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Post by Susan Peabody on May 19, 2024 16:04:16 GMT -8
Catechism
Protestants study the Bible every week in what they call Bible Study. They also offer classes for a few weeks on the doctrines of their particular denomination. Catholics also study the Bible, but the learning of Catholic doctrine takes almost a year. For those who are born Catholic this happens when they are around eight years old. At the end they take their first communion, called the Eucharist, and are confirmed as Catholics. Baptism happens at birth. For those converting to Catholicism as an adult there are also catechism classes. Afterwards, the adult in confirmed, baptized, and takes communion as an adult. This is what I did last year, 2023. This thread (group of posts) is about what I have learned so far. I must admit that Catholicism is a complicated and difficult religion to master. But fortunately, my catechism teacher was patient with me. My biggest stumbling block was all the bad things I had heard from my mother and some of my clients. I was very upset about the priests who were pedophiles and the Inquisition. But my teacher put my mind to rest when he said: "Susan, the Catholic Church is half human and half define. toxic did infiltrate the church at times. But Catholicism still remains a full-time religion full of miracles which you can choose to embrace or not." Then I watched a movie called "The Two Popes," about when the Pope who hid the church's knowledge of the pedophile priests. So, they could elect a "reform Pope" to be elected. This was very reassuring. God was back in the papacy. Attachments:
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Post by Susan Peabody on May 19, 2024 16:28:05 GMT -8
One of My Favorite Things
One of the things I like about the Catholics is their organization. I was able to find a way to serve God in an organized way through one of their many ministries such as: Catholic Charities St. Vincent de Paul Missionaries of Charity Prison Ministry. When I first wanted to do prison ministry (1983 in AA), I was still a practicing love addict. I thought to help or fix inmates I had to marry them. LOL I ended up getting taken advantage of. Now I am protected from predators by the group I belong to, which sets strong boundaries. I really needed this. I also like the fact that Catholicism is full of people who turn their entire life over to God. They are not just religious on Sundays. Mass is every day. Communion is every day. Nuns and priests give up a worldly life altogether--at least the devout ones. I am very happy with the priest my Parrish (church). He is aware of my interest is psychology and science. He understands that everyone is on their own special path to God. He said my time in AA, as an agnostic, was a "step in the right direction." LOL Attachments:
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Post by Susan Peabody on May 20, 2024 9:17:45 GMT -8
This is from my friend Danna. We have known each other since the fifth grade.
It's strange the directions we've taken since our school days. Both raised Methodist. You went agnostic and I just quit going to church altogether! I can't even remember anything that I might have learned in the Methodist church. I married and had two children, pregnant with my third, when my husband said we were going to attend an Assembly of God church in Montgomery. What a far cry from the Methodists! It only took about three months of attending before we both walked the aisle to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
The last 43 years has been quite a ride, not only in my personal life (living in three countries and eight states), but also in my spiritual walk with the Lord.
I'm glad we've both found our faith and are walking close to God. With the current events as they are today, we may be seeing Jesus sooner than we think. Luke 21:5-28
Danna
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