Hello, I am new to the forums. I primarily signed up to learn as much as I can about traditional Catholicism and to get some advice from the traditional Catholics of this forum.
I am not sure if this belongs in this sub-forum, but my question is dealing with what I should do about my religious situation. If anyone can take the time to hear me out and give me some advice I would greatly appreciate it.
Background:
My mother was Catholic as a youth, but lapsed. My father is irreligious. I grew up irreligious and atheistic. When I was 18 years old I experienced what I believe to have been a transcendental mystical experience. Whatever it was, it changed my life and made me search for God/Truth. At first I explored Eastern religions such as the Vedic religions, Buddhism, and Taoism.
As I've grown in my knowledge of religion, philosophy, history, and further explored my heart, I found that I have been led toward traditional Christianity. Primarily I have debated between Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. What attracted me to the latter was its emphasis on apophatic theology, heyschasm, and mystical union with God. It also seemed to be without many of the problems of modernism and liberalism that have come over the Catholic Church. However, my heart leads me toward Catholicism, and as a Westerner I can identify with the aesthetics, history, and tradition the Catholic Church contains.
Problem:
While I am not extremely learned on the whole issue of Vatican II and the modern Church, from what I can gather, it seems I would be led to a Sedevacantist position. So my question is what should I do? If I wanted to convert to Catholicism, would it not be strange to enter into the Catholic Church as a Sedevacantist? Would I then even be part of the Catholic Church? Would this not bring me hostility from non-Sedevacantist Catholics?
Or would I just be better off heading toward the Eastern Orthodox Church?
I am greatly confused about the issue, as it is an important decision. If anyone can lend some words of counseling, I would be most grateful. Thank you.