is this correct?

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BVMFatima

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I’m 16 and I am in CCD, I was baptized in a Protestant Church where I have a valid baptism, now I have talked with a Priest and I asked what religion I shall identify myself, he said Catholic because it is my faith and I am validly baptized. Is this correct and shall I identify myself a Catholic? He also mentioned I am no longer protesting against the Church which means I am no longer Protesant. I just find it to be very confusing because I got different responses from different people who also said the same thing, and others said I shall not identify myself anything since I am not really any religion as they say. So my question is what shall I officially identify myself as?

Thanks And God Bless
 
When asking a priest about the Catholic faith, his answer is the truth-you can take it to the bank. Believe no one else, they do not know as much about our faith than the priest-no matter what they tell you!
 
Trust your priest first is a generally good rule. You could say you are in the process of converting. When my brother converted they had him do RCIA and then join CCD since he was young. Have you done RCIA? ARE you still protesting? If you believe in the Catholic Church and are in CCD, I think you can safely be called Catholic if your priest agrees 👍
 
BVMFatima said:
I’m 16 and I am in CCD, I was baptized in a Protestant Church where I have a valid baptism, now I have talked with a Priest and I asked what religion I shall identify myself, he said Catholic because it is my faith and I am validly baptized. Is this correct and shall I identify myself a Catholic? He also mentioned I am no longer protesting against the Church which means I am no longer Protesant. I just find it to be very confusing because I got different responses from different people who also said the same thing, and others said I shall not identify myself anything since I am not really any religion as they say. So my question is what shall I officially identify myself as?

Thanks And God Bless
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Anyone with a valid baptism is catholic ( small " c " ) in that salvation is through the Catholic Church. All the sacraments have come through the Catholic Church, so in some since all who are validly baptized are in some sense members of the Catholic ( Cap. " C " ) Church. Of course they would deny this. But it is nevertheless true.

So you have that going for you. On top of that you are studing the Faith with the intention of becoming formally Catholic. So by intention you are already Catholic. If you should die before receiving Confession and Communion God would recognize you as Catholic.

Once you make your first Confession and make your first Communion you will be a formal member of the Catholic Church.

So there is room for confusion on how some people would identify your status. If you go by the Spirit, you are Catholic now. If you go by the letter, you will be Catholic when you receive the other sacraments and have pronounced the Creed formally.
👍
 
George_Stegmeir said:
When asking a priest about the Catholic faith, his answer is the truth-you can take it to the bank. Believe no one else, they do not know as much about our faith than the priest-no matter what they tell you!
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👍👍👍

But if it still bothers you, you can simply say you are a Christian…or you can say that you are a Catholic Catechumen.

Peace
James
 
BVMFatima said:
I’m 16 and I am in CCD, I was baptized in a Protestant Church where I have a valid baptism, now I have talked with a Priest and I asked what religion I shall identify myself, he said Catholic because it is my faith and I am validly baptized. Is this correct and shall I identify myself a Catholic? He also mentioned I am no longer protesting against the Church which means I am no longer Protesant. I just find it to be very confusing because I got different responses from different people who also said the same thing, and others said I shall not identify myself anything since I am not really any religion as they say. So my question is what shall I officially identify myself as?

Thanks And God Bless
Click to expand...
It is good to hear that you are certain of your baptism now! So you are a candidate. I expect that after preparation (CCD) you will experience the Rite of Reception into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church to receive Confirmation and Eucharist at the same celebration.
 
EmRoAmRo said:
Trust your priest first is a generally good rule. You could say you are in the process of converting. When my brother converted they had him do RCIA and then join CCD since he was young. Have you done RCIA? ARE you still protesting? If you believe in the Catholic Church and ar in CCD, I think you can safely be called Catholic if your priest agrees 👍
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No I have not done RCIA because my religious instructor says that I do not need RCIA since its only for adults. This priest by the way that I talked to is from EWTN radio from the show Calling all Catholics, we emailed and talked and said that I can call myself Catholic because he says I am validly baptized and accept church teaching, so he says in his eyes I am Catholic and that I am part of the Church, however I am not fully initiated into the Church , and since its where my heart is, he says I can call myself Catholic. I just wanted everybodys opinion because I didn’t know if it was against Church teaching or if the priest misunderstood me etc.
 
Vico said:
It is good to hear that you are certain of your baptism now! So you are a candidate. I expect that after preparation (CCD) you will experience the Rite of Reception into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church to receive Confirmation and Eucharist at the same celebration.
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Yes I am very excited and I am glad my Baptism is valid! God Bless You! 🙂
 
BVMFatima said:
No I have not done RCIA because my religious instructor says that I do not need RCIA since its only for adults. This priest by the way that I talked to is from EWTN radio from the show Calling all Catholics, we emailed and talked and said that I can call myself Catholic because he says I am validly baptized and accept church teaching, so he says in his eyes I am Catholic and that I am part of the Church, however I am not fully initiated into the Church , and since its where my heart is, he says I can call myself Catholic. I just wanted everybodys opinion because I didn’t know if it was against Church teaching or if the priest misunderstood me etc.
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I think that the priest is quite correct. He is simply separating things into their proper order.

Peace
James
 
The Catholic has a long tradition going back to the beginning of identifying catachumens as part of the Church. If you are willing to make a profession of faith in the Catholic Church and you ar ein the process of joining the Church, then the fact that you are in that process makes you one of us. A good example is found in the Acts of Sts Perpetua and Felicity. They had been baptized, but some of their companions had not, yet in the churches martyrology, they are recognized as saints and members ot the church in good standing. So you can, if you choose, identify yourself aas Catholic.
:):)🙂
 
Just think, BVMFatima, a Christian by baptism, is already incorporated into Christ and the Church!

Catechism

1271 Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church."81 "Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn."82

1272 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.83 Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.

1273 Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship.84 The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity.85
 
Vico said:
Just think, BVMFatima, a Christian by baptism, is already incorporated into Christ and the Church!

Catechism

1271 Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: "For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church."81 "Baptism therefore constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn."82

1272 Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation.83 Given om cannot be repeated.

1273 Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship.84 The baptismal seal enables and commits Christians to serve God by a vital participation in the holy liturgy of the Church and to exercise their baptismal priesthood by the witness of holy lives and practical charity.85
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I have seen this in the Catechism before! What I don’t like is just calling myself a Christian because all throughout my protestant days that’s what I called myself, and for some reason when I use the term to identify myself, I still feel Baptist.
 
BVMFatima said:
I have seen this in the Catechism before! What I don’t like is just calling myself a Christian because all throughout my protestant days that’s what I called myself, and for some reason when I use the term to identify myself, I still feel Baptist.
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As a candidate you still do not have full communion. This is why. There are three bonds: spiritual, sacramental, and juridical (recognition of the authority of the Church government). The candidates for reception are asked to assent to the teaching authority of the Magisterium, and when they do, they are received into the juridical communion necessary for** full communion** to exist.

Lumen Gentium 14 (Vatican II) describes full communion:Fully incorporated into the Church are those who, possessing the Spirit of Christ,accept all the means of salvation given to the Church together with her entire organization, and who – by the bonds constituted by the profession of faith, the sacraments, ecclesiastical government, and communion – are joined in the visible structure of the Church of Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but “in body” not “in heart”.
 
Vico said:
As a candidate you still do not have full communion. This is why. There are three bonds: spiritual, sacramental, and juridical (recognition of the authority of the Church government). The candidates for reception are asked to assent to the teaching authority of the Magisterium, and when they do, they are received into the juridical communion necessary for** full communion** to exist.

Lumen Gentium 14 (Vatican II) describes full communion:Fully incorporated into the Church are those who, possessing the Spirit of Christ,accept all the means of salvation given to the Church together with her entire organization, and who – by the bonds constituted by the profession of faith, the sacraments, ecclesiastical government, and communion – are joined in the visible structure of the Church of Christ, who rules her through the Supreme Pontiff and the bishops. Even though incorporated into the Church, one who does not however persevere in charity is not saved. He remains indeed in the bosom of the Church, but “in body” not “in heart”.
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.

True, this priest I talked to works for an EWTN radio station and I asked what shall I consider myself and he said Catholic since its what I believe, its in my heart etc. He said that since I’m being catechized, I can even identify myself as a Catholic Catechuman.
 
BVMFatima said:
.

True, this priest I talked to works for an EWTN radio station and I asked what shall I consider myself and he said Catholic since its what I believe, its in my heart etc. He said that since I’m being catechized, I can even identify myself as a Catholic Catechuman.
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You can see the terminology post-baptismal catechumenate used here:
1231 Where infant Baptism has become the form in which this sacrament is usually celebrated, it has become a single act encapsulating the preparatory stages of Christian initiation in a very abridged way. By its very nature infant Baptism requires a post-baptismal catechumenate. Not only is there a need for instruction after Baptism, but also for the necessary flowering of baptismal grace in personal growth. The *catechism *has its proper place here.
 
BVMFatima said:
… I can even identify myself as a Catholic Catechuman.
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  • From the RCIA Handbook, Diocese of Albany
  1. Candidates
    Those who have already been baptized in another Church or ecclesial community are not to be treated as catechumens or called
    catechumens. Their doctrinal and spiritual preparation for reception into full communion should be determined according to the
    individual case, that is, it should depend on the extent to which the baptized person has led a Christian life within a community of faith
    and been appropriately catechized to deepen his or her inner adherence to the Church (NS: National Statutes on the Catechumenate, 30.)
  • When you profess full communion and receive Confirmation, it will be recorded on your Church records at that Catholic parish. That will be the time of official enrollment in the Church. 4-7.2.4 BAPTISM: Profession of Faith. The names of persons who are baptized Christians and who enter into full communion with the Catholic Church by means of a profession of faith shall be recorded in the parish baptismal register under the date of profession, together with the date, church/denomination and place of (the non-Catholic) baptism of the party, and all other information as required (see Baptism section). “Profession of Faith” or “Received into Full Communion” and its date should clearly be indicated in the notations column of the baptismal register.
    …
D) Profession of Faith: Those previously baptized in another ecclesial Community who are received into Full Communion of the Catholic Church should be recorded in the parish baptismal register under the date of profession, together with the date, church/denomination and place of (the non-Catholic) baptism of the party, and all other information as required (see Baptism section). “Profession of Faith” or “Received into Full Communion” and its date should clearly be indicated in the notations column of the aptismal register; sponsor(s) for the Profession of Faith should be noted in the sponsor column.

Some parishes may also possess a Reception into Full Communion Register or profession of Faith Register in which place the record of the Profession of Faith may also be recorded. This option is in addition to recording the record in the Baptismal Registry.
  • From the Richmond Virginia Diocese: Rite of Welcoming the Candidates

    This Rite is celebrated only with candidates (those already baptized –usually in another Christian denomination—who are uncatechized and seeking reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church).[1] The Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens (see option A) is celebrated at another Mass, to maintain a clear distinction between Candidates and Catechumens.

    THE STRUCTURE OF THE RITE

    The Structure of the Rite of Welcome is similar to the Rite of Acceptance, with the exception that the candidates do not gather outside or at the door of the church. Instead, the candidates begin the liturgy inside the Church, with the faithful. There is also more freedom given for personal witness in the opening dialogue.
    Code: 
      [](http://forums.catholic-questions.org/#_ftnref1) See footnote # 6 of this document for a discussion about the appropriate subjects for this rite.
    RCIA, 419.
 
BVMFatima said:
No I have not done RCIA because my religious instructor says that I do not need RCIA since its only for adults. This priest by the way that I talked to is from EWTN radio from the show Calling all Catholics, we emailed and talked and said that I can call myself Catholic because he says I am validly baptized and accept church teaching, so he says in his eyes I am Catholic and that I am part of the Church, however I am not fully initiated into the Church , and since its where my heart is, he says I can call myself Catholic. I just wanted everybodys opinion because I didn’t know if it was against Church teaching or if the priest misunderstood me etc.
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It seems that you are in the same position as a younger child, who has been baptized but not yet fully initiated through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. They are Catholic, and so are you. 🙂
 
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