How Do I Convert to Catholicism?
Question by well armed E. GUANA: how do i convert to Catholicism?
we just found out my wife is pregnant with our first child. my wife and her whole family are catholic. she quit going to mass for 6 years but is going again. we have decided the child will be raised catholic. now here’s my problem. i’m non denominational. i want to become catholic along with my family. my mother and her family are catholic. i however wasn’t raised catholic. i am about to start full time college to get my degree in criminal justice. i know you have to take classes to become catholic. are the times flexible? how long does it take? how do i go about approaching a priest about converting? since my wife and i are about to move can i start my classes at one church and finish them at another? what are the steps to converting? also are what ways are there to volunteer though the church to help my community?
to david: please provide a real answer you jerk! just because you don’t believe in god doesn’t give you the right to bash people who do.
to seek god: sounds like you are quite well versed in the bible. i will take your advice. however it doesn’t quite answer my questions.
Best answer:
Answer by David
First you got to get a lobotomy.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
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7 Responses to How Do I Convert to Catholicism?
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Sounds like maybe you never got all the info. Many people don’t present it well. Begin by receiving God’s forgiveness! How? It starts with understanding that your Father in Heaven provided the only way He will accept for you to be completely forgiven, now. He is absolutely righteous (just). He must punish sin, all sin; otherwise He would be unjust to punish some sin but not others. No one “deserves” His forgiveness, only His punishment; all have sinned. However, if He provides the way for your sins to be forgiven, why not accept His way? He didn’t have to and you will never be good enough on your own to deserve His forgiveness. None of us could be.
All He asks is that you confess the many ways you have offended Him – all the lies, thefts, lusting, hateful speech and thoughts, greed, unforgiveness, etc. Turn from these things truly sorry and ask His forgiveness. He will! Then trust that your Father in Heaven only accepts Jesus’ sufferings on the cross as the full punishment your sins deserved!
Why not do these things right now and start down the path to freedom today? Pray something like this right now:
“Father in Heaven, I confess the many ways I have offended You (name your sins to Him specifically). Please forgive me! I need Your forgiveness! I choose to turn away now from all the ways I have insulted the love You have shown for me on Jesus’ cross. I trust now that You only accept His sufferings as the punishment my sins deserved. I believe now that His resurrection from the dead proves true everything He said, and conquers the power of sin over my life. No one comes to You Father without trusting in Jesus’ sacrifice. Grant me Your gift of abundant life now and eternal life come. Make me a new person who desires above all else, to love and serve You Father. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit now empowering me to obey You and prove my thankfulness to You through all I do and say and think. In Jesus’ name, I ask. Amen.”
Pray like that sincerely and you will be forgiven right now and receive His Holy Spirit within empowering you to obey Him. That prayer is not a one-time magic pill. Use it as often as God the Holy Spirit convicts you of any sin He may reveal from now on. It is the beginning of a constant habit of confessing sins to Him, trusting Jesus’ sacrifice for you and daily seeking to be filled and re-filled with His empowering Holy Spirit. Store up His Word, the Bible in your heart so you do not sin. His Spirit within you now will help you do the things He wants and understand His Word as you read it. Obey what you read. Your obedience is the proof your repentance and trust are for real.
You were created in love to be one who would make the choice of your own free will to respond to the unspeakable love your Father in Heaven has for you. He has been waiting for you to choose to spend eternity with Him, and live for Him now all the days of your life….
Read how the Bible says to be right with God, Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Romans 2:4-5; Romans 3:23-24; James 2:10; Hebrews 9:27; 1 John 1:8-9; Romans 5:8; Romans 10:9-10; Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18; John 3:36; 1 John 5: 11-13; http://www.GodsLoveProven.com
There are a few things you can do.
1) There is an anonymous complete correspondence course on Catholicism that you can take free and with no obligation. You can ask all the questions you want, at least was so when I did it.
http://www.amm.org/chss.htm
2) You can look into your diocese’s RCIA program.
I will keep you in my prayers for sure. Congratulations. Made my day to hear of your interest. Best thing I ever did.
Contact the local priest. He can fill you in with the details.
Until then, just attend church with your wife.
I myself don’t belong to a church any more. But one of my daughters
converted to the Catholic religion.
She took some classes then went to a confirmation service. Boy was it a long service!
It’s not so hard. Start by going to mass on Sunday with your wife (but don’t take communion. You’re not supposed to do so until you are officially Catholic). You’re supposed to go every week as a Catholic, so it will help you get a little more used to it, and pick up the prayers and rituals a little.
Then, just talk to the priest after mass. Tell him your intention. They usually have groups of people starting the process and then you’ll get your baptism, first communion, and confirmation in one big ceremony on Easter. There are classes to learn more about the faith, and books to learn the standard prayers (it’s called “catechism”). Those classes are usually only once a week. But you do have to stick with them in the same church so that the priest can know that you are ready for the big ceremony.
Since you’re married, the priest will also want you to get married in the church after your baptism. Because having sex without the church marriage is considered a sin. You’re going to have to either skip communion a lot, go without sex until the wedding, or go to confession a lot. There are classes on Catholic marriage that both you and your wife will need to take, but it can be pretty quick, and the wedding ceremony doesn’t have to be a huge party. Just you, your wife, the priest and a couple of witnesses can get the blessing on your union.
You can start volunteering at the church right away, before you finish your classes. There are always lots of opportunities, and you can talk to the priest about the best fit for your talents.
the best thing you should do is go to church with your wife and than seek council with the priest tell him your wishes and ask his advice. He will take you under his wing and will help you in anyway including setting up teachings for you that are convenient for your life.
even though I am not catholic (I used to be but left the church at 13 to pursue other spiritual paths) i do remember my priest being very understanding and helpful to me when i was attending church. the priest is your best option.
good luck on your spiritual path and life journey 🙂
It is very simple. Just go to the Catholic Parish your wife attends and talk to the Priest. He will direct you to the RC IA ( Rite of Catholic Instructions for Adults) program. There you will receive the teachings of Catholicism; Instructions and preparations for your conversion. The classes are held at selected locations and times. It takes approximately four months of classes. The eventual ceremony for your conversion is held on the vigil of Easter Sunday.
May God Bless you and your Family.
As a Catholic, who’s wife is Baptist….
FIRST.. congradulations and I wish you and your family many blessings! Making a change like this is a great sacrifice for your family, but is also being a true leader and helping your family to be ONE.
SUGGESTION:
I’d HIGHLY suggest that your wife go to confession, to reconcile back to God after not practicing for 6 years. It will get everything off her chest and allow her to be in fully communion with the body of Christ.
Maybe she has done this already..I don’t know.
The Advent Season before Christmas is a perfect time, as many Church’s have Penance Services and extended confession hours.
Anyways….
As for you…
Rite of Catholic Initiation for Adults or RCIA is the “classes” you are referring to.
They typically run from Sept. to Easter, in the evenings, 1 hour, once a week.
RCIA educates you about the faith and takes you through the Sacraments as a class. On or around Easter Mass, the class will take communion and become Confirmed Catholics.
Because the classes are ran by volunteers, some are more educational then others. I hope you land in a good one.
You do not have to contact a Priest to tell him you want to convert. A simple call to the main Parish office to inquire about RCIA programs, is all that is required.
There shouldn’t be any cost.. if there is.. it simply covers any books or materials.. maybe $ 25 MAX, but most parishes it is free.
You do need a Catholic “sponsor” someone who knows about the faith and can answer your questions. I don’t know how well versed your wife is in theology and the catechism of the Catholic church… you may want to choose a family member.
As for starting at one church and finishing at another? — Hmm.. I don’t see why NOT, it is the same faith… However, logically.. since each program is ran slightly differently, since it is ran by volunteers…switching probably isn’t in your best interest. Switching mid-course may mean the 2 classes are at different spots in the process. So you may miss some important things if 1 class hadn’t covered a topic and another had already.
So for that reason, it is probably frowned upon, but I sure something could be worked out if that is the only way you can join.
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As for Charity and Volunteering!
Well have you come to the right place. The Catholic church is the world’s largest non-governmental provider of Healthcare, Education and Relief Aid — seriously.
So you name it, the Church probably has been doing it for centuries.
This means that if ministry or charity is your thing… you can find all sorts of ways to give back to the community
I’d be VERY surprised if there was NOT a Pregnancy Support group to give women an alternative to abortions. A food or soup kitchen, a drug rehab program, visiting the sick, helping the homeless, volunteering at schools, etc. at your local Parish.
The Knights of Columbus are an organization that dates back to medieval times, to help widows and the poor. They do a lot of Charity work as well as fund some missionaries to other countries.
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IF you have any specific questions about the faith, which you can’t find answers to online.. feel free to send me a message and I’ll do my best to help answer it.
God Bless and Merry Christmas!