How Should I Respond?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Parker_James
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Parker_James

Guest
My very close friend is Southern Baptist and his girlfriend (who I’m assuming is as well) is being baptized today. I was not invited nor did I know till I found out via social media. That isn’t the issue however. If my friend or his girlfriend bring up her baptism at school tomorrow should I congratulate her? I know that we are suppose to be baptized as infants but I know that, through no fault of their own, they don’t believe that. Should I be happy that she is finally baptized and is excited about accepting Christ as her savior or should I react in some other way?

I’m Catholic and we’re Juniors in high school if that makes any difference at all.
 
I think you should congratulate her and help build her faith. I know that the Catholic Church recognizes valid baptisms. They recognized mine when I converted and I was baptized Methodist.
 
JamesATyler said:
I think you should congratulate her and help build her faith. I know that the Catholic Church recognizes valid baptisms. They recognized mine when I converted and I was baptized Methodist.
Click to expand...
Agree. She is starting her journey of faith and will appreciate encouragement. Whilst you may have wished they came home to the Catholic Church, its best to acknowledge that God has a plan for them and to be a supportive friend. They will judge the Catholic Church by how you respond.

If they don’t say anything, you could quietly approach her and congratulate her (just in case they wrongly thought you would frown on it).

Just a thought.
 
JamesATyler said:
I think you should congratulate her and help build her faith. I know that the Catholic Church recognizes valid baptisms. They recognized mine when I converted and I was baptized Methodist.
Click to expand...
Hi,
James is right, most of the Christian churches’ baptisms are recognized as valid by the Catholic Church.

Although there are certainly theological differences between the Baptist church and the Catholic, many of them enjoy a good relationship with us and work toward a mutual understanding and ecumenism.

On this note and in the spirit of the popes desire to foster such relationships, not to mention your own personal desire to give an example of good will as a Catholic and friend, it would be great for you to go up and congratulate her.

So good luck and it is a joy to know that there are more people out there willing to give their lives to Jesus!
 
hembergb said:
Hi,
James is right, most of the Christian churches’ baptisms are recognized as valid by the Catholic Church.

Although there are certainly theological differences between the Baptist church and the Catholic, many of them enjoy a good relationship with us and work toward a mutual understanding and ecumenism.

On this note and in the spirit of the popes desire to foster such relationships, not to mention your own personal desire to give an example of good will as a Catholic and friend, it would be great for you to go up and congratulate her.

So good luck and it is a joy to know that there are more people out there willing to give their lives to Jesus!
Click to expand...
agree 👍 🙂
 
Parker_James said:
If my friend or his girlfriend bring up her baptism at school tomorrow should I congratulate her?
Click to expand...
I’m trying to figure out what other response you could make.

If you had a problem with your friend or his girlfriend being Southern Baptist, I assume you wouldn’t be friends. Since they are Baptist, why wouldn’t you be happy that they’re practicing their faith and growing in it? Similarly, if you were being confirmed, wouldn’t you expect them to congratulate you, even though it’s not what their church does?
 
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

You ought to read that for your own information.

But anyways, as the above have stated. There’s no more sure-fire way to get everyone as far away as possible from the Catholic Church than being hostile towards everyone who is not Catholic.

Congrats on baptism is not a bad thing. Anyways, the Protestants, though it would certainly be preferable for them to be Catholic, are our brothers and sisters in Christ, as Rome has told us. Especially the less radical ones.
 
Indeed. The more we all try to get closer to Jesus, the closer we will draw together. And don’t forget, at least our non-Catholic friends are being exposed to the Scriptures, which may lead them to see the Catholic faith in a new light.
Faith is a gift. We can’t argue anyone into believing. But we can support them in their sincere efforts to go where they believe the Holy Spirit is leading them.
 
All the answers and resources all of you have given me have been really helpful. Thanks! My original stance was to congratulate her if it came up and from what y’all have told me, I’ll stick with that :).

Truthfully is it a blessing to have such a place as Catholic Answers to answer any doubts! God bless! 🙂
 
I think if they make a point of announcing it or even casually saying that it happened, it might be good to congratulate them.

With our fallen nature, people still have problems socially, even after Baptism. I wouldn’t be too pushy about congratulating them, except in the most positive way, so as not to offend them in any way.

If you have the chance and they seemed communicative, you might ask them how they came to making this decision (they don’t have to tell you personal stuff, remember).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top