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Project Polska: Human powered aircraft. Looking for partners [20]
I'm not on Instagram or any other social media but I'm quite happy to chat here on the forum. I'm not Polish. I live in Poland but I'm from Ireland. You make an interesting point though.
There is definitely a difference in the, shall we say, tone of the Catholic Church in different places around the world. The version of Catholicism I grew up with in Ireland seems quite different to the Polish way of seeing the faith. That's partly because Irish Catholicism springs from the Monastic tradition rather than the Roman tradition and Rome had little influence in Ireland, really until the middle of the nineteenth century. The Irish monks had a big influence though on many aspects of the development of certain practices. For example, the sacrament of Confession as you know it, was introduced by Irish monks. Before that Confession was done maybe once a year and in public! The Irish monks introduced the practice of having a spiritual counsellor, a mentor if you like, to whom you would go in private. Prayer, reflection, examination of conscience daily, these things are part of the bedrock of monastic Catholicism.
Scripture in general though, is not a big thing in the everyday life of an ordinary Catholic. If you are raised in the faith from childhood then the Catechism will be your starting point. On the whole Catholics are taught to find their answers not so much in Scripture as in prayer, though of course the Bible is the basis of the faith - the Catholic translation of the Bible that is. We have more Books than the Protestant denominations and a slightly different translation. But you'll know that already :) As a Catholic there is really no expectation that you will read the Bible at all as part of your daily life. Daily Mass would be considered more important. Not that you have to go to Mass every day but if you're from the Bible based tradition you might feel that you need to connect that way on a daily basis so going to Mass and receiving Communion every day might suit you. Some Catholics draw great strength from being a daily Communicant.
My own view and words of advice to someone new to Catholicism would be, the only Scripture you need to concern yourself with are the Four Gospels. Read the Catechism thoroughly and reflect on it. Know the Beatitudes and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and try to incorporate them into your everyday life. Read the lives of many saints, find one you feel drawn to and pray to them - and don't forget your Guardian angel and the Archangels :)
And in moments of crisis repeat 'Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in thee,' as often as you like :))
You can open a thread about religion in the off-topic section if you want to.
