Can I call myself Catholic?

[whoisdiss]

I am coming from a Protestant background and I’m converting to Catholicism, I go to mass every week and have really re-searched Catholicism and know alot of it’s theology and believe it, so much I’m allowed to go to confession. So I go to confession, and mass every week, but still not allowed to take the eucharist sense I’m not fully Catholic yet. I am planning to go to RCIA when it starts, but I was wondering if I can call myself Catholic even though I’m not fully incorporated into the church.

 

[EasterJoy]

You might say, “I’m baptized already and on the way to becoming Catholic: meaning, I go to Mass now, and–God willing, of course–I’m formally starting the catechumenate in the fall and will be fully received into the Church next Easter.”

You can leave the part about confession out, if you like…gets a little wordy.

You could also just say, “I’m in the process of joining the Catholic Church” or “I’m in the process of becoming Catholic.” The reason that you wouldn’t simply say, “I’m Catholic” is that is would be good let people know you need to be confirmed before they can ask if you would mind being nominated for parish council.

 

[MacQ]

I am coming from a Protestant background and I’m converting to Catholicism, I go to mass every week and have really re-searched Catholicism and know alot of it’s theology and believe it, so much I’m allowed to go to confession. So I go to confession, and mass every week, but still not allowed to take the eucharist sense I’m not fully Catholic yet. I am planning to go to RCIA when it starts, but I was wondering if I can call myself Catholic even though I’m not fully incorporated into the church.

It would be more appropriate to say that you are in the process of becoming Catholic.

 

[St_Francis]

I am coming from a Protestant background and I’m converting to Catholicism, I go to mass every week and have really re-searched Catholicism and know alot of it’s theology and believe it, so much I’m allowed to go to confession. So I go to confession, and mass every week, but still not allowed to take the eucharist sense I’m not fully Catholic yet. I am planning to go to RCIA when it starts, but I was wondering if I can call myself Catholic even though I’m not fully incorporated into the church.

On the description form for your account, you can put something like “RCIA” or “becoming Catholic”, or similar.

 

[EasterJoy]

Actually, you will formally become a “candidate” for reception into full communion with the Church, not a “catechumen,” because you are already baptized.

Having said that, you might let your pastor know that if anything happens to you, you absolutely want to be considered a candidate for entrance into the Church for the purposes of receiving last rites and a Church funeral. You can also carry a card in your wallet that says, something like, “I am Catholic. In the case of a serious illness or injury, please call a priest immediately.” If you formally say, “It is my intention to be received into the Church, as soon as the Church will have me,” then it removes all doubt if the question comes up and you can’t answer for yourself. Also let family members or anyone with medical power of attorney what your wishes are. You already have certain rights as a member of the baptized, but making your wishes explicitly known will help make it certain that someone will think to call a priest for the anointing of the sick, if you are in need of it and cannot ask for it yourself.

 

[EasterJoy]

Actually, you are a “candidate” for reception into full communion with the Church, not a “catechumen,” because you are already baptized.

Having said that, you might let your pastor know that if anything happens to you, you absolutely want to be considered a candidate for entrance into the Church for the purposes of receiving last rites and a Church funeral. You can also carry a card in your wallet that says, something like, “I am Catholic. In the case of a serious illness or injury, please call a priest immediately.” If you formally say, “It is my intention to be received into the Church, as soon as the Church will grant me full initiation,” then it removes all doubt if the question comes up and you can’t answer for yourself. Also let family members or anyone with medical power of attorney what your wishes are. You already have certain rights as a member of the baptized, but making your wishes explicitly known will help make it certain that someone will think to call a priest for the anointing of the sick, if you are in need of it and cannot ask for it yourself.

 

[dee_burk]

so, just a question…how can anyone go to confession but yet arent confirmed or very close to it? I thought the priest could not absolve you until right before confirmation (first confession)?

 

[Robyn_p]

so, just a question…how can anyone go to confession but yet arent confirmed or very close to it? I thought the priest could not absolve you until right before confirmation (first confession)?

I don’t think that’s a hard and fast rule, but just the way most parishes do it. (I could be wrong though.) All you really need for a priest to absolve you is to be baptized and share the faith of the Church in regards to the sacrament. (i.e. You believe it really does what the Church says it does)

I don’t think you strictly HAVE to be close to being confirmed. I mean, I’m a cradle Catholic, but I had my first confession several years before my confirmation.

 

[EnglishTeacher]

I don’t think that’s a hard and fast rule, but just the way most parishes do it. (I could be wrong though.) All you really need for a priest to absolve you is to be baptized and share the faith of the Church in regards to the sacrament. (i.e. You believe it really does what the Church says it does)

I don’t think you strictly HAVE to be close to being confirmed. I mean, I’m a cradle Catholic, but I had my first confession several years before my confirmation.

It does seem unusual to be allowed to go to confession that far in advance. When I was in RCIA, we were advised to make our first confession as close as possible to the date that we would be confirmed and received into the church, preferably a few days beforehand. I actually asked if I could do it sooner, but was told “no.”

 

[whoisdiss]

Confession is one of three sacraments which canon 844 allows non-Catholics to receive in specified circumstances:
“844:4 If the danger of death is present or other grave necessity, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or the national conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community, and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed.”

 

[lutherlic]

I am coming from a Protestant background and I’m converting to Catholicism, I go to mass every week and have really re-searched Catholicism and know alot of it’s theology and believe it, so much I’m allowed to go to confession. So I go to confession, and mass every week, but still not allowed to take the eucharist sense I’m not fully Catholic yet. I am planning to go to RCIA when it starts, but I was wondering if I can call myself Catholic even though I’m not fully incorporated into the church.

Technically (for purposes of canon law, receipt of the Blessed Sacrament, etc.) you are not Catholic, but that is not your question. I would say by virtue of your faith that you are Catholic, not yet in full communion. So in your own mind I see nothing wrong in considering yourself Catholic.

What you say to others might depend on the circumstances in order not to deceive. For example, if someone comes to your door and asks what your religion is then, without a big explanation, labelling your beliefs as Catholic would convey succinctly your faith. In other situations (such as at church) you should be more explicit.

As a convert myself, I understand where you are coming from with this question. Welcome home!

 

[EmeraldOne]

Having just come into the Church this past Easter I know exactly where you are. I really fought the desire to call myself Catholic until then, just didn’t feel right to me, knew it’d feel infinitely more pleasing when it was 100% fact. I always responded that I was in RCIA or just said I was in the process of converting to Catholicism. The newness is still there as well, I personally still get a great big smile from saying it. Moreso when people give me a weird look afterwards, hah!