4

I noticed with surprise the following in a previous question :

Finally, each and every Catholic, as also the baptized of every non-Catholic church or denomination who enters into the fullness of the Catholic communion,

I was baptised (in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit) at the age of five (I can vividly remember it to this day, sixty-three years later) by a Presbyterian minister of the Church of Scotland.

At the age of fifteen I left the C of S and, for only a short time, joined with the Scottish Baptist movement and was baptised as an adult.

I subsequently was dissatisfied with the state of religion in Scotland and I moved to England, at the age of eighteen, to be under the ministry and guidance of someone I perceived as a genuine Minister of Jesus Christ and I continued with him for twenty five years. He did not think it necessary to baptise me again and he accepted my baptism and received me into fellowship with his congregation.

I was married, now I am celibate. I no longer drink alcohol and I don't do drugs. I earn a living and I do not steal. I last told a lie (that I can remember) in 2011, of which I am ashamed, although it was not a matter of criminality. The last time I remember taking the name of God or the Lord in vain (as a curse or as an expletive) was when I was fourteen years old.

So, am I accepted as Catholic or would I have to do anything further to be accepted as a Christian among Catholic persons ?

Improve this question
  • 1
    I see that non-alcoholic communion wine is available, in case you were wondering. – Strawberry Jan 6 '20 at 13:05
  • Let us be specific. Catholic means universal. Do you mean Roman Catholic? – Reluctant_Linux_User Jan 6 '20 at 16:06
  • @Reluctant_Linux_User No. I was being very specific in saying 'Catholic'. – Nigel J Jan 6 '20 at 19:01
  • Nigel, when did you last receive communion in a Catholic church? (And I wonder at your capitalization). – KorvinStarmast Jan 8 '20 at 22:26
  • @KorvinStarmast Regarding capitalisation, I am using 'Catholic' to describe myself in the same way that I use 'Protestant' to describe myself. – Nigel J Jan 8 '20 at 23:48
6

Are you considered to be Catholic?

The short answer is no.

Finally, each and every Catholic, as also the baptized of every non-Catholic church or denomination who enters into the fullness of the Catholic communion, must retain his own rite wherever he is, must cherish it and observe it to the best of his ability, without prejudice to the right in special cases of persons, communities or areas, to have recourse to the Apostolic See, which, as the supreme judge of interchurch relations, will, acting itself or through other authorities, meet the needs of the occasion in an ecumenical spirit, by the issuance of opportune directives, decrees or rescripts. - Orientalium Ecclesiarum

According to the above statement you have not entered into full communion with the Catholic Church.

In order for that to happen several thing must happen first.

Validly baptized non-Catholics who desire to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church must complete an RCIA course which explains the basic beliefs professed in Catholicism, prior to making a profession of faith in the Catholic Church.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), or Ordo Initiationis Christianae Adultorum (OICA) is a process developed by the Catholic Church for prospective converts to Catholicism who are above the age of infant baptism. Candidates are gradually introduced to aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices. The basic process applies to adults and older children, with younger children initiated through an adapted version sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Children (RCIC). - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

Improve this answer
  • 1
    +1 and accepted. Appreciated. Do I just have to do the RCIA course, that is to say, is it an intellectual understanding of the doctrines and practices - or do I have to acknowledge my own acceptance of every single detail without any differences ? – Nigel J Jan 6 '20 at 3:23
  • 6
    @NigelJ you need to make a profession of faith. An intellectual understanding of the church is not sufficient. You must accept it, and perform the necessary rites before the congregation. RCIA is not simply an educational course, it is a rite. – OrangeDog Jan 6 '20 at 10:40
  • 2
    The original post also had a question about whether the Catholic Church considers Nigel Christian, and the answer to that is yes because he received a valid baptism. – Jetpack Jan 6 '20 at 17:56
  • @NigelJ My good friend, I was a catechist in RCIA for some years. It's a process, not a check in the box. ;-) . All that I can ask is that you take the plunge. Best wishes whatever your decision. – KorvinStarmast Jan 9 '20 at 2:08
  • @KorvinStarmast I consider myself to be catholic already. The problem is that some are not prepared to accept my faith in Christ and the life that I live, as being Christian. And they exclude me. Which says more about them than it does about me. – Nigel J Jan 9 '20 at 2:15

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.