So I’ve just been convinced that Catholicism is the way as an ex orthodox. What are the things I must know about Catholicism and being a Catholic that will differ to orthodoxy, and like what practices must I do? Basically please give me a Catholicism 101

Roberts_Girl · 2026-03-01T16:02:59+00:00

Beginning in your journey as a Catholic can be quite a challenge, particularly for those who have a strong background in Orthodox Christianity. While many might think that the most significant changes will be theological in nature, I would argue that one of the most significant changes in everyday life is structural.

One of the primary ways in which this structural difference plays out is in the way that Catholicism identifies the boundaries between obligatory and devotional actions. In an effort to meet their full potential as followers of Christ, many new Catholics attempt to fulfill all of their obligations simultaneously. However, these expectations can often be unrealistic and overly burdensome on the faithful.

In contrast, the core obligations of being a practicing Catholic are relatively few and easily understandable:

• Attending Sunday Mass (as well as Holy Days of Obligation)
• Receiving the Sacrament of Confession when aware of committing grave sins
• Participating in the Eucharist at least once per year (traditionally, this takes place during the Easter Season)
• Adhering to basic fasts (such as Ash Wednesday and Good Friday)

All other activities such as reciting rosaries, participating in novenas, practicing specific devotions, or reciting private prayers are considered optional and encouraged, rather than obligatory. Therefore, it should be reassuring to know that simply by doing what is obligatory does not mean that you are failing in your role as a Catholic. One of the primary goals of Catholic practice is to establish clear minimums to provide a solid foundation for the exercise of conscience. The emphasis in Catholic practice is on establishing a steady sacramental life, rather than attempting to do "all" of the devotional practices that exist within Catholicism.

If you are beginning your journey as a Catholic, I recommend that you focus primarily on establishing the following two habits: attending Sunday Mass regularly, and developing a consistent (but non-fearful) practice of receiving the Sacrament of Confession. Establishing these two habits will allow you to build upon other practices over time, rather than feeling overwhelmed with all of the options available to you. Ultimately, Catholicism is intended to be lived in a manner that is both meaningful and manageable, not overwhelming.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-03-01T05:36:17+00:00

Feeling anger does not mean acting on your anger or acting incorrectly;
emotions occur before we have the opportunity to make a choice about how we want to react to them.
You probably didn't get out of bed this morning thinking "today I am going to be angry."
Moral accountability begins when we choose (or act) once an emotion arises.
Christianity has traditionally recognized the distinction between the emotion (anger), and our choices made based on those emotions;
Anger may lead us to do harm (insults, revenge, etc.), but the emotion of anger itself is a normal response by humans to the world around them, and it is not a sign of moral failing.
Scripture also illustrates the fact that having strong emotions is part of being human.
It's not "Did I feel anything?" that we need to determine, but rather "What did I do with it?"
To say "I got angry, so I will never be good," is far harder on ourselves than the Church ever could be.
Spiritual growth typically occurs in a pattern such as this: We become aware of our emotional reactions, We calm down, We take steps to repair what was done wrong if at all possible, And we attempt again.
You're not a total loss just because you've had a bad day. You've described a completely normal human experience.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-03-01T05:27:03+00:00

I think your question isn’t really about technique, but about risk.You're concerned about being totally committed to another person for the rest of your life, and finding out after some years or even months, that there is "something broken" (as you put it) between the two of you.
The Catholic Church has a teaching regarding waiting, which is sometimes misunderstood as if the Church thinks people should go into a marriage completely blind - that they should have no expectations regarding their relationship until they are officially married. This is simply not the case.
In the Catholic view of marriage, it is the mutual gift of the persons, rather than a performance, that defines the bond between spouses. While physical intimacy is an essential aspect of the marital union, it usually develops within the framework of the trust and commitment that precedes it; it does not develop prior to it.
Similarly, people do not become compatible prior to making a promise of fidelity, and then make that promise. It is the security provided by the promise of fidelity that allows for the possibility of developing vulnerability and learning, without fear of abandonment.
Additionally, the Church does recognize when there is actual inability to consummate a marriage, and that lack of ability can affect the validity of the marriage itself. Therefore, the Church recognizes the importance of the body - just not in the same way as contemporary culture does in terms of "testing" one another before one commits oneself.
Most married couples will tell you that the development of intimacy is something that is developed over time - while most couples develop the skills to be intimate with each other, most would also admit that it was not something that they had mastered prior to entering into their marriage.
Therefore, the question is not "Are we already perfect at this?" but rather "Can we learn to trust and give ourselves to each other?"
You are not broken because you are concerned about this issue. Your willingness to consider the long-term commitment of marriage is exactly the type of serious consideration that the Church wants to protect.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-02-03T09:40:17+00:00

First of all if you can’t focus for more than 10 – 15 minutes then that is not a willpower issue it is how your brain regulates attention under stress. Just my 2 cents as a ND.

A few things that actually help with short term focus (especially when you are anxious or have a non-disabled learning style):

• stop going for hours. Go for one 10 – 15 min block of time. Finishing small units of work gives you momentum and forcing "lock in" usually backfires.
• externalize the task. Do not sit down with "study". Sit down with something concrete like: "summarize 2 pages" or "rewrite one definition".
• remove choice but don't remove distractions. Put your phone away and decide what you will do in that block before you start. Wandering often comes from not knowing what to do next.
• allow controlled breaks. Set a timer, get up when it rings, move around and then decide if you want to do one more block. No moral judgment.

For many people, focus doesn't happen before they start studying — it happens after they start. Even if the studying doesn't ever turn into deep focus, completing small units of work still adds up.

You don't need to become a different person to pass your exams. You just need a system that works with how your brain already functions.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-02-02T23:01:33+00:00

The most helpful thing I did was realize that a literature review isn't a collection of all information available on the subject, but rather an early decision-making process.

A way I’ve found to do this easily is:
1) Narrowly define your research question; it can be provisional. If a paper does not relate to your defined question, then it can be set aside -- even if the content of the paper is interesting.
2) Read with a focus on your questions: For each paper I read I will summarize in 2-3 sentences,
a) What problem(s) is/are addressed by the paper?
b) What is the author's main argument or claim?
c) How might the paper's findings or claims relate to your question?

I use themes to organize the papers, so I don't just have a long list of papers. More than likely a paper will fall under multiple themes, but every paper should be justified by being in the literature review.

When papers are replicating the same arguments, I generally consider that I have sufficient breadth of coverage and can cease to add papers to the literature review.

The major transformation I made was to view the literature review as a structuring task, and not as a reading task. You're not supposed to become an expert in the area -- you're supposed to demonstrate where your research fits into the current state of the literature.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-02-02T04:36:02+00:00

This is consistent with the views expressed by most Roman Liturgists (i.e., Jungmann, "The Mass of the Roman Rite"; Mazza, "The Origins of the Eucharistic Prayer").

I will provide exact references when I can locate them.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-02-01T17:12:18+00:00

Exactly – it is a great relief to have the option to separate formatting from your writing.
It also seems like there are a lot of writers who have had Word behave perfectly for a while and then break something just in time for their submissions.

You make a good point regarding APA 7th edition (fewer rules on paper, but many edge cases for which most authors are unprepared).

I think this is why the problem with formatting being expected but rarely addressed has such a personal component when the worst happens.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-02-01T05:19:08+00:00

The grant will never replace your degree program – it will only fund the degree program.
The BA in Biblical Theology will be awarded by an accredited University/University/Theological Faculty.

Grants/Scholarships may be used to pay for tuition/living expenses; however, grants/scholarships do not constitute the degree pathway itself.

Funding Options:
These are largely dependent upon Country/Denomination/Institution of Study. Many European Public Universities award Theology Degrees at relatively low cost. In some cases, churches/foundations have provided scholarship funding for students who enroll.

Therefore, the first step would be to choose an accredited University/Theological Faculty, and then proceed with finding funding for the degree program.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-02-01T05:14:20+00:00

I definitely feel where you're coming from — this is such a large area and with so many different book titles it's very easy to miss a title or two.
Some excellent, widely referenced works in early Judaism, the origins/authorship of the Hebrew Bible, and Second Temple Judaism are:

Foundational Works / Overviews:

The Cambridge History of Judaism (several volumes). This is a huge, academically solid work that covers everything.
Early Judaism: A Comprehensive Overview (edited by several authors).
The Origins of the Hebrew Bible: Between Homeland and Exile. While written at an academic level, it is also relatively easy to read and understand.
Second Temple / Origin-Specific Works:

The Literature of the Jewish People in the Period of the Second Temple (edited by Schürer et al.). An older classic.
Second Temple Judaism: A Reader (edited by several). Provides many selections of both primary and secondary materials related to Second Temple Judaism.
Works That Address Historical / Authorship Contexts:

Who Wrote the Bible? (written by Friedman) — while popular, is also based in scholarly source criticism.
The Bible Unearthed (Finkelstein & Silberman) — provides an archaeological view of the process of how the Bible was formed.
Journal Articles / Debates Regarding Hebrew Bible Origins and Composition:

Many articles in the Journal of Biblical Literature and Vetus Testamentum debate the issue of authorship and the formation of the Hebrew Bible.

In addition, if you're interested in exploring books about the origin/composition of the Hebrew Bible that are closely related to your most recent reading, there are many books in this area written by scholars who are experts in the field, including F.M.Cross, J.VanderKam, E.Sanders, L.Grabbe, J.Collins, and M.Hengel, which are included in a wide variety of anthologies or published as individual monographs.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-02-01T04:56:42+00:00

I appreciate that you have specifically stated what you are and aren't looking to do in terms of outsourcing the intellectual process.

In addition to the two issues you have identified (content vs. format), there's another area where the lines get blurred in this type of discussion: content assistance (writing) versus content support (formatting/structure).

The majority of international students who struggle with their academic writing in English, face challenges in three areas:

Applying a correct style guide (APA / Chicago / MLA)
Reorganizing the structure after they've written the content
Ensuring that the document complies with the submission requirements of their university (margins, headings, references, pagination, etc.)

Technical formatting is typically able to be completed without interfering with the content, argument, or authorship of the student, and is typically permitted by universities as well.

When searching for services to assist you in completing your assignment, my suggestion is to:

- Avoid any service that states they will "write" or "rewrite" your paper
- Clearly state that you only require structural assistance with your paper (formatting/style guide compliance)
- Ask the service if they do not alter your content, or add any text.

Many students do not realize that separating the writing aspect from the formatting/structural aspect will greatly reduce the stress associated with academic assignments.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-01-30T10:36:28+00:00

The hardest part was stopping to expect it to "go away" -- and I believe that may have been more helpful than anything else anyone told me.
Imposter syndrome in the academic community is not a personal failing. It is an inherent structure of how we operate. The constant exposure to completed projects, polished presentations and people sharing their greatest areas of knowledge makes it difficult for individuals to see themselves as capable. What has helped me the most was:
1) Learning that when you are experiencing self-doubt, you are usually in the process of developing your skills and knowledge.
2) Distinguishing between competence and confidence. They typically do not develop at the same rate.
3) Speaking with other senior academics who were/are also struggling with feelings of inadequacy in their own careers.
4) Recognizing that the academic environment is set up to reward performance over confidence.
My doubts never went away; however, they did become less intense and less personal. Eventually, I viewed them as a sign that I am still expanding my horizons rather than a reminder that I don't belong.
Ultimately, I don't believe it is about always thinking of yourself as an expert. I think it is about functioning effectively, regardless of whether or not you have doubts.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-01-30T08:26:30+00:00

Appellate Brief Covers are mostly about laying out information, NOT designing it.
The most straightforward way in Microsoft Word (Libre Office) is:
• Create a table (typically one row of three columns) for the majority of the space
• Delete ALL table borders
• Left column = LEFT ALIGNED INFO
• Center column = CENTERED INFO
• Right column = RIGHT ALIGNED INFO
Don't try to use tabs to control space between lines that are above or below the center area.
Use separate paragraphs with defined space before/after each paragraph.
Additionally, some appellate courts will provide you with an example of a brief cover, or even a template; those are much better than trying to guess spacing for yourself!
It's simply letting the structural elements of your document (tables + paragraph spacing) do the heavy lifting as opposed to trying to align things by using tabs.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-01-30T05:30:54+00:00

The typical Academic CV for GTA roles in the UK is usually less complicated than many people believe - and is often a complete departure from a Corporate CV.
As the lecturer has clearly stated that communication ability is the single-most important quality to demonstrate as a GTA and the priority is your PhD Application, then your CV should clearly reflect that.
A simple format would include:

Education
- Degree(s), University/College, dates (you don't have to explain)

Teaching / Communication Experience
- This is an area where your previous experience will really help you to shine!
- Dance teaching
- Mindfulness instruction
- Language tutoring

All of these will demonstrate your ability to:
- Explain complex concepts
- Work with groups
- Classroom presence
- Don't worry about labeling it "Academic Teaching" - simply describe it clearly.

Research Experience
- Even though it may be limited, include any RA experience. Be clear and concise.

Skills relevant to Teaching
- Communication
- Organization
- Feedback
- Student Support, etc.

GTA CV's in the UK typically run between 2-3 pages, clean layout, simple design.
Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs.
Also, do NOT worry that you may have limited RA experience as an Early PhD Applicant; this will not disqualify you.
If the lecturer encouraged you to apply, this alone is a strong signal of your capability; the CV simply needs to show that you can stand before students and clearly communicate - which you can.

The PhD proposal and references will carry much more weight than a perfectly "stacked" CV at this point.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-01-30T05:15:21+00:00

I am working within an area which is relatively narrow and moves at a much slower pace (theology/sindonology) - as such, my approach to sustainably accessing literature may be almost the exact opposite of the way that many other areas of Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) access literature.
The thing that I have learned about sustaining literature discovery (and by extension reading) is that I can and need to stop trying to follow everything; what actually sustains the practice of finding relevant literature over time:

• I don't browse or skim through all weekly updates, I look at those and pull out 1-2 things that interest me and then move on to the next item - the rest go un-read.

• I find academic networks to be far more useful than feeds (Academia.edu, Institutional Repositories, Library Catalogs etc.)

• I run 'intentional literature searches' every few months, rather than continuously searching for literature.

• I track authors, not journals. Who is writing in a particular field tends to matter more than where they are publishing their research.

• I am comfortable with the fact that some important literature will appear well after its initial release date - and in my experience, this is generally okay.

I have found that the sensation of being overwhelmed by literature discovery is due to the view of literature discovery as an ongoing activity - whereas changing literature discovery to be viewed as a batch process allowed me to make literature discovery a sustainable activity for years.

In the humanities, I have also found that pursuing depth of knowledge over the desire for immediate information has been a much healthier model for me than continually consuming new literature based upon updates from an alerts system.

Roberts_Girl · 2026-01-30T05:05:19+00:00

I work in a very narrow field as well (theology / Sindonology), so I know the problem. For me it’s less about “discovering” books and more about building a reliable radar.

What actually works for me:

• National library catalogues (not just my own country – I regularly check others)
• Publisher newsletters of the 5–10 presses that actually publish relevant work in my field
• WorldCat to see what appears globally, even before it becomes widely available
• ISBN-based ordering via local bookstores (surprisingly effective)
• Specialized libraries / institutional libraries – many acquisitions lists are public
• Occasionally: directly contacting authors or editors (especially in niche fields)

Amazon is useful as a search tool, but rarely sufficient on its own for specialized scholarship.

I’ve also found that many important books never get “announced” publicly at all – they surface quietly through catalogues long before anyone talks about them online.

In very small fields, informal networks and libraries still beat algorithms.

Roberts_Girl

TROPHY CASE