Protestant vs. Catholic?

Question

OK. I was sent to Baptist churches most of my life because "they drove the bus." Even so, my dad was reared a strict Catholic, my mom was Protestant. I am married with childrena dn have been going to a Disciples of Christ, Christian Church for the last 12 yrs. My minister is THE best! He and his wife treat our family like family and have expressed us as favorites, in confidence...just felt close to us. We,too. He is resigning because he feels the church isn't gaining enough members and wants the churcch to grow. I want to quit. I would like to convert. Other churches I have tried, Protestant...have been hypocritical, rude, money mongers, etc. My sister is Catholic and I love the things that they do for family. Any input from both sides??

Sorry this was so long.

I wnat to convert because they also do so much for the children. My current church only has about 15 youth..and 4 are my own kids!

DOC WAS a break off of the Church of Christ, therefore 2 separate denominations now. They broke off sometime in the 1920s. I don't wnat to convert for "programs" for my kids, but for the importance of God to be instilled in them, which I have seen within the Catholic church.

Minister resigned and is retired already. Just kept preaching. he will not have another church after this one.

I can't even pick a "Best Answer". The ones that posted seriously, THANK YOU! :) I will see which one the voters chose instead. Blesses...

Answer 1

Welcome home. Now take the final step. And God bless your journey.

Answer 2

You are very articulate for a 15 year old and YA user. It's refreshing to read some intelligent and well-expressed questions. I grew up Protestant but have worked for Catholics for the past 4 years, and I'm marrying a Catholic. Except for certain beliefs like the ones you mentioned (Pope and confession), I've found that most devout Protestants and Catholics have very similar beliefs and lifestyles. If you were to switch to Protestantism, you would likely find a few things that you disagreed with too. It wouldn't hurt to visit a couple Protestant churches to see what it's all about and to help you make your decision. That certainly wouldn't be a sin. I've seen God at work in both Protestant and Catholic congregations. It's really a matter of personal choice. For the record, my fiance who was raised Catholic, has been attending my Protestant church, and no Catholics have expressed disapproval. Really, many Christians are happy that someone your age is interested in church at all. Good luck!

Answer 3

I think that the most important reason that should spur you to convert to Catholicism is that there is no salvation outside the Roman Catholic church. The Roman Catholic church is the only divinely instituted church that exists from the time of Christ. Christ promised that this church would exist till the end of time and built it on the Rock of Peter ( the Papacy). The first Pope was St.Peter and his direct successor today is Pope Benedict XVl. Direct continuity down 2000 years!

All other christian churches are man-made and refuse the authority of the Vicar of Christ , the Pope. Thus they are built on shifting sand and not on the Rock of Peter. Do browse through the following link for more detail on what I have just mentioned. Im sure there are good Protestants and good Protestant pastors but their goodness is not a guarantee of salvation for their church members since theirs is not the church that Our Lord Jesus Christ founded through His Blood and Suffering, the Roman Catholic church.
http://www.olrl.org/apologetics/

All the best!

Answer 4

If this means anything to you I am also a Catholic convert. I used to be a Presbyterian until I was 22. I am now 68 and have not looked back since then.
Just recently the President of an Evangelical seminary converted to Catholicism. You can retrieve that information from Yahoo News. And of course you have heard of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. What does this all mean?These people are learned men. Surely they don't believe any of that black propaganda and smear campaign against the Church.

Welcome home and God bless!

Answer 5

the word ''protestant'' is such a broad term... if it's not a catholic church, it's a protestant church. that includes the church you've been going to, the baptist church, and many many many others. if it's neither catholic, orthodox (these churches usually hold their services in russian in america), nor protestant, it's not christian, and shouldn't even be called a church, as ''church'' is a christian term. the only two i can think of that fit that description right now besides the church of scientology is the mormon and jehovah's witness churches.

if you like the catholic way of worship, but place importance on the bible (or simply don't want to follow the modern versions of the pharisees), try a lutheran church. it was the first protestant church to break away from catholicism, and the worship is the most similar to the catholic church. only the antichristian things have been replaced. if you like the way your church runs their service, try any number of non-denominational churches. if they say ''such and such christian church'' on the sign, that's a good indicator that it's a nondenominational church. if you're simply going for the social aspect, try going to a charismatic church. if you can get past the pastor saying ''God told me this'' and ''the Lord told me that,'' they're lots of fun, and they live up to their name- they're the friendliest bunch of folks i've ever attended church with. i'm just not real comfortable with the whole ''i have casual conversations with the Almighty'' thing.

all that being said, i'll agree with the answerer above me- don't get caught up with sectarianism. it's ugly. i have gained soooooo much by going from church to church. and so long as it's a christian church, we all believe in basically the same things, we just place importance on different aspects of what we believe.

best wishes.

Answer 6

It depends on the congregation and the minister or priest in either case. I'm a Protestant (of a sort,) but some Catholic churches and parish priests are a lot closer to what I think than some Protestant churches I've sat in on. But as a whole monolithic organization, I disagree with the Catholics.

It's tricky. My advice based on experience is 1.) take charge of your own soul, decide what Christ wants for yourself, and 2.) go to a number of churches Protestant and Catholic until you find a community that you feel comfortable with, whether it be a Cathedral, a Baptist store front church or a Quaker meeting house.

Good luck to you!

Answer 7

+ Similarities +

"What separates us as believers in Christ is much less than what unites us." (Pope John XXIII)

Almost all important doctrine is completely agreed upon between Catholic Christians and other Christians.

Here is the joint declaration of justification by Catholics (1999), Lutherans (1999), and Methodists (2006):

By grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us and calling us to good works.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html

There are many minor doctrine issues and some major cultural traditional differences which, I believe, do not matter that much.

A Catholic worships and follows Christ in the tradition of Catholicism which, among other things, recognizes that Christ made Peter the leader of His new Church and Pope Benedict XVI is Peter's direct successor.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm

+ Joining or just questions +

If you are interested in joining or just learning more about the Catholic Church, contact your local parish and ask about information about their RCIA Inquiry group.

You can go and ask any questions you want.

This is the first step in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) but you can stop at any time.

There is no obligation to become a Catholic.

+ With love and prayers in Christ.

Answer 8

First, I want to say welcome home. I’m also a convert, and I can tell you without a doubt that becoming Catholic was the best thing I’ve ever done. The Church has taught me so much, and healed so much. Sometimes I find myself at a loss for expressing the joy I feel for Her. I don’t know what particular questions you might have, but I think it’d be great if you talked with a priest. He can help you out with whatever you want to know. You’ll need to start RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults). This is the program that will teach you the Faith.

Again, God bless you, and welcome home.

Answer 9

Well, I have been exposed to a pretty well rounded religious upbringing. My mother's family are Church of God of Prophecy married into Catholics, while my dad was raised Methodist. My parents started out in the Methodist church, then converted to Southern Baptist when I was about 4 or 5.......To top it off, they sent me to a Lutheran prep school for 4 years!! Go with what feels comfortable & spiritual to you......don't worry about what is the "right" denomination......

Answer 10

I hope you give serious consideration to the Catholic Church.

If you like, you can pick up a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church at just about any bookstore. This document contains the teachings and beliefs of the Church. More important, it explains why Catholic beliefs and practices are what they are. A soft cover edition can be purchased for as little $4 at Walmart.

Definitively check the Catechism out. If you like what you see, the Church welcomes you.

Answer 11

I hope you do give serious consideration to the Catholic Church. I've been Catholic all my life, and I've never been sorry about my choice. Protestant worship services that I have attended seem to be about the pastor's opinion of Scripture; I don't get the same sense of honoring Christ and learning from His teachings that I get from a Catholic Mass.

You'll find that most Catholic parishes are very active in the community, particularly in charitable efforts like soup kitchens. You'll usually find a youth group for teenagers, possibly boy/girl scouts for the younger set, and religious education up through high school. Depending on the size of the parish, you'll also find a variety of volunteer ministries - everything from parish nurses to funeral luncheon ministry, groups for expectant/new mothers, singles, single parents, newlyweds, support groups for caregivers and for the recently widowed, volunteers (usually retired) who provide transportation for parishioners who do not own cars (to the grocery store, to doctor's appointments, etc.), ministries to care for and comfort the sick and dying, to visit the elderly in local nursing homes, and the list goes on and on.

I encourage you to contact your local Catholic parish(es) and have a chat with the priest and possibly the RCIA coordinator. RCIA stands for Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and includes classes and other preparations for becoming Catholic. You can take these classes and so on up to a certain point without committing to conversion, so it would be a great way to learn about Catholicism and see if it is right for you before you take the final step of formal conversion. Good luck to you, and as Father K said, welcome home!