Dilemma in RCIA

[Aramis]

The sacrament of confession will not be profaned at all in any case. Even a non-christian may confess. MAKE SURE YOU CONFESS AND EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF ABSOLUTION

But only a Christian may receive absolution, per the CIC and CCEO. Christians who are neither Catholic nor Orthodox may only do so in exceptional cases.

 

[diggerdomer]

They’re not really treating me as unbaptized… they recognize there’s a strong likelihood that my original baptism was valid - but they’re classifying me (for now) as a catechumen since I will technically be receiving conditional baptism around the Easter Vigil. But I think they recognize that I probably am, in fact, a candidate.

Well, in the end, this distinction is essential. Either you will be baptized or not when you join the Catholic Church. Again, seek clarification from your pastoral team.

Other people have told me the opposite… Here’s a post by Michelle Arnold that mentions conditional absolution. And here’s a quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia’s article on absolution, taken from a section called “Conditional absolution”: “The doctrine commonly received is that whenever conditional absolution will safeguard the holiness and dignity of the Sacrament it may be employed, or whenever the spiritual need of the penitent is clear, but at the same time dispositions necessary for the valid reception of the Sacrament are in doubt, then it would be a mercy to impart absolution even if under condition.”

It looks like I won’t be needing “conditional absolution” anyways, because my parish staff has discussed it more and decided I need to be baptized outside of the Easter Vigil Mass and then given a normal confession. Thanks everyone for your answers!

I would rely on Church teaching and your pastoral team rather than “other people” (and please note, your reference to the Catholic Encyclopedia is from a century ago, a new edition was published in 2003).

 

[diggerdomer]

The sacrament of confession will not be profaned at all in any case. Even a non-christian may confess. MAKE SURE YOU CONFESS AND EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF ABSOLUTION

Yes of course anyone can confess. But not anyone can celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation.

 

[Monica4316]

Okay, I have an interesting problem, and have as yet been unable to find any definite answers anywhere. I’m currently going through RCIA and will likely be received into the Church next Easter Vigil. I’m 95% certain that I was validly baptized when I was six years old. However, since I can’t present any proof of it, and because I myself am not fully certain, both my RCIA team and I agree that I will go through conditional baptism.

However, my parish only celebrates baptisms at the Easter Vigil mass, including conditional ones. Should I go to confession before my reception into the Church, or would conditional baptism suffice for a confession? Because, if my first baptism is valid (and thus, the conditional baptism has no effect), I don’t want to profane the Eucharist by taking it in a state of mortal sin. But at the same time, I don’t want to profane the sacrament of confession either, in the (albeit rare) case that my first baptism was not valid.

I’ve told my sponsor about the situation, and he said he would try to take care of it… But I’m still curious as to what everyone else thinks about the matter. Thanks!

would it be possible to be baptized another day, and then go to Confession, and then receive your Confirmation and first Eucharist at the Easter Vigil?