Baptism

[ISABELLALAMENTS]

I was baptized in both the roman catholic and methodist churches as an infant. I know a lot of “children” of mixed marriages who also were “double” baptized. The elder in my parish says that is impossible, and is not allowed, therefore my catholic baptism is invalid and prevents me from joining this particular catholic church.
Where can i find the church rules on this, as i believe he is wrong.

 

[Phemie]

It’s true that there is no double Baptism.

Which came first, the Catholic Baptism or the Methodist one? I doubt that a priest would baptize a child he knows is already baptized in the Methodist Church if that Church has a trinitarian Baptism (“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”) but then again, nothing surprises me any more.

If your first baptism was Catholic, then you’re Catholic. If your first baptism was Methodist and trinitarian (and I’m pretty sure they are), then you would be considered a Methodist unless at some point you came into full Communion with the Catholic Church. If it was first but it wasn’t Trinitarian, then your Catholic Baptism would seem to be the valid one.

What happened when you were a child? Did you receive other sacraments in the Catholic Church?

 

[puzzleannie]

I was baptized in both the roman catholic and methodist churches as an infant. I know a lot of “children” of mixed marriages who also were “double” baptized. The elder in my parish says that is impossible, and is not allowed, therefore my catholic baptism is invalid and prevents me from joining this particular catholic church.
Where can i find the church rules on this, as i believe he is wrong.

we don’t have elders in the Catholic Church, so I don’t know what you mean. Your first baptism, assuming it was performed with the proper intent and the proper matter and form–water baptism with the Trinitarian formula–is valid and any subsequent attempt at baptism has no additional effect. There is nothing here to prevent you from joining the Catholic Church or any Catholic parish.

 

[1ke]

I was baptized in both the roman catholic and methodist churches as an infant. I know a lot of “children” of mixed marriages who also were “double” baptized. The elder in my parish says that is impossible, and is not allowed, therefore my catholic baptism is invalid and prevents me from joining this particular catholic church.
Where can i find the church rules on this, as i believe he is wrong.

Elder? Do you mean priest?

A person can only be validly baptized once. The important thing here is to determine which baptism came first. Also, what has traspired since, for example did you receive reconciliation, holy communion, and confirmation in the Catholic Church?

One step at a time. Go talk to your priest.

 

[bpbasilphx]

The English word PRIEST comes through the Middle English form “prester” from the Greek PRESBYTEROS, meaning “elder”.

 

[peary1]

I was baptized in both the roman catholic and methodist churches as an infant. I know a lot of “children” of mixed marriages who also were “double” baptized. The elder in my parish says that is impossible, and is not allowed, therefore my catholic baptism is invalid and prevents me from joining this particular catholic church.
Where can i find the church rules on this, as i believe he is wrong.

Huh? You had a valid baptism in the Catholic Church; therefore, it wasn’t necessary for you to have another baptism in the Methodist denomination. Even if you were baptized in the Methodist denomination first, it still would have been a valid baptism because they use the Triune formula. You would not have then needed to be baptized in a Catholic church.

instead of asking this elder, why don’t you ask your priest instead. He;ll tell you the same thing I am telling you.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

You should get the baptismal certificates from both of the churches you were baptized in and let the pastor of the Catholic parish you want to join sort out the situation.

If you were first baptized in the Methodist church, you would come into the Catholic church by (usually) going through the RCIA process as a ‘candidate’.

If you were first baptized as a Catholic, you will need the certificate as proof. Then you would need instruction to prepare you to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation (confession), Confirmation, and Eucharist. The date of your first communion and confirmation will have to be recorded in the parish where you receive them and, I think, also in the parish where you were baptized(the pastor will take care of doing this). In this case, many parishes would ask you to attend the RCIA classes to prepare you for the sacraments. However, if you had been baptized Catholic, you would neither be a catechumen nor a candidate.

Your situation certainly doesn’t prevent you from joining any Catholic church! But the pastor needs your records to determine how you can join.

In any case, you should begin attending mass regularly in the parish you want to join and could even get involved in some parish activities. But don’t receive the sacraments until this is sorted out.

 

[LindyLou]

I asked a similar question on the Apologist board but never received a reply. I converted to the Catholic Church as a teen and with my parents’ hesitant ok. Now, decades later and my parents are both deceased I came across a baptismal certificate for me as an infant in the Presbyterian Church. News to me as we never attended church and I was never told I was ever baptized.

I was “baptized” when I converted and subsequently had the Sacrament of Penance, First Communion and Confirmation. We are talking about the early 60s here and since finding my Presbyterian baptismal record, I feel I am not a true Catholic after all.

 

[Seatuck]

I asked a similar question on the Apologist board but never received a reply. I converted to the Catholic Church as a teen and with my parents’ hesitant ok. Now, decades later and my parents are both deceased I came across a baptismal certificate for me as an infant in the Presbyterian Church. News to me as we never attended church and I was never told I was ever baptized.

I was “baptized” when I converted and subsequently had the Sacrament of Penance, First Communion and Confirmation. We are talking about the early 60s here and since finding my Presbyterian baptismal record, I feel I am not a true Catholic after all.

Of course you are a Catholic . You were received into it as a teen.Do not dwell on this another moment. It changes nothing. Sometimes protestants are baptized conditionally anyway if their baptism wasn’t done in a form that agrees with the catholic form.

 

[Bookcat]

I asked a similar question on the Apologist board but never received a reply. I converted to the Catholic Church as a teen and with my parents’ hesitant ok. Now, decades later and my parents are both deceased I came across a baptismal certificate for me as an infant in the Presbyterian Church. News to me as we never attended church and I was never told I was ever baptized.

I was “baptized” when I converted and subsequently had the Sacrament of Penance, First Communion and Confirmation. We are talking about the early 60s here and since finding my Presbyterian baptismal record, I feel I am not a true Catholic after all.

yes you are a Catholic!

 

[LindyLou]

Thank you for your kind responses Seatuck and Bookcat. You brought a big smile to my face and peace in my heart. God Bless…

 

[puzzleannie]

I
I was “baptized” when I converted and subsequently had the Sacrament of Penance, First Communion and Confirmation. We are talking about the early 60s here and since finding my Presbyterian baptismal record, I feel I am not a true Catholic after all.

yes you are Catholic. you made a profession of faith, were confirmed and received first communion, exactly as you would have it your first baptism were known by the priest at that time. If there had been no paperwork, you might have received a conditional baptism which, since you had indeed already been baptized, would have had no effect. the 2nd baptism had no effect, but no harm no foul as no one at the time knew the circumstances.