How do you verify if someone is Catholic?

[dfp42]

Is there anyway to do it? I always think about this when I meet new people (online) who are Catholic. Is everyone Catholic just because they are Catholic or do certain things matter? Sometimes I wonder about the blind leading the blind. The Church says,
Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. But is this what all Catholics believe in order to be Catholic?

 

[ZDHayden]

To be honest, I don’t know anymore. When I was preparing for my Confirmation, the priest told me that so long as I could honestly say that I believe (note, not just a mental agreement, but a full-hearted trust and faith) and hold all things which the Holy Catholic Church teaches to be true (absolutely), then I could become Catholic. I have met many “Catholics” since then who disagree or have conflict with the Church’s teachings or flat out do not believe hardly anything. It’s disillusioning, really. I wish that priest’s statement were true, but seeing priests and bishops, let alone laypeople, compromise and butcher the faith - I just don’t know anymore. Is this all there is left of the greatest faith on earth? Nearly a year has passed since my Confirmation, and already, I feel sometimes like mourning - for myself, and for the world, and for the Church. The world because of the death and decay of sin; the Church for its divisions, myself for failing the Church so many times and not being able to help anywhere.

In short, I guess I am in the same boat or even a worse boat than you.

 

[CMatt25]

Is there anyway to do it? I always think about this when I meet new people (online) who are Catholic. Is everyone Catholic just because they are Catholic or do certain things matter? Sometimes I wonder about the blind leading the blind. The Church says,
Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. But is this what all Catholics believe in order to be Catholic?

What the Catholic Church teaches and claims is whoever was baptized according to a Catholic rite, is and forever shall remain and be claimed a Catholic.

“It remains clear, in any event, that the sacramental bond of belonging to the Body of Christ that is the Church, conferred by the baptismal character, is an ontological and permanent bond which is not lost by reason of any act or fact of defection.”

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/intrptxt/documents/rc_pc_intrptxt_doc_20060313_actus-formalis_en.html

Regarding various internet online sites, they may have their own definitions as to the degree of belief they require.

 

[Joe_5859]

I guess you could ask them to email you a scan of their baptismal certificate (notarized, of course).

I see what you’re saying though. There really is no short cut. Catholics have no visible halos to clue you in to how seriously they take their faith. You can only look at how they live their life.

 

[dfp42]

I guess you could ask them to email you a scan of their baptismal certificate (notarized, of course).

I see what you’re saying though. There really is no short cut. Catholics have no visible halos to clue you in to how seriously they take their faith. You can only look at how they live their life.

true. I wish there was a short cut. It’s part of a cross just dealing with it.

 

[CMatt25]

What the Catholic Church teaches and claims is whoever was baptized according to a Catholic rite, is and forever shall remain and be claimed a Catholic.

“It remains clear, in any event, that the sacramental bond of belonging to the Body of Christ that is the Church, conferred by the baptismal character, is an ontological and permanent bond which is not lost by reason of any act or fact of defection.”

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/intrptxt/documents/rc_pc_intrptxt_doc_20060313_actus-formalis_en.html

Regarding various internet online sites, they may have their own definitions as to the degree of belief they require.

I tried to edit but server was busy and then the 20 mins were up. But let me be clear by my first sentence I was not speaking for the Catholic Church as a Catholic. Only posting something from the Church I had found about the topic.

 

[hazcompat]

I can honestly say that I believe (note, not just a mental agreement, but a full-hearted trust and faith) and hold all things which the Holy Catholic Church teaches to be true (absolutely).

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us men and our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary , and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This is our faith.

peace

 

[Della]

All who are baptized are part of the Church, even Protestants–although imperfectly. How many are faithful to the Church is another matter. I’m afraid the tendency of some Protestant sects of gauging who is and who isn’t Christian by their members’ behavior/practices has crept into the Church, as well. This is wrong-headed (and actually wrong-hearted, as well).

We cannot judge our fellow Catholics by any standard, even that which the Church sets. To do so makes us, as James called it: “a judge of the law” James 4:11-12. Nor should we be discouraged by anyone’s failure(s), not even our own, for despair is a terrible tool of the enemy used to divide and conquer.

What we are called to do is to be faithful. That means practicing our faith daily through prayer and penance and acts of charity. We are not to concern ourselves with how others are living their faith or what they say they believe. We are to pray for each other, respect each other and correct each other in love.

So, if someone says they cannot believe in some teaching, help them come to understand what the Church teaches and why, but don’t judge them or be discouraged. So many of our people have been overly influenced by the society in which we live, especially since it has become openly hostile to our beliefs. It’s not easy for those unprepared for such cultural wars to fight for the truth when they haven’t had it taught to them nor had to practice it their entire lives.

There is a change coming–a renewal of faith and hope. We live in dark times, but the times can and do change. Nothing within our society is cemented into place. We can win the cultural war, but we have to prepare our people for it. That’s where we who know better need to help. We can’t just cry, “Alack!” Instead, we must cry, “Attack!” Attack against ignorance and sloth and resentment and misunderstanding and all the modern isms set against our faith. It can be done. It won’t be easy, the cross wasn’t easy, but it changed everything. We can make all the difference as we never tire in doing the good work Christ has set out before us.

 

[Joe_5859]

All who are baptized are part of the Church, even Protestants–although imperfectly. How many are faithful to the Church is another matter. I’m afraid the tendency of some Protestant sects of gauging who is and who isn’t Christian by their members’ behavior/practices has crept into the Church, as well. This is wrong-headed (and actually wrong-hearted, as well).

We cannot judge our fellow Catholics by any standard, even that which the Church sets. To do so makes us, as James called it: “a judge of the law” James 4:11-12. Nor should we be discouraged by anyone’s failure(s), not even our own, for despair is a terrible tool of the enemy used to divide and conquer.

What we are called to do is to be faithful. That means practicing our faith daily through prayer and penance and acts of charity. We are not to concern ourselves with how others are living their faith or what they say they believe. We are to pray for each other, respect each other and correct each other in love.

So, if someone says they cannot believe in some teaching, help them come to understand what the Church teaches and why, but don’t judge them or be discouraged. So many of our people have been overly influenced by the society in which we live, especially since it has become openly hostile to our beliefs. It’s not easy for those unprepared for such cultural wars to fight for the truth when they haven’t had it taught to them nor had to practice it their entire lives.

There is a change coming–a renewal of faith and hope. We live in dark times, but the times can and do change. Nothing within our society is cemented into place. We can win the cultural war, but we have to prepare our people for it. That’s where we who know better need to help. We can’t just cry, “Alack!” Instead, we must cry, “Attack!” Attack against ignorance and sloth and resentment and misunderstanding and all the modern isms set against our faith. It can be done. It won’t be easy, the cross wasn’t easy, but it changed everything. We can make all the difference as we never tire in doing the good work Christ has set out before us.

What a beautiful post, Della. You excellently articulated the thoughts I couldn’t put into words myself.

You’re absolutely right about the despair. When the devil knows he cannot take away our faith in God or the Church, he tries to lead us to despair over the state of the world. If he cannot win over our hearts, he tries to minimize the damage we can do to him by paralyzing us into inaction because “it’s an uphill battle.”

 

[Della]

What a beautiful post, Della. You excellently articulated the thoughts I couldn’t put into words myself.

Thank you for your kind words. All I wrote has been stated by the holy ones who have gone before us in the faith. If we want to arm ourselves for spiritual warfare we must learn from those who fought and won their battles down through the ages.

You’re absolutely right about the despair. When the devil knows he cannot take away our faith in God or the Church, he tries to lead us to despair over the state of the world. If he cannot win over our hearts, he tries to minimize the damage we can do to him by paralyzing us into inaction because “it’s an uphill battle.”

Yes, despair is the opposite of faith, not unbelief. Unbelief can easily be corrected with a bit of education, but despair is tougher to tackle because it requires setting our wills against that of the enemy, something he absolutely hates to see.

We must be people who do not just people who talk the talk, yes?