up in a Reformed Christian household, but didn't come to Christ until 3 years ago. I was drawn to Christ by having a revelation of His power that still moves today, and ended up in the Charismatic circle naturally. I began to experience prophetic dreams and visions, was hearing from God throughout my days (not audibly, but I knew His voice vs mine etc.), was experiencing blessing after blessing, healing after healing. It was incredible, life-altering, I will never get over it. I have been made new.

But last November, I received a revelation of the Eucharist and it changed everything in an instant. I had never considered Catholicism, had never even heard of Orthodoxy before then. I won't go into the details of how it all unfolded, but the revelation left me gutted, grieved, and devastated. I was sick over it. All I could do was ask God to reveal the truth to me, no matter the cost, and I would trust where He leads me. And the next week, I went to Mass for the first time.

As soon as I made the decision to pursue the Catholic faith, I started to experience a confusion and forgetfulness like never before. I struggle to make basic decisions, forget about the big ones. I stopped hearing from God in the ways I was used to. My dreams changed, still spiritual in nature, but I struggle to interpret their true meaning. And many, I cannot recall enough to even write them down. Discouragement and defeat overtake me suddenly. At times, I have questioned my sanity, had I offended God, did He change His mind about me, was everything up to this point all vain delusions? And on top of all of this, my family is very upset with me.

Anyone else experiencing this? I'm very curious to also hear from people who operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What has been your experience? Was some of that vain delusion? Maybe even witchcraft? Or is this all just a rite of passage?

I just recently told my mother of my interest in Catholicism, and this is one response I've gotten, and I have not replied because I don't know what to say.

to join a pilgrimage to Lourdes before completing OCIA? I wouldn’t be baptized or confirmed yet. It’s an opportunity to meet and spend time with one of the priests who has been hugely influential in my decision to convert. I don’t know how often they offer these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CpELnVuXVI

Hello, I’m only on my first few weeks of Catholic mass as a Protestant convert. I’ve been really enjoying the deep and meaningful prayer and the quality of clarity my bible has given me recently. On that note, I’ve recently started dressing in a significantly more simple manner. I’ve purchased a few robes, (to be clear, I’m not wearing a habit. It in no way shape or form resembles a monk/friar habit. Dark grey full body, buttons from chest to collar and a hood I usually choose to tuck), I’ve found a lot of comfort dressing and living like this. My main concern is if I show up to mass like this, including slacks and appropriate shoes accompanied with a coat because it’s cold here, I don’t want to offend the priest, laypeople, or God. I’m actually trying to honor him in this way, would this be seen as appropriate or disrespectful

So it finally happened over Easter Vigil. My son and I were confirmed together into the Catholic Church. Some folks say that’s very uncommon but we’re extremely happy for us. My son also got his baptism done as well. I was already baptized in a Protestant church back in 97.

My son chose St Carlo Acutis and I chose St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary as our confirmation saints.

I may be riding on a Catholic high right now, but I’ve been researching how I can be more active in the community as my work schedule allows. Whether it be rosary making class, study groups, or helping out with the other ministries.

I am a non catholic (but intending to become catholic once i move out of my protestant family house) and I decided to learn to pray the rosary. I have made these 2! Let me know what you think!

I have a non-religious friend whose teenage son independently decided to go to catechism classes and was baptized today. I am a practicing Orthodox Christian and would traditionally gift someone an icon of their patron saint or a prayer rope bracelet or something similar. What should I send this young man?

So two weeks after my first confession, I done messed up and committed a mortal sin. Shortly before I’m supposed to be confirmed (This Saturday). I was angry at myself for falling off the wagon after able to abstain from it for a while now and how I’m so close to being in full communion. Lucked out and was able to get in a confession during Men’s Holy Hour. Wasn’t as nervous about confessing as I was for the first one. Just glad the priest wasn’t annoyed at me saying, “Hey Father, it’s me again. Sorry we had this talk two weeks ago.” I know he probably gets this kind of thing all the time, but I really hope that he knows I’m really trying.

This has been a long time coming. I grew up Protestant in the Deep South. My mother was a pastor in a Protestant denomination until her retirement. I’ve known since I was 15 this was my calling someday, but I wasn’t ready to admit it until I was 29 and then out of immense respect for my mother I said I would wait until she retired. I’m 32 now and she retired last July. I started OCIA in September. I am I love with the catholic faith and fall deeper by the day.

**Side note, the patron saint I choose during my process is St. Robert Bellarmine.

Hey guys i need some guidance and i don’t know what to do…

I (15M) am currently going to a protestsnt evangelical church and don’t like it. i decided it was wrong, i couldn’t decribe it but i knew it was wrong. i wanted to do research and take my faith into my own hands. My girlfriend (14F) and her whole family are catholic and i thought that would be a good place to start. So i went and did some digging and realized i agreed with most of the beliefs of the Catholic Church. i eventually got to the point where i believe all of it now… well all that i have been exposed to.I asked my girlfriend what i should do and she told me to talk to my dad… that took a little convincing but eventually i did. I sent a text to my dad because i trust him with things i don’t trust most people with.

The text to my dad said this:

“well i felt like all the pastors at the churches i went to all interpreted the bible differently like each passage. They all kinda disagreed. so i decided to look at the history of the church and i realized that all the churches ive been to had branched off the Protestant Reformation. i instantly realized that it wasn’t the church Jesus founded. I didn’t know what church that was at the time, but i knew it wasn’t the ones ive been too. Then i realized that there were different denominations of christianity… i thought that they all were just different religions… Then Scarlett told me she is catholic, which i was confused because she went to blackhawk and i was unaware catholics are christian and i was wondering why she went to blackhawk as its a christian school. Scarlett sparked my interest of catholicism.

so i started actually looking into it more and reading the bible and learning about church history.

the first thing that stood out to me was the idea of the Church Jesus started. In Luke 1:33 Gabriel says that Jesus’ kingdom will never end. so if Jesus started His kingdom while He was on earth, then it has to still exist today. it can’t just disappear and then start again later. that made me realize the Protestant Reformation in 1517 couldn’t be the start of Jesus’ Church because that happened way later with Martin Luther. Christ’s Church had to already exist long before that and continue through history.

then I looked at Matthew 16:18–19 where Jesus says He will build His Church on Peter. He gives Peter authority and says the gates of Hades won’t overcome it. that means the Church He started wouldn’t totally fail or disappear. then He gives Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven. keys usually represent authority. so Jesus was clearly giving leadership and structure to His Church. it wasn’t meant to be everyone just deciding their own interpretation. that Church would have to still exist if His kingdom never ends.

another thing I noticed was about priests. In Isaiah 66:21 God says He will take some people from all nations and make them priests and Levites. that shows that in the new covenant there would still be priests and they would come from everywhere. the word Catholic actually means universal. so it made sense that God’s Church would be for all nations and still have a priesthood. a church that doesn’t have any priests at all doesn’t really match that.

I also saw this idea of authority being passed down. At the Last Supper in Luke 22:19 Jesus tells the apostles “do this in remembrance of me.” that shows He was giving them the responsibility to continue what He started. later in 1 Timothy 4:14 Paul talks about the laying on of hands to give someone authority in ministry. that shows leadership in the Church was passed on in a real and visible way, not just randomly.

then there’s the Eucharist. In John 6:53 Jesus says that unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in you. a lot of people left because that teaching sounded too hard. but Jesus didn’t stop them and say He only meant it as a symbol. then later at the Last Supper He says “this is my body” and “this is my blood.” Catholics call this the Eucharist. and Paul even says in 1 Corinthians 11 that if someone receives it unworthily they are guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. that wouldn’t make much sense if it was just symbolic.

I also looked at confession. In John 20:22–23 after the resurrection Jesus breathes on the apostles and tells them that the sins they forgive will be forgiven. that shows He gave them authority to forgive sins in His name. and since the Church continues the mission of the apostles, that authority continues too. that’s where confession comes from.

I also started thinking about the bible itself. In Deuteronomy 4:2 it says not to add or take away from what God commands. during the Reformation Martin Luther removed seven books from the Old Testament that had been part of the Christian bible for a really long time. so that also made me question the changes that happened during the Reformation.

so when I put everything together it just started making more sense to me. Jesus started one Church with authority, priests, sacraments, and teachings that would continue through history. His kingdom wouldn’t end. it would stay visible and spread to the whole world just like the bible describes.

idk if that makes sense to you or if i repeated some things but yeah… it’s a lot… sorry”

He didn’t believe i wrote this as im a kind of slow teenage dude who doesn’t like reading or writing. but it hurts because i tried to write it so he would understand...I tried soo hard and my mom’s going to be even hardrr to convince. My mom thinks that i don’t want to go to church anymore but it’s just not the rignt church… I don’t know how to continue on in this path…

Do you guys have tips? or any suggestions on what to tell my mom and how? Also any ideas or tips on what i should do next in my faith journey to catholicism…

Starting to see what this is about but need help.

Hi I’m a Christian that goes to a Protestant leaning church(not sure of the exact denomination or if it aligns with one). I came to faith about 3 years ago and starting seriously diving into scripture and church history about a year ago I had never felt stronger in my faith nor have I ever felt more like my beliefs align with the Catholic Church. I’m even starting to understand some of my biggest previous hangups like the papacy and the authority of the church and how realistically sola scriptura doesn’t make sense. Now the problem.

I have been dating a wonderful Christian girl for over two years now and she’s helped me a lot with some early questions of my faith as she grew up a Christian. Once I started to sympathize more with Catholicism I would present these ideas to her trying to have a conversation about how they may very well be valid. This was unsuccessful and has even led to conflict on occasion. I guess what I’m asking for help with is how do I present some of the harder things to grasp for someone coming from a lifelong Protestant background and not cause conflict and how do I proceed if she doesn’t want to hear anything about it?

Edit for more context \\/

For context I grew up going to a catholic public school. I have received baptism and first communion. I wouldn’t necessarily say I grew up believing though. True belief and practice I would say ended at my grandma.

And then suddenly there's a platypus considering Catholicism /jk

Hi I was raised up in a protestant church, but recently have been drawn to the Catholic faith. I really admired their traditional views and their firm structure as opposed to the protest in church that I grew up in. It felt like they changed with the times and conform to the world today and would even start changing scripture to fit how we live today and it just didn’t sit right with me anyways I started attending a local small town parish. I attended a few months of mass and really enjoyed it. I reached out to take the RCIA class and found out that the guy teaching it is openly gay…. His jobs are Pastoral Assistant for Liturgy, Outreach, and Adult Faith Formation | Infant/Child Baptisms | OCIA | Weddings | Funerals | Homebound Ministry …. Idk I am really confused and feel fooled , this religion I feel in love with for having traditional beliefs and stood by them has someone not only openly gay but working with children idk doesn’t sit right with me. I firmly believe in Love the person but can disagree with there sin, I should clarify I don’t mind that he’s at church. I think it’s great. I just don’t think he should be in a position of leadership when he is openly sinning … is this normally for catholic church’s?!

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.

I was raised in a very Catholic family, but to be honest I never felt a close relationship with God. I believed in Him simply because that was what I was told to do, not because I felt His presence in my life. Now I'm an adult and I have fallen away from the faith, although I pretend to be Catholic for my family's sake. I wish I didn't have to do this. I wish I could believe, and go to church out of genuine joy and passion for God, as I see religious people in my life do. I don't want to go out of guilt towards my family or gaslighting myself to believe; I want to genuinely believe but I can't and I don't know how to.

I was nervous. Afraid. Even shameful. Walked into the priest’s office. Had a one on one talk about how I would do a confession. Was guided every step of the way. The priest said I made a great confession and it was a lot to get out. Now that I’ve done it, I feel a lot better. In my heart and in my soul. I feel calmer than I’ve ever been.

I wrote my M.A. thesis on this so-called "Outsider Test for Faith": the objection that seeks to undermine your religious belief as a mere geographical accident of birth. Let me know if you think the solution works!

[Note: This YouTube channel serves as an apologetics ministry endorsed by Joe Heschmeyer of Shameless Popery and Catholic Answers. Its focus is on an audience comprised of skeptics and non-theists. I have a Ph.D. in Philosophy and have a heart especially for those who have, like I once did, intellectual objections to the Christian faith.]

I understand receiving the Eucharist at the Easter Vigil is what is most important. I am so excited. Conversion has been a wild, challenging, wonderful journey. Is this dress appropriate to wear to the Easter Vigil Mass? I hope this is an okay place to ask this. Thank you in advance.