I changed "religion" from Protestant to Catholic about 7 or 8 years
ago, after 13 years as a Protestant.  As far as I'm concerned I've
gone closer to the truth about Christ, not further away.  That doesn't
mean that I don't have questions, or totally agree with all Papal
rulings (I bluntly disagree with two - the question of "infallibility"
and the ruling on the contraceptive pill).

If you're serious contact your nearest Catholic Church or the one you
have in mind and start proceedings.  The usual procedure is that there
is an induction period in which you learn a bit about the church and
it's teachings and traditions.   In Australia the induction is usually
finalised around Easter, which is the most important time of the
Christian year.

The positive side is that I believe that you are moving closer to the
Truth. In some areas they are closer to Scriptural tradition eg. the
Lord's Prayer, which in Protestant circles ends with "... for Thine is
the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.  Amen", which
is just not in the Bible.  I don't know where it came from but I
suspect it was a Reformation addition just to be different from the
Catholic version, which stops on "and deliver us from evil" which is
the Biblical version.

The negative side is that the Catholic Church is a slow moving beast,
and if you have ideas of "starting things" eg. youth, music, Bible
study groups, you will find the procedure a bit more long winded.  I
once improvised a light bulb joke, in which it took 3 priests to
change a light bulb.  The first changes the bulb, the second blesses
the new bulb and gives the old bulb the last rites, and the third?

He gets on the phone and tells the Pope.

The Catholic Church is quite strong in the social justice area (Right
to Life, charities, caring for the poor and sick etc), not very
evangelical (it should be much more so), and there is more tradition. 
It may take a while to pick up the rote prayers, which I find doubly
difficult as I am hard of hearing.  While the priest alone is
speaking, I usually hear clearly, but when it is a congregation
response all I normally hear is a mixed mumble.

Frankly there is not enough effort given in this last area.  For a
Protestant coming from a relatively ritual free environment, it can
take quite some time to understand all the bits and pieces.

The Protestants usually give better sermons by far, put more effort
into their music as a whole (although there is just as much talent in
the Catholic Church), probably make their after service times more
friendly, and are more evangelical.  On the other hand their relative
freedom of belief can lead to some absurdities.

I believe the Catholic emphasis on the Eucharist is correct, but I
also believe they could take a few preaching lessons from Protestant
preachers.  I think the Catholic Church puts too much faith in
"Education" ie. Catholic Schools.  They reason that by the time a
child has been brought up in a Catholic system for 12 or more years,
he or she should stay Catholic.  Granted they will never forget the
basics, but the large dropout rate should be a warning that it is not
sufficient.  In the modern West, the sheer attractiveness of society
(ie. the world) is a potent factor, for all denominations.

Finally the Catholic Church is "united" (apart from liberal and
conservative views - so what's new?).  The Protestants have
disintegrated into 25,000 or so denominations.  But the same
safeguards which have protected and maintained this unity are the same
things which make the Catholic Church a slow moving beast.

You won't find it an enormous culture shock, once you get over the
initial hurdle of wondering if you are doing the right thing.  And
ignore the warnings about "They worship statues etc."  That's a load
of crock.

Bob Crowley.
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