Am I Catholic?

[EasterJoy]

Unless his mom also had him baptized.

You can’t unbaptize somebody. If he were to formally leave the Church, he would not be bound by canon laws concerning marriage (would not have to get a dispensation to marry, and so on), but even apostasy doesn’t remove the mark of baptism. An apostate returns to the Church via the sacrament of reconcilliation, not via re-baptism.

His pastor is in the best position to judge what kind of remedial catechesis he might need. It depends very much on what his dad taught him. As for confirmation, I can’t imagine he would ever have been confirmed without giving evidence of baptism.

Alindawyl’s advice to check the military ordinariates was good, too. Even if a base was closed, the records would still be kept. Likewise with closed parishes, for that matter.

 

[Tradycja]

Am I Catholic?

If you believe everything the Catholic Church teaches and are baptized you ARE a Catholic.
The validity of marriages, etc is a separate question. I would not delay going to confession the priest will direct you how to have the other situation figured out.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

The validity of marriages, etc is a separate question. I would not delay going to confession the priest will direct you how to have the other situation figured out.

However, if someone is living in an invalid marriage, the priest might not be able to give absolution if the couple plans to continue living as husband and wife. Contrition — which includes the intention not to continue in sin — is necessary for absolution.

A meeting with a priest is certainly a good idea, but the Sacrament of Reconciliation may or may not need to be delayed (the priest can help determine this).

 

[jspencer]

All of you who have posted responses to my question/statement deserve my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you very, very much. I plan on speaking to the Priest at my local parish after the holidays when he isn’t so busy. The first priest I spoke with is no longer at this parish. To answer some of your queries, my mother didn’t have me baptized and I was not officially confirmed.
I have read so many books (including multiple translations of the Bible) that I have an entire room full of book shelves, plus more through out the house and in boxes. LOL my wife says she no longer counts them, she simply refers to them by the ton, LOL.
Some of my favorites have been; The Essential Catholic Survival Guide, the Catechism, the Compendium of the Catechism, Theology for Todays Catholic, Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, What Happens at Mass, Mary Mother of the Son, The Imitation of Christ, Theology of the Body, everything by Scott Hahn, and many, many more.
Also I love Magnificat magazine and praying the Rosary daily. I’m planning on going through RCIA even if i’m not required to, it sounds like a great experience as well as a good way to meet other people on the same journey as I am.

 

[bostonboy23]

Am I Catholic?
I ask this because of an encounter I had recently at a local Parish. The short version of my story/question is as follows. I was born in the UK to a Church of England mother and a Roman Catholic father. My father had me baptized by a priest when I was a baby, with out my mother (or anyone else) knowing.
Then over the years growing up, both in the UK and here in the USA, he would take me to Mass whenever my mother wasn’t around to object. When I was old enough (according to him) he took me up to receive my first communion. Later, after my parents divorced, my father moved away, I joined the army, got married (to a protestant), attended a protestant church, got divorced, and remarried.
Now I find myself drawn to return to what I know is the true church. The lady in charge of RCIA at the local parish says I will have to go through the formal process of joining the Catholic Church, (because I don’t have proof of my baptism and can’t get it). And that it will take about two years. I have always thought of myself as Catholic and don’t think I should have to attend RCIA. Any and all opinions about this are most welcome.

i would go to the bishop in your area explain the situation and see what he recomends you do. my opinion would be no you are not catholic. if the only times you have ever been to mass was when your mom wasn’t around and you never kept it up after your dad left you need to be brought back into the church formally. also in order to be a member of the church you have to give consent. this usually happens at first communion but if you can’t remember your first communion you were probably too young to know what was going on.

 

[bostonboy23]

Please take my “Two cents” in the spirit in which it is intended. I think it is all too easy, for those of you who have been to RCIA to say “Oh, you must”. I am not saying it is not a good thing, only that there can be other factors.
I was baptised Catholic, but when my parents divorced, I was removed from the church. I now attend a denomination that takes communion every week, but lately have been questioning many of it’s values and am thinking about going back to the Catholic Church.
I would hate the thought of not being able to take the sacrements for 2 years, while I completed “classes” (tho I do need to “relearn” many, many things. Are you saying God would not recognize my heart if I confessed and repented, or instead that “The Church” would not? I don’t see God that way.

you have not been receiving valid sacraments so yes you need to go to rcia. anyone who thinks they can receive communion outside of the catholic church is someone who needs formal education on the sacraments.

 

[FrDavid96]

i would go to the bishop in your area explain the situation and see what he recomends you do. my opinion would be no you are not catholic. if the only times you have ever been to mass was when your mom wasn’t around and you never kept it up after your dad left you need to be brought back into the church formally. also in order to be a member of the church you have to give consent. this usually happens at first communion but if you can’t remember your first communion you were probably too young to know what was going on.

Anyone baptised into the Catholic Church is Catholic. If the baptised is an infant, the parents supply the child’s consent at the time of baptism.

A Catholic is still a Catholic whether or not he has received First Communion, and whether or not he has “consented” at an older age.

A person in the situation you describe is not a non-Catholic, but an uncatechised Catholic, and is not a candidate for reception into the Church. So, what we typically mean when we say RCIA doesn’t apply here.

 

[jspencer]

you have not been receiving valid sacraments so yes you need to go to rcia. anyone who thinks they can receive communion outside of the catholic church is someone who needs formal education on the sacraments.

valid sacraments? of course they were valid, the host and wine were consecrated by the priest just like at any other mass. besides I don’t partake of them right now, and won’t until the priest at my local parish says I can. Also, I don’t take communion at another church, in fact, I’ve NEVER taken communion outside of the Catholic Church. My position is this, In all things I am obedient to the teachings of the one true church, even if I don’t understand and/or agree with something, I am still obedient. To be otherwise is to not be Catholic.

 

[reaganjn]

valid sacraments? of course they were valid, the host and wine were consecrated by the priest just like at any other mass. besides I don’t partake of them right now, and won’t until the priest at my local parish says I can. Also, I don’t take communion at another church, in fact, I’ve NEVER taken communion outside of the Catholic Church. My position is this, In all things I am obedient to the teachings of the one true church, even if I don’t understand and/or agree with something, I am still obedient. To be otherwise is to not be Catholic.

i am admiring your journey home

my daughter (reagan, she is 9 years old) and i just became catholics this easter vigil. we really enjoyed rcia. my youngest daughter will not go through rcia because she is at that perfect age where she will take her first communion with all the other boys and girls next spring.

i also admire your wife, for going on this journey with you.

in my situation…my husband is not catholic, but is EXTREMELY supportive in raising our girls catholic. and i applaud him for that. i dont push anything on him…i do pray the rosary for him in hoping that he will convert. and i know that in time God will open his heart.

But again

Welcome home!!!