Are "cradle Catholics" really born of God's Spirit"?

[gladtobe]

I was reading an article in my latest issue of “the Rock” magazine concerning infants being born again at the moment of being baptized. I have no qualm with infants being baptized and having “original sin” removed in the sacrament of baptism. I agree fully with that. My point of contention is that infants ALSO receive the Holy Spirit at baptism and so BECOME A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST.That’s what this article states.

                  Why do I find this difficult to accept? Because most "cradle Catholics" live like the world outside of attending mass. They don't really live Christian lives, but  just live just like the everyday non Christian. 

                    If ALL Catholics who were baptized as infants, received the Holy Spirit,  then WHY don't we see a significant change in the lives of the majority of nominal Catholics? I DO see more Christlike actions from a revert or a Protestant who converts to the Catholic church, then with nominal cradle Catholics. Just where is the evidence of being a new creation of Christ, in the lives of cradle Catholics, since they supposedly received the Holy Spirit when being baptized as infants ? I would like to know if you feel the same way as I do? Thanks.

 

[TPJCatholic]

The gift of Grace can be rejected, one is never forced to live as God would have them live. That said, our baptism is made complete at Confirmation when we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and receive gifts from the Holy Spirit. The problem is, only something like 25% of baptized Catholics receive Confirmation–so they do not receive the gifts they need to remain on the path (ir to return to the path when they stray). The lack of confirmed Catholics is a grave scandal in our modern Church. Confirmation is the equal to what Protestants call being born again. The actuial regeneration takes place at baptism, yet it is made complete when the candidate (normally 8th grade or older) choose for themselves to be Catholic.

 

[Fidelis]

Perhaps this article will help you. It is from Catholic Educators Resource, and says in part:

G.K. Chesterton once said that the best argument against Christianity is Christians. That is certainly true of Catholicism. Pope John Paul II, putting it politely, says, “The Catholic Church does not forget that many among her members cause God’s plan to be discernible only with difficulty.” (Ut Unum Sint, 11). But is that really an argument against the truth of the faith? I don’t see how. To argue that Catholicism is untrue because it doesn’t transform the lives of those who don’t practice it, is like arguing that aspirin doesn’t work because it doesn’t relieve the headaches of those who don’t take it…

To read the whole article, go here:

How Can Catholicism Be True When Catholics Are So Dead?
catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0103.html