I’ve had a few opportunities to introduce folks to the Catholic Church, and it always seemed a bit of a dicey procedure. If you’re thinking of doing something similar to some unsuspecting (or suspecting) soul in the near future, you probably also have felt like you needed to sit in a back room somewhere with a dry erase board to map out some strategies.
For someone who is searching on their own, without anyone beside them as a guide, I would imagine the least effective way to learn about the Catholic faith is to do what would seem to be the most obvious: go to Mass. That can lead to some awkward conversations:
Curious Cal: I’m thinking about learning more about the Catholic Church. Since you guys have Mass every Sunday, do you think I should go?
Cradle-Catholic Carl: NO!
Obviously, if someone already has Biblical and historical knowledge (like Scott Hahn), then going to Mass can be exactly the a-ha moment that is needed. If a person has a good grounding in the historical Christian understanding of worship as sacrifice, of the Eucharist as the Real Presence of Jesus, of the Incarnation, etc., then going to Mass can be enlightening. But the whys of worship are taken for granted; the priest presumes that those gathered for Mass already have a good idea of what is going on (none of us know this fully or completely, since it involves mystery, but you get my point). And for most non-Catholics, coming from a church where you can learn the theological ropes pretty quickly and get your membership card without much effort, it can seem off-putting to be told that going to Mass is probably not the best place to start. Go if you want, but you’ll need to supplement.
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Most people’s first steps toward Catholicism feel like this, but aren’t nearly as cute. Maybe I’m biased. Pic by me
Consider some similar scenarios. You’re interested in working for Widgets Inc. because you heard it’s a good company that treats its employees well. You show up at the front door and immediately sit in on a staff meeting. Would you assume that you would fully understand everything that was discussed? Would you feel comfortable with the company’s culture, like you fit in immediately? Would you feel entitled to participate in all of the company’s activities or to suggest improvements to the intricacies of Widget design?
Try another one: you are interested in joining the local Homestar Runner fan club. Would you be upset that you didn’t know the club’s secret handshake? That you couldn’t recite the club motto? Would you perceive an obligation to learn about the club’s history as a turn-off?
I can expand the scenarios. Any time we attempt to join some social group, we realize that there are rules, beliefs, and a culture that acclimates one to the group. You can dive right in but don’t expect to be able to swim perfectly. Most of us probably didn’t learn to swim by getting tossed into the deep end, even though most actual (and the most enjoyable) swimming and diving happens where water is deep.
So it is with our Church; well, it’s even MORE so with our Church. Social groups or companies usually aren’t very old, historically speaking. Most of them don’t have members with such vast and rich output like St. Augustine, Michelangelo, Palestrina, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Most of them aren’t centered around the most profound and personal questions of human existence. And, most importantly, none of them have a founder who was divine.
What is the best way to introduce someone to Catholicism? Again, it depends on the person, but I think the personal approach has to work better than most. Why do you like being Catholic? What does it mean to you to be able to go to Mass and receive the Eucharist? How do you feel after visiting the Sacrament of Reconciliation? If you can answer these questions in under a minute, you probably have a pretty good arsenal should Curious Cal approach you.
I left the title as a question because I’d love to read comments about the approaches you’ve tried. Have you met an inquirer who was initially confused by the Mass? Any “best practices” that will whet appetites but not overwhelm?