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Victoria Gomez wrote:

Hi, guys —

My fiancé and I have been discussing our wedding and he has shared his desire to get married in a cathedral.

The problem is that I'm a Christian and he knows that. He wants me to convert and he doesn't seem to be budging on this.

  • So I guess my question is, why do I convert?

Help me see what is so special I guess about becoming a Catholic.

Victoria

  { Why do I have to convert to the Catholic faith for my fiancé and why is being Catholic so special? }

Bob replied:

Victoria,

There are many solid reasons to consider becoming a Catholic, one being that worshipping together as a family has enormous benefits.

Ultimately, you should believe something is true before giving your assent. The Catholic faith teaches several important points that many Protestant Christians reject; however, when one can study the Issues directly in detail, the Catholic teaching holds up. They are simply true.

Here are a few areas to study:

  • the Papacy.
    • Did Jesus appoint Peter to an office that would remain in perpetuity to hold the Church together and help insure the authenticity of his teaching?
  • the Eucharist.
    • Did Jesus institute this new covenant in His Own Blood as a way to make Himself present to all generations in perpetuity?
  • Aside from the fact that all can approach God for forgiveness at any time:
    • Did Jesus scandalously give His own power to forgive (that very thing He was excoriated for) sins to the Apostles, and did he establish a rite of entry to His Church that had the power to cleanse sin as well (Hint: this will get you wet)?

For Catholic Christians, Baptism, the Eucharist, Penance, and the Apostolic Church are powerful realities that Christ established. We have Sacraments (which is like a promise or an oath — a covenant) that were established by Christ to carry forward the very heart and power of His Ministry. They involve ritual — but Catholics didn't invent these rituals, He did.

This is only scratching the surface of the issues to investigate.

  • Try a book like Karl Keating's Catholicism and Fundamentalism to see the explanations of this teachings in contrast to the often erroneous assertions made by other Christians as to what we really believe.
  • Another good thing to try is an RCIA course done at a Catholic parish which methodically goes through Sacraments, morals, the liturgy, and other vital topics.

Consider yourself a student at the very least and you will learn a great deal, and maybe even come to share the same faith as your husband.

Peace,

Bob Kirby

Mike replied:

Victoria,

In addition to Bob's answer, I just wanted to pitch in my two cents.

You said:
The problem is, I'm a Christian and he knows that. He wants me to convert and he doesn't seem to be budging on this.

Catholics are Christians as well! The word Catholic, besides meaning everywhere one and universal, also means according to its totality.

For short, the Catholic faith is the Christian faith according to its totality.

Faithful, practicing Catholic Christians follow and practice everything Jesus asked them to practice and obey.

There are no inventions. Teachings of the Church are developed and clarified for the faithful from generation to generation.

Unlike the confusion you can see in Protestant denominations, Catholic Christians have a peace of mind, knowing that the Holy Spirit is guiding the teaching authority of the Church, which Jesus Himself gave to St. Peter and his future successors. Even when scandalous popes, cardinals, bishops, and priests embarrass the Church with pubic sins and grave public evil, these sins have no effect on the Teachings of the Church which will always be protected. Jesus promised as much when He founded His Church in Matthew's Gospel. (See Matthew 16:13-19)

You said:

  • So I guess my question is why do I convert?

Bob answered this pretty well, though I would be remiss if I didn't share these pages:

Though we would encourage you to look into the faith, your fiancé has no right to give you this type of ultimatum.

We are not Muslim; we don't force people to join our faith under duress.

The Church holds each person's free will as paramount.

I hope this helps,

Mike

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