Hospitals and offical forms

[Miss_Primrose]

Ok I am wanting to be Catholic but I wondered although I understand you are not Catholic until you are in full communion with the church if something were to happen and you had to go to hospital or you are filling in an offical form, can you identify yourself as Catholic and wanting (in the case of hospital) a Catholic priest even if you are not officially a full member of the Catholic church?

slightly embarrassed by this question but just wondered where I would stand.

 

[MichaelHowling]

Understanding what spot on that form you fill in when you enter a hospital… I would say “yess, write in catholic” .

It’s the denomenation you connect with right now.

By filling in that spot, that puts you directly in line to recieve any spiritual support the hospital offers you: a catholic visitor, or a priest/deacon/religous.

If that’s who you want spiritually ministering to you at the time of being in the hospital, then by all means put down catholic.

God forbid, you were in immenant danger of death, a priest there at the time may be able to offer you sacraments.

God bless.

Just one note of caution: if you put catholic on your form…eucharistic ministers may come visit you with holy communion. Because you are not in full communion yet, you can not recieve communion. Although you could ask them to pray for you/ask for Spiritual commuion (where you pray to be forgiven anything that divides you from God , express your will to be in full communion with Him, offer him your whole self and ask that He comes to you spiritually and unites yourself to Him.

 

[Miss_Primrose]

Understanding what spot on that form you fill in when you enter a hospital… I would say “yess, write in catholic” .

It’s the denomenation you connect with right now.

If that’s who you want spiritually ministering to you at the time of being in the hospital, then by all means put down catholic.

Ok Thanks, so I’m wondering, can I identify myself as Catholic if asked what religion I am on any official forms or by any other person (not just hospital ones but at any time socially or otherwise)? or do I have to wait until I am in full communion with the church?

 

[MichaelHowling]

I guess you could still say you are catholic. To be in communion simply means that you accept and agree with the church teaches and lives.

You simply have not been given the permission to fully participate in the life of the church in it’s sacraments.

I too can be in that state through commiting mortal sin… I still am a catholic however.

the word catholic actually means: “universal” . You are saying by stating you are catholic that you believe and accept what the universal church teaches.

God bless

 

[skigirl1689]

Hospitals don’t check if you are officially a member of whatever church you put down, they really don’t care. It’s for if you want a clergy to visit, etc. However, like previous posters said, just make sure the priest knows your “status.” I guess it may be an issue if it was a life-threatening situation and you could not respond.

I’d ask a priest about this. I know I was baptized by a priest in a hospital because I was very sick at birth and he was the only available clergy. So I guess it depends on the specific situation.