I want to help someone fully return to the Catholic Church

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franksv

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Does anyone know what the official process someone would have to follow to return to the Catholic church?This person,was Baptized Catholic,Confirmed Catholic and grew up in a practicing home(every Sunday Mass).A few years ago,she attended a lutheran inquiry class and joined the lutheran church.After a brief stay,she went back to Catholic Mass every Sunday(for a year now).She spoke to a Priest,who said he would get back to her(he did not know off the top of his head),but he never did.This was a year ago and she has kinda just let it slide.This has become a sensitive topic for her.I think she is kinda ashamed to ask or persue this.

First,is there any foul here?Second,if there is a foul,what should she do to make sure,she is in good standing with the Lord&Church?She is 100% sure this is what she wants and has got past her issues with her Catholic faith.Any suggestions?
 
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franksv:
Hello

Does anyone know what the official process someone would have to follow to return to the Catholic church?This person,was Baptized Catholic,Confirmed Catholic and grew up in a practicing home(every Sunday Mass).A few years ago,she attended a lutheran inquiry class and joined the lutheran church.After a brief stay,she went back to Catholic Mass every Sunday(for a year now).She spoke to a Priest,who said he would get back to her(he did not know off the top of his head),but he never did.This was a year ago and she has kinda just let it slide.This has become a sensitive topic for her.I think she is kinda ashamed to ask or persue this.

First,is there any foul here?Second,if there is a foul,what should she do to make sure,she is in good standing with the Lord&Church?She is 100% sure this is what she wants and has got past her issues with her Catholic faith.Any suggestions?
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All she needs is the sacrament of reconciliation. Very simple.
 
I believe she only needs to go to Confession and all is well with the Catholic church. I do not know if there is any ‘renouncing’ of faith in the Luthern church.

The good Lord welcomes all home! It’s so wonderful to have such a forgiving God!
 
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ProudArmyWife:
I believe she only needs to go to Confession and all is well with the Catholic church. I do not know if there is any ‘renouncing’ of faith in the Luthern church.

The good Lord welcomes all home! It’s so wonderful to have such a forgiving God!
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No,she did not renounce anything,she just recited a slightly different version of one of the creeds.She will be SOOOO happy to hear this.When the Priest stated he had to get back to her,I know she has been afraid she commited a grave sin and has been scared off.It really has been a touchy subject and I have not pushed to hard,I just got permission from her the other day to try and find out for her.THANK YOU.
 
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franksv:
No,she did not renounce anything,she just recited a slightly different version of one of the creeds.She will be SOOOO happy to hear this.When the Priest stated he had to get back to her,I know she has been afraid she commited a grave sin and has been scared off.It really has been a touchy subject and I have not pushed to hard,I just got permission from her the other day to try and find out for her.THANK YOU.
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The response of this priest saddens me. Since she willingly left the Catholic Church for a time, she should confess that along with all mortal and venial sins–that’s it! 🙂
 
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franksv:
No,she did not renounce anything,she just recited a slightly different version of one of the creeds.She will be SOOOO happy to hear this.When the Priest stated he had to get back to her,I know she has been afraid she commited a grave sin and has been scared off.It really has been a touchy subject and I have not pushed to hard,I just got permission from her the other day to try and find out for her.THANK YOU.
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I’m so glad that you are helping her find her way 🙂 If I were her I would have been scared too! When I meant “renouncing” I didn’t meanif she renounced the Catholic faith - Once a Catholic, Always a Catholic - but I don’t know if one needs to go back to the Lutheran church to let them know they aren’t Lutheran anymore. In fact, I don’t know if any church (well, okay besides JWs) do this.
 
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Mickey:
The response of this priest saddens me. Since she willingly left the Catholic Church for a time, she should confess that along with all mortal and venial sins–that’s it! 🙂
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I suspect he may have wanted to check if the lutheran church she went to had any kind of renouncing of Catholic faith.I am sure he has a lot on his plate and was maybe thinking she would come back in the comming weeks for confession.Its no excuse, but I can understand.Even Priests can drop the ball.She should not have waited a year to go back to confession,either.The important thing is I am going to get her back to confession pronto.
 
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ProudArmyWife:
I’m so glad that you are helping her find her way 🙂 If I were her I would have been scared too! When I meant “renouncing” I didn’t meanif she renounced the Catholic faith - Once a Catholic, Always a Catholic - but I don’t know if one needs to go back to the Lutheran church to let them know they aren’t Lutheran anymore. In fact, I don’t know if any church (well, okay besides JWs) do this.
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Some non-Catholic churches do have you renounce the Catholic Church if you came from it.My cousins institution actually has a anti-Catholic class for new members to find out about the so called truth.I don’t know if its required by wayward Catholics but they have it.I am sooo glad this was not the case with the lutheran church she went to.Maybe its a matter of a diffrent penance if you have renounced or something,but I am guessing.
 
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franksv:
Hello

Does anyone know what the official process someone would have to follow to return to the Catholic church?This person,was Baptized Catholic,Confirmed Catholic and grew up in a practicing home(every Sunday Mass).A few years ago,she attended a lutheran inquiry class and joined the lutheran church.After a brief stay,she went back to Catholic Mass every ?
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she should go to confession, confess all the sins since her last good confession, tell the priest her story, and go from there. Piece of cake. Call the priest for an appointment or ask when is the regular schedule for confessions. In Lent most parishes have added times for confessions. Go to individual confession, not a reconcilation service. If there is anything further she needs to take care of, marriage situation etc., the priest will tell her how to proceed. If she was a practicing, confirmed Catholic she should know this. Yes, it is that easy. No classes, just confession and amendment of her life.
 
My parish has started a program for Catholics Returning Home; it is adopted from another parish nearby. They had tried another program of similar intent, but found the other program was not direct enough.

If there is a similar program in your area - your parish or another nearby, you might suggest that she go to that.

I am a bit taken aback by some of the comments that come off sounding a bit like “well, she just needs to go to confession and then get over it”.

There may be a bit more to the story than what has been told in this thread; and there may need to be some work done before she gets to the point of going to confession. I am not trying to minimize that step in any way, but she may simply not be ready at all for that step.

Something caused her to wander. Whatever that something is, it needs to be addressed, and it may well be that it needs to be addressed before she is ready to make the step of confession. Tere are programs available; if there are none in your area, then ask around if there is someone - a priest, a deacon, a professed religious or a parishoner, who is particularly adept in working with Catholics who want to return. There is help to be had, but it is not always immediately obvious.

Hope that helps.
 
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