How am I to feel when I got baptized at my Baptist Church, and now I am entering RCIA and cannot get baptized again to become Catholic?

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Majrobe

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I was already baptized at my missionary baptist church though I’ve switched my faith and I am currently attending RICA to be confirmed. I am taking the Eucharist for the first time on Easter, though I do not get to be baptized in the Catholic Church. Is there anyone else that has been through this? How do I come to terms with already being baptized at another church that’s not catholic?
 
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Talk to the RCIA leader to have him/her explain that you will still be able to become catholic at the end of the process, you’ll receive communion, and be confirmed at Easter. The end result is what’s most important!
 
If the Baptism at the Baptist Church was done according to the Trinitarian form, then that was your Christian Baptism.

You come to terms with that by learning about what the Church teaches about Baptism - what is a valid Baptism and who can perform one.
 
The reason the Catholic Church won’t baptize you again is that it accepts your Baptist Church baptism, so you don’t need to have another baptism. It’s something that your Baptist Church has in common with the Catholic Church, which is pretty nice because you already have a head start on knowing and loving Jesus. So be happy and focus on preparing for the Catholic sacraments you still need to receive.
 
I have been through this. I was baptized in the Presbyterian church as an infant back in the early 1970’s. It was explained to me that my baptism was valid as I was baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. You do not need a Priest to make it valid. So when I was received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil Mass here in South Africa, I was not baptized.

Last year at our Easter Mass we had two people who thought they were baptized, but could not remember, nor locate a record of their baptism. They were baptized “conditionally” meaning that if they had a prior valid baptism, it would stand, and if not then the new one would stand.

Speak to your Priest. But I believe you will be OK, and it sounds quite normal.
 
As long as you were Baptized using the Trinitarian formula (which the Baptist church uses), you can be Baptized by an atheist. It is the words and the intention of the minister (the one who performs the Baptism) not his condition in life or his religion or lack of. God really, really wants people Baptized so he makes it easy. It puts a permanent mark on your soul so there is no need to do it again. Congratulations.

Patrick
AMDG
 
Majrobe said:
I do not get to be baptized in the Catholic Church.
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Because you are already baptized.
Majrobe said:
Is there anyone else that has been through this?
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Every baptized person who enters the Catholic Church. You enter via a profession of faith. Then you receive confirmation and the eucharist.
Majrobe said:
How do I come to terms with already being baptized at another church that’s not catholic?
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We are all baptized into the same body of Christ. I don’t see where there is anything to ‘come to terms with’. Baptized is baptized.
 
Lots of people who go through RCIA are already baptized Christians, and don’t get baptized during the Easter Vigil. I think it’s more a rarity that peoply are not baptized before RCIA.
 
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Majrobe said:
I was already baptized at my missionary baptist church though I’ve switched my faith and I am currently attending RICA to be confirmed. I am taking the Eucharist for the first time on Easter, though I do not get to be baptized in the Catholic Church. Is there anyone else that has been through this? How do I come to terms with already being baptized at another church that’s not catholic?
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Rejoice at having been batpized already and at having this opportunity for full reception into the Church. You will still receive confirmation and first communion at Easter, and you should be able to make use of the sacrament of reconciliation soon, if not already.

My wife converted from being a Baptist in 2015. I am aware she felt a little left out when other adults were receiving baptism and she wasn’t. But in truth rejoice that you’ve had the chance to be so united to the body of Christ earlier than the others.
 
The faith you received as a Baptist is the faith you will practice as a Catholic. It has taught you to love Christ and commit yourself to him. You are not abandoning Him to follow a different Christ, but coming to a new understanding of life with Him.

Hopefully, the thousands of years of experience that the Catholic Church treasures will help you to a better understanding of the Scriptures and of the committment you have made to God in Christ. May it be a fruitful journey!
 
How are you to feel?

I think this is a case where your feelings need to take a back seat to reality. Perhaps your baptism at your baptist church was a big emotional high for you and you desire to recapture that feeling and are sad to think that it won’t happen in the same way.

Catholics believe baptism is a once in a lifetime event. It’s not something that can be repeated. We think going through the motions of re-baptizing makes a mockery out of the sacrament.* This may be a very different understanding of baptism from what you were taught in your previous church.

But as Wesrock stated above, you can rejoice! The graces you received when you were baptized are part of what leads you to where you are today! Cradle Catholics generally have no memory of their baptisms. Unless you were very young when you were baptized then you do have that memory. And you will certainly have the memory of when you formally join the Catholic Church. For many converts, this is extremely moving.

At least in the United States --I don’t know where you live-- the majority of adults who join the Catholic Church have already been baptized in some other Christian Church. A great many converts to the Catholic faith are here on the Catholic Answers forums so you are definitely not alone.

*In the case where there is some doubt about a baptism, a conditional baptism can be given but it will be very clear that this is NOT a “re-baptism”.
 
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As others have already stated, you should be happy that you have a “head start” as a Christian by being validity baptized by your former Baptist Church. There’s nothing to feel sad about or feel that you’re missing out on something. You’ve already experienced the joy and grace of Baptism, a once-in-the-lifetime event. Maybe you should also feel relieved that the sacrament of Baptism you received at your former Baptist church was a valid one and that you’ve truly been a Christians for all those years.
 
Maybe it might help by reflecting on your confirmation completing the initiation started by baptism?
 
I went through RCIA two years ago, and was previously baptized in the Lutheran Church. My baptism was also accepted by the Catholic Church. When you are confirmed at the Easter Vigil, you will complete your initiation into the Catholic faith and it will be a wonderful experience for you. Be joyful and learn all you can in RCIA and read additional books to learn what you can. There are also great videos on YouTube (just search for RCIA).
 
One Lord, one Faith, One Baptism.

When you were validly baptized, you became joined to the Church. You will become fully initiated on Easter.
 
Majrobe said:
Is there anyone else that has been through this?
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Yes, I was baptized in infancy in the Church of England.
Majrobe said:
How do I come to terms with already being baptized at another church that’s not catholic?
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What is there to “come to terms” with? It’s your privilege to have been baptized all your life and now you wish you hadn’t been given that great gift?
 
That’s good that you’re already baptized!

I went through RCIA too and was baptized as a protestant. The Catholic Church recognizes protestant baptism, so you are covered. You will receive confirmation and first communion.

No need to worry.
 
One minor detail here:

The Church does not recognize EVERY Protestant Baptism as valid. There’s a list.

The Trinitarian formula must be used, otherwise the Baptism isn’t valid.

If there is a concern that the person may not have been validly baptized, a conditional Baptism is given - i.e. “If you are not already baptized, I baptize you…”
 
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