u/King_of_Scythia

Hi! I posted here about a week ago about considering joining the Episcopal Church. I’m overjoyed to say I have taken the leap! Last Sunday I went to my first Episcopal mass and everyday since then I’ve become more and more sure I’m making the right decision. It’s felt liberating. It’s difficult to describe just how “right” I feel, when I never felt that way as a Roman Catholic.

Before I order on Amazon or something, I was wondering if I should ask my new parish if they give out or sell the BCP. Is that standard practice or would that be weird to ask/assume?

Thanks! Love you all!

Hello all, as the title says, I am a Catholic. Growing up in the Catholic Church meant a lot to me and it still means a great deal. In my heart, I feel such a deep connection to Christ through the Church.

However, although I’ve never experienced any overt abuse by my fellow Catholics and there are many people in the Church that know about my sexuality and are wholly welcoming (my grandfather, for instance, is a very devout and very pro-lgbtq Catholic who often encourages me to attend mass with him), I feel as though the “don’t ask don’t tell” attitude towards queer sexualities that pervades many Catholic parishes in my area is causing me a lot of distress. Whenever I attend mass or a parish event, I feel extreme anxiety. Even though the majority of Catholics in my area are quite accepting, I can’t help but feeling on edge around the community. My brain goes to thinking “what if there’s one homophobic person who is offended by my presence here and decides to confront me?” It’s a terrible anxiety.

My questions are not about lgbtq acceptance in the Episcopalian church. I live in an area with a relatively large number of Episcopalians and see their churches flying pride colors and “Everybody Welcome” banners and stuff like that, so I assume it is a very accepting environment.

Instead, I am curious about the theological and liturgical differences between Catholicism and Episcopalianism. How different are they really? Apart from the Catholic Church’s teachings on some social issues, such as homosexuality, I believe in the teachings of the Catholic Church and feel at peace during mass. What are the differences that I could expect from Episcopalian belief and practice? To be blunt: are the differences minimal enough that I could continue practicing my faith in a similar environment, but without having to feel such distress about my sexuality?

I have read parts of the Episcopalian catechism provided by this sub, but it didn’t seem too detailed tbh, so I’m curious for a more personal perspective.

Thank you, would appreciate any information or advice. God bless!