Katholisch Leben: The Jesus Brothers!

The late Archbishop Fulton Sheen said: “There aren’t 100 people in America who truly hate the Catholic Church. But there are millions who hate what they think is the Catholic Church.”

Es ist je heute schon fast "in", damit zu prahlen, man sei aus der Kirche ausgetreten.

Warum tun dies eigentlich Menschen?

Manche geben als Grund die Kirchensteuer an. Hierzu haben wir bereits eine eigene Seite angelegt. Für andere ist es einfach nur die logische Konsequenz - sie haben mit der Kirche eh nichts am Hut, dann können sie ja auch gleich austreten - so denken sie zumindest.

Manche tun dies auch, weil sie meinen, die Katholische Kirche sei nicht mehr christlich und würde nicht mehr der Lehre der Bibel und dem Urchristentum entsprechen. Sie sei nur ein gigantischer Machtapparat mit autoritätshörigen abergläubischen Gläubigen. Und hören dabei - im besten Wissen und Gewissen - auf andere, die mit Bibelversen um sich werfen, die sich für Menschen, die sich mit Theologie wenig auskennen, erst einmal logisch anhören. Hierzu ist zu sagen, dass sich leider die wenigsten, die dies vorhaben, die Zeit nehmen, im Katechismus nachzulesen, was denn die Katholische Kirche hierzu zu sagen hat. Die wenigsten lehen nämlich die Katholische Kirche an sich ab - die meisten lehnen das ab, was sie dafür halten! Und leider muss man auch sagen, dass nur wenige der Katholikinnen und Katholiken, die die Katholische Kirche verlassen, tatsächlich eine Vorstellung über deren Glaubenswahrheiten hatten. Da wurde zwar vielleicht das ganze bisherige Leben in der Katholischen Kirche verbracht, aber nur als passiver Konsument. Und nicht selten spielt sich manch einer hinterher als "Experte" für katholische Fragen und Lehren auf!

Viele denken auch nicht an die Konsequenzen dieser Entscheidung. Wer denkt beim Austritt schon an Ereignisse wie die Taufe, die Hochzeit oder die Beerdigung? Für die Taufe muss sich etwa ein Katholik bereit erklären, das Kind in den Glauben einzuführen. Wenn beide Elternteile ausgetreten sind, gibt es hier ein Problem. Ähnliche Schwierigkeiten kann es bei der Hochzeit und Beerdigung geben.

Leider ist aber auch für viele Katholikinnen und Katholiken, die nicht ausgetreten sind, die Kirche nur etwas, an das sie an Ostern oder Weihnachten denken. Oder eben bei Ereignissen wie der Hochzeit, dem Begräbnis oder der Taufe, bei denen die Kirche sozusagen die "Krönung" darstellt. Und weil es sich eben "so gehört". Oder auch als "Retter in der Not", wenn es einem psychisch, finanziell, körperlich oder seelisch schlecht geht. Manch einer mag an der Kirche vielleicht noch deren soziale Aktivitäten in und für die Gesellschaft schätzen. Dass die Kirche auch ein Heilwserkzeug Gottes sein kann, in das man sich voll und ganz mit seinen persönlichen und von Gott geschenkten Gaben einbringen kann und soll, wird meist vergessen. Kirche hat so einiges zu bieten: Heil, Sündenvergebung, Gnade, ewiges Leben - all dies durch die Verkündigung und die Sakramente!

Sollten wir das so einfach wegwerfen?

(Siehe auch Katholisch.de: Kirchenaustritt oder www.fernkurswuerzburg.de)

Individualismus, Relativismus und Beliebigkeit hinischtlich des Heilsweges bestimmen die heutige christliche. religiöse oder auch allgemein spirituelle Landschaft. Was richtig oder falsch ist, was einem "gut tut" bestimmt mehr oder weniger jedeR selbst. Passt einem seine Gemeinde nicht, kann man woanders hingehen, wo der Unterhaltungsfaktor - oder auch ganz einfach die Menschlichkeit und die Gemeinschaft - besser sind. Oder man gründet gleich seine eigene Gemeinde, die genau auf das eigene Bild von Gott zugeschnitten ist.

Man hört - berechtigt oder unberechtigt - viele Klagen über die jeweils eigene Gemeinde und deren Verfehlungen. Und vergisst dabei nur allzu leicht, dass das Christentum nicht primär dafür da ist, damit wir uns gut fühlen. Es dreht sich nicht alles um uns, sondern um die Kirche als Ganzes - die Gemeinschaft der Glaubenden. Ebenso sehen Katholiken in Jesus nicht nur ihren "persönlichen Retter", sondern den, der das Heil für die gesamte Menschheit bringt. Für die Gemeinschaft der Glaubenden, als deren Teil wir uns sehen.

Die perfekte Gemeinde gibt es nicht. Wir alle sind Sünder. Wenn du denkst, du hättest die perfekte Gemeinde gefunden und willst dich ihr anschließen, ruinierst du sie in dem Moment, indem du durch das Eingangstor gehst.

Ebenso darf es nicht der Beliebigkeit überlassen werden, was richtig und falsch, moralisch gut oder verwerflich ist ("Relativismus"). Wenn jedeR grundlegende Werte einer Gesellschaft für sich selbst definieren kann, sind wir drauf und dran, diese kaputt zu machen.

Auch private Bibelauslegung ist ganz und gar nicht etwas, was die Bibel empfiehlt. Sie birgt viele Gefahren und man verläuft sich dabei schnell in irrige Vorstellungen - wenn auch mit bestem Wissen und Gewissen. Eine gewisse Autorität sollte hier schon akzeptiert werden.

Kommen wir alle zurück zu dem Gedanken, dass es beim Christentum nicht so sehr um das "ich" geht, sondern um das "du" und das "wir".

Ohne jetzt groß auf derartige Angriffe einzugehen, kann ich nur empfehlen, 1 Kön 6 zu lesen und zu staunen,mit welchen Reichtum damals das Haus Gottes ausgestattet war!

Aber mal ganz ehrlich: die Katholische Kirche hat enorme Unkosten mit der Instandhaltung alter Kirchen bei gleichzeitig sinkenden Einnahmen, so dass bereits Kirchen verkauft oder vermietet werden müssen. Hier geht nicht nur ein unglaublicher Kulturschatz verloren, sondern ein enorm wichtiges mystisches Element, das sich in alten Gotteshäusern noch finden lässt.

Wennman das Haus Gottes nicht würdevoll gestalten soll, was dann?

Wie oft hat man es schon gehört oder gelesen:

Da sagt der Papst etwas, das dem einen oder anderen nicht gefällt, und schon tritt man aus der Kirche aus. Ähnliches bei Äußerungen von Bischöfen oder einfach nur die letzte Predigt des Ortsgeistlichen. Oder schlichtweg nur persönliche Verletzungen in der eigenen Gemeinde, der ständig beklagte mangelnde Unterhaltungswert und die mangelnden Angebote der Gemeinde, die altmodische Einstellung einiger Kirchenglieder oder der Kirche insgesamt...

Kurz und gut: Wer meint, einen Sündenbock für das eigene Verhalten, die eigene Einstellung und den eigenen mangelnden Glauben finden zu müssen, verhält sich in meinen Augen unehrenhaft. Er weigert sich, Verantwortung für sich sich selbst zu übernehmen und gibt laufend anderen die Schuld.

Die Kirche ist kein Vergnügungspark, keine Unterhaltungsindustrie, sie muss sich nicht laufend dem Zeitgeist oder neuen wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen anpassen und deshalb ihre Glaubenslehre umschreiben. Die Kirche muss auch nicht "politisch korrekt" sein, ihre Haltung dem Zeitgeist anpassen und bestimmte Themen entweder gar nicht mehr erwähnen oder dann doch etwas "umschreiben". Die Kirche sind zunächst einmal wir alle! Wir alle habe eine Berufung, wir alle sind Glieder in diesem Leib Christi - mit unterschiedlichen Talenten und Aufgaben. Die Kirche hat aber auch Priester und Bischöfe, die uns in Liebe leiten und deren Rat und auch Ermahnungen wir folgen sollten. Sie ermahnen uns schließlich nicht, weil sie uns herumkommandieren möchten, sondern aus Liebe - sie wollen nicht, dass uns etwas zusößt! Als Hirten sind sie für ihre Herde und deren Seelenheil verantwortlich!

Menschen, die laufend Ausreden finden und anderen die Schuld geben, gibt es auch in anderen christlichen Gemeinden und Freikirchen. "Churchopping" nennt man das: Passt einem die Nase des Pastors nicht, zieht man in die nächste Kirche weiter - oder gründet eine eigene.

Um es ganz offen zu sagen: So traurig es ist, dass Schafe die Herde verlassen - solche Schafe braucht die Herde auch nicht. Wer meint, woanders wäre das Gras grüner, soll gehen - aber nicht anderen die Schuld für den eigenen mangelnden Glauben geben.

Denn genau das steckt doch dahinter: Wenn ich an Jesus Christus glaube und Seine Kirche liebe, dann wende ich mich auch nicht beleidigt von ihr ab. Das hat sehr viel mit persönlichem Stolz und sehr wenig mit christlicher Demut zu tun.

Es ist schon erschreckend, was heute von manchen Theologen gelehrt wird. Da beklagt man den Umstand, dass frueher die Erhebung von Hostie und Kelch, also die Elevation nach der „Wandlung“ (jawohl, dieses Wort setzt man in Anfuehrungszeichen!) zum zentralen liturgischen Akt sowie zum Hauptzeichen der Messfeier „hochstilisiert“ wurde. Auch seien damit in der Vergangenheit teilweise Ablaesse verbunden worden und so haette sich irrtuemlicherweise die Ansicht durchgesetzt, dass der Anblick der Hostie hinsichtlich der geistlichen Wirkung gleichzusetzen sei mit dem Hoeren der Messe bzw. gar eine Art „Augen-Kommunion“ darstelle. So sei es in der Folge zu einer Verkuemmerung der Hauptzeichen und einer „Auswucherung“ der Nebenzeichen gekommen. Der Uebergang vom gemeinsamen eucharistischen Mahl zur Darstellung der eucharistischen Gaben – etwa der Hostie – in der Monstranz, dem „Allerheiligsten“ (ja, auch das wird in Anfuehrungszeichen geschrieben!) seien Zeichen dieser Fehlentwicklung. Eine Fehlentwicklng, die vom 2. Vatikanischen Konzil „korrigiert“ worden sei.

Nun ist an dieser Ansicht ja durchaus ein Kern Wahrheit. Das 2. Vatikanische Konzil hat viel Positives hervorgebracht – oder zumindest hervorbringen wollen, man war sich aber damals wohl nicht bewusst, zu was die allerbesten Absichten fuehren koennen, wenn man die Zuegel zu locker laesst.

Ja, Jesus ist ueberall gegenwaertig – in der versammelten Gemeinde, im Wort Gottes, in der Person des Priesters – koerperlich gegenwaertig ist er aber nur im Brot und Wein, die zu Seinem Leib und Seinem Blut gewandelt werden. Er gebot uns, Sein Fleisch zu essen und Sein Blut zu trinken – nicht umsonst erregte Er damit unter den Juden so viel Entsetzen!

Selbstverstaendlich ist und bleibt die Eucharistie – und mit ihr das Heben der eucharistischen Gaben (Brot und Wein als Jesu Leib und Blut) der zentrale Teil jeder Messe! Dies als „Auswucherung von Nebenzeichen“ zu bezeichnen, ist ein Schritt, dessen Konsequenzen man im Buch „Father Elijah“ von Michael D. O’Brien oder im Film „Katholiken“ sehen kann.

Wer in eine protestantische oder freikirchliche Gemeinde kommt, wird schon beim Betreten des Raumes merken, dass der zentrale Punkt das Rednerpult ist. Wer nach dem Prinzip „sola scriptura“ lebt, glaubt und Gottesdienst feiert und wer die eucharistischen Gaben nur als symbolisch versteht, fuer den ist die Predigt der zentrale Punkt eines Gottesdienstes.

Wer in eine katholische Kirche kommt, wird sofort sehen, dass der zentrale Punkt der Altar ist. Entsprechend zentral ist die Bedeutung der Eucharistie! An diesen Altar muessen wir zurueck kommen, wenn wir das Schicksal dieser Welt beeinflussen wollen!

Frueher war es etwa auch selbstverstaendlich, dass vor der Heiligen Messe Gelegenheit zur Beichte war (was auch oft und gerne angenommen wurde!) und auch ein Rosenkranz gebetet wurde – und dies nicht nur von einigen alten Frauen. Heute ist dies nur mehr selten der Fall. Der Rosenkranz scheint bei vielen voellig „aus der Mode“ zu sein (und/oder auch nicht mehr in seiner Bedeutung und Schoenheit vermittelt zu werden!) und die Beichte vor der Messe wird entweder nicht mehr angeboten oder nicht mehr wahrgenommen. Um es wieder mit Father Bill Casey zu sagen: Entweder haben wir in solchen Gemeinden eine Menge Glaeubiger, die sich auf die Kanonisation vorbereiten (auf die eigene Heiligsprechung) oder wir haben eine ganze Reihe unwuerdiger Sakramentenempfaenge – gebietet uns die Bibel wie das kirchliche Lehramt doch, den Leib und das Blut Jesu Christi nur wuerdig zu empfangen (also etwa nicht im Zustand der Todsuende)! Dafuer ist die Beichte ein wunderbares Sakrament, um sich auf die Eucharistie vorzubereiten. Ebenso kann hierfuer der Rosenkranz empfohlen werden!

Zur wuerdigen Vorbereitung gehoert auch eine spirituelle Einstimmung im Gebet, in der eucharistischen Anbetung und in der Stille. Wer in die Kirche wie in das eigene Wohnzimmer geht (sowohl was die Kleidung wie die Einstellung angeht) und lautstark mit anderen ueber den Spielfilm am letzten Abend diskutiert, wer zu spaet kommt und zu frueh geht, wer waehrend der Messe mit den Gedanken ganz woanders ist, hat wohl kaum die Bedeutung dieser gemeinsamen Feier verstanden und macht das Haus des Vaters zum Marktplatz.

Eben diese eucharistische Anbetung kann in ihrer Bedeutung kaum zu hoch eingeschaetzt werden. Sie mit „Augen-Kommunion“ zu bezeichnen, ist ein grobes Missverstaendnis der tiefen glaeubigen Einstellung, die dahinter steht. Ja, es gab und gibt Missbraeuche aller Art. Missbraeuche, die abzulehnen sind und abgestellt werden muessen bzw. deren geschichtliche Bedeutung herausgearbeitet werden muss. Darf man dafuer aber die Riten, Zeichen und Sakramente an sich in ihrer Bedeutung und Tragweite schmaelern? Muss man dafuer krampfhaft alles „modernisieren“? Ist ein Schritt zu den Wurzeln nicht vielmehr manchmal auch ein grosser Schritt nach vorne?

Das heisst keineswegs, dass die Schriftlesungen, das gemeinsame Singen und Beten, die Fuerbitten und die gesamte liturgische Gestaltung bedeutungslos waeren. Das Gegenteil ist der Fall! Die Bedeutung der Eucharistie aber herunterzuspielen – gewollt oder ungewollt! – und deren Darstellung in wuerdigen Zeichen und Riten als „Auswucherung von Nebenzeichen“ zu bezeichnen, ist Ausdruck einer Entwicklung, die fuer sich selbst spricht. Was wohl die Kirchenvaeter dazu sagen wuerden?

Kehren wir zu dem zurueck, was die Katholische Kirche seit 2.000 Jahren ausgemacht hat!

Bekennen wir uns zum „Katholischen“ an dieser Kirche und versuchen wir nicht, bessere Protestanten als die Protestanten selbst zu sein!

„Tut dies zu meinem Gedaechtnis“ – schon vergessen?

Sie will zur Verfügung stehen

-  als Ort der Begegnung für Suchende, Fragende, Glaubende
-  für Gespräche über Glaubensfragen
-  für Informationen zu Glaube und Kirche
-  als Ort der Stille und der Meditation inmitten der City

München:

Glaubensorientierung in St. Michael
Maxburgstrasse 1
(Parallel zur Fußgängerzone, Pforte St. Michael)
80333 München
Deutschland
Fon +49 / 89 / 23 17 06-0 (Vermittlung)
Fax +49/ 89 / 23 17 06-40
glaubensorientierung@jesuiten.org 

»Ich habe Fragen zu Glaube und Kirche…«
In offenen Gesprächen lässt sich vieles klären. Die Begegnung mit Menschen, die sich Ihren Fragen stellen, bringt neue Aspekte, kann neuen Mut und Hoffnung geben.

»Christ werden - mein Weg?…«
Nicht wenige Menschen sind bei ihrer Suche nach dem Sinn des Lebens auf den christlichen Glauben aufmerksam geworden. Dies kann den Wunsch wecken, in der katholischen Kirche die Taufe zu empfangen. Zum Gespräch über den Weg zur Taufe stehen wir Ihnen gerne zur Verfügung.

»Ich suche spirituelle Orientierung….«
Menschen unserer Zeit suchen nach Orten und Formen einer zeitgemäßen Spiritualität. Vielleicht möchten auch Sie neue Zugänge zur Tiefe und zur Vielfalt christlicher Spiritualität finden. Wir beraten und unterstützen Sie in Ihrem Anliegen.
»Ich bin aus der Kirche ausgetreten, suche jedoch erneut Kontakt ...«
Wir reflektieren zusammen mit Ihnen den Schritt Ihres Kirchenaustritts. Bei uns können Sie wieder in die Kirche eintreten (Wiedereintritt).

»Ich habe schon überlegt, aus der Kirche auszutreten…«
Auch in dieser Situation sind Sie zu einem Gespräch herzlich willkommen.

Wir laden ein ...

Glaubensorientierung
im persönlichen Gespräch. Für Menschen, die Fragen haben zu Glaube und Kirche. Für Menschen, die spirituelle Orientierung suchen.

Christ werden – mein Weg?
Kurse für Frauen und Männer, die diesen Weg gehen und sich auf Taufe, Firmung und Eucharistie vorbereiten wollen (Katechumenat). Gäste, Partner und Partnerinnen, Freunde und Freundinnen sind ebenfalls herzlich willkommen. Kursbeginn auf Anfrage. Zu den Kursangeboten bieten wir auch Einzelbegleitungen an.

Glaubenskurse
Für Getaufte, die ihren Glauben vertiefen wollen, die in die Katholische Kirche aufgenommen werden wollen (Konversion oder Wiedereintritt), oder die nach längerer Distanzierung von der Kirche einen neuen Zugang suchen.
Dauer: 10 Abende in der Gruppe / Beginn jeweils Januar, Mai, Oktober

Spiritualität
Hinführungskurse zu Gebet, Kontemplation und christlicher Meditation. Informationen auf Anfrage.

Erwachsenenfirmung
Vorbereitung auf die Erwachsenenfirmung
Dauer: 6 Abende in der Firmgruppe

Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie im persönlichen Gespräch bei der Anmeldung

This article assumes that you already are a Christian, a Messianic Jew, or believer in Yeshua (Jesus), however you wish to call yourself. See the last page of this article for links to articles that may be more relevant to you if you do not believe in Jesus.

Why Be Catholic?

Perhaps you think that the idea of becoming Catholic is the most absurd idea you have ever heard.
Perhaps you think that the Bible alone is sufficient for you to know God's will for your life.
Perhaps you think that God is not interested in 'religion' or institutions but merely wishes to have a personal relationship with you.
Perhaps you think that the only thing really necessary to be saved is to receive Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior.
Perhaps you are Jewish and think that to become Catholic would amount to a betrayal of your Jewish faith and heritage.
Perhaps you even hold anti-Catholic views and think that Catholicism is a pagan corruption of the pure biblical faith.  
Yet perhaps you feel that there is "something missing" to your faith.  
Perhaps you feel that God has "something more" for you, but you haven't quite figured out yet what this is.

 Looking back through history, from the first to the twenty-first century, from the ancient Mediterranean world to modern America, countless people have thought like you - either mildly curious, indifferent, distrusting or even despising the Catholic Church... until one day they decided to seriously investigate the Church's claims.  Again and again, an inquiry which began out of curiosity or even animosity toward the Church ended as a wondrous love story: the story of a God so passionately in love with us that He offered His only Son to die for us in order that we may have eternal life, and formed his human family, the Catholic (universal) Church for the purpose of sharing with His children His own divine life, most especially in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

In this article, as well as through the other resources available on this website, you can discover how:

God has never said that the Bible alone is enough to know His will, but rather has set up, both in the Old and New Testaments, a visible, hierarchical institution and endowed it with His own divine authority to guide us and lead us into His way of salvation.
God is indeed very interested in 'religion' today, just as He was interested in it when He set up the Tabernacle and Temple worship in ancient Israel. A genuine, honest, humble and well-informed personal relationship with the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit should logically and eventually lead you to seek full communion with His Body, the Catholic Church.
To "receive Jesus as Lord and Savior" by faith alone is not enough to be saved; for Jesus imparts his grace, his power, and his life to us chiefly through the Church, her teachings, her liturgy and sacraments, and her communion of saints.
The Catholic faith is the perfect and complete fulfillment of Judaism - yet this does not abolish the particular calling of the people of Israel nor the special vocation of Jews who enter the Church.  As Rosalind Moss, who is Jewish-Catholic, has said, "you can't be more Jewish than to be Catholic!"
The Catholic faith is the most biblical form of Christianity, whereas other denominations have generally compromised important gifts that Jesus has given us.

What does it mean to be "Catholic"?

Perhaps you, like many other Christians, consider yourself to be "catholic" with a small "c", in the sense that you are a member of the universal (catholic), invisible community of followers of Christ, but not "Catholic" with a capital "C", in the sense of being a formal member of the Roman Catholic Church.
In a sense, it is true that if you are a baptized believer in Jesus, you are already a member of the Body of Christ, and the Holy Spirit certainly can work through you and your community in furthering the work of the Gospel.  As the Church teaches:
"All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church."  (CCC 818)

"Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements. Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to 'Catholic unity.'" (CCC 819)
However, the One Church that Christ has founded truly is the Catholic Church, united and governed by the successor of Peter, the pope.  In it alone can be found "the fullness of the means of salvation":
 
"The sole Church of Christ [is that] which our Savior, after his Resurrection, entrusted to Peter's pastoral care, commissioning him and the other apostles to extend and rule it. . . . This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him... For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained. It was to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, that we believe that our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant, in order to establish on earth the one Body of Christ into which all those should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the People of God." (CCC 816)
As we will see below, by remaining outside of the Catholic Church you therefore remain only in partial and imperfect communion with the Messiah's Church, and you are missing out on many of the great blessings that God wishes to give you:
"The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honored by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter. Those who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church." (CCC 838)
Let us now examine some of these blessings that God wishes to give you.

Ten good reasons for becoming Catholic

Jesus has founded one Church* (not a collection of denominations), and it is His will that all would be part of His one Church.
Jesus founded a visible Church* with visible leaders, not an invisible body with no real authority.
Through apostolic succession and apostolic tradition*, the Church hands down the authentic teachings of Christ and his apostles.
Jesus gave to His Church a charism of infallibility* which gives us certainty in important matters of faith and morals and enables us to know with confidence what to believe and how to live.
In the Catholic Church alone can be found the fullness of the means of salvation* and all of the means to grow in holiness and in virtue*.
The Church's Sacred Liturgy* inserts us into the Paschal Mystery and joins us with the heavenly worship of the angels and saints.
The Church mediates to us Christ's sacraments*: the channels of God's grace, God's life and God's love poured out into us.
In the Church you can receive the Eucharist*, the Body and Blood of the Lord and the source and summit of the Christian life.
In the Catholic Church you become fully united with our earthly and heavenly family: the communion of saints*.
Jesus has given us His mother Miriam* (Mary) as mother of the Church and as our own mother who loves us and watches over us.

1. Jesus founded One Church*, not a collection of denominations
 

We know from the Gospel of John how serious was Jesus' desire that his followers be united.  He prayed that all believers "may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me"  (Jn 17:20-21).  When we read the New Testament, we see that Jesus founded only one Church, united under the leadership of Peter and the apostles.  He never established a loose collection of denominations as they exist today, each one differing and disagreeing with the other on important doctrines and moral issues.  The Eastern Orthodox Churches broke away from unity with the pope in 1054.  The protestant denominations further damaged the unity of Christianity when they began to break away from the Catholic Church in the sixteenth century, and they continue to fragment themselves to our own day.  Even the newer "non-denominational" churches, although they avoid labeling themselves under a particular denominational name, really are another form of evangelical denomination.  And the Messianic Jewish movement, while pursuing the noble goal of rediscovering the Jewish roots of Christianity, is plagued by the same lack of unity as the Protestant communities.
The one, universal Church which Jesus has founded and which has preserved its unity now for 2,000 years, all while spreading to all times and places, is the Catholic Church.
By remaining outside of the Catholic Church you are therefore contributing, even if unconsciously and through no fault of your own, to the disunity of the body of Christ. By joining the Catholic Church you join the original Church that Jesus the Messiah founded, and you contribute to the unity of the Church for which He prayed!

2. Jesus founded a visible Church* with visible leaders

Why is there such a lack of unity among Protestant / Evangelical / Messianic communities?  Because of the absence of legitimately ordained authority.  Often it is said that the church is simply the invisible union of all believers, led by the Holy Spirit and whose head is Christ, but left without any ultimate human authority here on earth.  This theory, however, is not biblical and does not work in practice.  In fact, it has caused tremendous confusion and division in the Body of Christ.  
When one looks at the Bible one finds a completely different picture: At the time of the Exodus, God's people were united under the leadership of Moses and seventy elders, who transmitted the Word of God to the people, interpreted it, and settled disputes (Exo 18:13-26, Num 11:16-25). This continued at the time of the Davidic Kingdom, when the nation was united under the king's authority, subject to the words of the Prophets.
 The picture is similar in the New Testament: Jesus gave to His Church a real human leader in the person of Peter. Jesus said that Peter would be the rock on his He would build his Church. He gave him the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Mat 16:17-19), appointed him as chief shepherd of the Church (Jn 21:15-17), and commissioned him to strengthen the other apostles in their faith (Lk 22:31-32).  In addition, Jesus also gave his own authority to the other apostles, telling them "he who hears you, hears me" (Lk 10:16) and empowering them to forgive sins (Jn 20:23). You can read in the book of Acts how Peter and the apostles led the Church in proclaiming the gospel and in making important decisions (Acts 2:1-41, 15:7-12).
By joining the Catholic Church you become a part of the Church modeled after God's people in the Bible and you place yourself under the authority which Jesus himself appointed.

3. Jesus established an apostolic succession and apostolic tradition* which hands down His authentic teachings and those of the apostles

But, you may ask, has this divinely appointed authority been preserved in the Church until our own day? Yes it has, through apostolic succession and apostolic tradition.  After Judas died, Peter and the apostles immediately chose a successor to replace him (Acts 1:15-26).  We also see in the New Testament the apostles ordaining presbyters (Acts 14:23, Tit 1:5), and handing down their own authority to their successors: "what you heard from me entrust to faithful teachers who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim 2:2).  We also read of a triple structure of authority in the New Testament which includes bishops, presbyters (priests) and deacons (1 Tim 3:1,8, 5:17). From the earliest times, bishops have been considered to be the successors of the apostles, with the bishop of Rome being the successor of Peter, who died in Rome. And so the unity of the Church is safeguarded through the passing down of Christ's teachings by the apostolic succession of the bishop of Rome, the pope, in union with all the other bishops, the successors of the other apostles.
The first and most natural reaction to this claim is often: "why should I submit myself to the authority of these men? History has shown how people can abuse their authority and make errors of judgment!"  It is true than whenever people exercise positions of authority there is a danger of abuse of authority. Yet we are never totally free of human authority in spiritual matters. The moment we attend a church, we begin to submit to the pastor's authority and teachings - which can also stray from truth and charity.  And if we entirely reject authority and accountability, then we become our own authority, with our own fallibility, limitations and blind spots.  In other words, we must chose the authority under which we submit: either it will be the authority that Christ himself appointed, under which he promised that "the Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth" (Jn 16:13) and against which "the gates of Hades will not prevail" (Mat 16:18), or it will be the fallible authority of someone else.  Rejecting the authority of the pope means that every pastor, or even every individual becomes his own 'pope'.  This is not a recipe for unity but for anarchy.  Much better is to accept the authority which Christ has appointed and which faithfully guards Christ's teachings, as He has promised!
By joining the Catholic Church you get to tap into the authentic teachings of Jesus and the apostles as passed down through apostolic tradition!

4. The infallibility* of the Church gives us certainty in what to believe and in how to live

The best reason for submitting to the authority of the Catholic Church is because Jesus has endowed it with a special charism of infallibility which safeguards doctrinal unity and guarantees certainty in her teachings.  If you have been a Protestant, Evangelical Christian or Messianic Jew for a while, you will probably have heard hundreds of different sermons and teachings interpreting the Bible in different ways that sometimes seriously contradict each other.  Perhaps you count yourself among the many believers who feel more confused and less certain about your faith now than a few years ago because of all the different and contradictory teachings, theories, and interpretations of the Bible that you have heard.
Jesus never intended for it to be that way.  Nowhere in the Bible do we see every believer consulting his/her Bible and deciding for himself/herself what to believe without appealing to a higher authority.  Believers in the first four centuries of the Church did not even have a New Testament they could consult (the NT canon was only closed in 393-397 AD).  Their ultimate authority in matters of faith and morals was the authority of the apostles and their successors.  We have just seen how Jesus promised to the apostles that "the gates of Hades will not prevail" against the Church, and that the Holy Spirit would lead them into all truth and "will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (Jn 14:26).  Indeed, the Church is called in the New Testament the "pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Tim 3:15).
 Though our post-modern society exalts skepticism and uncertainty, it is impossible to build one's life without a solid foundation.  Bible believers do have a foundation in Christ and in the Word of God, but this foundation is often undermined by all the conflicting interpretations of Scripture.  By contrast, it is a wonderful thing to be certain about what to believe and how to live.  The Holy Spirit has faithfully guided the Church for two thousand years so that we can know with confidence how the apostles and the first believers understood and interpreted the Scriptures.  Read for yourself the Catechism of the Catholic Church (or its shorter Compendium) to gain clarity on what the Scriptures really say in light of the Church's tradition about important matters such as God's revelation, creation, the nature of man, the Trinity, the divinity of the Messiah, his expected second coming, the Holy Spirit, the nature of the Church, Mary the mother of Jesus, life after death, the effects of baptism, the Lord's Supper, how we are saved, and much more.
Equally as important is the question of how we are to live, or important moral issues.  Though the Bible is clear on certain moral issues, on others it is not.  Which commandments were preconditioned by time and culture, and which ones are absolute and unchanging?  For example, the Bible forbids the shaving of the corners of one's beard, the printing of tattoos, and the eating of shrimp, and it commands women to cover their heads when praying; yet it has nothing to say against abortion, slavery, artificial insemination or human cloning.  How are we to interpret the Ten Commandments today? Without authoritative tradition, believers remain at the whim of their pastor's interpretation of the Scriptures; or they must rely on their own private judgment, easily prone to error, and they will find it very difficult to clearly know what is right or wrong.  The result can fluctuate between individualistic moral anarchy, where one falls into many sins out of ignorance, and slavish moral legalism, where one abstains from many good things through the fear that they may be sinful.  Much better is to draw from the well of the Church's timeless wisdom, guided by the Holy Spirit, in order to really know what is right and wrong and thus find joyful freedom in living out a holy life.
Of course, the infallibility of the Church does not mean that its leaders will always lead an impeccable life.  The pope, bishops and priests are sinners too, and they are not immune against moral failure, as this has often happened and, sadly, will happen again.  Yet this is another testimony of God's faithfulness and greatness, that He infallibly guides in matters of faith and morals a Church made of fallible sinners like you and me. 
By joining the Catholic Church you can know for sure what to believe and how to live regarding the most important matters of life!

5. The Church conveys to us the fullness of the means of salvation* and of the means to grow in holiness and in virtue*

If you believe in Christ and have been baptized, then you are already on the road to salvation.  However, accepting Christ by faith as Lord and Savior is not enough to be saved, according to the Bible.  Jesus himself said that "not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Mt 7:21), and that only "he who endures to the end shall be saved" (Mt 24:13).  Paul, the great apostle, warned believers to remain in God's goodness, "otherwise you also will be cut off" (Rom 11:22).  He exhorts us to "work out your salvation in fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12) and speaks of disciplining his own body and bringing it under subjection "lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (1 Cor 9:27). Our works also play an important role towards our salvation, since "God will repay each one according to his works" (Rom 2:5-8, 2 Cor 5:10, 1 Pet 1:17, Rev 20:12-13).
 We are saved entirely by God's grace, with no initial merit on our part (Eph 2:8).  However, we must also work out our salvation in fear and trembling, and "must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).  As a believer in Jesus, you already have many of the "tools" that help you to work out your salvation in cooperation with God's grace: through faith in Christ and baptism you have had your former sins washed away and received His forgiveness; by reading the Word of God you learn His will to some degree and follow His guidance; through prayer you receive God's help and strength; through praise He touches you with His joy; through works of charity you grow in his likeness and in His selflessness.  
However, by remaining outside of the Church, you are missing out on many of the "tools" that Jesus has given us to advance our salvation and that of the world, and to help us grow in holiness.  You are continuing on the road to salvation with only "partial equipment" to reach the goal, and thus this goal will be much more difficult to reach.  We have already discussed the importance of authority: detached from the Church's authoritative tradition you are exposed to false teachings which may slow you down and even stop you on your way to salvation.  You are missing out on the Eucharist, Christ's own body and blood and the most intimate union between the Bridegroom and His bride (see below).  You are also deprived of most of the other sacraments which the Lord has given us and which convey to us his power and his grace in a very real way.  You do not fully benefit of the protection and intercession of our mother Mary and of the full communion of the saints in heaven and on earth, since possibly you do not even believe in them - and much more!
By joining the Catholic Church you get to tap into the fullness of the blessings that the Lord has given us for our salvation and sanctification!

6. The Church's Sacred Liturgy* inserts us into the Paschal Mystery and joins us with the heavenly worship of the angels and saints

If you have been going to an Evangelical church or Messianic congregation for a while, you have no doubt gotten accustomed to loosely structured meetings, perhaps charismatic, with much emphasis on lively praise and worship, and extensive preaching from the Bible.  Though there is nothing wrong with this format, it does bear the problem that it is heavily dependant upon the quality of the ministers.  If the worship team is lousy and the preacher boring or irrelevant, there is hardly any point in showing up there.  It may well be more beneficial to stay at home and pray alone or with a few friends. Many believers who have been exposed to evangelical/messianic worship for a while begin to feel a need for worship which is less centered upon man and more centered upon God, with less talking, less activities and programs, less novelty, less hype, but rather more depth, more reverence, more mystery and more awe before our Maker.  In other words, they long for liturgy.  
 Often, when we pray to God in our own words we run out of things to say. This is quite normal, for everyone feels at times spiritually weak, tired, uninspired, or dry.  In this case, you may have picked up a Bible and prayed the psalms out loud, and felt how the inspired words of Scripture, turned into your own prayer, lifted your soul and expressed things that you could not have come up with on your own.  This is the power of the liturgy: the lofty words of prayer uttered by the inspired biblical authors or the spiritual masters and saints, drawn from the rich spiritual treasures of the Church, become your own words. These words unite your mind and heart with the great spiritual figures that preceded us and draw you into the Church's timeless liturgy, united with the heavenly liturgy which transcends time and space. 
Liturgical prayer, of course, has been the traditional and historical way of common prayer in both Judaism and Christianity since the origins of the two faiths. While it is important to always nurture a personal, spontaneous dialogue with the Lord in one's private prayer life, the public prayer of God's people has always been primarily liturgical.
By joining the Catholic Church you become a part of the rich Sacred Tradition of the Church and an active participant in her Sacred Liturgy, the very heart of Christ's Paschal Mystery celebrated in union with all the angels and saints in heaven and on earth!

7. The Church mediates to us Christ's sacraments*: the channels of God's grace, God's life and God's love poured out into us

 The greatest and most powerful gifts that the Lord has given us, and the most amazing testimony of His love are the seven sacraments which He instituted. Through the seven sacraments the Messiah endows us with His very life and love.  One could say that they are like "channels" connecting heaven and earth by which God pours out His grace onto His children.  They fill us with the Holy Spirit; they heal us, cleanse us, feed us, and strengthen us.  Since they impart to us God's life, they are the most effective means by which we are made holy; they are also the most powerful weapons by which we wage spiritual warfare. The sacraments are not just symbols but signs that actually convey God's grace and love.  The seven sacraments are:
Baptism*: the new birth that washes away our sins (Tit 3:5), gives us the Holy Spirit, and baptizes us into Christ's death and resurrection (Rom 6:3-7).
Confirmation*: the fullness of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which strengthens us and inserts us fully into the Church's mission (Acts 8:14-17).  
The Eucharist*: the greatest of sacraments where the Messiah feeds us with His own Body and Blood, soul and divinity (Mark 14:22-24, Jn 6:53).
Reconciliation (Confession)*: the way to receive forgiveness for sins committed after baptism, entrusted by Jesus to the apostles (Jn 20:22-23).
Anointing of the Sick*: grants us help to endure illness and sometimes heals us, cleanses our soul, and helps us to prepare to meet God (Js 5:14-15).
Matrimony*: In marriage, husband and wife become a living sign of the faithful relationship between Christ and the Church (Eph 5:21-33)
Holy Orders*: Jesus called certain men to a special priestly ministry, in addition to our own role as 'kingdom of priests' (Rom 15:15-16).
Tragically, at the time of the Protestant reformation, large numbers of Christians lost five of these seven sacraments, and this sad situation remains to our own day. These sacraments were lost partly because the reformers lost faith in them, and partly because they rejected the priesthood (Holy Orders) upon which they are dependent, for the sacraments of confirmation, the Eucharist, reconciliation, and the anointing of the sick require a validly ordained priesthood (and apostolic succession) to be validly administered.  Only the sacraments of baptism and matrimony remain among those believers who have not retained apostolic succession. Even worse, an increasing number of Messianic groups who baptize only in the name of Jesus rather than in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, do not even have a valid baptism.  The Orthodox churches, by contrast, though they are not in union with the papacy, have retained valid apostolic succession and Holy Orders, and therefore still have seven valid sacraments.
By joining the Catholic Church you get to receive the fullness of Christ's power and love that he gives us through the seven sacraments!

8. In the Church you can receive the great gift of the Eucharist*: the Body and Blood of the Lord and the source and summit of the Christian life.

 The Eucharist is called "the sacraments of sacraments" and is "the source and summit of the Christian life."  It is such a great gift that it is a reason in itself - indeed perhaps the greatest reason - for joining the Catholic Church.  At the Last Supper - a Passover Seder - Jesus said to his disciples after he blessed the bread and the wine: "Take and eat; this is my body... this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt 26:26-28). He then commanded them: "Do this in memory of me" (Luke 22:19). At the first Passover, which initiated the Exodus out of Egypt, God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts as protection against the angel of death.  Then they ate the lamb as a sign of their covenant with God.  At the Last Supper Jesus revealed himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, seals a new covenant with us and protects us from eternal death.
Now we also must eat the lamb - the body and blood of the new Paschal sacrifice which becomes present before us at every Mass. Jesus himself had previously said: "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life... For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink" (Jn 6:53-55).  This was a shocking statement, and as a result many of his disciples left him (Jn 6:66).  Sadly, this is similar to what happened at the Reformation, when many Christians decided they could no longer accept the words of the Savior.  Since then, a large part of Christianity has tragically been deprived of the Eucharist, God's greatest gift to us, either because they don't have faith in the Real Presence or because they have no valid priesthood, necessary to consecrate the bread and wine so that they become the body and blood of the Lord. And so they remain with a communion service which, though it may remember the Lord's Passion in a beautiful way, merely consists of bread and wine rather than the Lord's true and substantial presence given to them.  As a result, since non-Catholic believers do not accept the full teachings of the Catholic Church, they are not permitted to occasionally go to a Catholic church and receive the Eucharist.  This is because the sacrament is a sign of full communion and full unity between believers (CCC 1400), and sharing the Eucharist together with those who do not fully accept the authority and teachings of the Church would falsely give the impression that there exists a full unity between us, while in reality we have not yet attained this full unity of faith. This is not a rejection of our non-Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, but rather an invitation to them to learn more about the Catholic faith so that they too may come to full unity with the Church and partake of the Lamb’s banquet!

The loss of the Eucharist to so many believers is particularly sad because the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist was uncontested for the first millennium of Christian history.  Paul himself wrote that "whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Cor 11:27).  About 50 years later (107 AD), bishop Ignatius of Antioch wrote that "heretics abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ" (Letter to Smyrnaeans 6,2,2). Many other Church Fathers used equally strong language testifying of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
By joining the Catholic Church you get to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb and eat at the Lord's Table at every Mass.  You get to receive God's greatest gift, the Eucharist - the body and blood, soul and divinity of the Lord who loved you and gave himself for you.  This is the most possible intimate union on earth between God and man, a kiss between heaven and earth which nothing else can replace.  When you receive the Eucharist, you receive God's very life of love which supercharges you with His power and His grace.  Is this really something that you want to do without?

9. In the Catholic Church you become fully united with our earthly and heavenly family: the communion of saints*.

 God does not only save us as individuals.  He saves us "in bunches" - as a family, a community, a people, a kingdom.  Many believers have a rather individualistic view of salvation, seeing it as primarily "me and Jesus."  They do ask others here on earth to pray for them, but deny that any help from the saints in heaven is possible or desirable. They see such mediation as a form of spiritism condemned in Deut 18, or a violation of 1 Tim 2:5 which states that there is "one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."  Jesus is of course our one mediator before God, but this does not mean that we can't participate in this mediation.  Every time you pray for someone, you are actually mediating for him/her before God.  God in fact encourages this type of intercessory mediation (1 Tim 2:1), and we can see in the New Testament that it also continues after death, where the saints who have gone to be with the Lord continue to be with us and help us along the way towards our final goal.  They are a "great cloud of witnesses" (Heb 12:1) that surrounds us, the "spirits of just men made perfect" to whom we come in the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22-23). Even the rich man who suffers in Hades intercedes for his brothers still alive and asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his father's house to warn them (Luke 16:19-31).  The rich man plays here - in purgatory? - an intercessory role, and Abraham acts as mediator between him, God, and his brothers.  In the book of Revelation we also see elders and angels bringing to God bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints on earth (Rev 5:8, 8:3), and the souls of martyrs supplicating God: "how long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Rev 6:9)
God is interested in the personal salvation of each one of us, but He is just as interested in the communion of love between us, a communion which cannot be broken by death (Rom 8:35-39).  God's family includes all members of His Church, whether on earth, in heaven, or those still being purified in purgatory (1 Cor 3:12-15). The saints who have preceded us are our examples in holiness; there in heaven their love has become complete, and they are in an even better position to help us with their prayers than when they were on earth.  They pray for us from above, we can ask for their help from here below, and we are also called to pray for those who suffer in purgatory.  If you have ever had a loved one pass away, is it not one of the most natural and human reactions to pray for him/her or to ask for his or her help from heaven?
By joining the Catholic Church you take a full part in the eternal, loving communion of saints in heaven, on earth and in purgatory.

10. Jesus has given us His mother Miriam* (Mary) as our own mother who loves us and watches over us

God has given us a mother.  When Jesus, a few moments before his death, saw His mother Mary and his disciple John at the foot of the cross, he said to Mary "behold your Son" and to John "behold your mother" (Jn 19:26).  In His hour of agony, Jesus was doing more than a private family arrangement.  He was making Mary the mother of all humanity.
 When the eternal Son of God became man, he dwelt in the womb of this young Jewish virgin for nine months.  Just as the Ark of the Covenant had previously been a holy vessel containing the true presence of God in the Tabernacle and Temple, God chose Mary to be His holy "Ark of the New Covenant" containing His very presence.  In order to prepare her for such a noble task, he gave her the fullness of His grace and saved her from all sin.  This is why the angel greeted her with the words: "Hail, full of grace" (Luk 1:28).
God's 'business' throughout Scripture is to humble the proud and to exalt the lowly, as Mary herself said: "He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly" (Luke 1:51-52). God chose to enter humanity through this most humble young woman. In the Gospels her role is modest and self-effaced.  Her greatness is not revealed through great words or actions, but rather through her quiet faith and obedience to God's Word, and her faithfulness in raising Jesus and in giving herself entirely to His person and work.  Yet with prophetic foresight she also saw that God would give her an exalted place in the story of salvation when she said: "all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48).

We can catch a glimpse of Mary's exalted role in the book of Revelation.  In a heavenly vision, John sees the Ark of the Covenant appear in the heavenly temple (Rev 11:19).  Immediately afterward, he sees "a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars," who "being with child... cried out in labor and in pain to give birth" to "a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron" (Rev 12:1-2,5).  This child is the Messiah Jesus, and his mother, the woman, is Mary, daughter of Israel and mother of the Church.  She is also the woman whose seed would bruise the head of the serpent, as God promised after the Fall of Adam and Eve (Gen 3:15).  Mary plays a key role in spiritual warfare against the devil: "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev 12:17).  Who are "the rest of the woman's offspring"? We are.  Mary is our loving mother, our model, and our advocate.  She prays for us and helps us along the way to heaven.  She does not take Jesus' place but rather leads us to Him.  By following her example of humility, obedience, faithfulness, holiness and love, we will grow in her likeness and in the likeness of Jesus.
By joining the Catholic Church you come into full communion with God's human family whose mother and model is Mary: daughter of Israel, mother of the Messiah, and mother of the Church.

An Eleventh Reason: "Outside the Church there is no Salvation"

Having reviewed ten reasons for entering the Catholic Church, it is worth examining an eleventh reason which logically derives from the first ten: the Church is necessary for salvation (though this statement needs to be understood correctly). Some of the Church Fathers expressed this in rather blunt statements. Cyprian of Carthage, for example, wrote in the third century:
"On him [Peter] [the Lord] builds the Church, and to him he gives the command to feed the sheep… he founded a single chair, and he established by his own authority a source and an intrinsic reason for that unity. . . . If someone [today] does not hold fast to this unity of Peter, can he imagine that he still holds the faith? If he [should] desert the chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, can he still be confident that he is in the Church?" (St. Cyprian of Carthage, De unit. 4; [A.D. 251])

"He cannot have God for his father, who has not the Church for his mother." (St. Cyprian, De unit. 6: PL 4, 519)

Does this mean that anyone who is not formally Catholic, including believing Christians, cannot be saved? No. As we have seen above, if you are a baptized Christian in good faith, you are already in partial communion with the Catholic Church, and you are tapping into Jesus' saving power which He entrusted to the Church.
Objectively, the one Catholic Church which Jesus founded and to which He has given the fullness of truth and of grace is necessary for salvation: "Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it" (CCC 846). In other words, if someone feels genuinely convicted by the Holy Spirit of the truth of the Catholic Church, but willfully and stubbornly resists the Lord's leading and guidance to enter it, then he may indeed be endangering his own salvation.
Subjectively, however, the Lord is merciful and will not condemn those who are not aware, through no fault of their own, of the salvific nature of Christ's Church - and this includes most non-Catholic believers (already in partial, imperfect communion with the Church) who are not fully aware or do not adequately understand the Catholic Church's claims:
"Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation." (CCC 847) 
Ultimately, it is Jesus who saves. The main question here is how does he save us? Is faith in Him enough? There is ample scriptural evidence* indicating that faith alone is not enough and that we will also be judged according to our works. Jesus also emphasized the importance of being baptized (Mark 16:16), of "eating his flesh and drinking his blood" (Jn 6:53-54), and of submitting to the authority of his apostles (Mat 16:19, 18:18, Lk 10:16, Jn 20:23) to receive his forgiveness and eternal life. This means that the fullness of Jesus' gifts has been entrusted to his Catholic Church. This does not mean, however, that Catholics are automatically in better standing with God than non-Catholic believers. On the contrary, Catholics who have received the fullness of truth and grace have a greater responsibility to bring forth fruits for the Kingdom: "to whom much is given, much will be required." On the other hand, there are many non-Catholic believers who live remarkable lives of faith, hope and love. God will surely not fail to reward them, provided they "persevere until the end" in seeking the truth, even if, through no fault of their own, they do not formally find their way into the Catholic Church.

God wants everyone to be Catholic?

What conclusion can we draw from all this? That God wants everyone to be Catholic so that they can have access to the fullness of His blessings and grace!  As the Church teaches:
"To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son's Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is "the world reconciled." She is that bark which "in the full sail of the Lord's cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world." According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah's ark, which alone saves from the flood." (CCC 845)
Such as statement is not likely to be popular in our societies dictated by religious relativism and political correctness. In addition, you may think that the world would be a very boring place if everyone were Catholic.  But this is not true: the fact that God is interested in everyone coming to the fullness of truth and salvation does not mean that He enjoys monotony.  On the contrary, the unity of the Church leaves full room for the great diversity of peoples, cultures, customs and traditions of the world. "The great richness of such diversity is not opposed to the Church's unity" (CCC 814).  Likewise, "the Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in [other] religions" (NA 2).  And so there is ample room for Evangelical, charismatic and even Jewish spirituality and prayer within the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

So... What's the Catch?

At this point you may be wondering: "If the Catholic Church has so much to offer, then... what's the catch? It seems too good to be true."  You may have some common objections:
I have read some Church history and know that Catholics have done horrible things in the past...
This is true. No one denies that the Church is made of sinners, some of which have been a terrible scandal to the Christian faith.  Pope John Paul II himself has invited the Church to “become more fully conscious of the sinfulness of her children.” She “acknowledges as her own her sinful sons and daughters” and encourages them “to purify themselves, through repentance, of past errors and instances of infidelity, inconsistency and slowness to act” (Memory and Reconciliation: The Church and the Faults of the Past 1.3). Yet the Church has also produced countless extraordinary saints throughout the ages - those who have faithfully lived the Church's life and teachings.  They are the true children of the Church who best reflect the Church's nature to be the sacrament of Christ in the world. Despite the faults and weaknesses of Catholics, the Church remains no less the fount and source of Christ's life and love which He wishes to give you.

The Catholic Church just wants to control peoples' lives...

Quite honestly, 99.9999% percent of Catholics, including the clergy, will never know that you entered the Church. The pope does not get lists of names of the Church's latest "catches."  The Church is not interested in controlling anyone; rather she is interested in the world's salvation, in obedience to the command of her founder to "go and make disciples of all nations," so that people may "share in the communion between the Father and the Son in their Spirit of love" (CCC 850) and turn from sin and death to joy and hope of eternal life.
I know many Catholics who are lukewarm or not even believers. I find much more life and faith in my Evangelical church...
It is true that many non-Catholic believers seem to have a more vibrant faith than many Catholics. These believers deserve praise for their living faith, hope and charity. Equally true is the fact that many Catholics are in dire need of being evangelized and converted back to God. Yet this does not change the fact that by remaining outside of the Church you are missing out on some of Christ's most important gifts which He gave to us, as we have seen above.
I have been to some Catholic churches where the priest is boring. I am not being spiritually fed by his sermons, and I sometimes wonder if he even has any faith at all...
Sadly, it is true that there are priests who are ineffective preachers, who have lost their own personal faith or even actively dissent from the Church's teachings. This is indeed a tragedy, and we must pray for these priests and even evangelize them if necessary. It is also tragic that there are some who are ineffective in teaching and preaching the Word of God. Sometimes it is possible to find another Catholic church in the area with a better priest. If this is not possible, even though such a situation is indeed a serious problem, it is important to know that even a "bad priest" remains empowered by the Church to validly administer the sacraments. And so it is not quite accurate to say that you are not "spiritually fed", since even a "boring priest" has the power to give you absolution from your sins in confession and to give you the Body and Blood of the Lord at Mass. As for teaching and preaching, the important thing is to be well versed in Scripture and in the teachings of the Church as summarized in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (and its Compendium). There are also countless books, and resources available on the internet, such as Catholics for Israel's Online Course, though which you can learn more about Scripture and the Catholic faith

I am Jewish.  I will never betray my Jewish faith and heritage.

"You can't be more Jewish than to be Catholic!"  Explore this website to find answers as to why the Catholic faith fulfills Judaism without abolishing it and how you can be fully Catholic and still live as a faithful Jew. 

If you do begin to consider entering the Catholic Church, what obstacles and difficulties are you liable to encounter on your way "home"?

Becoming Catholic has a cost. You will need much humility, an open mind, possibly the willingness to let go of old prejudices, and a deep and prayerful desire to receive the fullness of what God has for you. You will need to pray much and study diligently. You will need courage, patience and perseverance, both before and after your baptism and/or formal reception into the Church, to "endure until the end." You may encounter a lack of understanding and possibly rejection and persecution from your family, friends, and current faith community.  Or, you may be faced with a lack of encouragement and even apathy coming from Catholics who don't understand your journey of faith and the price that it has cost you. 
The journey to God is paved with difficulties, but it is also surrounded by God's infinite grace and all-encompassing love for you.  He is calling you to a life of self-giving love. He is calling you to Himself.  Will you answer the call?

What should I do now?

If you feel that God may be calling you into the Catholic Church:
Build your relationship with God. Pray daily - speak with Him and ask Him to lead you and guide you into His truth and light.
Study the Catholic faith, either with Catholics for Israel, or through other Catholic resources (see links).
Find a Catholic Church in the area and begin to attend Mass and to learn about Catholic prayer and liturgy.
Get together with faithful Catholics who know and love their faith so that they can help you progress on your journey to God.
Speak with a priest about your desire to become Catholic.  Pay close attention to what he says, and make sure he is faithful to the Church.  If you find that he dissents from any of the Church's teachings as taught in the Catechism, or tells you that you don't really need to become Catholic, leave and find another priest.
May the Lord bless you and keep you on your journey to God!

(Quelle: Catholics for Israel: http://www.israelcatholic.com/)

Wikipedia: Kirchenaustritt

Wikipedia: Kirchenwiedereintritt

Gero P. Weishaupt: Kirchenaustritt

Katholische Glaubensinformation

Katholisch Werden

mach-dich-auf-und.com

Ansprechpartner in der Region finden

Pfarreiensuche

Christ werden / Katechumenat

Informationen zur Erwachsenentaufe

Zur Erwachsenentaufe (Erzbistum Freiburg)

Zur Erwachsenentaufe (Erzbistum München und Freising)

Zur Erwachsenentaufe (Erzbistum Paderborn)

Zur Erwachsenentaufe (Bistum Trier)

Katholisch werden: http://www.katholisch-werden.de/home/index_home.html

Katholisch.de: Interview

Katholisch.de: Kirchenaustritt

kirchensite: Kirchenaustritt

Katholisch.de: Statistik der Kirchenaustritte

Katholisch.de: Interview Kircheneintritt

kathwahrheit.de: Kircheneintritt

Zur Erwachsenentaufe (Bistum Münster)

Infos zur Taufe beim Bistum Osnabrück

Kirchenschwinden.de

kath.net: Ein 'Austritt' um 30 Euro

kath.net: Kirchenaustritt: Keine Sperre beimArbeitslosengeld

kath.net: Zollitsch: 'Anstieg der Kirchenaustritte beunruhigt mich sehr'

katholisch.de: Mehr Kirchenaustritte durch Abgeltungssteuer?

introibo.net: Kirchenaustritt

Bibliothek der Kirchenväter: Über die Gefallenen

Cursillo

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster: Wirtschaftskrise erhöht Bereitschaft zum Kirchenaustritt. Prof. Dr. Detlef Pollack erklärt Mitgliederschwund 

kath.net: Es gab früher auch schon einmal mehr Kirchenaustritte

idea.de: Kirchenaustritte steigen drastisch

kath.net: Kirchenrechtler: 'Vatikan hat Kirchenaustrittsdebatte nicht geklärt'

kath.net: 'Ethik-Steuer' auf Kirchenaustritte gefordert

jesus.de: Wer aus der Kirche austritt, will Geld sparen

CatholicsComeHome.org

Dave Armstrong: Conversion and Converts

The Coming Home Network International

For Youth: Quo Vadis - Where Are You Going?

Original Catholic Encyclopedia: Conversion

Stephen Ray: Why I'm Catholic

Michael Cumbie Evangelistic Association & The Micah Project

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Catholic Reconciliation

Catholic Answers: Why Young Catholics Leave

OSV: Can teens stay connected without losing touch? (By Emily Stimpson)

StayCatholic.com

California Catholic Daily: “They stopped believing”. Survey finds Americans change religions often, says Catholics typically leave Church because of loss of faith

Bistum Chur (Schweiz): Richtlinien betreffend Kirchenaustritt

kath.net: Österreich: 53.215 Kirchenaustritte im Jahr 2009

The Barna Group: Research on Adults that have been hurt by Churches

kath.net: Benedikt XVI: Omnium in mentem

Kathshop: Glaubenskurs

Michael Barber: How to Talk to Fallen-Away Catholics

Steve Wood: "Have You Been Born Again?" (CD)

Steve Wood: "How I Led Catholics Out of the Church & How You Can Bring Them Back" (CD)

Lorene Hanley Duquin: Top 10 Reasons to Come Back to the Catholic Church (Pamphlet)

Our Sunday Visitor: When Someone You Love Leaves the Church (Pamphlet)

Our Sunday Visitor: How to Forgive the Church (Pamphlet)

Answers in Genesis: Already Gone (DVD & Softcover)

This program is from RealCatholicTV.com

Episode2: Apostasy! from Mark Mallett on Vimeo.