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

[FiveLinden]

So OP your question really interests me. I am not a believer, but fascinated with the whole phenomenon of belief.

As I read your situation you belief a whole lot of things - probably thousands - that cannot be demonstrated as factual but require faith. You believe that God in some way created the material world, that you are immortal, that Jesus was born of a virgin who remained ‘physically a virgin’ during the process of birth, that all children are born with original sin, that baptism removes it but its effects continue in this life - and so on. In the area of moral theology you believe that having sex unless you are validly married is a sin. You believe the end does not justify the means, and that telling a deliberate lie to save the life of another is a bad thing. But you have decided on just two things you can’t believe!? How is this possible when you believe all the other things? And if you do, why don’t you just believe these two on the same basis you believe the others. You cannot reason to the others, you believe on faith - so why not just do it twice more?

I hope I don’t sound disrespectful - I’m genuinely perplexed at your situation and would love to understand.

 

[Lara]

There is a difference between using artificial contraception and natural family planning. In the first case, you are actively working against one of the natural purposes of sex. In the second, the couple is aware of the woman’s cycle and choosing whether to have sex or not on a potentially fertile day. No harm in postponing having a baby, especially if there are compelling reasons. This needs further explanation. Check the search bar to learn more about this in other posts.

The answer to your question is easy to find one way or another, but you have to want to find it. Personally, I think NFP is way healthier on so many levels and you should get training in it now before you are married. You will learn so much!

As for Purgatory, there are references in the Bible that support it. Again, of all the things one could disagree with, I’d find this a very strange one to worry about. It makes sense that God would want us to pay for our sins for a time, get our souls purified, and then join Him in heaven. I’m looking forward to my time in Purgatory.

I’m curious how you feel about the LGBT agenda, assisted suicide, Euthanasia and the more controversial subjects that scare off some Catholics.

 

[Sophie111]

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.

Yes you could say they are all different ways of stopping conception.
I dont see how that gainsays the Church’s teaching re sinful “contraceptive acts”.

A sinful contraceptive act is engaging in sex and at the same time wilfully thwarting the procreative aptness of that sex act and the subsequent natural processes.

That wilful thwarting can be done by use of as condom, being on the pill for that purpose, being sterilised for that purpose, or by coitus interuptus.

But when sex is engaged in during the infertile period the sex act itself still retains its procreative aptness. Semen is deposited in the right place and the natural biological consequences are allowed to take their course. To no effect in this case…but that is due to mother nature not a human interfering of nature.

Sure, NFP is taking advantage of this sterile period commanded by nature…that is not an interference in an apt sex act or its natural consequences.
Therefore NFP is not in itself immoral. it is not an immoral “act of contraception”.
Yes, it may be a form of medical contracepting according to secular physical definitions…

 

[Limoncello4021]

If you are a Catholic you need to accept in humility what you don’t understand and even what you don’t like or “believe.” Either the Catholic Church’s doctrinal teaching is the truth or it is not. “Faith seeking understanding” is a good plan, or “Lord, I believer; help my unbelief.”
Do you say the Rosary every day? It will quickly lead you to the full truth.

 

[Sophie111]

You’re allowed to disagree, but you must still submit to the churches authority and live by and proclaim what it teaches as binding.

Why must a layman “proclaim what it teaches is binding”?
I think discrete silence on what we are unable to agree with would also be acceptable.

What does “is binding” actually mean?

Pope Benedict taught that a certain and well-formed conscience is the final court that binds a person in his own affairs even before a Pope.

Over the pope as expression of the binding claim of ecclesiastical authority, there stands one’s own conscience which must be obeyed before all else, even if necessary against the requirement of ecclesiastical authority. This emphasis on the individual, whose conscience confronts him with a supreme and ultimate tribunal, and one which in the last resort is beyond the claim of external social groups, even the official church, also establishes a principle in opposition to increasing totalitarianism”. (1967)

Interestingly its not a “correctly formed conscience” but a “well formed conscience.”
And that is a work of a lifetime for even the wisest it seems.

 

[Sophie111]

Sophie111:

proclaim what it teaches is binding”?

we do not have the ability to decide if the church is wrong.

Personally I believe the Church teaches we do have the freedom to seemingly act contrary to alleged Church teaching in the privacy of our own lives if we have taken long and reasonable means to inform our consciences and yet our conscience is still sincerely resolute that our own judgement is what God calls us to.

That does not mean we are saying the Church is wrong.

BTW you didn’t explain what you mean by “binding”.
ie excommunication, mortal sin, human law only, other…

 

[AlNg]

Basically, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with having questions, doubts, confusion, or struggles.

That is not what I was told. I mentioned to a priest that I had a doubt about a certain Catholic teaching and he said that was a mortal sin and I had to repent of that doubt. You claim differently and say there is nothing wrong with having a doubt?

 

[HeDa]

OP. You have the rest of your life to learn about what the Church teaches and why she teaches what she teaches. You simply have to say “I do not understand it yet but I will try and learn.”

What helped me in accepting Purgatory is thinking of it in this way. In the moment that I die, Jesus will ask me if I would like to spend eternity with Him. Before I can look Him in the eye and say “yes”, my heart needs to be clean. Having a pure heart means that sins are gone - purged - cleaned. Ps 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” No one who is not pure in their heart will not see God. Two of the apostles show this very clear. Judas Iscariot couldn’t face Jesus after he realised what he had done. Peter, on the other hand, could face Jesus after denying Him three times and been reconciled to Him.

 

[1ke]

You are a Catholic, forever.

Continue to study, talk with your pastor. You are called to assent to the Church’s teachings whether you understand them fully or not. The Church cannot err in Faith and Morals.

 

[Irishmom2]

We are all sinners. My sins may be different than yours, but we all sin. And all of the the things that make a sin a sin could be said to go against Church teaching. That doesn’t make someone “less Catholic.” It just makes them a sinner, like everyone else.

 

[Billy_Buescher]

HI,

Would you consider yourself a lukewarm Catholic?

 

[1ke]

It’s not a sin to have doubts, to not understand. We are called to continue to seek understanding and to assent to the teachings when we don’t understand them, including “doubt”.

I don’t understand, it doesn’t make sense to me, I don’t really think… isn’t the same as…
I refuse to believe, I refuse to follow the teaching.

 

[Blessedwithfive]

That is not what I was told. I mentioned to a priest that I had a doubt about a certain Catholic teaching and he said that was a mortal sin and I had to repent of that doubt. You claim differently and say there is nothing wrong with having a doubt?

The Church teaches that there are two types of doubt.

2088 The first commandment requires us to nourish and protect our faith with prudence and vigilance, and to reject everything that is opposed to it. There are various ways of sinning against faith:

Voluntary doubt about the faith disregards or refuses to hold as true what God has revealed and the Church proposes for belief. Involuntary doubt refers to hesitation in believing, difficulty in overcoming objections connected with the faith, or also anxiety aroused by its obscurity. If deliberately cultivated doubt can lead to spiritual blindness.

It is true that both are sins but there is a difference and (to my knowledge) neither rise to Mortal level. We are called to research why we have doubts and learn the faith.

 

[Blessedwithfive]

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

I love this statement by Gertabelle. I am going to share this with the kids I teach.
Thanks

 

[redbetta]

That could work.

 

[Shasta-Rose]

I’m curious how you feel about the LGBT agenda, assisted suicide, Euthanasia and the more controversial subjects that scare off some Catholics.

I think most of us don’t have a problem with just shoving those things out of our thoughts, not having dogs in those particular fights, thank God.

 

[AdamP88]

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.

So you believe that Jesus instituted the Church and comes down into a piece of bread at mass. But you don’t accept the Church’s teaching on birth control?

Basically in your situation, if you want to be a faithful Catholic and believe in the sacraments and that the Church holds the key to heaven, you need to more or less agree that the church is probably right on these things but you still have reservations. There’s a difference between a Catholic that decides to publicly disagree with Church teaching and a faithful Catholic who fails to see how the Church reached her conclusion in a certain area, but is obedient nonetheless.

I guess pray to God for understanding.

 

[CilladeRoma]

Nothing technical about it. Once Catholic, always Catholic.

I don’t necessarily ‘agree’ with all that the Church teaches, but I do ascent to those teachings.For example, I personally do not use ABC because I have no need to. I understand what the Church teaches and why, but, if my circumstances were different, I could see where this might be very difficult to accept and practice.

That doesn’t make me any less Catholic, it just makes me human.

 

[MT1926]

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.

Blessed John Henry Newman wrote, “Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.”

I just wanted to add that it is good that you are worried about doubts. The fact that you are posting here tells us that you are taking your faith seriously.

I read through the above posts and some where having a discussion of “Cafeteria Catholics”. My opinion is that you are not a part of that crowd because I see those Catholics as the ones who have no difficulties with what they believe because they haven’t really begun to think through what it means to be Catholic.

John Henry Newman observed, a difficulty is not a doubt. The person with a difficulty says, “How can that be so?” whereas a person who doubts says, “That can’t be so!”

The first statement expresses difficulty, but willingness to believe. The second statement expresses cynicism and unwillingness to submit to the Church’s teachings. The person with difficulties says, “I believe, Lord; help my unbelief!” The person with doubts says, “I don’t believe Lord, and don’t bother to help my unbelief!”

Can anyone provide insight into this? I only ask because I’m newly engaged and trying to decide my faith

My insight would be keep asking questions. I would start listening to Catholic Answers Live Pod Casts. The ones that come to mind would be with Trent Horn, he often has ones on what Catholic Moral teaching do you disagree with.

Go to this link and you can search old episodes.

https://www.catholic.com/audio/cal

Good Luck and God Bless

 

[redbetta]

It’s fine so long you actually follow what the Church teaches. But those who openly go against it and call themselves Catholic are just being dishonest and doing a disservice to people who are actually following Church teaching.