Can I still be Catholic if I don’t necessarily believe in everything the church teaches?

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NurseZia

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The title basically says it all. I have been a cradle Catholic my entire life and have always been very active in the church. However, I thought it was ok if I didn’t 100% agree with the Church in some regards as long as I still followed the majority of it. My main issues are that I question the existence of Purgatory and I don’t believe in the Church’s stance on birth control. I have tried to convince myself to believe in these things, but I just can’t justify it. I still do believe in the sacraments, the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the angels and saints, and the significance of Mary. But the more I look into it, the Internet states that this is viewed as being a “cafeteria Catholic” and is an unacceptable practice. Can anyone provide insight into this? I only ask because I’m newly engaged and trying to decide my faith path by determining if I should(am allowed to) stay Catholic or follow my fiancé down a Protestant path.
 
Best not to label yourself.
You have faith. You believe in God. Your issue is one many catholics go through,

I suggest discerning it through a lot of prayer to Jesus.
 
NurseZia said:
The title basically says it all. I have been a cradle Catholic my entire life and have always been very active in the church. However, I thought it was ok if I didn’t 100% agree with the Church in some regards as long as I still followed the majority of it. My main issues are that I question the existence of Purgatory and I don’t believe in the Church’s stance on birth control. I have tried to convince myself to believe in these things, but I just can’t justify it. I still do believe in the sacraments, the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the angels and saints, and the significance of Mary. But the more I look into it, the Internet states that this is viewed as being a “cafeteria Catholic” and is an unacceptable practice. Can anyone provide insight into this? I only ask because I’m newly engaged and trying to decide my faith path by determining if I should(am allowed to) stay Catholic or follow my fiancé down a Protestant path.
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I think you need a better understanding of the term infallible. While there are better sources than myself, I offer to you that the church teaching infallibly is different than an infallible teaching. The doctrine of the Assumption of Mary is an infallible teaching, Humanae Vitae and the teaching on ABC is a concept taught infallibly. We are to believe and accept all infallible teachings, we are to respect and listen to things taught infallibly, but there is room there for the exercise of individual conscience.
As to Purgatory, if you are considering that a separate “Place” (like Heaven and Hell are separate places,) you might want to do some reading and extensive thinking on the subject. IMO (which is not infallible 😉) Purgatory may be an action and not a place, it may be a distinct part of Heaven (if you want to consider it a place), It may be an instantaneous cleansing of the “taint” of repented sin, etc. Actually, I’m not sure Purgatory is an infallible teaching, or merely a theological construct that is infallibly taught to answer the question of impurity being allowed to enter heaven.
Whatever you do, please continue to ask questions. Find people who are dedicated theologians and ask them. Read, there are many good texts on the subjects you question. And please, don’t just take the first answer you hear.
Shalom
 
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You’re Catholic by virtue of your baptism. How faithful you are to all Catholic teachings is up to you but you’ll always be Catholic.
 
Personally, I think to call yourself Catholic either online or in real life would be false advertising. It’s particularly wrong on a Catholic forum because it can confuse people who are looking for Catholic advise when there are people calling themselves Catholic who are cafeteria Catholics at best.
 
I have heard people say that they disagree with the Church’s teaching on a particular subject only to have it turn out that what they disagree with is not, in fact, what the Church teaches.

What is it you think the Church teaches about Purgatory? Why do you think it’s wrong?

What is it you think the Church teaches about contraception? Why do you think it’s wrong?
 
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Manascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
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Jesus Christ and His Church, the Catholic Church are One and the Same. So you should understand that what you are really saying is that you don’t believe in Jesus’ teachings.
 
Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer my questions. I have definitely been praying for guidance and will continue to do so. I’m particularly intrigued by the way you have explained Purgatory, joeybaggz. It gives me much to think about. And SuscipeMeDomine, I suppose I always viewed the Church’s teachings as Purgatory is a set place to go after you die, but I have never been able to fully grasp that seeing as I don’t recall it being mentioned in the Bible and I always figured whatever we do here on Earth is what determines our fate. I never fully understood how prayers of those here on Earth would help those who have already passed when it isn’t their soul. And as far as birth control goes, I know the Church teaches to accept children as God’s gift and that we should be blessed to have as many as He gives us. However, I know natural family planning is acceptable. I just don’t understand how that is conceptually any different from taking a pill or using a barrier - all methods are for the purpose of avoiding pregnancy and all would seemingly interfere with God’s will if it was viewed in that sense. I don’t see why, for example, a couple who can’t afford or care for any more children shouldn’t be able to use other forms of birth control if natural family planning is acceptable.
 
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“Cafeteria Catholic” does not have a hard and fast definition.

Some extremely traditional folks will assert that anyone who doesn’t agree with them must be cafeteria Catholics.

There are several Church teachings I find difficult – some to follow, and some to believe. I have learned throughout life, though, that labels don’t matter so much as attitudes and actions.

In all things, I defer to official Church teaching. If I find the teaching difficult to believe or to follow, I look into it more deeply, I ask questions of my more-educated Catholic friends (in real life, not here on CAF where any middle-aged idiot like me can post 😂), I talk with my pastor.

Being Catholic is definitely about beliefs, but it is also about how we choose to act.

Do you remember the parable Jesus told about the man who asked his two sons to go work in the vineyard? One said, “Sure, no problem,” and then didn’t do it. The other said, “No way, I’ve got better things to do,” but then he changed his mind and went.

Basically, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with having questions, doubts, confusion, or struggles. Dig deeper into the Catechism and educate yourself as best you can.

Regarding what path you might choose moving forward into marriage, I suggest you have some long, heartfelt talks with your beloved and your Catholic pastor before walking down the aisle. Changing your religion to make things easier on your wedding day may make things way more difficult down the road, especially when children come along.

God bless you and lead you during this time of preparation!
 
look at purgatory as a comfort. Our loved ones die, they are not all saints, we don’t want to think of them suffering the hell of eternity.

Mercifully God puts them in purgatory to purify them.

as far as prayer goes, we are all the communion of saints, thats the living, the dead in purgatory and the dead in heaven. So we are all the body of the church. so we can all pray for each other, and we can request the intercession of the saints in heaven.
anyone in heaven is a saint.
 
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NurseZia said:
But the more I look into it, the Internet states that this is viewed as being a “cafeteria Catholic” and is an unacceptable practice.
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Well, like Abraham Lincoln said, ‘don’t believe everything you see on the internet’…

Anyways, next time you go to Mass, look around…you’ll see plenty of people there who have trouble with one part or another of the Official Teachings. You’re in good company
 
redbetta said:
Personally, I think to call yourself Catholic either online or in real life would be false advertising. It’s particularly wrong on a Catholic forum because it can confuse people who are looking for Catholic advise when there are people calling themselves Catholic who are cafeteria Catholics at best.
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You may personally think that but the Church teaches that baptism leaves an indelible mark on your soul. Though some may not be “Catholic enough” for others, if they are baptized Catholic, they’re Catholic.
 
I understand they are still Catholic in a technical sense, but, for the benefit of others, they should not identify as Catholic. It just leads to scandal and confusion.

Also, it’s not “Catholic enough for others.” I didn’t make the rules nor any human being.
 
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Dunno, looks like you’ve made a rule that they shouldn’t identity as Catholic
 
I think you might be over thinking Christianity and seeing concepts as the target of “belief” when really its an unfathomable person…Jesus.

Must you believe in Jesus to be a Christian? Yes.
Can you have intellectual doubts about the derived teachings that Jesus’s followers alledge he would agree with? Yes I think so.
Can you act differently in your own private circumstances of life if your conscience is firm and as well informed as it can be and remain in the Church? Yes.

Can you also publicly protest against Church teaching’s you disagree with and still stay in the Church if your PP asks you to keep your personal teachings to yourself? Probably not.
 
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I’m just saying that it would be helpful if people were more honest about how they identify themselves. It can be really confusing on an online forum for someone on the outside looking in if people claiming to be Catholic are giving answers that go against Church teaching.
 
Yes.
Jesus seemed to go out of his way to associate with Jews despised by the rule-keeping, belief thumping, observant blue-bloods.
 
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What should they identify as: struggling Catholic? That label might very well include a lot of “Catholics.”
 
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