Becoming a Catholic ...
It is a life-long process. In response to a discussion with a wonderful friend of mine from Montana, I thought I'd give my reflections on the Catholic Church.

One time, I heard an analogy to baseball in reference to the Church. It goes something like this: If you want to become a great baseball player, you learn from the accomplished players, not from those who sit on the bench. It applies to any field - use those who are successful at the endeavor as your model. In terms of the Church, I'd look to people such as Bishop Fulton Sheen, Father Benedict Groeschel, Sister McKenna, Mother Teresa of Calcutta as modern examples. Pope John Paul II has inspired millions with his writings; Pope Benedict is a lovely, thoughtful man with marvelous books, including "Jesus of Nazareth."

Early on, I decided I wanted to be a Catholic... not a "yes, but" Catholic. Of course, there are challenges within the Church; we are, after all, fallen beings, seeking redemption. The issue for me is the Truth of the claims of the Church - to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic. We can trace our origins to Christ through the apostles. You know, there have been some pretty shifty popes over the years, but not one has ever issued an official statement that contradicts the basic teaching of the apostles and early Church.

What would I read, were I seeking the Church? I would read The Catechism of the Catholic Church; anything by Scott Hahn; G.K. Chesterton, particularly "Orthodoxy"; the teachings of the Fathers of the Church (available on line). Many of these books are not available in secular bookstores, but should be available from online dealers, particularly Ignatius Press (always a good source of orthodox (meaning true to the teachings of the Church) materials. I'd assume a Protestant would be in touch with basic Christian readings such as St. Augustine.

For apologetics (and this doesn't mean apologizing, it means explaining) I'd recommend Peter Kreeft and Patrick Madrid. George Weigel is marvelous - his "Letters to a Young Catholic" discuss the faith from a different perspective. If a person has an interest in Catholic literary converts - Chesterton, Tolkien - read Joseph Pearce, himself a convert from rabid anti-Catholic and racist politics in Great Britian.

One of the most wonderful modern Catholics is Christopher West. He told me one time that he "took communion" from the Church, but wasn't "in communion" with the Church. Being a somewhat arrogant young man, he decided to give the Church one last chance to defend itself before leaving. Needless to say, he found the arguments persuasive. He's the author of newspaper columns and books on John Paul II's Theology of the Body - the Holy Father's way of using Genesis to explore/explain theology.

When I joined the Church, I had this image - that I was standing on the edge of a great forest, with many lovely paths to be explored. I'm still exploring and delighted to discover there is a map - the Teachings and Tradition of the Catholic Church.