Concerned about joining church

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metcim

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I am interested in joining a traditional church. However before I understood how God wants me to behave I committed some acts I’m not proud of. Including abortion and contraceptives. Would I even be allowed to join, or am I pre-excommunicated?
 
metcim said:
I am interested in joining a traditional church. However before I understood how God wants me to behave I committed some acts I’m not proud of. Including abortion and contraceptives. Would I even be allowed to join, or am I pre-excommunicated?
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Excommunication is never permanent. It simply means that you have fallen out of a state of grace, and while it is not a trivial thing, it also not something that is difficult to resolve.

After you join the Church (unless you are already Catholic and returning to the Church), you can confess your sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation, and you’ll be absolved of all your sins. Then you’ll be in a state of grace and be able to receive communion. Of course, you’ll need to attend confession periodically to stay in that state of grace, but you’ll learn all this in detail as you go through RCIA.

Welcome!
 
Thanks, that is really a relief. I am not a returning Catholic I am just learning where God wants me to be.
 
By the water of Baptism, which gushed out of the Heart of Jesus when it was pierced by a lance, your sins are all forgiven, you become a new creature, and you join the communion of saints.
 
metcim said:
I am interested in joining a traditional church. However before I understood how God wants me to behave I committed some acts I’m not proud of. Including abortion and contraceptives. Would I even be allowed to join, or am I pre-excommunicated?
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Welcome friend!

We are in the same shoes. I have been here reading and learning for the same purposes. Hope you find this site as useful as I have.
 
metcim said:
I am interested in joining a traditional church. However before I understood how God wants me to behave I committed some acts I’m not proud of. Including abortion and contraceptives. Would I even be allowed to join, or am I pre-excommunicated?
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I am a convert and my first confession was a long one and I was not proud of that either but the Church made me feel whole again. Come on in the water is fine…welcome home.🙂
 
Thank you so much for your replies. This is really a load off my mind. I have been thinking and praying on the matter and am glad to find comfort from this site. I look forward to this new life which I have put off for way too long.
 
metcim said:
I have been thinking and praying on the matter and am glad to find comfort from this site. I look forward to this new life which I have put off for way too long.
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I thought this…almost exactly the way you said it. I’ve lost sleep over it…Weird.

I attended my first mass about 4 weeks ago. Have you been to one yet?
 
I have been to a couple of traditional Catholic masses. I can’t describe it in words, but it is like nothing I have ever attended. I have studied Latin before, but to hear it spoken and the purposes behind it…it’s just…amazing.
 
metcim said:
I am interested in joining a traditional church. However before I understood how God wants me to behave I committed some acts I’m not proud of. Including abortion and contraceptives. Would I even be allowed to join, or am I pre-excommunicated?
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don’t know what you mean by a traditional church. There is only one Church, that founded by Jesus Christ which exists today as he founded it, the Catholic Church. Other Christian denominations are not perfectly in union with her, but they are not self-contained Churches.

So I can only speak for how to become Catholic. I will post the link to article on this topic, which is on the CA homepage, in a bit.

Yes the process is above all one of conversion of mind, heart, will and action and forgiveness of all past sins is essential and provides much of the great joy of this experience. The process guides us in turning away from those sins, as well as instructing us on the faith, morality, prayer, and the means by which we share in God’s grace and life.

All past sins are washed away in baptism. For those who were baptized in the past, their sins are taken away in their first general confession, and then they are confirmed and brought into full communion with Christ and His Church.

Call your nearest parish and ask how to enter on this journey. You want to speak to the pastor, or to the person he has chosen to direct the process called RCIA, Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults.

This is not the Church for perfect people, all here are sinners, because Christ came to call sinners to Himself. If by “traditional” church you mean a church of perfect people, this is not it. The Church herself is perfect and holy because Jesus Christ, her head, is perfect and holy.

How to Become Catholic, from Catholic Answers guides, linked on search CA homepage
catholic.com/library/How_to_Become_a_Catholic.asp

maybe you are looking for a tradional Catholic parish that offers the Latin Mass? search on your diocesan website for such locations, or ask here about such in your city, because chances are someone here has personal knowledge. Yes, if you are already Catholic, all your past sins will be forgiven in your first confession. Don’t wait to find a traditional parish, do it now, at your nearest parish. There is immense joy, peace and grace waiting for you in this sacrament, so don’t deprive yourself any longer. We will handle the praying for you.
 
Thank you for your informative reply.

By “traditional” I meant a Latin mass.

I know of a few near me and plan to speak with a priest soon and embark down this journey as soon as possible. Thanks for that link, it contains a lot of answers to my many questions.
 
metcim said:
Thank you for your informative reply.

By “traditional” I meant a Latin mass.

I know of a few near me and plan to speak with a priest soon and embark down this journey as soon as possible. Thanks for that link, it contains a lot of answers to my many questions.
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I will offer up my rosary today for your journey.
 
metcim

You can choose to go to a regular Novus Ordo church or a one that offers the TLM. In my case, our bishop requires we belong as members where we are registered territorially and that church is a NO church. We must participate our time and treasures there and we also may be associates of the TLM oratory where we also contribute as we can.
 
forgot to say welcome home
if you feel comfortable stating your hometown knowledgeable people here could direct you to a parish you would find congenial. this is also the place to come for questions about the Latin Mass, which are almost sure to arise when you start attending.
 
Thanks for the welcome.

I do not feel comfortable stating my hometown, but I do appreciate the offer. I know of a couple parishes that offer the Latin Mass. I just wanted to make sure that my past sins wouldn’t prohibit me from going through RCIA and then not be able to become a member when I did my first confession.

Thanks again for the warm welcomes and wonderful replies. It makes me even more excited to start this new life that I wished I would have started many years ago.
 
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