ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME: 10 REASONS TO BECOME CATHOLIC
By Sam Guzman
“The difficulty of explaining ‘why I am a Catholic’ is that there are ten thousand reasons all amounting to one reason: that Catholicism is true.” – G.K. Chesterton. Why, you may wonder, would anyone, especially in the 21st century, join such an archaic institution? And why on earth would you stay when there are so many other options? Here are 10 real reasons to become Catholic.
1. The Faith is True: The Catholic faith represents the most complex, consistent, and complete system of ideas among all the competing philosophies of humanity. It is a veritable cathedral of human thought. In a real way, the Church has thought of everything, and that is because she relies not just on human ingenuity but divine inspiration. Every other merely human system of thought is completely erroneous, wildly contradictory, impossible to live by, or all of the above. The Catholic faith alone can provide the practical wisdom, common sense, consistent theology, and thorough philosophy that leads to full human happiness and flourishing. But it is important to emphasize that for all her beautiful theology and philosophy, the Catholic faith is not just a system of ideas. All of the ideas she has generated are merely doorways to a transcendent realm of spirit, and ultimately, to Christ himself. If we miss this, we miss everything. No philosophy, no matter how glorious, is sufficient as an end in itself. It either leads us to Christ, who is truth itself, or it is a waste of time. And so, the real proof of the truth and reality of the Catholic faith is not her universities or scholastic philosophers, but the lives of the saints. They bear witness to a higher law, a higher order, and ultimately to the living person of Christ. The burned with an almost insane love for Christ, a love that inspired them to things that seem to the world plain crazy. They were consumed by a vision of the eternal that transcends, but does not contradict, all human reason and rationality. Their transformation, their lives, their works, the witness of their love—these are the real proofs that the Catholic faith is absolutely true.
2. The Faith is Beautiful: The Catholic faith has brought more beauty into the world than can be calculated. Jaw-dropping Gothic cathedrals, glorious paintings, magnificent sculptures, otherworldly music and chant, some of the greatest literature the world has ever known—the Church has nurtured, preserved, and promoted all of these things. The order, harmony, structure, and transcendence of these works lifts our hearts and minds to God. In a world that idolizes the ugly and cheap, these great works speak of a transcendent order and even of God’s eternal harmony and beauty. In them, we see a glimpse of eternity. My own conversion happened in large part due to an encounter with this beauty, and perhaps I will share more about this another time.
3. The Faith is Good: Anyone who has spent anytime around devout Catholics comes away with the impression that Catholics are different. It’s hard to pin down this difference, but it’s also inescapable. A Catholic living their faith fully is filled with life and light and joy. A devout Catholic family will probably have a beautiful altar at the center of their home. They are no doubt deeply and passionately pro-life. They will pray together regularly and have pictures of Jesus and Mary and the saints covering their walls. The parents will read their children stories of good triumphing over evil, the lives of the saints, and they will teach them virtue and the value of sacrifice. Their home will be filled with life, the warmth of love, the beauty of faith. In short, a devout Catholic home will have an atmosphere, a culture, of goodness that just you won’t find elsewhere. And anyone who has met a holy nun or monk, or priest can attest that they too radiate a joy and goodness and holiness that is completely contagious.
4. A Cloud of Witnesses: One of the things I always believed as a protestant was the saints competed with God for glory. That is, that honoring a saint would always and everywhere detract from God’s glory. Since becoming Catholic, however, I have realized the wonderful truth that the saints do not detract from God’s glory or compete with him for honor, but rather they magnify his grace and increase his glory. The saints are stars in the canopy of heaven—the great cloud of witnesses scripture speaks of—guiding us by their example and helping us powerfully by their prayers. All the honor given to the saints is ultimately a reflection of God’s ability to transform poor sinners into the most shining examples of holiness. Our Lord delights in using creaturely agents to accomplish his will. Simply read scripture and you cannot but realize the fact that God has always used frail creatures to do great things, and he always will. Christianity is not just about “me and Jesus.” No one is saved alone. Heaven is a family, and the saints are our elder brothers and sisters. As Catholics, we can call on these heavenly friends and ask for their prayers, just as we ask for the prayers of friends and family on earth, and they will powerfully intercede for us. By becoming Catholic, we place ourselves in a great stream of the redeemed going back to the beginning of the Church. I can attest to the joy of joining in this great throng of men and women offering prayers and praises before the throne of the Lamb. We don’t just remember the saints and martyrs as abstract historical facts, but as living realities that we can encounter.
5. The Sacraments: Nearly every other kind of Christian thinks of the tales and truths of scripture as historical realities but not living realities. For example, the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was something that happened to the apostles nearly 2,000 years ago, but the fire of the Holy Spirit has long since passed from the earth. We remember this occurrence in an abstract way, but it applied only to the apostles and has very little to do with us today. The Catholic sees things differently. Pentecost is not merely a historical event—it is an eternal reality, and we can experience its fire and grace today in just as real a way as the apostles did. The Last Supper was not a historical event alone. It is a living reality, even an eternal reality, that we participate in today through the grace of the Holy Spirit. When we attend Mass and receive the body and blood of Christ in communion, it is not “re-sacrificing” Christ, but it is making present his eternal, once-for-all sacrifice on Calvary for us now. In fact, all of the sacraments are the eternal works of God, which we see related in scripture, continuing today through his body, the Church. The sacraments are eternity invading time, the intersection of heaven and earth, the presence of the spiritual in the temporal. The sacraments are the most precious gifts imaginable, and they are available freely to every Catholic.
6. It’s filled with sinners… So, you will fit right in! If you’re looking for a perfect, pure, sin-free church, the Catholic church isn’t for you. The Church is a hospital for sinners; a place where human brokenness can encounter the healing grace of Jesus Christ. There have always been great sinners in the Church, but far from detracting from the truth of the faith, it rather proves that the Church offers a powerful remedy to the disorders of our human nature. In his earthly ministry, Jesus too was surrounded by sinners, and the Pharisees hated this fact. I love how Oscar Wilde, a notorious sinner himself and deathbed convert to Catholicism, described the Catholic Church: “The Catholic Church is for saints and sinners alone – for respectable people, the Anglican Church will do.”
7. A faith for everyone: The Catholic faith isn’t simply for the elite or a select few. From time immemorial, it has been the home of coalminers, farmers, soldiers, ironworkers, policemen—working men of all kinds. It has been the home of the simple, the ignorant, and the ordinary people of the world. But just as truly it has also been the home of some of the greatest minds the world has ever known. In the Church, great scholars, artists, poets, novelists, scientists, and philosophers have found a faith that nourishes their minds as well as their hearts. Mystics, servants of the poor, zealous missionaries, contemplatives, and many more have too found a place in the Catholic faith. In short, the Catholic Church is a home for anyone and everyone. It is the truest home for humanity.
8. The Catholic Faith is a Fighting Faith: The greatest obstacle to the advance of evil in the world is the Catholic Church. Through her rituals, her sacraments, and her saints, the Church is the most potent channel of grace in existence. Despite her flaws, she radiates more light and goodness into the world than any other single institution. While other groups and institutions may play their role in fighting evil, they are mere candles while the Church is a blazing bonfire driving back the darkness. The world knows this and that’s why it hates the Church. Agents within and without the Church have sought to destroy it for centuries because of this fact. But the Church cannot be destroyed. The Church fights evil and will never cease to do so. It will stand until the end of time as the great sign of salvation for all humanity, continuing the work of redemption and the defeat of darkness.
9. The Catholic Church is Truly Universal: The human mind is prone to separate and categorize things into dualities: East and West, European or Asian, Mystical or Rational, Contemplation or Action, Predestination or Freewill, Simple or Complex, Science or Faith, Faith or Works, and on and on. And it’s true–many different sects, denominations, and movements represent shards or fragments of the truth, representing one or the other of these dichotomies. But only one institution on earth is large enough and universal enough to embody all of these dichotomies and hold them in perfect tension: the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church has within her 20 some rites both Eastern liturgies and Western liturgies. Among Catholic religious orders, many are active, serving and working, while just as many are contemplative, praying and interceding for the world. The Catholic Church has among her children Africans, and Asians, and Europeans, and Americans, and Hispanics, and every ethnicity under the sun. She teaches the necessity of faith, but also human effort. She teaches the goodness of science but also the necessity of faith. The Catholic Church is universal in every way. She represents the perfect balance of diversity in unity, and within her are contained all the colors and shades of human expression and thought and mysticism held in perfect balance.
10. The Church is Ancient: Among modern individuals, there is a disillusionment with the cheap and the ephemeral. Our world is driven by marketing and advertising which preys on our desires by offering us cheap stimulants in the form of mass-produced junk. Deep down, people are sick of it and are searching for something of substance, something with deep roots. The Catholic faith offers just such deep roots. Flourishing for twenty centuries, the Catholic faith represents a faith that is both ancient and ever new. It is a living stream of tradition that connects us to the faith of our forefathers in an unbroken continuity. The faith of the martyrs of the ancient Church is my faith. The Christians of the catacombs, the fathers of the desert, the peasants of ancient Europe, the monastics who built ancient abbeys–they would all profess the same creed as I do. And this is a glorious thing. Conclusion There are countless other reasons for becoming Catholic, but they all amount to one reason: That Catholicism is true
The Catholic Church traces its roots all the way back to the first century. In fact, the word “catholic” means universal and was used to describe the Church that Jesus founded upon His apostles. It was first coined by Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of the apostle John, in the early 2nd century to distinguish itself from the many splinter groups that had already begun to claim the authority of Christ for themselves. It is significant to note that the only Christianity taught and recognized authoritatively for over a thousand years was that which was observed by the Catholic Church in all the parts of the world into which it spread the gospel of Christ. The belief in the divinity of Christ, His virgin birth, the redemption of mankind through His sacrificial death and His resurrection from the dead and His glorious return are all still part of the creed of the Church from the earliest writings and teachings of the Apostles and the early Church Fathers. The Catholic church is the original apostolic church. One example of this ancient belief comes to us from Ignatius of Antioch. In his second-century letter to the church in Smyrna, he wrote, “Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8, 1 [A.D. 110)
Although it is acknowledged that all baptized believers in Christ are members of His mystical Body, it is important to realize that Jesus Christ intentionally established a visible entity called His Church (ekklesia) on earth with a visible hierarchy. That the early Church had bishops, deacons and presbyters (priests or elders) and a structure of governance and even church discipline is seen in the teachings of Christ and in the Epistles of the New Testament. The apostle Peter is recognized In Matthew 16:18 as the one upon whom Christ would establish His Church and with whom His authority would rest. It is interesting to note that the words Christ uses to confer the keys to the Kingdom are the same used in Isaiah 22:20-22 to confer an authority upon a servant over his master’s estate. The early Church would have understood this in the context of Jewish thinking at the time to refer to an office occupied by a person. And it did in fact recognize the authority of the bishop of Rome to decide on issues of faith and morals and to maintain unity among the faithful for over 1500 years until it was challenged by Martin Luther.
It teaches authoritatively and establishes doctrine: This can be demonstrated at the first Church council in Jerusalem in Acts 15 concerning what new Gentile believers in Christ were expected to comply with. Although Jesus never taught whether Gentile believers should or shouldn’t be circumcised to be saved, the apostles and other leaders of the council discussed, argued and prayed and trusting the Holy Spirit’s guidance established a doctrine for the fledgling Church. These types of councils have been held throughout the centuries to establish doctrines of faith and belief, but mostly to address errors concerning the divinity of Christ and to definitively assert the teachings of the Apostles. The authority that Christ gave His apostles has been passed down through succession by the laying on of hands. The Catholic church can trace the succession of each Pope back to St. Peter himself upon whom Christ built His Church.
It communicates and explains God’s revealed Word: Without a definitive authority upon which to base one’s beliefs we can see that many interpret the Scriptures to their liking and understanding. This explains why there are some 30,00 Christian groups (denominations) in the US alone according to (https://www.completepilgrim.com.) The Catholic Church has proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ, affirmed His divinity unreservedly and upheld the dignity of the human person for millennia. The prayer of Christ was for unity among His followers (John 17:20)
It is a source of moral teaching: In addition to understanding the Ten Commandments and their implications, the Church has developed a theology and ethics for how to live the Christian life in light of everchanging developments in our society. Truth is eternal and does not depend on what is popular or convenient. The teachings of Christ guide the life of the Christian and propel him/her to a life of virtue through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It provides sacred rituals, worship and symbols: This may not seem important in our day when many traditional practices are seen as archaic or unnecessary. However, ritual, order, even routine, are important for humans and we all have them. Jesus Himself practiced the Jewish rituals of His time. He lived a routine life for many years before His entry into His ministry. The Old Testament is full of feasts, celebrations, sacrifices and rituals that gave the Jewish people their identity as people of God. Catholic Christians also have such prayers, sacraments, feasts and commemorations to solidify and unify them as a faith community… the Body of Christ.
It provides guidance for our relationship with God: The commission Christ gave His apostles was to go into all the world, preach the Gospel, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all He had commanded. This has been the mission of the Catholic church for over 2,000 years. The Catholic Church initiates persons into the family of God through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and reception of Holy Communion. These were established by Christ Himself and are evidenced as common practice among the early Church. Confession of sins to one another was encouraged and the sacrament of reconciliation was given to the Apostles and their successors to forgive and remit sins.The Christian life is lived in community through the sacraments, prayers and worship. We are part of one, holy catholic and apostolic church instituted by Christ.
( Excerpts from https://CredibleCatholic.com)
The apostle Peter is recognized in Matthew 16:18,19 as the one upon whom Christ would establish His Church and with whom His authority would rest. As cited above, it is interesting to note that the words Christ uses to confer the keys to the Kingdom are the same used in Isaiah 22:20-22 to confer an authority upon a servant over his master’s estate. The early Church would have understood this in the context of Jewish thinking at the time to refer to an office occupied by a person. Christ instructed the Apostles to preach everything He taught (Matt. 28:19–20) and promised the protection of the Holy Spirit to “guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). That mandate and that promise guarantees that the Church Christ established will never fall away from His teachings (Matt. 16:18, 1 Tim. 3:15), even if individuals in His Church might. There is also no guarantee that a pope won’t sin or fail to a be good example of Christian charity. This illustrates the common confusion between infallibility and impeccability. A pope’s private theological opinions are not infallible; only what he solemnly defines in relation to faith and morals is considered to be an infallible teaching as well as what the college of bishops agree upon. Popes have done this only twice in the history of the Church! It is the Holy Spirit who prevents a pope from officially teaching error. If, as Christ promised, the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church then it must be protected from fundamentally falling into error and thus away from Christ. This reality is reflected in the Apostle Paul’s statement that the Church is “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). If the Church is the foundation of religious truth in this world, then it is God’s own spokesman. As Christ told his disciples: “He who hears you hears Me, and he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects him who sent Me” (Luke 10:16). The fact that there have been bad popes and wicked priests does not negate Christ’s promise to uphold the Church He established. https://www.catholic.com/tract/papal-infallibility
Catholics do not worship Mary. She is venerated and honored for the unique and special woman she is as the mother of our Savior. As she herself prophesied "All generations will call me blessed."...Luke 2:48). No one can love or honor Mary more than Her Son, Jesus Christ. The honor and reverence given to Mary in song, poetry and prayer does not involve worship, but praise for her obedience and devotion and cause for our imitation of her faithfulness to God in always saying yes to Him. Prayers or petitions to Mary involve asking for her intercession to God similar to how we might ask another person to pray for us.
Praying or even kneeling in front of a statue or picture does not mean that one is praying to the statue or picture, just as someone kneeling in prayer with a Bible in their hands is worshiping the Bible. Statues, pictures or other artistic espressions can help one recall to mind the one depicted. It is similar to having photos of one's loved ones hanging in your home. The use of statues and icons for religious purposes can lead one to consider the lives of people worthy of imitation in their devotion and relationship to God Himself. Imitation is a biblical form of honor. It is well to note that in the Old Testament God commanded Moses to depict golden images of angels to adorn the Ark of the Covenant and yet this was not considered idolatry.
It is the central act of Christian worship and nothing less than the celebration of the Eucharist that Jesus instituted at the Last Supper when He commanded His apostles to "Do this in memory of Me".. Luke 22:19 These were the words of our Lord on the night of His betrayal. It is this form of worship instituted by Christ whereby we commemorate His sacrificial death and the offering of Himself to the Father for our salvation. The Mass makes present to us today the reality of the past event of Calvary. As St. Paul taught in I Corinthian 5:7-8 "Christ, our Paschal lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us, therefore, celebrate the feast!" Contrary to popular belief, Catholics do not sacrifice Christ again! His sacrifice on Calvary was completed once and for all. His sacrifice, however, is ever present and offered to the Father since Christ ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). During the Mass, we participate in that offering of ourselves to God as members of Christ's Body. After the the words of consecration, "This is My Body", This is My Blood", the Catholic Church affirms that it is not merely a symbol, but truly becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. It is a mystery of our faith how this occurs. This has been believed by Christians since the first century and held by not only Catholics, but Orthodox, and many Protestant denominations to some extent. Even Martin Luther believed it was more than a symbol. In partaking of the "Eucharist" (thanksgiving), Christ imparts His life to us and we become partakers of His divine nature. We are empowered to live virtuous lives being conformed to His image and being united with each other in His one Body, the Church. True worship always involves sacrifice.
Interesting and informative YouTube videos:
Why Be Catholic and not just Christian? by Fr. Mike Schmitz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJCbCs-y1_k
Why do Catholics call Mary Mother? by Fr. Mike Schmitz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGRGv9_60iI
Why Catholics have a Pope by Fr. Mike Schmitz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4N0hSMCAIU
Pray the Mass like Never Before by Fr. Mike Schmitz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpUp6zSGCb4&t=1049s
A Roman Catholic Teaching Mass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCtZmLrFkqk&t=1588s
Lumen Gentium(Constitution of the Church)
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html
http://jimmyakin.com/why-be-catholic
Informative Books for the Inquiring Mind:
When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers by Marcellino D’Ambrosio
Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words by Rod Bennett
Why We are Catholic by Trent Horn
Stunned by Scripture: How the Bible Made Me Catholic by Dr. John Bergsma
The Reformation 500 Years Later: 12 Things you Need to Know by Benjamin Wiker
How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas E. Woods, Jr.
Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History by Rodney Stark
The Apostasy That Wasn’t : The Extraordinary Story of the Unbreakable Early Church by Rod Bennett