T11M

I have been asked by many people on many occasions, “Why are you becoming Catholic?” Unable to give them a definite answer at the time, I have set out to put into words the reasons why I am making this choice and going through the long process of becoming Catholic.

1. The Sacraments – “Efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us by the work of the Holy Spirit.” (CCC) – I have often heard
   Catholics speak of the blessed sacraments and how wonderful they are, but it wasn’t until I actually learned of their meaning that they began to make sense to me. In short they are an outward sign of God’s grace. It’s not that God needs to show this outward sign in order to give us grace, but rather I need this outward sign to comfort and encourage me. These outward signs, or sacraments, have become very important to me the closer I get to confirmation.
2. The Structure – The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit reveals God’s truth through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium (the teaching office of the Church made up of the Pope and the Bishops in communion with him). In most Protestant churches there is a heavy focus on
   Sacred Scripture while Tradition is left by the wayside (not to mention that Protestant churches generally have no equivalent to the Magisterium, leaving scriptural interpretation to individuals). I have always thought this was very imbalanced By following these traditions I am able to reflect on Christ’s actions on earth. Finally, the Magisterium (I’ve noticed that word bothers people), is responsible for studying the Scriptures, Tradition, and all of the works of the Saints to make decisions on theology. Call me overly trusting, but I would rather statements of theology be considered, crafted, and handed down by people called to God’s work and who have spent a lifetime studying the mysteries of faith rather than myself. While every aspect of faith must, at some point, be considered by every individual, leaning on the guidance of the Magisterium is like using sources to write a history paper. Why would that be considered unthinkable or inappropriate when making decisions about faith?
3. The Apostolic Tradition – Every bishop in the Catholic Church can trace their ordination back to the Apostles; never has the line of ordination been broken. That is powerful to me.
4. The Unity amongst Diversity – There is a unity in the Catholic Church that I have not found anywhere else. On Sunday, Mass happens around the world and all are identical in purpose and tradition. I
   love that the Catholic Church is universal and readily available to all.
5. The Open Door Policy – I have found no other church that I can go to at anytime of the day or night and walk in to meditate, pray, or worship. The doors to the Catholic Church are always open.

In the end, these are just a few of the multitude of reasons, some inexplicable, for why I am joining the Catholic Church. However, I must say that the most important reason, the one that unequivocally motivates me to become Catholic is that I feel at home. I feel as though I meet God there. He and I haven’t gotten on much since I went to college, but my renewed interest, my homecoming if you will, has brought us closer. To be frank, I have found the Trinity to exist in the Catholic Church and to come alive to me there unlike anywhere else I have ever been. And that is all that need be said.

Personal Catholic