IYO, do I have a canonical impediment?

[Ipodmini]

Hi,

I was raised a practicing Catholic, but when I was 16 I converted to Protestantism as a result of my ignorance of the Church’s teachings. I reverted to Catholicism when I was 17, but I started frequenting a Lefebvrist chapel, and was deeply influenced by their teachings. I am worried that I may have adhered to the Lefebvrian schism, but according to this article in This Rock I could not have been excommunicated because I was a minor (Code 1324 §1 4°).

Code 1324 §1 states that “the perpetrator of a violation is not exempt from a penalty, but the penalty established by law or precept must be tempered or a penance employed in its place if the delict was committed”.

I am currently 18, and ever since my eighteenth birthday I have been in full communion with the church.

I believed in schismatic and heretical doctrines when I was under the age of 18, and I know that schism or heresy constitutes an impediment to the reception of holy orders(Code 1044 §1 2°).

As I am currently discerning a vocation to the priesthood, I would like to know if my previous schismatic and heretical beliefs (which I believed as a minor) would mean that I have an impediment to the reception of holy orders? Or could the canonical impediment for schism/heresy be replaced with a suitable “penance” (Code 1324 §1) by my confessor?

Your answers or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Seminarian_X]

This would be something better discussed with the vocation director of whatever diocese or religious order you are considering. I would think they would appreciate an honest explanation like the one you just gave here. Trust in God, son. If he wants you in a seminary, there’s nothing that’s going to stop it.

 

[OldRedleg]

Ipodmini,

If you think God is calling you to the Priesthood make an appointment with your dioceses vocation director now. Seminarian X is right that any concern that you have can be addressed at that time. But I don’t think you have anything to worry about.

I recommend that you do some reading about Cardinal John Henry Newman. He was an Anglican convert to Roman Catholicism, later made a cardinal, and in 1991 proclaimed ‘Venerable’. Newman had had a conventional upbringing in an ordinary Church of England home, where the emphasis was on the Bible rather than dogmas or sacraments and he held that the Pope was the Antichrist at one point as a youth. He is now on track to be proclaimed a Saint.

There are lots of examples of people with former schismatic and heretical beliefs who come back to the Church. Newman writes that the process of questioning your faith in search of truth is part of being engaged with your faith. Ultimately the strength of Catholic teachings, doctrine, and dogma are such that the only logical conclusion is to accept them for your own.

 

[m134e5]

Hi,

I was raised a practicing Catholic, but when I was 16 I converted to Protestantism as a result of my ignorance of the Church’s teachings. I reverted to Catholicism when I was 17, but I started frequenting a Lefebvrist chapel, and was deeply influenced by their teachings. I am worried that I may have adhered to the Lefebvrian schism, but according to this article in This Rock I could not have been excommunicated because I was a minor (Code 1324 §1 4°).

Code 1324 §1 states that “the perpetrator of a violation is not exempt from a penalty, but the penalty established by law or precept must be tempered or a penance employed in its place if the delict was committed”.

I am currently 18, and ever since my eighteenth birthday I have been in full communion with the church.

I believed in schismatic and heretical doctrines when I was under the age of 18, and I know that schism or heresy constitutes an impediment to the reception of holy orders(Code 1044 §1 2°).

As I am currently discerning a vocation to the priesthood, I would like to know if my previous schismatic and heretical beliefs (which I believed as a minor) would mean that I have an impediment to the reception of holy orders? Or could the canonical impediment for schism/heresy be replaced with a suitable “penance” (Code 1324 §1) by my confessor?

Your answers or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

I don’t think so…but talk to your vocations director. (be careful how you approach this though- I don’t know what diocese you are in, but some dioceses do not take too kindly to Catholics who lean toward the traditional). There have been people who have left the Church, who have gone to protestant denominations, have realized the truth of the Catholic faith, have come back, and are priests today. Fr. Corapi left the Church for many years and came back. Today, he’s one amazing priest! There are priests who were pastors in protestant denominations, and I am sure many of them were raised Catholic, but left the Church for a time.

 

[Ipodmini]

Thanks very much for the excellent answers.

I phoned the vocation director for my diocese and he burst into a fit of laughter when I said that I was worried that I might be canonically impeded from receiving Holy Orders. He said I was being ‘extremely scrupulous’, and said that is very hard to commit genuine formal schism as defined by canon law, probably impossible at my age. He said that in order for me to commit the delict of formal schism, I would have to embrace what I cognitively knew was schism, and know that I would be canonically punished for it. If this is true, I certainly did not commit anything near schism.

I feel tons better. I sure hope he’s right.

 

[Formosus]

I may have a similar story to yours.

I was raised Catholic nominally, in high school I toyed around with east asian paganism, then I had a reversion to the Catholic Church. Long story short, I kept looking at Orthoodoxy, Catholicism and Lefebvrism on and off. I asked my vocations director about it and said as long as I did not make a public act of adherence to schism or heresy then there should be no problem (Public act he described as, rebaptism, confirmation, marriage, recieving Ordination). So you are probably in the clear. Hope that was helpful.

 

[Spirithound]

I phoned the vocation director for my diocese and he burst into a fit of laughter when I said that I was worried that I might be canonically impeded from receiving Holy Orders. He said I was being ‘extremely scrupulous’, and said that is very hard to commit genuine formal schism as defined by canon law, probably impossible at my age. He said that in order for me to commit the delict of formal schism, I would have to embrace what I cognitively knew was schism, and know that I would be canonically punished for it. If this is true, I certainly did not commit anything near schism.

I feel tons better. I sure hope he’s right.

He’s probably right. At any rate, I do believe that the bishop can dispense with any impediments, provided you are valid matter for the Sacrament (a man ).
Peace, God bless, and I’m praying for you (could you pray for my vocation too? Thanks!!)