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Lefty0908
Guest
I’m not talking about civil law. I’m talking about membership and fellowship in the eyes of the church. That was the original question. Keep up.
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NewSeeker
Guest
The OP asked Catholics for info on how to convert to Catholicism, not what the process is in the eyes of the LDS church. You offered irrelevant info, unnecessarily complicating the issue - exactly like someone trying to keep an inactive member in the church. Keep trying, Skippy.
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twopekinguys
Guest
LOL, with all due respect, it is you that doesn’t know what you are talking about. Perhaps you didn’t notice the legal precedence that has already been cited.
Regardless of what you think, the person is no longer a member the minute that letter arrives at the membership office. No other contact is required.
Once they receive the letter of resignation, they filter the information to the necessary people.
Too many people on here have been through it, and my very close cousin has been through it, so maybe you should be better prepared in your argument, or rebuttal.
You might want to check with the people in SLC to verify it.
Have a nice day.
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paulp1002
Guest
If you are serious about this, I would recommend talking to the Priest at your local Parish, attend Mass regularly (without partaking in the Eucharist) and maybe attend RCIA classes and of course pray pray pray. There is no pressure or time limit.
Once you determine that this is the right step, you can send in a letter to have your name removed from the LDS Membership records, although it is not a requirement. When you complete the RCIA course you will make a Profession of Faith and that is all that is needed. Since the Catholic Church doesn’t recognize the LDS Church as a “valid” Christian religion (which was told to me by my Parish) it doesn’t matter if you send the letter or not.
I personally sent the certified letter to the Bishop of the local ward with a delivery confirmation (so I know they received it) and awaited the letter confirming my request; because it provided me a closure to that chapter in my life. But like others have said, if you don’t send the letter you will probably still be contacted by Home\Vistor Teachers etc… (depending how in-active you are.)
The one thing I strongly recommend is, not to talk with any one in the Bishopric in person. They will not take you leaving lightly and will try to convince you to stay and offer to have the Home\Vistor Teachers visit you more often and for you to particpate in more church callings to rebuild your testimony.
If you decide this is what you want and you would like to send the letter, you may PM me and I can provide you a copy of the letter that I sent. You may send the letter directly to the Membership office, or to your Bishop and once they receive it, you are no longer legally a member of that church (this is why I paid for the delivery confirmation.) The LDS process is that you send the letter to the Bishop of your ward, so that they can contact you to verify you are making the right decision, then he sends it to the stake president then on to the membership office. In your letter you can state not request that you would like to waive the 30 day period and that you do not want to be contacted by anyone other than a letter confirming your request.
Hope this helps,
Remember that no matter how many forks in the road or how rough the path may be, God is always with you.
Once you determine that this is the right step, you can send in a letter to have your name removed from the LDS Membership records, although it is not a requirement. When you complete the RCIA course you will make a Profession of Faith and that is all that is needed. Since the Catholic Church doesn’t recognize the LDS Church as a “valid” Christian religion (which was told to me by my Parish) it doesn’t matter if you send the letter or not.
I personally sent the certified letter to the Bishop of the local ward with a delivery confirmation (so I know they received it) and awaited the letter confirming my request; because it provided me a closure to that chapter in my life. But like others have said, if you don’t send the letter you will probably still be contacted by Home\Vistor Teachers etc… (depending how in-active you are.)
The one thing I strongly recommend is, not to talk with any one in the Bishopric in person. They will not take you leaving lightly and will try to convince you to stay and offer to have the Home\Vistor Teachers visit you more often and for you to particpate in more church callings to rebuild your testimony.
If you decide this is what you want and you would like to send the letter, you may PM me and I can provide you a copy of the letter that I sent. You may send the letter directly to the Membership office, or to your Bishop and once they receive it, you are no longer legally a member of that church (this is why I paid for the delivery confirmation.) The LDS process is that you send the letter to the Bishop of your ward, so that they can contact you to verify you are making the right decision, then he sends it to the stake president then on to the membership office. In your letter you can state not request that you would like to waive the 30 day period and that you do not want to be contacted by anyone other than a letter confirming your request.
Hope this helps,
Remember that no matter how many forks in the road or how rough the path may be, God is always with you.
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Sunstone
Guest
My wife and I are in RCIA. It is my second time through and her first time through. Although we have discovered that we have been damaged a bit by our LDS experience, It is going well for both of us.
A small miracle happened to me a few days ago. As I was walking to a class (I teach in higher ed), I was thinking about the powerful truths I had been learning in RCIA. I was also thinking about if it was worth putting off baptism until after my mother-in-law passed away.
Ahead of me a corridor was blocked for mopping and so I went down a floor to continue on my way. I almost never walk this lower floor. Well, outside of one of the offices down there was a table with free books. Sitting upright, as if waiting for me, was a brand new copy of the CCC.
A small miracle happened to me a few days ago. As I was walking to a class (I teach in higher ed), I was thinking about the powerful truths I had been learning in RCIA. I was also thinking about if it was worth putting off baptism until after my mother-in-law passed away.
Ahead of me a corridor was blocked for mopping and so I went down a floor to continue on my way. I almost never walk this lower floor. Well, outside of one of the offices down there was a table with free books. Sitting upright, as if waiting for me, was a brand new copy of the CCC.
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Marie5890
Guest
I’m a former Mormon and it’s important to point out that in order to become Catholic you do not “need” to resign your LDS membership for you to become Catholic.
Some of the previous posts kinda make it sound like it’s some sort of necessary step.
It’s not. That is entirely up to you.
Some of the previous posts kinda make it sound like it’s some sort of necessary step.
It’s not. That is entirely up to you.
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Marie5890
Guest
None of this are requirements in order to become Catholic.
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blueadept
Guest
My father would probably disagree. He converted to Catholicism in 1967 and he politely explained this to the LDS missionaries for 25 years who seem to consistently track him down no matter where he moved to. The visitations from the LDS missionaries finally stopped after he submitted the resignation letter. He didn’t realize that was an option so that the missionaries would leave him alone.
While this is not a requirement to become a Catholic, I HIGHLY suggest that former LDS members take the time to send in the resignation letter. You made a choice and this is the only way the LDS seems to respect your choice.
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Marie5890
Guest
It’s important to point out to any former LDS that official resignation doesnt mean your name is purged from all of their data bases. It’s not
Your name is just removed off the membership list. Basically you go from one list to another.
Your name is just removed off the membership list. Basically you go from one list to another.
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Lefty0908
Guest
Of course you’re right. I didn’t mean to cloud things with ethical considerations. My bad. Cue the “conspiracy organ music.”
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Marie5890
Guest
Just a correction out of respect, it’s Gregg Dodge, not Scott.
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mwok
Guest
I am also a former mormon and have wondered… should I ask not to have my name or anyone in my family added to the list for proxy baptism?
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NewSeeker
Guest
If someone indicates on a Catholic board that they want to leave Mormonism and become Catholic, the ethical thing to do is NOT to send them to their Mormon bishop. I’m picturing you with a Snidely Whiplash moustache.
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NewSeeker
Guest
Oops! You’re right…Scott Dodge is Deacon Scott at the Cathedral of the Madeleine in SLC. My bad!Just a correction out of respect, it’s Gregg Dodge, not Scott.
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twopekinguys
Guest
Praise the Lord!! Miracles are all around us, and it is a great thing that you recognized one.
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Anna_Scott
Guest
Marie5890,
Yes, and once you die, the LDS Church may Baptize you again, by proxy, to put your name back on their records. So, even though you have formally resigned from the LDS church in life, they do what they want with your name, after you die.
In fact, they baptize, by proxy, many people who are deceased, including Catholics and Jews who died in the Holocaust.
Peace,
Anna
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blueadept
Guest
You can ask but it would be a useless point. Your LDS family members feel the need to do this for all their family members regardless if they are active members or not. What’s important, as a Catholic, is not to cooperate in aiding them to submit names for proxy baptisms.
The thought is that even though we believe the proxy baptism will have no effect on us or our love ones we do not agree with their theology. Cooperating may infer that we are fine with their practice which we shouldn’t be IMO.
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blueadept
Guest
I’ve gone through this issue with many LDS members which are family and friends. Most will say that they’ve been explicitly told not to turn in names of Jews who died in the Holocaust and are only to turn in names from their own personal deceased relatives or friends who have given them permission to do their family history.
For me, I try to give them the benefit of what they are saying but tend to be a pessimist on the issue at how well the LDS leadership follow through with the intention. IMO, it’s a PR move to say one thing but they have no real way (or have any check and balance system) to follow through. Thus, you occasionally see a high profile story of some relative or other important person receiving a proxy baptism. The two cases that come to mind are Obama’s grandmother and JPII.
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Lefty0908
Guest
Yeah, but with a moustache color combination of blended red, blonde, and gray, it’s not very sinister!
I’m not trying to argue retention of someone who obviously has made up her mind to leave my church. All I’m saying is that in my experience it is most annoying for such people to be subsequently contacted by well-meaning LDS folks in their area. The likelihood of this happening is much greater (and hence the annoyance level much higher) for people whose names remain on the records of the LDS church even though they have left. As you have pointed out, it’s not a legal issue, but one of administrative record keeping. My posting on this topic is simply to try and smooth the way for this person who has chosen a different route for her spiritual life. And from the standpoint of my church’s administration of these things, I dare say that I have forgotten more about that subject than any well-meaning Catholic poster thinks (s)he knows (geez - I sound like some puffed-up toad about to blow!).
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Telstar
Guest
I recently learned that a cousin of mine has converted to LDS (former Baptist minister). We really aren’t ‘close’, but I’m a little concerned that he might decide to Baptize my whole family by proxy. I really don’t want to confront him on the issue since I don’t want to cause any kind of problems in the rest of the family, but I really don’t want any of our side of the family on their membership rolls, even if it is just ‘by proxy’. I feel like I’m kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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