Catholic Weddings

NWR - Converting Question

Hello ladies!  I've spent a lot of time lurking on this board, and I thought it might be the best place to ask this question.

My FI is a cradle Catholic, while I was baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian Church.  I am very open to the possibility of converting to Catholicism, and am going to start taking RCIA classes to learn more about the Church and the process.  This would be a really big change for me, and I want to make sure that I go into it with a spirit of contemplation and prayerful consideration.  I was wondering if any of you have any books/websites/etc. that you would suggest to someone considering conversion?  I don't feel totally lost, as I've been attending Mass fairly regularly and have had lots of conversations with FI and other friends who are Catholic, but I'm basically hungry for any info I can get my hands on!

Thanks in advance!

Re: NWR - Converting Question

  • Hi! Congrats on your engagement and I'm glad to hear you're discerning RCIA.

    The best book regarding conversion is "Rome Sweet Home" by Scott and Kimberly Hahn.  I'd also suggest "Surprised by Truth"

    Regarding websites, wordonfire.org, bustedhalo.com, catholicscomehome.org are good places to start.  If you have a SiriusXM subscription, i strongly encourage you to check out the Catholic Channel on 129.

    I teach RCIA at my parish; I'm happy to help!
  • And know that RCIA is more about formation than information. It's not about cramming the head with knowledge, but opening the heart to transformation and grace. Best wishes.
  • Theology of the Body for Beginners by Christopher West
  • Thank you!  I'll definitely check those out!

    @IrishPirate60, looking back over my original post, it looks like I'm a ginormous nerd...I am, but the information is just a starting point for the transformation.  :-)
  • @futuremrshistorian‌ Nerds welcome! My comment was more from my own experience with people who come from another Christian tradition--if, for instance, their background was rooted in knowing "chapter and verse," they were sometimes frustrated with the scope and complexity that is Catholicism. No easy answers, many grey areas--and yet, such a wide variety of ways to BE Catholic. In fact, one of the books I'd recommend to you is Fr. James Martim's My Life with the Saints.
  • @IrishPirate60 - Luckily, the church (and family!) I grew up in is comfortable with grey areas...but I went to a Southern Baptist college, so I've spent a lot of time in the evangelical "black and white, chapter and verse" subculture.  It's something I'm very uncomfortable with, actually.  I love the church I grew up in, but I really feel as though I'm being called in another direction.

    I've ordered the books you all recommended (yay, packages from Amazon!).  I talked with a priest in the local parish today--the RCIA classes actually conflict with my schedule, but we're going to meet together once/week to talk through things.  I have quite a bit of time - FI is in the process of deploying, and so we don't even have a wedding date yet.
  • Also "Good News about Sex and Marriage" which is a question/answer format and really easy to understand.
  • Here's one other resource: http://www.ltp.org/p-1207-prayerbook-for-engaged-couples-second-edition.aspx

    Fr. Austin Fleming is a Catholic pastor on the East Coast.


  • Find your local "Relevant Radio" station - there's always some interesting discussions there regarding Catholicism. 
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