Attention all Catholics- opinions and advice required

[eisbaer]

Hi!
I am considering becoming Catholic. Here are my reasons-
I have a belief, but no Protestant service I have attended(brought up church of Scotland) "does it" for me
I have really enjoyed any catholic marriages I have been at
Even as a child, the interaction and ritual of a catholic mass made me wish I were catholic
I love the strong sense of union and identity enjoyed by Catholics, I feel that other forms of Christianity seem to be just making it up as they go along
I am going to offend with this point- I think you canbe a practising Catholic and relatively "normal", but other forms of Chrisyianity have a level of squareness or stigma about them that tends to alienate alot of people. I am just saying how I seeit!
I don't like certain things associated with Catholicism
-views on homosexuality

• views on masturbation
• sexual abuse by priests and subsequent cover ups
• not sure i buy the whole "power of god"attributedto thePope

My question for you is this- knowing the above, am I a worthy candidate? Would people at Mass think I was a weirdo if I rocked up alone, non catholic, and didn't do communion or didn't raise my kids catholic(not Planning to till am sure myself) any comments and opinions would be greatly appreciated, just can't seem to shake this idea of converting.

In terms of the things you like/dislike about Catholicism, you sound like most Catholics I know.
Noone would think you were a weirdo, sounds like a sensible approach. People love the idea of potential new converts and you'd be very welcome indeed.

well put mariasalome most people on my catholic pre-marriage course had a couple of kids already, I was up the duff, we all co-habited!

I don't mean we all co-habited TOGETHER , that might have been a bit much!

@Maria very well said. Catholics are more tolerant than people would think. Though a lit of mn considers them hypocrite extraordinaires for that very reason!

at any poor priest trying to tactfully deal with a marriage course of determined swingers or perhaps a new age, free-love hippie settlement tribe.

monkey, that image is firmly stuck in my head now,
darn your entertaining typos

Seriously, thank you all for your input and comments, thought-provoking and actually just what I wanted to hear in lots of ways.

Just to say I bit the bullet and attended Mass this morning with my baby son. It was by far the best experience I've had when trying out churches. Will go back. It really was the best idea just to pitch

Up and take a pew- that should end!

Very pleased you made it! And that you enjoyed jt rather than sat thinking 'Please God dThe nice thing about the 'Sunday Obligation' (for me and my manically misbehaving dc anyway) is that lots of families do go weekly, not just the ones with perfectly behaved, silent, clean & tidy children.

Very pleased you made it! And that you enjoyed it rather than sat worrying about nonsense like 'Please God dont let her cry too noisily'.

The nice thing about the 'Sunday Obligation' (for me and my manically misbehaving dc anyway) is that lots of families do go weekly, not just the ones with perfectly behaved, silent, clean & tidy children. (obviously no offence meant if you are lucky enough to be that family ).

Just come across this thread. AFAIK the Scottish Episcopalian Church is the closest to a high church CofE up here if you want to give it a go, although it sounds like you struck gold this morning.

I love the comment "Please God don't let her cry too noisily". I know that one well!

The abuse and cover ups are done by man not God. They are an evil within the church. Look for the good. Good Catholics do not stand by evil.