How to convert

[novatrix]

What are the steps required of someone who wishes to convert to Catholicism? I understand that there are classes to attend, to study Catholicism . If they are divorced (example: divorced from a non-Catholic), do they need to seek an annulment first? Who would they first speak to about beginning the proces of conversion? And if they are civilly married to a divorced Catholic who has not received an annulment, how is that viewed by the Catholic church as far as the person being able to convert?

 

[DebChris]

The person who wishes to convert needs to speak to a priest. The marriage issues need to be resolved through a tribunal.
Jesus is explicit in scripture concerning second marriages being adulterous. Again, because of validity issues, it is best to speak to a priest and have the marriage tribunal resolve issues of canon law.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Call your local parish and they’ll get you started. Either the priest or RCIA director will talk with you to find out more about you and tell you about the process of becoming Catholic. If you’re divorced that’s something that will need to be explored, but there will be people to help with that. The main thing is to call the parish.

 

[quiet52]

A person interested in becoming Catholic is free to inquire about the faith in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), but if divorced, cannot proceed by participating in the Rite of Acceptance (for the unbaptized) or Rite of Welcoming (for the baptized). These rites are part of the formal initiation process, whereby participants become catechumens or candidates for full communion.

If they are divorced (example: divorced from a non-Catholic), do they need to seek an annulment first?

Yes.

Who would they first speak to about beginning the process of conversion?

Call the parish office and ask – sometimes it’s with a priest, sometimes with the RCIA leader.

And if they are civilly married to a divorced Catholic who has not received an annulment, how is that viewed by the Catholic church as far as the person being able to convert?

The divorced Catholic must also petition for marital nullity. That person is still considered married to the first spouse, until it’s declared invalid by the Church. The second spouse is living in an adulterous relationship and cannot be received into the Church.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

A person interested in becoming Catholic is free to inquire about the faith in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), but if divorced, cannot proceed by participating in the Rite of Acceptance (for the unbaptized) or Rite of Welcoming (for the baptized). These rites are part of the formal initiation process, whereby participants become catechumens or candidates for full communion.

Do you have documentation for that? We let people go through the Rite of Acceptance or Welcoming and pursue things with the Tribunal while they are in RCIA. If we’re doing it wrong I’d like to know.

 

[kyrie80]

A person interested in becoming Catholic is free to inquire about the faith in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), but if divorced, cannot proceed by participating in the Rite of Acceptance (for the unbaptized) or Rite of Welcoming (for the baptized).

I thought that one can be in communion with the Church even though they are divorced so long as they don’t have sexual relations with anyone or re-marry without an annulment.

 

[1ke]

I thought that one can be in communion with the Church even though they are divorced so long as they don’t have sexual relations with anyone or re-marry without an annulment.

Yes, this is correct.

However, in the OP it was stated that there is a civil remarriage involved, and that was what the other poster was responding to.

 

[1ke]

Do you have documentation for that? We let people go through the Rite of Acceptance or Welcoming and pursue things with the Tribunal while they are in RCIA. If we’re doing it wrong I’d like to know.

Check with your diocese. I just went through RCIA coordinator training three weeks ago, and we were told the same thing-- they cannot go through the rites until they are free to enter the Church.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Check with your diocese. I just went through RCIA coordinator training three weeks ago, and we were told the same thing-- they cannot go through the rites until they are free to enter the Church.

By this do you mean ANY rites, including the Rite of Welcoming? I’ll check further. They obviously wouldn’t be able to receive any sacraments before their marriage situation is straightened out, but it doesn’t seem right that they can’t even start until the Tribunal has made a decision. Yikes.

 

[quiet52]

kyrie80:

Originally Posted by quiet52
A person interested in becoming Catholic is free to inquire about the faith in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), but if divorced, cannot proceed by participating in the Rite of Acceptance (for the unbaptized) or Rite of Welcoming (for the baptized).

I thought that one can be in communion with the Church even though they are divorced so long as they don’t have sexual relations with anyone or re-marry without an annulment.

Yes, if someone has divorced and their intention is not to re-marry and to follow the Church’s teachings, he or she can become Catholic. The original poster is referring to someone who is re-married wanting to enter the Church.

SuscipeMeDomine:

Originally Posted by quiet52
A person interested in becoming Catholic is free to inquire about the faith in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), but if divorced, cannot proceed by participating in the Rite of Acceptance (for the unbaptized) or Rite of Welcoming (for the baptized). These rites are part of the formal initiation process, whereby participants become catechumens or candidates for full communion.

Do you have documentation for that? We let people go through the Rite of Acceptance or Welcoming and pursue things with the Tribunal while they are in RCIA. If we’re doing it wrong I’d like to know.

It’s in my diocese’s marriage norms. It may differ from diocese to diocese. However, in my opinion - and I guess this would be a pastoral decision - someone wanting to explore and understand the Catholic faith shouldn’t be stopped from attending the RCIA sessions.

 

[DebChris]

It’s in my diocese’s marriage norms. It may differ from diocese to diocese. However, in my opinion - and I guess this would be a pastoral decision - someone wanting to explore and understand the Catholic faith shouldn’t be stopped from attending the RCIA sessions.

It has always been my understanding that anybody can inquire about the Catholic Faith.

 

[Primrose]

I was civilly married to a lapsed Catholic but now am nearly divorced (he committed adultery). Our children are baptised Catholic. If I want to become Catholic would I need an annulment? Our marriage isn’t formally acknowleged by the Catholic church?

 

[Seatuck]

I was civilly married to a lapsed Catholic but now am nearly divorced (he committed adultery). Our children are baptised Catholic. If I want to become Catholic would I need an annulment? Our marriage isn’t formally acknowleged by the Catholic church?

Only if you wish to consider marriage to someone else in the future. You might as well go ahead and proceed with the annulment if your divorce does go through.Without one you will not be able to date either. It will be a fairly simple process if you married a Catholic in an invalid ceremony. It will be what the call a "documentary " case. You will need to provide proof of the civil marriage and the divorce decree when you obtain it.

 

[jmcrae]

Do you have documentation for that? We let people go through the Rite of Acceptance or Welcoming and pursue things with the Tribunal while they are in RCIA. If we’re doing it wrong I’d like to know.

NO, check your RCIA book; they MUST be free to enter the Church before they can receive any Rites at all. They have to stay in the Period of Inquiry until they have received a Declaration of Nullity.

If their petition is turned down (and yes, I realize this is rare; however, it does happen), they cannot become Catholic, and it is not fair to them to have them go through RCIA, and then discover that they can’t become Catholic.

It is better for them not to become attached to the Church or think that they are converting, until it actually becomes possible for them to do so.

Also, you don’t want to set up a situation where someone is frantically pounding on the door of the Tribunal office demanding his or her Declaration of Nullity, mere minutes before the Initiation Mass is scheduled to begin.

 

[jmcrae]

It has always been my understanding that anybody can inquire about the Catholic Faith.

Yes, but they cannot proceed past the Period of Inquiry until it is certain that they can become Catholic. (This is one reason why there needs to be a separate meeting for Inquirers, so that they can stay in Inquiry while the rest of their group proceeds on to the Period of Catechesis.)

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

NO, check your RCIA book; they MUST be free to enter the Church before they can receive any Rites at all. They have to stay in the Period of Inquiry until they have received a Declaration of Nullity.

I’m not trying to be difficult, but do you know where this is stated? I’ve looked and don’t see it, but maybe I’m just missing it. We have two people right now who are waiting for decisions from the Tribunal and I’m just thinking about what would have happened if we told them they had to remain Inquirers.

It is better for them not to become attached to the Church or think that they are converting, until it actually becomes possible for them to do so.

Also, you don’t want to set up a situation where someone is frantically pounding on the door of the Tribunal office demanding his or her Declaration of Nullity, mere minutes before the Initiation Mass is scheduled to begin.

But they are attached to the Church. In the case of the people I mentioned above, they’re married to Catholics so they come to Mass with their families. They do understand, though, that nothing is going to happen until and unless they receive declarations of nullity.

Anyway, if you could steer me toward the right part of the book I’d appreciate it. I’m going to have to go to my pastor and tell him about it so I want to know what I’m talking about.

 

[jmcrae]

I’m not trying to be difficult, but do you know where this is stated? I’ve looked and don’t see it, but maybe I’m just missing it. We have two people right now who are waiting for decisions from the Tribunal and I’m just thinking about what would have happened if we told them they had to remain Inquirers.

In the actual Rite of Acceptance itself, it asks whether the candidate is ready to begin to live the Christian life. The response is supposed to be “I am.”

Obviously, if they are living with a second partner without receiving a Declaration of Nullity, and also without becoming married to their second partner (both the Declaration of Nullity and the marriage to the new partner must take place before the person gets to the position where they can begin to live the Christian life), they cannot truthfully affirm that they are ready to begin to live the Christian life, since they are still in the midst of living a pagan-like life.

 

[DebChris]

Yes, but they cannot proceed past the Period of Inquiry until it is certain that they can become Catholic. (This is one reason why there needs to be a separate meeting for Inquirers, so that they can stay in Inquiry while the rest of their group proceeds on to the Period of Catechesis.)

Exactly. The catechumen must be free to receive the Sacraments.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Thanks guys. I need to talk with the pastor.

 

[novatrix]

In the actual Rite of Acceptance itself, it asks whether the candidate is ready to begin to live the Christian life. The response is supposed to be “I am.”

Obviously, if they are living with a second partner without receiving a Declaration of Nullity, and also without becoming married to their second partner (both the Declaration of Nullity and the marriage to the new partner must take place before the person gets to the position where they can begin to live the Christian life), they cannot truthfully affirm that they are ready to begin to live the Christian life, since they are still in the midst of living a pagan-like life.

It’s too bad that there is no provision for someone not having been raised by these same rules. I have only in the past few years become familiar with the workings of the Catholic church. Having baptized my son in the Catholic church surely states an intention to honor that faith. My husband has said he will not participate in an annulment unless his first wife initiates it. I do not know how the Marriage Tribunal would view my first marriage; my first husband’s baptism is difficult to ascertain. His family shuns the established church, and is in particular extremely anti-Catholic. I believe he was baptized, by those who called themselves “elders” in their own established religion. When we married, it was at city hall, by an ordained minister, but who had told my mother after his pre-marriage counseling that he did not feel we should marry. I discovered after my marriage that my new husband did not want children. We did end up adopting after many years (at my insistence), and then in our marriage counseling before our divorce, the pastor who was counseling him told him he had “enabled” me by allowing us to adopt children. I have doubts that he would even participate in an annullment proceeding, due to his feelings towards the Catholic faith. If he did, it would only be to use untruths to try to hurt me. He believes that he can do anything he wishes, including lie, because God made him the ultimate authority over me at marriage, and anything he does “in the name of God” is justified.

Thus, I am in a sense “held hostage” by other people, unable to reconcile my situation and be received into the Catholic faith.