Anglican feeling called to become Catholic

[Olinguita]

Cradle Anglican here. I've been feeling increasingly drawn to Roman Catholicism for the past two years. For background, I was educated at a Roman Catholic convent and it's only recently that I've realized how deep an impression it left on me. I love the Virgin Mary, the sacraments, the liturgy, Ignatian spirituality and the sense of being part of a global church. I've been sneaking into Catholic churches for mass for the past two years and it has given me a sense of being in the presence of God in a way that I don't feel in my middle of the road Anglican church. I'm struggling with the blobbiness and lack of mystery and contemplation in the Anglican church, and I have had thid general sense of not quite fitting in for a long time, and I struggle to articulate why. Weirdly when I go into a Catholic church it just feels like home. I did an online course on Catholic Social Teaching last summer and it blew my mind - there was so much that I agreed with in terms of economic justice and I really enjoyed debating big, tricky social issues with the other participants.
Here's the kicker - I'm politically left(ish) and feminist, and a lot of my inner circle of friends are gay or bi, so if I really am being called to Catholicism it is kind of tricky/inconvenient...and would cause a lot of upset and division among my friends and family. My family are super devout Anglicans and I just baptised my son a few weeks back with a big family celebration. I struggle with the teaching on abortion in particular and it is obviously a hot button issue right now. I personally wouldn't get an abortion unless my life was in danger but I'm profoundly uncomfortable with the idea of it being illegal. I also have no interest in judging or condemning friends who have had terminations. I think they were doing the best they could at the time.
Any Catholics out there who can advise, of folks who have converted to Catholicism? I really feel that converting would bring me deep joy and purpose but also wondering if I should "stay in my lane" and try to make the best of being Anglican. Thanks for reading to the end!

I am also Anglican and went to a convent and for a while wanted to concert. I understand how you feel. However, I didn’t in the end and I’m glad I didn’t. I chose to stay in my lane as you put it (and I think the Dalai Lama offers similar advice but am not 100% sure). Maybe try a few different Anglican churches? None is perfect. Don’t get caught up in the doctrine and focus on God. X

OP, I’m Church of Scotland, which is a presbyterian church affiliated to neither Anglicanism or Catholicism, so maybe I can give an outside perspective.
Everyone follows their own road to the same God. It’s not the road that matters, it’s the destination. And I’m sure that applies in Judaism, Islam, whatever - as long as we all get there in the end.
If you find the Catholic road faster, more scenic, or more suitable, than the Anglican road, then take it! If you disagree with some tenets of its doctrine, then you can campaign from inside it.
I’m a radical feminist, and am lucky to feel very comfortable in the C of S, where we’ve had women priests for over 50 years, and twice had women as national Moderator (overall head of the church). My most recent minister was a fiercely intellectual lesbian feminist, who was brilliant.
Your family will still be your fellow Christians, even if you attend a slightly different version in your chosen church. Go with your heart, and serve God in your own way.

just to add - there are Anglo-Catholic/high Anglican churches which are similar in liturgy to Roman Catholic Churches. I believe both anglicans and RCs have a yearly pilgrimage to Walsingham (I think the shrines are in different places and they are in different days) - but you might find either of these helpful. I’m neither high church nor RC but wish you blessings on your spiritual journey!

It's a nobrainer. You feel so strongly, read back what you have written. Imagine a friend wrote it. What would be your advise? Just convert...follow your heart.

Ah! I feel you OP. I've always been drawn to the Catholic church but i am so conflicted about some of their teachings. I feel daunted by the things that can't be found in the bible. But i too love Mary and the rosary and just so many things about the catholic church. If i could overcome my reservations about the traditions that i can't find an explanation for in the bible then I'd convert in a heartbeat. As it is, i find myself sticking with my current church and praying the rosary by myself, while feeling confused and conflicted and hoping God gives me a really clear sign about which path to take!

I have some of the same reservations as you too. Please update this thread if you do convert (or not!). I'd love to hear from someone in a similar position to me!

Thank you so much for the words of wisdom everyone. Lovely to get insights from posters from a range of different denominations and life experiences.
LPVA I think I know the Dalai Lama quite you mean and there is a lot of sense in that
Babdoc thank you for the outside perspective. Your church sounds really cool!
Namenic i actually started life as an Anglo Catholic. I love the style of worship. The thing that puts me off (and this might be unfair of me) is that my Anglo Catholic church felt a bit cold and intellectually snobby and was very popular with well-to-do parents who wanted to get their kids into the adjoining primary school and didn't take a whole lot of interest in spiritual matters. It was quite a monoculture (white upper middle class... Which tbf is my own background) and I am drawn to being part of a more diverse church. I love how you find people of every ethnicity and social background worshipping together in Roman Catholic churches in London. I am drawn to the idea of being in a church where I meet people with different world views and life experiences from my own. I'm sure there is merit in trying out different Anglo churches though so that could be one approach for me to take
lalosalamanca your post stuck a chord!
flangelica you as well? This is very interesting! I will certainly update you on how my quest goes. Like you I sometimes wish God would just give me a sign. Wishing you blessings on your journey

I'm CofE but married into a Catholic family. I'm much happier in a Catholic church as I found all the clapping etc in the last CofE service a bit odd.
The gay thing, honestly don't give it a second thought, what goes on in the real lives of church goers is very different to what was considered appropriate 2,000 years ago. We've had an openly gay priest, gay teachers at the attached school and have gay parishioners. All welcomed and accepted. As a feminist it still irks me that the priest has to be male, but the majority of the church committee are women.

Do it! I was raised Anglican and my parents still are. It's he best thing I have ever done! I have no Marian devotion whatsoever but literally counting the days till l go to Lourdes. I love seeing the universal church. The C of E is much more parochial.

One of my favourite priests is also the most Camp man I've ever met 😂😂

OP I can relate to your post in some ways. I wasn't brought up in faith at all but became Christian in my teens. Have been in Church of Scotland and now in a Baptist church.

I'm also attracted to the liturgy and mysticism of Catholicism and feel that I'm missing out on something!

But I'd be afraid of feeling restricted in the Catholic church, especially views on the role of women, and views on homosexuality.

I'd be interested to hear how others resolve these questions.

I converted from high Anglicanism. I love being Catholic. I've felt drawn to it ever since I was a kid and being Catholic feels like home.

I went the other way, from Catholicism via militant atheism to Anglicanism!

I too went the other way, from Roman Catholic to Anglican.
I think the Vatican is a dreadful organisation and it felt hypocritical to be part of it.

I returned to my faith a few years ago but was adamant that I wasn't going to return to the Catholic church. As time went by and a lot of researching of other religions I was shocked to feel attracted back to the Catholic faith. Yes there is many parts of it I don't agree with and of course the scandals, but the core beliefs were important to me, the sacraments, especially communion, the mass and the respect showing to Mary. So now I'm a practising Catholic and like another poster said I feel like I'm home.

@SpaghettiNotCourgetti I was also Uber high church. When I was converting, someone asked me if the liturgy was higher than what I was used too. Err noo, way down the candle!

@Olinguita I was an atheist/agnostic who after a profound encounter with God became Catholic at 19 (many moons ago!). I grew up in an intellectual, loving secular household so it was quite a radical culture change. However, Catholicism haa a strong intellectual tradition as Catholics believe all truth comes from God, thats why there are so many Catholic schools and universities. A Catholic priest who was a physics professor came up with the BIg Bang theory. But my reason for conversion was the love of God and his invitation to draw close within the Church.

I would just like to say the average practicing Catholic is not judgemntal or condemning of women who have an abortion. The majority are very compassionate and understanding and are very aware of the dilemmas facing women especially those with unsupportive or even abusive relationships with the father of the child. Catholics are found in every walk of life and have founded and staffed hospitals, medical clinics, social service organizations, orphanages, services for refugees etc. The Catholic church is the organization that educates the most people worldwide and probably also that would be the case with social services. Catholics work with the poorest of the poor, including refugees and the displaced. We are everywhere. I remenber watching news coverage of the tsunami on Boxing Day about 12 yrs ago that hit an asian nation and while the NGOs were rushing in to help, Catholics were already there and had been there for decades serving the modest fishing communities.

Our parish is involved in prison ministry where the whole parish supports and helps a prisoner and his/her family for 2+ years after release from prison. We are helping a man now and his divorced wife and their teenage daughters as he reenters society.

If you would like to chat more about your questions on this thread or via DM please do. There are a lot of amazing Catholic women on MN.

My family is half and half Catholic and CofE

The place I felt I fitted best is the high church Oxford movement churches, which are officially CofE but are often described as Anglo-Catholic. They are 'higher' than many Catholic churches!

There's not that many of them. Here's a list (non-exhaustive)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Anglo-Catholic_churches#United_Kingdom

If there are any near you, might it be worth a few visits?

Oh, and do read 'How Far Can You Go?' by David Lodge (and maybe also 'The British Museum is Falling Down') as a core theme is how a group of catholics (cradle and convert) see their faith around the time of Vatican II. I know that sounds arid, but they're funny and moving books, and will give insights into the questions on your mind at the moment.

Yes. The church I grew up at would NEVER have had a worship band, which is what we have at our Catholic church - guitars, flutes, a recorder, and, occasionally, a bassoon and a violin. And there's no incense.

I do miss the Book of Common Prayer and a really good choral evensong, I have to say.

OP I don't know if you are familiar with the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, which is the equvalent of a seperate diocese set up by Pope Bendict for Angliacans who kept requesting to come into the Catholic Church in groups, while retaining many Anglican traditions which are compatiable with Catholicism. Quite a numbet of priests and a few bishops (I think some retired) came into the Church along with hundreds of Anglicans. They have a few parishes and otherwise share Churches with regular Catholic parishes. They are fully Catholic but with a strong Anglican patrimony. They are having their annual pilgrimage to Walsingham in August, you might like to go along and mingle with some Anglicans who are all within the Church. I am sure they will underatand your POV. Of course as full Catholics they can attend any Catholic Mass and receive communion.
ordinariate.org.uk/

Michael Nazir Ali joined the Ordinariate when he came into the Church recently. Pope Francis made him a Monsignor due to his pastoral history as a Bishop in the Anglican church.

Thank you again for these insights and words of encouragement! I'm so glad I posted this question here. It has really been an eye opener. I'm going to reply to you all but it will be in dribs and drabs (life with a recently mobile baby 😅)

PutinIsaWarCriminal really interesting perspective. My gut feeling about the gay thing matches with what you said. I too am pretty sure that the vast majority of Catholics harbour no bad feeling towards LBGT folks. I actually have a lesbian aunt who is a Catholic convert. Maybe time to have a chat with her. TBH, while my Anglican church is vocally and visibly inclusive of gay and trans people, vast swathes of the Anglican communion globally (parts of the global South, the more evangelical side of the church in general) are one big homophobic dumpster fire and frankly I don't think the Catholics are any worse if you look at the question in the broadest terms!

Toddlerteaplease i also love the idea of being part of a global church. How wonderful to be going to Lourdes. Have a great trip! And I love that one of your fave priests was super camp

whichisit interested to hear about your personal journey. I will update the thread and let you know how I get on in wrangling with some of those big, knotty questions

Op, as well as having a chat with your aunt, why don't you start speaking more freely with members of the congregations at the Catholic churches you attend and their priests?

You will most affected by those you worship with and turn to for guidance so surely you should be talking through your concerns with them?

Your aunt sounds like the person to chat to as a convert herself who is lesbian.

It would be really interesting to hear her story. I would also say in the past 50 yrs since the sexual revolution, while secular society and media generally ignores the Church there is an obsession with Catholic sexual morality from the outside as if that is all Catholicism is. There are many religions and all the oldest Christian traditions (Orthodox, Copts, Chaldean etc.) who hold to the same morality. The fury and anger at the Church when it really has no meaningful impact in the West any longer is interesting.

@SpaghettiNotCourgetti I adore choral evensong! Especially at York Minster. Still love the BCP, and Anglican chant. That's one thing the Catholic Church doesn't do as well. Choral vespers just isn't the same!