would a non-confirmist feel comfortable in attending a catholic church

[Builde]

We would love to go to church a bit more locally.

I am a methodist and my dh is a complete non-believer.

Would we feel comfortable and welcome in a catholic church (this would be our nearest church other than the village parish church which isn't suitable for children).

Would my confirmation in the methodist church be accepted? Would it be too much of a culture shock.

Devout catholics please respond!

I don't see why there'd be a problem with you attending, though you wouldn't be able to go up for Holy Communion.

You mention a village parish church so I'm guessing you live in a rural area where people are perhaps more like to know one another than in a big city? Would you know many of the people who attend the Catholic church and would they know that you're a non-Catholic?

I'd like to think that the congregation would welcome anyone who wanted to experience a Catholic Mass. In terms of you feeling "comfortable" what kind of potential issues or problems did you have in mind? And when you talk about your Methodist confirmation being "accepted", how do you mean?

I don?t see why you would feel uncomfortable although it obviously depends on how friendly the individual church is. I have Methodist friends who sometimes come to Mass with me and they don?t seem to struggle too much. Everyone will know all the words but there are usually mass books available somewhere with the words in ? and when I?ve been to Methodist communion services a lot of the words are quite similar. As noyoucant said, as a non-catholic you couldn?t receive communion, but you could go up for a blessing if you wanted.

We live in a village that is separated from the town by a field! However, the parish church is very small and does a family service each month. The other weeks it would not be appropriate to take children (People attend the church for quiet communcions!). Since it's the village church, we know everyone there and we really enjoy going.

The catholic church is on the edge of town. I guess I would bump into people there that we know. (It's a small town that we've lived in a long time).

I am absolutely happy about being in other congregations but long term I'm assuming that I could never fully participate because I'm not catholic. (And I wouldn't be prepared to be reconfirmed because that would be suggesting my original confirmation and baptism didn't mean anything).

So, I suppose I'm asking, could I enjoy being a member of a congregation that I wouldn't have 'proper' membership of?

Builde,
Your original baptism would be recognised by the Catholic church so you wouldn't get re-baptised if you did decide to convert, though I'm guessing you wouldn't want to.

Whether you could enjoy being a member of a congregation you wouldn't have 'proper' membership of depends how important it is to you personally to 'fully belong' and to take part in the sacraments. No one else is going to hold it against you - I think people would be pleased to see you and would accept you on your terms.

Of our local catholic church is full of people like those who have responded, then I think we would be very happy there! Thank you for what you have said,.

One of my good friends at church is not Catholic. I knew her through church for 4 years before I realised. She's there every week and looks very comfortable!

When I've been to CoE and Methodist services it's all felt very familiar.

As far as I know, 'being received' into the Catholic church is to make sure that the potential convert really understands and assents to what they're signing up for.
It's not meant to imply that the convert's previous Christian life is invalid or worthless.

So before someone goes up to Communion the procedures make sure they're genuinely ok with the Catholic Eucharistic theology, and with the idea of being in full communion with the rest of the catholic universal church including the saints in heaven etc.