Classes/Sacraments needed for this person?

[I_am_learning]

Baptized in Catholic Church AND in Methodist church (is there a difference if it was only in te Methodist church?) currently goes to Methodist church. He is also going to Catholic churches to learn about it, and he is ready for anything, has the will and thirst for wisdom. Does this person have to go to RCIA?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

The person needs to participate in RCIA or some other means of becoming Catholic and preparing for the sacraments of initiation.

If the person was baptized Methodist, he needs to be received into the Catholic Church, be confirmed, and receive his first Eucharist. The normal means for doing that is RCIA which includes instruction, various liturgical rites, incorporation into the community, and reception of the sacraments.

If he was baptized Catholic then he doesn’t need to be received into the Church – he is already Catholic. But he needs the rest of what RCIA offers.

There are exceptions where the preparation is done individually, but that’s relatively rare.

He should speak with his pastor or RCIA director about what he needs to do to get started.

Whatever form the preparation takes, it sounds like it will give him some time to decide if he wants to be Catholic or Methodist rather than trying to combine both.

 

[FrDavid96]

Yes, this person needs RCIA.

The question is “what form of RCIA.”

Unfortunately (most unfortunately) it’s a common misunderstanding that there’s only one form of RCIA—the one we see most often, which is the form for the unbaptized culminating in the Easter Vigil.

There is a form (perhaps that should be in the plural, “forms”) of RCIA for those who are baptised Catholic, but un-catechized. It seems that’s what applies to your friend’s situation.

He needs to make his first Confession, First Communion, and Confirmation----unless he’s already done these. Since he is an adult, this is called RCIA the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

He might benefit from participating along with the unbaptized as they experience RCIA, although some parts would not apply to him, the educational and social experience might be of benefit.

Since he was baptised Catholic, he is already a Catholic. He is not “received into the Church” because that was already done at baptism.

He can go to confession to any Catholic priest at any time.

If he has not received First Communion, he should receive it from his pastor whenever the time is right.

As for Confirmation, that depends on the circumstances, but one way or another he should be confirmed as soon as he understands it, and it is practical in terms of the schedule. For example, if there’s a parish Confirmation scheduled for a few months from now, he could join in with that class.

All this depends on where he is as an individual and what sort of resources (classes, maybe?) are available and practical at his particular parish.

 

[I_am_learning]

Yes, this person needs RCIA.

The question is “what form of RCIA.”

Unfortunately (most unfortunately) it’s a common misunderstanding that there’s only one form of RCIA—the one we see most often, which is the form for the unbaptized culminating in the Easter Vigil.

There is a form (perhaps that should be in the plural, “forms”) of RCIA for those who are baptised Catholic, but un-catechized. It seems that’s what applies to your friend’s situation.

He needs to make his first Confession, First Communion, and Confirmation----unless he’s already done these. Since he is an adult, this is called RCIA the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

He might benefit from participating along with the unbaptized as they experience RCIA, although some parts would not apply to him, the educational and social experience might be of benefit.

Since he was baptised Catholic, he is already a Catholic. He is not “received into the Church” because that was already done at baptism.

He can go to confession to any Catholic priest at any time.

If he has not received First Communion, he should receive it from his pastor whenever the time is right.

As for Confirmation, that depends on the circumstances, but one way or another he should be confirmed as soon as he understands it, and it is practical in terms of the schedule. For example, if there’s a parish Confirmation scheduled for a few months from now, he could join in with that class.

All this depends on where he is as an individual and what sort of resources (classes, maybe?) are available and practical at his particular parish.

Thanks for your reply. However, I need some clarifications.
So, what i’m hearing is, he CAN go to confession under his circumstances, but cannot do other things such as Communion, etc? Therefore he should go to some sort of class to learn more about the Church and get the other Sacraments?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Thanks for your reply. However, I need some clarifications.
So, what i’m hearing is, he CAN go to confession under his circumstances, but cannot do other things such as Communion, etc? Therefore he should go to some sort of class to learn more about the Church and get the other Sacraments?

What he really needs to do is talk with his pastor to determine what exactly his situation is and what resources the parish has to offer.

Whether he was baptized Catholic or Methodist makes a difference, for one thing. The pastor or RCIA director should also ask about whether the person is or was married, whether there are children who also need to prepare for the sacraments, and other related issues. Sometimes the RCIA director ends up ministering to the entire family, not just the candidate or catechumen.

 

[bardegaulois]

Baptized in Catholic Church AND in Methodist church (is there a difference if it was only in te Methodist church?) currently goes to Methodist church. He is also going to Catholic churches to learn about it, and he is ready for anything, has the will and thirst for wisdom. Does this person have to go to RCIA?

If this person has been baptised in any Church, he needn’t be rebaptised. One who has been a lapsed Catholic for a long time does need to go through the RCIA process, make a general confession, be received into the Church, receive communion, and be confirmed. If he is married to a baptised woman, that marriage will be presumed valid.

 

[Horton]

If this person has been baptised in any Church, he needn’t be rebaptised. One who has been a lapsed Catholic for a long time does need to go through the RCIA process, make a general confession, be received into the Church, receive communion, and be confirmed. If he is married to a baptised woman, that marriage will be presumed valid.

This is wrong. The Catholic Church does recognize SOME other church’s baptism but certainly not ALL. The directors of RCIA teams have a comprehensive list of which baptisms are considered valid.

A lapsed Catholic doesn’t necessarily need RCIA - it depends on what sacraments he/she has received. If he/she has received all the sacraments of initiation, baptism, first communion, and confirmation RCIA isn’t needed. They just need to speak to their priest and make a good confession.

 

[bardegaulois]

This is wrong. The Catholic Church does recognize SOME other church’s baptism but certainly not ALL. The directors of RCIA teams have a comprehensive list of which baptisms are considered valid.

A lapsed Catholic doesn’t necessarily need RCIA - it depends on what sacraments he/she has received. If he/she has received all the sacraments of initiation, baptism, first communion, and confirmation RCIA isn’t needed. They just need to speak to their priest and make a good confession.

I should rephrase: any church using water in baptism and doing so according to a trinitarian formula for regenerative purposes. The United Methodist Church, the largest Methodist body, certainly does this, and the OP stated he had a Methodist baptism. Larger Protestant confessions generally keep to their service books, which can always be consulted in the case that a rite of baptism might be dubious.

 

[FrDavid96]

Thanks for your reply. However, I need some clarifications.
So, what i’m hearing is, he CAN go to confession under his circumstances,

He can, because he is (by definition, if not in current practice) Catholic. He was received into the Church at his Catholic baptism. As a Catholic, the only requirement is that one be 7 years old.
From where I sit, that’s the only thing I can say with certainty because I know that any baptized Catholic can go to Confession to any (qualified) priest at any time. There are no further requirements.

but cannot do other things such as Communion, etc?

First Communion should be administered by one’s own pastor. That’s true whether the person is a child or adult. That’s why he should talk to his pastor about that.

Therefore he should go to some sort of class to learn more about the Church

I don’t know. Because I don’t know how much he knows.
Probably, the answer is “yes.” It’s a safe bet, but not a guarantee.

and get the other Sacraments?

Again, the thing to do here is talk to the pastor. If he hasn’t been Confirmed, then he should be (although I can’t say “when”).

We haven’t heard about his marriage situation. so I have no idea about that.

His pastor will know.

 

[FrDavid96]

If this person has been baptised in any Church, he needn’t be rebaptised. One who has been a lapsed Catholic for a long time does need to go through the RCIA process, make a general confession, be received into the Church, receive communion, and be confirmed. If he is married to a baptised woman, that marriage will be presumed valid.

This is wrong. The Catholic Church does recognize SOME other church’s baptism but certainly not ALL. The directors of RCIA teams have a comprehensive list of which baptisms are considered valid.

A lapsed Catholic doesn’t necessarily need RCIA - it depends on what sacraments he/she has received. If he/she has received all the sacraments of initiation, baptism, first communion, and confirmation RCIA isn’t needed. They just need to speak to their priest and make a good confession.

I should rephrase: any church using water in baptism and doing so according to a trinitarian formula for regenerative purposes. The United Methodist Church, the largest Methodist body, certainly does this, and the OP stated he had a Methodist baptism. Larger Protestant confessions generally keep to their service books, which can always be consulted in the case that a rite of baptism might be dubious.

The person was baptized a Catholic. Therefore, he is a Catholic.

If later, there was an attempt at baptism in a non-Catholic community, that’s irrelevant.

He is still a Catholic, even though he might not be a practicing Catholic.