Transcript

What advice would I give to new Catholics?

Those who've just come into the church, they're entering into the period of mystagogy, deeper into the mysteries, trying to figure out, Now that I have this Catholic treasure, what do I do with it?

And I think there are certain aspects of it that we, we need to learn in those first few months and years that I would call the communal aspect.

And for some people, maybe that was there from the beginning, but for a lot of folks coming in, it was that way for myself, so much of it had been interior, the, the interior transformation, the learning the, the doctrine and then seeing how it could change my life, change my family.

But there was a communal dimension that I needed to deepen.

And one way that I found to do that was to get involved in the life of the local parish, wherever I was.

Uh, now that I, I teach RCIA, I, I coordinate RCIA in our parish, one of the things I do at this, this time is to take out the parish bulletin, show it to the, the, uh, neophytes, the new Catholics, and say to them, Find somewhere in here, a ministry you can connect with.

Give yourself to the parish, give yourself in service.

Uh, you may be an elector, you may work in, in the, the ministry of, of caring for the poor.

You may do all kinds of things, but connect somewhere, let yourself realize how you are part of a larger body, and how you fit in.

It's not just you and Jesus.

I'll be honest.

When I first became Catholic, while I was sold on the fact that I needed to be Catholic, that I, um, truly believed 100% in the authority of the church and the hierarchy of the church and the church's teachings, a lot of it, I, I didn't understand.

And, um, I kind of felt like I finished RCIA and then it was off to this whole new world that I hadn't experienced, and it was almost like a, a deer-in-headlights kind of moment.

Um, but I learned very quickly that I didn't have to understand.

I'm not sure that I will ever understand everything about the Catholic Church.

That's honestly part of the gift of it, is that it's, it's kind of like a, a well that can just keep on giving, um, with new ways to grow in your faith.

And someone told me, they said, Look, you don't have to understand everything right now as a new convert.

Just obey.

Just obey the church's teachings.

Just go to mass every Sunday.

Go to mass on holy days of obligation.

Go to confession frequently.

Uh, just obey the church's teachings, obey the church's truths, and with that obedience will come understanding.

Uh, it, it takes time.

And, and the reason for that is you wanna understand what's changed, um, and you really wanna feel, uh, you know, what's, what's the, the church and, and the relationship you have with the church and the relationship you have with God.

Um, and the, the way I would s- I would s- put it to put it is that, you know, it's in the beginning it, it's a little different.

Uh, first of all, you, you're gonna go up to get your communion versus, uh, before, uh, y- you, you don't do that.

And with that, for me, I feel like I'm a part of the community now and I'm doing what everyone is doing.

I'm participating every single step, uh, as a true Catholic.

And I think, I think that's, that's the number one change for me, um, eh, going to mass and receiving communion.

The advice I give to a new Catholic is to is, is that it is challenging because you've learned so much.

You'll find that there are many prayers, many meditations, many saints, and, and even many different, um, orders.

And so, um, orders of priests and nuns.

And so I would say, uh, take your time.

But mainly I would suggest, um, uh, religiously attend mass and, um, also, uh, to begin to, um, to have a regular meditation and, um, daily with your, with your family, and, and even personally.

Also, carefully sample or ask your sponsor or other people for a, for a specific, um, book to read.

So, for example, our, our sponsor gave us a, um, a Catholic Bible, a, um, a Scott Hahn book to read in regard to a spiritual book, and also the Magnificat, which we, which we, which we dearly love.

Uh, also what, what I found to help was to have reminders of the Holy Spirit, of divine mercy, and the Holy Mother in every place in my house.

Or, and even as you see, I wear a Divine Mercy, um, Miraculous Medal.

But reminding you of prayer, reminding you of the, of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Um, a second thing to me is, um, we started doing prayers, um, more often than before, and that's something I- it's a big change because, uh, you start learning, you know, different, new, uh, prayers, trying to practice them, and you also spend time on understanding why you're doing it and, and trying to continue to build up a relationship that you have with, uh, with God.

Um, I've Uh, little suggestions or little kind of recommendations how to get through it is really keep an open mind.

Um, take it slowly one step at a time.

Um, don't rush yourself.

You don't have to push yourself to, to be, you know, the most devoted Catholic in, in church, but you wanna work towards that and one step at a time, and always keep an open mind.

Uh, you know, be ready to have a conversation with people, you know, with friends that you have to see, you know, the changes in you.

Um, they're gonna come to you and say, Hey, Ivan, why are you going to church, uh, every week now?

And, you know, it's, it's always a good conversation topic and, and, you know, always be open-minded.

You know, everybody have different opinion, but, you know, you've, you continue to practice your faith with an open mind and take it one step at a time.

I think that's something that, uh, what I learned throughout the process.

And another way in which I do that is to say, Share your faith.

Don't keep it to yourself.

You've, you're like the person who found the, the pearl of great price, uh, in the field.

And now don't just hoard it to yourself.

Go share.

Go tell others.

There's a communal dimension, mystery to that as well.

And then finally, I say, You've got this greater communal dimension than you can even see right here in the local church, and that's the communion of saints.

One of the things that meant the most to my wife and to me when we came into the church was when someone gave us the advice, Start reading the lives of the saints, and you will discover their, a remarkable family that stretches back in time and goes all the way around the world.

And you will see yourself to be a part of this remarkable family, and it will deepen and enrich your faith in ways nothing else can.

And so I recommend that too, as a way of furtherening, furthering the communal dimension of your faith.

Get to know the saints, talk to them, read their lives, follow their example.

And all these three ways, I think if you can deepen the community that you're a part of, your relationship to the community, that your Catholic life will blossom and bear really good fruit.