The most beautiful thing I can think of, is the connection all the way back 2,000 years to Jesus and the Apostles.  The Catholic Church was not incorporated by man.  Jesus and the Apostles set up the Church, which continued on through the New Testament Letters.  And the letters did not cease when the New Testament ended.  The Churches continued to communicate with each other in writings and through Church Councils.  These writings reflect what we Catholics believe.   And although the Church is filled with sinners, I have faith that “the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it.” ~ Jesus.

Also at top of my list, is that the Catholic Faith guides us to live like Jesus.  To be holy as Jesus is Holy.  The Church gives us many tools for our spiritual journey – both obligations and suggestions: i.e., the Season of Lent with its focus on Prayer, Fasting, and Alms-giving; the Season of Advent where we prepare for the coming of Christ; the Season of Christmas and Easter when we celebrate the birth and resurrection; the 7 Sacraments where we receive God’s Grace and Power; the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy; Stations of the Cross; the Rosary which is a meditative prayer on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus; and so much more…

The Eucharist separates the Catholic Faith from any Protestant religion.  Just as the Early Church Fathers believed, we also believe that the Eucharist is actually transformed into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ (underlying the bread and wine).  The official wording is a little much to pour out there, which is why we have the tagline – the Catholic Faith in Plain English!  Anyway, receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord every week is a very powerful thing.  Priests from the early Church have died to protect it.  Many of Jesus’ followers left him because of this teaching (John 6).

My next big one would be Mary, mother of God.  Mary has interceded personally for me so many times.  She is most definitely right by Jesus in Heaven.  Before I was Catholic, I had no clue.  Mary is not even spoken of in my Holy Bible church.  Nowadays, it seems that Protestants actually dislike her because of the misunderstandings on the Catholic Faith.  But like the wedding feast at Cana, Jesus will not refuse His Mother.  And Archangel Gabrielle spoke pretty highly of her, too.

The Communion of Saints really kicks my prayer life into high gear.  Jesus has many friends in Heaven.  And the Bible has many references to them.  The Saints also show me how I should be living, or attain to be living.  They set wonderful examples for your children as well.

At the start of it all, when I became Catholic, I re-read and re-read the Gospels, slowly, reflecting on how certain parables would apply to my life.  This was the foundation I built on; one shared by Protestant and Catholic Believers.  One by one, I put those parables to task in my life.  This wonderful knowledge and wisdom helped straighten out my path, so to speak; but it was when I decided to focus on my prayer life that things really started to blossom.

Prayer would round out my list.  The Catholic Church has so many beautiful prayers to get you started.  And unless you are guided by the Holy Spirit, things aren’t going to fall into place.  Here’s a free book of Powerful Prayers from Catholicity.