Baptized People and the Catholic Church

[Inquiringperson]

Does the Church consider all validly baptized individuals to be Catholic?

 

[Vico]

Does the Church consider all validly baptized individuals to be Catholic?

No, not without full communion with the Roman Pontiff. But, “the Church of Christ is present and operative in the churches and ecclesial Communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church”. vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html

1. Catholic Church – full communion (23 Catholic ritual Churches)
   Not in full communion are:
2. Christian particular churches - those having valid Holy Orders (e.g. Eastern Orthodox communion, Oriental Orthodox communion, Assyrian Church of the East, Polish National Catholic Church)
3. Christian ecclesial communities - those not having valid Holy Orders (e.g. Anglican, Lutheran)

 

[Christy_Beth]

I’m a convert from protestantism. I was baptized at a Baptist, and attended other churchs as well. When it came time to discuss who needed baptism and who didn’t, I was told that my baptism was valid. I know that there are some groups whos baptism is considered non-valid. The JW’s for one (sorry I didn’t write that out, I wasn’t sure about the spelling, and when I tried spell check it wouldn’t work on this computer. I think the little message thing said that I needed to down load something so it would work.)

 

[1ke]

Does the Church consider all validly baptized individuals to be Catholic?

All baptized individuals are Christians.

All Christians are in some way connected to the Catholic Church-- but those that are not baptized Catholic or formally received into the Catholic Church are not considered canonically Catholic, meaning they are not under the authority of canon law.

 

[Inquiringperson]

So if Protestants aren’t Catholic canonically, then they aren’t under canon law, but what happens if a baptized person becomes Protestant? Is that person still Catholic? I understand that that person at the very least still remains Christian because of Baptism.

 

[Vico]

So if Protestants aren’t Catholic canonically, then they aren’t under canon law, but what happens if a baptized person becomes Protestant? Is that person still Catholic? I understand that that person at the very least still remains Christian because of Baptism.

Once one is Catholic through baptism or reception into one of the 23 Catholic ritual churches, it is permanent. From then on, they are bound to remain in communion with the Catholic Church and the canons always apply to them.

(In the 1917 canon law all baptized Christians were bound to all Catholic Church laws, but that was changed in 1983 canons to be only some laws, such as for marriage to a Catholic, although defection was allowed for in one marriage canon, but that is no longer in effect.)

 

[1ke]

So if Protestants aren’t Catholic canonically, then they aren’t under canon law, but what happens if a baptized person becomes Protestant?

If you are talking about a person baptized into the Catholic Church who later leaves it, that person becomes a schismatic, heretic, or apostate depending upon where he goes.

Is that person still Catholic?

Yes.

I understand that that person at the very least still remains Christian because of Baptism.

That person is a Catholic, canonically and ontologically, always.