Absolution for apostasy

[Sam64]

Hello,

I was baptized as a Roman Catholic as a baby and received my first communion as a second grader.

For a time in my twenties, I apostasized from the the faith and became an unabashed atheist. I realized the error of my ways shortly after turning thirty and went to my local parish priest and confessed all of my sins (including my atheism).

I’ve thought for the past several years that I was now “safe” and fully reconciled with the Church having made a confession and been absolved, but I’ve recently come across some things saying that I in fact incurred a penalty of excommunication when I apostasized from the faith earlier in my life and that it would take more than just a “normal” confession to be made right with the Church.

Can anyone help me understand what (if anything) I must do to be absolved for my sin of apostasy?

It may be helpful to note that, at the time I apsotasized, I didn’t know that I would be excommunicated, but I also didn’t care as I never planned on wanting to return to the Church.

Thank you.

 

[edward_george1]

If you didn’t know that you would be excommunicated, then the penalty of excommunication could not apply, as per Canon 1323:

(2) a person who without any fault was unaware of violating a law or precept; however, inadvertence and error are equivalent to ignorance;

Be at peace. When you were absolved in confession, you were reconciled to Christ and his Church.

-Fr ACEGC

 

[rosejmj]

Would you be excommunicated for leaving the Church for a short period of time like several months? What if one seriously did not believe or did not feel sure enough? Or would it just count as not practicing the Faith for a while?

What if someone stopped attending a Catholic Church and switched to Orthodoxy because they believed it contained the fullness of truth? Would that count as apostasy?

 

[thistle]

What if someone stopped attending a Catholic Church and switched to Orthodoxy because they believed it contained the fullness of truth? Would that count as apostasy?

No. Apostasy is a complete rejection of Christianity.

 

[Sam64]

Thank you.

 

[OraLabora]

A (belated) welcome home!

I was in the same boat as you, and did the same thing, went to confession, and resumed warming a pew on Sundays, and returned to the sacraments accordingly. That was 22 years ago. I had been out of the Church for 22 years, so as of this year I have been back for as long as I was out

Be at peace, you were not excommunicated.

 

[Dan_Defender]

Many apostates go through life without any repentance. If you repented, it is by the grace of God. So be grateful that God granted you that grace and instead of worrying about the past, try to do what is right and be a witness to others.

 

[goout]

Many apostates go through life without any repentance. If you repented, it is by the grace of God. So be grateful that God granted you that grace and instead of worrying about the past, try to do what is right and be a witness to others.

Yes.
Nothing holding us back but that heavy stone inside the heart.
God granted me a new perspective: child aborter, pornographer, fornicator, self centered, delinquent, tax cheating, angry, despairing, mess of a human being.

God loves to reconcile, with any sinner, and loves to see sinners come into the daylight.
And know they are free to love.