How would a Methodist go about becoming Catholic?

[wlkngwthgod]

The title pretty much explains this thread. All replies are greatly appreciated

 

[Charity]

The title pretty much explains this thread. All replies are greatly appreciated

I think you probably need to talk to a priest.............

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Have a friend write on your chest really big "I want" and on your back "to be Catholic!!!"

Then, you go to a soccer game.

Take off all your clothes and run around the field like a mad man.

Then listen to Willie Nelson, a lot.

Then if you don't feel Catholic enough, you should consider seeing a preist.

 

[Dunemeister]

I'm tempted on alternate Wednesdays to convert to Catholicism myself. However, I believe that whatever strengths the Roman Catholic Church has (and there are many), there are serious issues to consider before converting. The Reformation didn't happen for no good reason, and there is little indication that the Roman Catholic Church has responded to the issues raised by the Reformers, except perhaps to dig their heels in and insist on excommunicating (kicking out) the reformers. You can PM me if you want to hear my POV a bit more.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I'm tempted on alternate Wednesdays to convert to Catholicism myself. However, I believe that whatever strengths the Roman Catholic Church has (and there are many), there are serious issues to consider before converting. The Reformation didn't happen for no good reason, and there is little indication that the Roman Catholic Church has responded to the issues raised by the Reformers, except perhaps to dig their heels in and insist on excommunicating (kicking out) the reformers. You can PM me if you want to hear my POV a bit more.

Have you ever heard of Vatican II?

Something that happened in the 16th century should not keep someone out of a religion. The Reformers, after all, were not significantly different from the Catholics regarding the respect for human life and dignity.

 

[Dunemeister]

Yes, I've heard of Vatican II. It avoided making any of the changes sought by the Reformers. The RCC is trapped into a system whereby it cannot enact true reform, and some of the reforms demanded by the reformers have not been implemented (and probably cannot be implemented given that they would require the RCC to admit making theological errors).

That said, there's a lot to be said in favor of Roman Catholicism. I'm just saying that there are certain serious issues that need to be considered before one buys in. If, after having thought through the issues, the person wants to go ahead, that's fine. One could do much, much worse than the RCC. (Certain fundagelical expressions come to mind.)

 

[Scott1]

Preparation for Christians
The means by which those who have already been validly baptized become part of the Church differs considerably from that of the unbaptized.
Because they have already been baptized, they are already Christians and are not catechumens. Because they have already become Christians, the Church is very concerned that they not be confused with those who are still in the process of becoming Christians. In its National Statues for the Catechumenate (hereafter, NSC), the U.S. Conference of Bishops stated: "The term 'catechumen' should be strictly reserved for the unbaptized who have been admitted to the order of catechumens . . . and never used of those baptized Christians who are received into the full communion of the Catholic Church" (NSC 2).
"Those who have already been baptized in another Church or ecclesial community should not be treated as catechumens or so designated. Their doctrinal and spiritual preparation for reception into full Catholic communion should be determined according to the individual case, that is, it should depend on the extent to which the baptized person has led a Christian life within a community of faith and been appropriately catechized to deepen his or her inner adherence to the Church" (NSC 30).
For those who were baptized but who have never been instructed in the Christian faith or lived as Christians, it is appropriate for them to receive much of the same instruction in the faith as catechumens, but they are still not catechumens and are not to be referred to as such (NSC 3). As a result, they are not to participate in the rites intended for catechumens, such as the scrutinies. Even "[t]he rites of presentation of the creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the book of the Gospels are not proper except for those who have received no Christian instruction and formation" (NSC 31).
For those who have been instructed in the Christian faith and have lived as Christians the situation is different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states: "Those baptized persons who have lived as Christians and need only instruction in the Catholic tradition and a degree of probation within the Catholic community should not be asked to undergo a full program parallel to the catechumenate" (NSC 31). For this reason they should not share in the same, full RCIA programs that catechumens do.
The timing of their reception into the Church is also different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states: "It is preferable that reception into full communion not take place at the Easter Vigil lest there be any confusion of such baptized Christians with the candidates for baptism, possible misunderstanding of or even reflection upon the sacrament of baptism celebrated in another Church or ecclesial community . . . " (NSC 33).
Rather than being received on Easter Vigil, "[t]he reception of candidates into the communion of the Catholic Church should ordinarily take place at the Sunday Eucharist of the parish community, in such a way that it is understood that they are indeed Christian believers who have already shared in the sacramental life of the Church and are now welcomed into the Catholic Eucharistic community . . . " (NSC 32).
It is therefore important for Christians coming into the Catholic Church to coordinate carefully with their local pastor and/or bishop concerning the amount of Catholic instruction they need and the exact timing of their reception into the Church.
The sacrament of baptism removes all sins committed prior to it, but since Christians have already received this sacrament, it is necessary for them to confess mortal sins they have committed since baptism before receiving confirmation and the Eucharist. In some cases, this can be difficult due to a large number of years between the Christian's baptism and reception into the Catholic Church. In such cases, the candidate should confess the mortal sins he can remember by kind and, to the extent possible, indicate how often such sins were committed (as always with the sacrament of reconciliation, the absolution covers any mortal sins that could not be remembered, so long as the recipient intended to repent of all mortal sins).
Christians coming into the Church should be encouraged to receive reconciliation frequently while waiting to be received: "The celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation with candidates for reception into full communion is to be carried out at a time prior to and distinct from the celebration of the rite of reception. As part of the formation of such candidates, they should be encouraged in the frequent celebration of this sacrament" (NSC 36).
The Christian fully enters the Church by profession of faith and formal reception. For the profession of faith, the candidate says: "I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God." The bishop or priest then formally receives the Christian into the Church by saying, "[Name], the Lord receives you into the Catholic Church. His loving kindness has led you here, so that in the unity of the Holy Spirit you may have full communion with us in the faith that you have professed in the presence of this his family."
The bishop or priest then normally administers the sacraments of confirmation and celebrates the holy Eucharist, giving the new Catholic the Eucharist for the first time.
http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/1995/9509fea3.asp
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HOW2.htm

 

[wlkngwthgod]

Nevermind everyone, don't answer this anymore please. I changed my mind.

 

[Hanslope]

The Roman Catholic Church sees itself as the true church and does not consider the huge Orthodox Church or the various Protestant Churches as properly part of the true Church. The RC Church also claims that St. Peter was its first head and is the first pope but anyone reading the New Testament will discover that the first Church was in Jersualem not Rome and that its first head, after Jesus Himself, was James his brother.

The RC Church also gives far greater weight to tradition whereas Protestant Churches are governed by what the Bible says.

 

[Smoke]

The Reformation didn't happen for no good reason, and there is little indication that the Roman Catholic Church has responded to the issues raised by the Reformers, except perhaps to dig their heels in and insist on excommunicating (kicking out) the reformers.

My formerly-Catholic cousin used to maintain, when he was Catholic, that the RCC had absorbed everything that was worthwhile in the Reformation, rendering the Reformation churches redundant.

The Roman Catholic Church sees itself as the true church and does not consider the huge Orthodox Church or the various Protestant Churches as properly part of the true Church.

The RCC teaches that all churches not under the jurisdiction of the Pope of Rome are schismatic. However, it does recognize the validity of Eastern Orthodox (but not Protestant) sacraments, and Eastern Orthodox Christians may receive Communion in Roman Catholic churches. (From the Catholic point of view, that it. The Orthodox, except in relatively rare and widely criticized cases, don't consider it permissible.)

 

[ukMethodist]

Why would you want to?

 

[jeager106]

Nevermind everyone, don't answer this anymore please. I changed my mind.

Thank you.
Why was it so important to ask the question when you changed your mind so quickly?
I'm confused.