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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Considering becoming Catholic	Crystal	Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Question: I am of no denomination, however have attended both Catholic elementary and high school in the past. My Maternal Grandmother was Catholic, as well as 2 of my Aunts, and 2 Cousins; as the remainder of my family members(i.e. Mother, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews, etc...) are Lutheran, of other Christian Denominations or of none. I have been thinking about getting baptized into the Catholic faith, as I like the religion and have prayed to Saints on occassion. However, if I convert to Catholicism will I be able to continue to watch certain Christian sermons on television and interact with Christian friends(i.e. Lutheran, Protestant, etc...) by attending Church services at their churches? I ask this because my cousin said when he became Catholic, he once went to a church service with a school friend when he was a teenager and afterwards felt very strange. When he spoke to the Priest about this, the Priest said that Catholics once they become baptized are not suppose to attend any other services that are not part of their religion. If you could please advise me on this issue, I would really appreciate it. Thank you, and God Bless.
Question Answered by Dear Crystal: I praise God that you are considering joining the true church of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church. We will be praying for you as you make this very important decision. As a new Catholic it will be very important for you to focus on learning about the Catholic faith. In that context it is best that you not watch sermons on TV or go to a friend's church as this may confuse you. Much of what the Protestants believe is the same as Catholics believe, but there are also some very important differences. Until you are secure in the knowledge of your Catholic faith it would not be wise to listen to, read materials from, or attend non-Catholic churches. This is not a mandate, but it is what is prudent to be sure that your Catholic faith, which you are just now learning, is allowed to grow and mature without any contamination from non-Catholic ideas. Once you are secure in the knowledge of your Catholic faith you will be able to watch those sermons on TV and not become confused, or visit the churches of your friends without becoming confused. What the Catholic Church does require, is that you must attend Sunday Mass or the Saturday vigil Mass. You can never choose to go to a non-Catholic service instead of going to a Catholic Mass. You may visit the non-Catholic church of a friend on Sunday morning only if you have been to the Saturday vigil Mass or Sunday Mass. To miss the Sunday liturgy without valid excuse (i.e., illness, infirmity, or other reason that, through no fault of your own, you cannot make it to Mass) is a grave sin. Thus, if you do decide to visit a friend's non-Catholic church just be sure that doing so does not cause you to miss celebrating the Catholic Mass for that Sunday. I would suggest, however, that attendance at a non-Catholic church should be relatively rare. You'll be Catholic and thus you need to focus on your Catholic faith. But there is nothing wrong with visiting a non-Catholic church as long as you do not neglect attending Sunday Mass. There is nothing wrong with having non-Catholic friends. In fact, it is possible that being friends with non-Catholics can give those non-Catholics a perspective on the Catholic Church that they did not have before. Many non-Catholics have negative and erroneous ideas about the Catholic Church. Friendship with those non-Catholics may help them to understand the true nature and teachings of the Church. With that said, be sure you are not influenced or confused by their non-Catholic ideas. Always guard your faith. Do not do anything jeopardize your faith. Faith is a precious thing. Coming into the fullness of the faith, which is the Catholic Church, is more precious than gold. Jesus is waiting for you, Crystal. He is waiting to embrace you into the fullness of his Church, the Church that he personally founded. Once you are received into the Catholic Church and are able to partake of our Lord in the Eucharist it will be an experience that is almost too much to put into words. May God bless you, may our holy Blessed Mother guide you, and may St. Michael the Archangel protect you as you begin your journey to Christ's Church. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Considering becoming Catholic

Crystal

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Question:

I am of no denomination, however have attended both Catholic elementary and high school in the past. My Maternal Grandmother was Catholic, as well as 2 of my Aunts, and 2 Cousins; as the remainder of my family members(i.e. Mother, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews, etc...) are Lutheran, of other Christian Denominations or of none.

I have been thinking about getting baptized into the Catholic faith, as I like the religion and have prayed to Saints on occassion. However, if I convert to Catholicism will I be able to continue to watch certain Christian sermons on television and interact with Christian friends(i.e. Lutheran, Protestant, etc...) by attending Church services at their churches?

I ask this because my cousin said when he became Catholic, he once went to a church service with a school friend when he was a teenager and afterwards felt very strange. When he spoke to the Priest about this, the Priest said that Catholics once they become baptized are not suppose to attend any other services that are not part of their religion.

If you could please advise me on this issue, I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,
and God Bless.

Question Answered by

Dear Crystal:

I praise God that you are considering joining the true church of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church. We will be praying for you as you make this very important decision.

As a new Catholic it will be very important for you to focus on learning about the Catholic faith. In that context it is best that you not watch sermons on TV or go to a friend's church as this may confuse you. Much of what the Protestants believe is the same as Catholics believe, but there are also some very important differences. Until you are secure in the knowledge of your Catholic faith it would not be wise to listen to, read materials from, or attend non-Catholic churches.

This is not a mandate, but it is what is prudent to be sure that your Catholic faith, which you are just now learning, is allowed to grow and mature without any contamination from non-Catholic ideas.

Once you are secure in the knowledge of your Catholic faith you will be able to watch those sermons on TV and not become confused, or visit the churches of your friends without becoming confused.

What the Catholic Church does require, is that you must attend Sunday Mass or the Saturday vigil Mass. You can never choose to go to a non-Catholic service instead of going to a Catholic Mass. You may visit the non-Catholic church of a friend on Sunday morning only if you have been to the Saturday vigil Mass or Sunday Mass. To miss the Sunday liturgy without valid excuse (i.e., illness, infirmity, or other reason that, through no fault of your own, you cannot make it to Mass) is a grave sin.

Thus, if you do decide to visit a friend's non-Catholic church just be sure that doing so does not cause you to miss celebrating the Catholic Mass for that Sunday.

I would suggest, however, that attendance at a non-Catholic church should be relatively rare. You'll be Catholic and thus you need to focus on your Catholic faith. But there is nothing wrong with visiting a non-Catholic church as long as you do not neglect attending Sunday Mass.

There is nothing wrong with having non-Catholic friends. In fact, it is possible that being friends with non-Catholics can give those non-Catholics a perspective on the Catholic Church that they did not have before. Many non-Catholics have negative and erroneous ideas about the Catholic Church. Friendship with those non-Catholics may help them to understand the true nature and teachings of the Church.

With that said, be sure you are not influenced or confused by their non-Catholic ideas. Always guard your faith. Do not do anything jeopardize your faith. Faith is a precious thing. Coming into the fullness of the faith, which is the Catholic Church, is more precious than gold.

Jesus is waiting for you, Crystal. He is waiting to embrace you into the fullness of his Church, the Church that he personally founded. Once you are received into the Catholic Church and are able to partake of our Lord in the Eucharist it will be an experience that is almost too much to put into words.

May God bless you, may our holy Blessed Mother guide you, and may St. Michael the Archangel protect you as you begin your journey to Christ's Church.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum