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ChristinaK
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This is going to be a lengthy post because I feel the need to give some background to my question. This is probably an unusual place for me to be posting because I'm not Catholic and I'm not a homeschooler. I'm a wannabe homeschooler (DH says No) who afterschools and summer schools using a lot CM methods and FIAR. I found this site through a blog link posted on the FIAR boards about nature study. I started reading a lot of the 4Real blogs and found them very interesting and wandered over to the boards.
I do not have a strong faith tradition in my family. We are evangelical Protestants of various denominations and most do not attend church regularly. Growing up we didn't really attend church. I learned most of the bible stories when I attended a private Christian preK and K, but my parents sent me there for educational reasons, not religious ones. When I was in high school, I attended a Southern Baptist church with a friend and was saved and baptized. My best friend for the last 20 years is Catholic. But she is more of an Easter & Christmas Catholic and couldn't answer a lot of the questions I had about mass when she got married. So I don't feel comfortable asking her for guidance. Ever since I attended mass with her and read a book about the Catholic faith in preparation for it (15 years ago), I have been attracted to the ritual and beauty of the Catholic service.
DH is not much of a churchgoer. We attended a Southern Baptist church for awhile and found it didn't really fit our needs. We tried a Methodist church and it wasn't right either. For a couple of years oldest DS and I attended an evangelical nondenominational church with DH attending sporadically. I was happy at the time but have not attended there in several years.
I have had a difficult time spiritually since my mother died in December 2003. As I was reading the blogs and the posts, especially about the litigurical calendar, Catholic Mosaic, and the celebration of holidays and feast days, I realized that part of what I have been struggling with is the loss of tradition and a lack of ritual. My mother was the backbone of my family. With her gone and no strong faith traditions to fall back on, all the family traditions are gone. My Dad is remarried to a very nice lady which has caused further deterioration of the family tradition. This has been really difficult for me.
The other part of the struggle for me has been the suffering that my mother endured and her untimely death. She fought a very long and difficult battle with breast cancer and was only 56 when she died. It has been very hard to reconcile myself to her passing.
I am feeling led to explore a change in faith to one with more ritual and more tradition. I feel the need for more ritual and tradition in my own spiritual life and I would like for my sons to have more of a faith tradition than I have so that all of their traditions don't die when I do. I don't know if this leading means a different Protestant denomination such as Lutheran or Episcopalian or the Catholic church at this point, but I feel led to seek out more information.
Coming from an evangelical Protestant background, I of course have lots of questions and there are lots of things that I don't understand such as the intercession of saints, feast days, statutes and home altars, the rosary, stations of the cross, novenas, opposition to birth control and the death penalty, etc. If you have made it through this very long post, I would appreciate any recommendations for books, websites, or other resources that would explain all of the basic tenets of the Catholic faith to me and that help me in my quest for my information.
Thanks in advance for any guidance or help you may give...
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MicheleQ
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Christina,
Youv'e come to the right place! The Catholics here are a wealth of information. If you want the straight scoop on what it means to be Catholic keep reading these boards.
There is SO much I could recommend for you to read and check out but I wouldn't want to overwhelm you.
A good place to start is with Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth - The Catholic Church and God's Plan for You. From there you will find that same site - Catholic Answers - has loads more to offer. And all of us here will happily answer your questions.
Additionally you might want to consider starting to attend Mass. You can't recieve communion but you can indeed benefit from the Mass itself. If you let us know what area you live in I am sure someone here can direct you to a good parish. This is also the time of year that many parishes are beginning classes for those who are interested in the Church so you may want to look into that.
Hope this helps!
God bless!
__________________
Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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jdostalik
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Welcome, Christina! I am so glad you found this board and posted. I am sorry for the loss of your mother and all you have had to suffer since her death.
I was going to direct you to Catholic Answers' website, also, but Michele already did that! 
I am more of an "anecdotal" type of reader, meaning, I like to read personal conversion stories. When I "reverted" back to my Catholic faith in 1993, I loved the following books, which you might find interesting!
Rome Sweet Home
Surprised By Truth
Hope this helps you on your journey. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I will pray for you and your loved ones!
__________________
God Bless,
Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
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cathhomeschool
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I don't have any book recommendations to add, but want to welcome you and let you know that we're praying for you -- for guidance and peace!
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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momwats8
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Well - I think you found the right spot I'll be praying and I was going to say the same as above- "Rome Sweet Home" and any of "The Surprised by Truth" books. Good Luck and God Bless you.
__________________
Mary- Wife to Mike and Mother to Austin(92), Mikey(95), R.J.(97), Benedict(98), Kolbe(00), Ignatius(02), Christian(03), Margaret(05),&4 angels in heaven
http://www.momwats8.blogspot.com
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MaryM
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I would recomend the already suggested books and website as a great place to start as well. My only other additions would be Catholics United for the Faith - they have a great "Faith Facts" section which provides information about a lot topics you mentioned. They also have great written resources. I particularly like the "Catholic for a Reason" series.
Welcome and be assured of our prayers as you are discerning and exploring the faith.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Rebecca
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ChristinaK wrote:
Coming from an evangelical Protestant background, I of course have lots of questions and there are lots of things that I don't understand such as the intercession of saints, feast days, statutes and home altars, the rosary, stations of the cross, novenas, opposition to birth control and the death penalty, etc. If you have made it through this very long post, I would appreciate any recommendations for books, websites, or other resources that would explain all of the basic tenets of the Catholic faith to me and that help me in my quest for my information. |
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Hi Christina and welcome !
I found the book Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic to be very helpful. It covers many of the topics you mentioned.
God Bless,
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Maddie
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Just thought I'd add that I was so inspired by the lives of the saints during my conversion. I read and reread the books by Ann Ball, Modern Saints books 1 and 2. They have actual photos of the saints and are very easy to understand for a non-Catholic IMO.
I'll be praying for your journey. Do you get EWTN? Life on the Rock is a great show as well as The Journey Home. There's a wealth of resources available on their website as well.
__________________
~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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MaryMary
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Welcome, Christina!
I second the resources everyone else mentioned. I would also like to recommend Stephen Ray's website catholicconvert.com (sorry I can't provide you with a link)and his book "Crossing the Tiber". Also Mark Shea's book, "By What Authority, An Evangelical discovers Catholic Tradition" is an awesome read. Also check out his other book "This is my Body: An Evangelical discovers the Eucharist", he also has a book coming out about Mary. For answers on birth control and sexual moral issues, I heartily recommend Kimberly Hahn's book, "Life Giving Love". All of the authors I have mentioned are converts themselves, and many of their stories are found in the "Surprised By Truth" series.
Also, remember that we are here if you need "real" people to communicate with, or bounce ideas off of. I have found the 4real boards to be the most charitable and awesome place to visit on the web!
Be not afraid!
Will keep you in prayer,
Mary
Mom 2 3
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Dawnie
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Christina,
I can really relate to your questions about the Catholic faith! I am a convert to Catholicism myself and had lots and lots of questions to be answered before I could "make the leap." Luckily for me, my husband attended Catholic schools for 12 years and spent 2 of his college years in Catholic seminary, so he was very good about answering my questions. I have read many of the books that have already been mentioned, in addition to listening to recorded talks by Kimberly and Scott Hahn. You can find lots of the Hahn's talks, in addition to other talks regarding conversion at St. Joseph's Communications. Reading the books and listening to talks was a way for me to learn more without getting confrontational with anyone...I tend to get very argumentative when discussing hot-button issues. 
Also, you might consider going to your local Catholic church and seeing if you could browse their library. Some Catholic churches have some really great resources you can borrow, some even give away things like talks on tape or CD. I know the quality and availability of a lending library like that will vary from place to place, but it may be worth checking into for you.
As many have already mentioned, please feel free to ask your questions here! Bouncing ideas off of and asking questions of my husband was very helpful to me when I was making my journey into the Catholic church...and I'm SO glad I did! I am home now, and the Church is my anchor and comfort when things get stormy. If you'd like to hear my conversion story, I'd be glad to share it with you, if you think it would be helpful.
I am sorry about the loss of your mother--I'm sure that has been a hard thing to bear. My family will keep you in our prayers as you make this journey!
God bless!
Dawn
__________________
Mom to Mary Beth (99), Anna (02), Lucia (04), Clara (06), and Adelaide Victoria (2/28/09)
Visit my blog!Water Into Wine:Vino Per Tutto!
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stefoodie
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Christina, you've already received many wonderful suggestions here, i don't have anything to add. but i did want to welcome you to the forum. will be praying that you find the answers you are looking for.
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stef
mom to five
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ChristinaK
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Thanks to all of you ladies for your warm welcomes, prayers and recommendations. You have given me many resources to look into. I'm reading My Struggle With Faith by Joseph Girzone right now. I picked it up at the library last week because I have enjoyed his Joshua books.
There is a Catholic church close to my house. I am interested in attending mass, but I am not sure what attire is appropriate. The churches we have attended the last few years have been come as you are churches with very casual attitudes toward proper dress. I don't have much in the way of dressy clothes but I don't want to show up looking inappropriate. I am wondering if what is appropriate varies depending on which service you are attending also?
I think we get EWTN. I'll have to take a look when I get a chance.
Dawnie, I would love to hear your conversion story.
I would be happy to hear any other suggestions that anyone has. Thanks to you all for your help!
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Leonie
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Welcome Christina.
I just want to recommend any of Scott Hahn's books - esp the story of his conversion to Catholicism - "Rome Sweet Home."
I'll be praying for you!
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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Maddie
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I thought of one other thing to pass along. Before I converted I had no idea you could go into a Catholic church and just spend time with Jesus before the Blessed Sacrament. I stopped by often just to make a visit when I would pass by the church and it made such an impression on me! It was there I first prayed to Mary and asked her to send me SOMEONE who could answer all my questions relating to the Faith. I said Amen and a priest walked through the door.
Anyway, just thought I'd mention making visits to Jesus at church, it'll help you to receive the clarity your looking for.
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~Maddie~
Wife to my dh and Momma of 9 dear ones
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Bookswithtea
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Hi there,
I'm a convert from Evangelicalism. I started with Hahn's books and Madrid's Surprised by Truth series. Also, the John Michael Talbot/Michael Card cd, "Brother to Brother" really ministered to me. St. Joseph Communications tapes are the best! EWTN also runs programs on apologetics and understanding the faith sometimes, if you have access to cable or satellite TV.
You might want to consider seeing if anyone here can recommend a good Catholic parish in your local area, too. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is not just for converts. In a good program, its for anyone who wants to learn more about the Catholic faith.
And finally, you might want to check out The Coming Home Network, an organization that helps and supports Protestants who are interested in conversion.
www.chnetwork.org
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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rose gardens
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ChristinaK wrote:
| There is a Catholic church close to my house. I am interested in attending mass, but I am not sure what attire is appropriate. The churches we have attended the last few years have been come as you are churches with very casual attitudes toward proper dress. I don't have much in the way of dressy clothes but I don't want to show up looking inappropriate. I am wondering if what is appropriate varies depending on which service you are attending also? |
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Don't worry about needing dressy clothes. Catholics wear all sorts of attire to Mass, (including some "come as you are" styles.) Personally, I enjoy dressing up in dresses or skirts for Sunday Mass, but many don't. As long as you don't wear anything too tight or revealing, or any offensive t-shirt, etc. you'll fit in. The level of formality may vary from parish to parish. If you stumble onto a more traditional parish you may see some women who wear headcoverings with dressier attire, but that's very rare these days.
Oh, and I second the book recomendation for: Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic.
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Karen E.
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Hi, Christina,
I'm a convert, too. All the books mentioned so far are things I would recommend! I had especially planned to mention Mark Shea's books, and I see they've already been brought up. Shea is eminently readable, very informative and fun, too.
My conversion story is on my blog -- here's a shortcut, if you are looking for stories to read.
My husband was also opposed to homeschooling at first ... but the year after he came into the Catholic Church (which was five years after I did) he was completely "there." We've been homeschooling now for six years, and we still marvel over God's goodness -- He has surprised us in so many ways.
Best to you, and prayers,
__________________
God bless,
Karen E.
mom to three on earth, and several souls in God's care
Visit my blog, with its shockingly clever title, "Karen Edmisten."
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Philothea
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I entered the church in 2006 after a lifetime of anti-Catholic protestant fundamentalism. Resources that helped me most were the writings of Mark Shea and the website http://www.scripturecatholic.com. I did not appreciate Scott Hahn's books until much later, after I had been Catholic for a while. I think he has forgotten how to speak the protestant language. There is seriously a language barrier. Prayer and worship, for example, are two words that have very different meanings to Catholics vs. Protestants. I also found Hahn arrogant and off-putting. His wife is excellent, though.
My story is at my blog, http://contemplatingchristian.blogspot.com.
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lapazfarm
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Welcome Christina!
I am a convert as well and I have to say that the wonderful, beautiful, rich traditions of the Catholic church are also what first attracted me. I had a real need for that in my life and the Church filled it and then some!
Good luck in your faith journey!
__________________
Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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ChristinaK
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Thanks again for all the warm welcomes and resources. I am going to be very busy checking into all these great links and books suggested.
I have a story that I would like to share. I had not said anything to my family yet about my interest in the Catholic church. I was waiting until I did some more reading to see where I was heading with it. Last night the boys and I were driving home and drove by the Catholic church. My oldest (he's 8) attended mass and a May Day celebration there last year with a friend. As we were driving by, he said that's a good church but it's not our religion. I replied that it was a Christian church but was a different denomination than we had been attending. I asked him if he liked the church and wanted to go again and he said yes. I told him that since we hadn't really found a church that was a good fit for us that I thought maybe we should visit the Catholic church and he agreed.
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Topic: book recommendations for non-Catholic....
