Chad R. Torgerson - Waking Up Catholic: A Guide to Catholic Beliefs for Converts, Reverts, and Anyone Becoming Catholic

Copyright 2013 Chad R. Torgerson

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Scripture texts marked NAB in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Texts marked CCC taken from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United States of America copyright 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Texts marked NAB taken from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults copyright 2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington D.C. Used with permission.

The English translation of the Nicene Creed from The Roman Missal 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

To my amazing wife, who always supported me in this adventure. I could not have done it without you. Marrying you was the best decision I have ever made, and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.

In loving memory of Thomas Nejmeh. You were my brother, my mentor, and my friend. Without you, my journey to Catholicism would have never begun. Your were the spark my faith needed to become a raging fire.

We would like to thank the following for helping to make this book a reality through their love, support, and financial contributions:

Growing up, we often dream of our careers as adults and who we will become. I dreamt that one day I would wake up a policeman, a soldier, or a superhero. I did become a soldier, but the superhero idea might be difficult. Later in life after I became Christian, I dreamt of waking up as a youth minister, pastor, or missionary. My Protestant faith meant everything to me, so there is one thing I never dreamt of: waking up Catholic . I never thought that my life would lead me to the Catholic Church. I never thought that I would turn to Mary for her intercession or fall in love with the Eucharist. I never imagined praying the rosary or attending confession. While I never dreamt of this life, it still remains the best - and most important - decision that I have ever made.

The journey to Catholicism can be scary for anyone seeking knowledge about the Church for the first time, or someone who has decided to return after years in the wilderness. Even someone who has been quietly sitting in the pews since childhood may have forgotten much of what he or she has learned. One of the greatest beauties of the Catholic faith is the depth of its teachings, but for someone without a graduate-level degree in theology, the average Catholic, it can be overwhelming. Naturally, we begin searching for answers. Looking online for answers can be difficult because we are unsure of whether those resources are trustworthy, and from my experience, many Catholic books read more like a college textbook than an invitation to the beauties of the Catholic faith. Personally, when I first began my journey to Catholicism, I struggled to find the answers to many questions. When I became Catholic, I wanted to ensure that others did not have the same experience.

When we want to teach children about mathematics, we do not begin with algebra, geometry, and advanced calculus; instead, we begin with basic arithmetic. We teach them how to count and that 1 + 1 = 2. Before we can even get into multiplication, division, and fractions, we begin with the basics to build a strong foundation for their learning. Teaching Catholicism should follow the same model. Jumping into the depths of our theology too quickly will only turn people away. For instance, understanding how Catholic Tradition molds and shapes our faith, and how it works hand-in-hand with Sacred Scripture must be understood before we dive deeper into doctrines on the Virgin Mary, the saints, and the sacraments. We cannot become theologians until we understand the basics first.

Theology is a matter of the mind, but faith is a matter of the heart. With that in mind, my goal is to teach the basics of the faith in a way that is easy to understand - yet still pulls at your heart strings. Your mind will grasp the information, and your heart will thirst for more. By blending my own personal struggles during my faith journey with the basic teachings of Catholic theology, I hope that you will build the foundation that you need to grow and mature in faith.

You are not alone in your struggles. Many concepts within Catholicism can be hard to grasp for a beginner. At the beginning of each chapter, I highlight some of the questions and issues I faced as I completed the RCIA process and beyond. Raised Lutheran, I fell away from Christianity for most of my teenage years until I finally accepted Christ as a young adult. For the next decade, I was a self-proclaimed, non-denominational Christian. These experiences shaped my views and biases against the Catholic Church. By exploring each of these biases, I can shed light on the errors in my understanding. My intentions were pure, but my direction was wrong. Knowing what led me there helped me to correct my course. I hope that it can do the same for you.

Acknowledging my misunderstanding of Catholic teaching was only the first step. The next step in the process was to find out what the Catholic Church actually taught. I quickly learned that my understanding of Catholicism was radically different from the Church's actual teachings. Exploring each topic, one by one, I began to have a better understanding of the Catholic faith, and I have tried to relay that information to you in a simple, easy-to-understand way. Taking quotations directly from Sacred Scripture (NAB translation), the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCA), I have compiled the foundational teachings needed to begin a lifelong journey as a Catholic. Other books will cover these topics more thoroughly (and I encourage you to read them someday), but for now, let's simply focus on the central concepts of our religion.

Finally, after we have explored the misunderstandings of the Catholic faith and built a foundational understanding of the Church's teachings, the final step is to apply what we have learned to our daily life. Knowing the Word and living the Word are two entirely different things. The term Catholic is often used as a noun or adjective, but in reality, it is a state of being, a verb. Calling ourselves Catholic means little if we are not actively living out our faith. As each chapter comes to a close, and the book as a whole, I will help you to absorb the information you just learned and begin living it. We begin with participating in the Sacraments, praying earnestly to God, and eventually, sharing our newfound faith with the world around us. We finally become who Christ always meant us to be.