Feel connected to Catholicism

[Uncertainteek]

My large family are catholic, mum hated it (the harshness of catholic schools in the 70s impact I guess), so refused to get me baptised, I was still taken to baptisms of family, weddings, funerals etc. our family life was full of Catholicism (priest round for tea at granny’s house, dragged to alsorts of functions and ceremonies). I went to a CofE school so faith based but no Catholicism, mum sent me to church groups growing up but more to get me from out of her hair.

All a weird mixture growing up but I’m now in my 30s, lost touch with most of my family (moved away) with a young family. I feel a strong sense of being catholic but my husband is an atheist. Where do I start in embracing my faith?

Ive forgotten all catholic church practices so feel silly throwing myself into going, especially as im not baptised. But I miss the sense of faith, tradition, the feeling of being connected to something greater, the forgiveness, the repent etc.

Find a church Find a church where you feel comfortable. You can be baptized if it feels right for you.

Nowadays there are plenty of masses live streamed on YouTube if you’re not sure of how it all goes. But if you just go along to your local church, stand when everyone else does, kneel down etc, no one will be noticing if you’re not following along with the prayers.

if you want a deeper understanding of certain aspects, I like Ascension channel on YouTube, there are great speakers on there, who make the faith feel accessible and understandable.

if you do want to formally join and be able to partake in the sacraments, your parish priest should be able to point you in the direction of RCIA classes. I believe those start later in the year, but there’s nothing stopping you looking at things for yourself right now 😊

Write to the priest in your local church (Google there will be an email address) and go and chat to them about it). They will be very pleased to see you.

Agree - contact the parish office of your local Catholic Church. Many have an RCIA group that enables adults to explore the Catholic Faith and potentially lead to being baptised and becoming a full member of the Catholic Church.

Go along to mass at a local parish. I had never been and yes it was quite confusing and now it is second nature!

you can go through RCIA (rite of catholic initiation for adults - I think!) and get baptised and confirmed as an adult

What is driving this? Because it honestly sounds less to me like anything to do with a specific belief system than a kind of nostalgia for your childhood family gatherings for other people’s baptisms, weddings etc, and for family you’ve lost touch with.

@PishPish God?

You haven't really said if you have a belief or if this is a nostalgia trip. I'm a lapsed Catholic and didn't marry in church or have DC baptised. However I felt a strong sense of belonging when I visited the Vatican and Rome. I then took my daughter to Sunday mass as it seemed like it should be part of her heritage. I don't think it stems from belief but more it is part of my cultural heritage. I haven't followed up on joining the worshipers. I'm just saying how strong the pull felt.

Welcome back 🙂
I’d say there’s no substitute for speaking with God in prayer, and discerning what your path should be. If you ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, you’ll receive it.
Reading the scripture, and the writing of the saints - I particularly like The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Laurence.
Retreats are good too, you can find out about those through your parish. Though obviously silent retreats aren’t great for the social aspect 😁
Many churches serve tea and coffee after Sunday morning Mass, which is a good opportunity to meet and chat with other Catholics, and there are usually families with children, so you can arrange play-dates, trips to the park, meals out, etc.

I think this is fair, but I'd add to it - what better basis for a faith, than something connected with your family and special events and your childhood? People talk about belief systems as if you are supposed to reach adulthood and pick one from a menu, but you could flip that perspective and take the view that, if (as some say) they are all paths to the same kind of thing, then why not choose the one with fond personal associations? After all, it's not just about assenting to a set of propositions, but about the community that you chose and activities you partake in. I think these things tend to be linked.

Nicely said @Thatloquacioustealdeer 🙂

Uncertainteek hi this is quite an old thread but seen it today. If you are interested in going to church I think look for a local one online and the times and try and attend. You will be fine.

Church's to put on baptism course's and I would suggest if you are interested getting baptised to so that God can bless you with his Holy Spirit so it can help to guide your life and make you more fully you.
I was baptised as a Catholic and attended a Catholic school. I like going to church for the newness of starting again and a new beginning and having a safe place in the world. It doesn't so much were you go to church and most Anglican church's if you like that sort are very similar to Catholic church's. I am myself am non demontional Christian and have experienced God in all church's I have been to.

The Holy Spirit has many benefits Jesus said he would send his followers a comforter which is the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). Jesus said he would send his followers a comforter to support them in their journey as a Christian. The Holy Spirit has many roles, helper, healer, protector, motivation, confidence, intercessor, advocate, strengthener, standby, comforter, counsellor, baptiser and a sanctifier.

With the Holy Spirit's guidance we also can importantly grow in the Fruits of the Spirit which, with these fruits we can use them to model ourselves on as Christians (Galatians 5: 22-23). The Fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

You didn't reply to this, I wonder how you got on and have you been.

Think very carefully about whether you actually want to be connected to an organisation that been responsible for the physical and sexual abuse of so many children, that routinely locked women and children up in institutions in appalling conditions, forcing them to work, abusing and torturing them.
Child abuse was systematically covered up by the church to enable the abusers to escape any kind of consequences for their actions and even to continue to abuse.
They have left a long legacy of trauma behind them.
Look up the mass graves in Tuam of the babies they were supposed to be responsible for. Look up how they allowed medical experimentation to be done on children in their institutions for profit. All the illegal adoptions they facilitated.
They are a corrupt, evil organisation and the sheer scale and range of the damage they have caused to people over the years is truly sickening.

I am a non demontional at times still attend my Catholic primary school church in the week which is one or the second most safe place for me. I attend an Anglican church in the week.
I 90% don't watch television and I was shocked when the cover up case that led to Justin Webly standing down. I was stunned and I really liked him. We got on as nornal at my church and dealt with it as a family in Christ. Something grounded which Justin said-We need to remain focus on Christ alone who is the only who was perfect. It took me some time to get over it and I decided not to tell really where I went to church for a while to let them determine using their own spirit their own minds where to go. Don't forget that I think God's spirit can be found in all church's for those who worship in the true way. I go to an 8am service and we are quiet and nobody harms another. The family service at 10am is a gift to the community.

I felt also how could I send some vulnerable people there at that time. I have got over that today.
Most church's will not have this and I am so safe in my church the Anglican church I attend. This is getting swept out of the church and change can be good. Abuse is never right and God is opposed to this.

I can tell you I have felt the breath and wind of the Holy Spirit in an Anglican and Catholic church come right above my head. They are as Holy as they always been.

Don't let anyone put you off and Baptism should be your end goal.