Any tips for getting over the fear of being “wrong”?

I’m starting OCIA in the fall, and while I’m drawn in by the beauty and depth of Catholicism, the legalism and the need to systematically define everything throws me off. It makes God, salvation, and everything in between feel like a puzzle to be solved rather than someone we can never fully grasp or understand as humans.

I’ve really been drawn to Orthodoxy lately. It feels more like Jesus. While the Catholic Church is shiny and polished and towers over the world, the Orthodox church has been quietly persisting for 2000 years (1000 after the schism). Orthodoxy feels warm and inviting while Catholicism feels more cold and rigid (to me personally, and not all the time, but still).

But I have some fears that by choosing Orthodoxy, I’ll be choosing the wrong church. Both of them have a really good case for being the true church. Both have apostolic succession. Both have some form of unity, both have breaks and schisms. Both are universal in some way (although Catholicism gained much of its universality from imperial power and colonialism).

The thing is, the Catholic Church is so massive that it makes me think, why would so many be there if it wasn’t the true church? And I know this line of thinking isn’t rational but I also end up wondering “If people as brilliant as Augustine and Aquinas chose the Catholic Church and affirmed papal authority, how can I say they’re wrong?” I have fears that I’ll choose orthodoxy and I’ll love it and pour my heart into it, only to realize one day that it’s the wrong church and have something so precious and comforting ripped away from me. I’m terrified of having to be Catholic one day, I’m not even joking.

This is not another “why orthodoxy” post, I’m not looking for anyone to answer my questions or ease my doubts. I have seen arguments from both sides. I’m just wondering, if anyone has been here, how did you overcome this fear? It feels like spiritual paralysis almost. I really want to reach out to a local Orthodox church so if there’s a process similar to OCIA, I can start. If anyone’s been here and has some advice, let me know ❤️