Many questions..

[PureBeloved]

I was baptized when I was younger (an infant, I believe), but I’ve just learned it wasn’t an ‘official’ ceremony. What do I mean? Well, I believe the priest said ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’, but I have no baptismal certificate. I have no proof at all. Can I get baptized again? Because I really don’t know if mine was valid or not.

I even had my First Communion without going to confession, although I did confess directly to God. I have only just learned that a Catholic must go to confession before going to receive the Eucharist. I have disobeyed this, although unknowingly, many times.

I’m very willing to take the steps to become a Catholic, but I don’t even know if I can. I almost feel everything I have done is unforgivable. I’m truly very sorry for everything I’ve done, now that I know, but I don’t know what to do next…

Thank you for your help and please keep me in your prayers.

 

[FCEGM]

Do you know in which parish you were presumably baptized? If so, you could contact the parish office to see if they have a record of your baptism. Even if your parents don’t have a copy, if you were baptized by a priest of a particular parish their will be/should be a permanent record of your having received this Sacrament; this is true, also, in making your First Holy Communion. The parish where you received would not have permitted your reception of this Sacrament without proof of your baptism.

You have done nothing unforgivable, especially as you would have been very young and seemingly never received proper instruction. Please speak with a priest at your parish about this; he will be happy to set you on the right course.

 

[puzzleannie]

not enough info
were you baptized Catholic in the normal way? presumably yes since you were admitted to first communion. Simply ask your parents or other family members where you were baptized, then contact that parish to get a copy of the record. If they don’t recall the church, try the parish where you made first communion, they should have recorded it. as far as confession, simply go to your current parish the next scheduled confession time, tell the priest what happened, that you were never properly instructed, and he will guide you through confession. If you have not yet been confirmed, contact your current parish to find out how they proceed with adults in your situation.

 

[Vico]

I was baptized when I was younger (an infant, I believe), but I’ve just learned it wasn’t an ‘official’ ceremony. What do I mean? Well, I believe the priest said ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’, but I have no baptismal certificate. I have no proof at all. Can I get baptized again? Because I really don’t know if mine was valid or not.

I even had my First Communion without going to confession, although I did confess directly to God. I have only just learned that a Catholic must go to confession before going to receive the Eucharist. I have disobeyed this, although unknowingly, many times.

I’m very willing to take the steps to become a Catholic, but I don’t even know if I can. I almost feel everything I have done is unforgivable. I’m truly very sorry for everything I’ve done, now that I know, but I don’t know what to do next…

Thank you for your help and please keep me in your prayers.

It is possible to receive a conditional baptism (the wording is different), but I do not know if the priest would require that. FCEGM gives you good advice to talk to a priest.

I think you may enroll in the Roman Catholic Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program to receive classes on the Catholic faith, and that lead to confirmation.

If you come from a family that is Eastern Catholic then you would not be ascribed in the Latin Church, so you should try to find out.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I was baptized when I was younger (an infant, I believe), but I’ve just learned it wasn’t an ‘official’ ceremony. What do I mean? Well, I believe the priest said ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’, but I have no baptismal certificate. I have no proof at all. Can I get baptized again? Because I really don’t know if mine was valid or not.

If there is a witness to the baptism, then it can be proven it took place and was valid. But a certificate is not needed for validity. There were no baptismal certificates in the Church for centuries.

I even had my First Communion without going to confession, although I did confess directly to God. I have only just learned that a Catholic must go to confession before going to receive the Eucharist. I have disobeyed this, although unknowingly, many times.

State of Grace is what is needed before Communion. Confession is one way to attain it but not the only way. If one is baptized immediately before Communion, then one is in a state of Grace and do not need to confess. Also if one did not commit mortal sin between the baptism or last confession, then one is still in a state of Grace and can receive Communion.

I’m very willing to take the steps to become a Catholic, but I don’t even know if I can. I almost feel everything I have done is unforgivable. I’m truly very sorry for everything I’ve done, now that I know, but I don’t know what to do next…

Thank you for your help and please keep me in your prayers.

There is nothing unforgivable with God. Go and talk to a priest.

 

[Barbkw]

“I even had my First Communion without going to confession, although I did confess directly to God. I have only just learned that a Catholic must go to confession before going to receive the Eucharist. I have disobeyed this, although unknowingly, many times.”

I’m 50, when we received 1st Eucharist we all went to Confession the week prior to receiving… I can still remember the terror of going into the “black box and kneeling”. Lights blinking off and on outside the Confessional like a flashing traffic sign

So, I’m imagining that somewhere along the line of Vatican II, it was decided that children only had venial sins and that Confession would “work itself out” along the way. However, it seems it just fell off instead, and was completely forgotten.

I’m a revert to the Church, was away for about 20 years. I was plaqued with the “God won’t forgive me” syndrome. Don’t listen to those voices inside your head, you’re transferring your unforgiveness & attitudes onto God. Creating a God in your own image.

God forgives everyone and everything. When we ask Him, He will fill us with His Grace and convert our souls to become like His.

I searched online to find an adult examination guide because I was absolutely clueless what sins were venial and which were mortal, what constituted sin, how to say the Act of Contrition.

I sat down, went through the mortal sin list and then the venial sin list, and I wrote out a list. Went to confession on an off day (which any given Saturday outside of Lent and Advent) is an off day at our parish.

Receiving absolution and experiencing that inflow of God’s grace back into my life & soul was an epiphany for me.

This guide may be helpful for you as well:

catholicparents.org/oxcart/Examination%20of%20Conscience.pdf

My prayers go with you - and your continual conversion into Christ.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

but I don’t even know if I can. I almost feel everything I have done is unforgivable.

First, don’t worry about this part at all. It sounds like you were honestly trying to do as God wished, so there is probably not even much to confess (especially if the first communion was at a young age, when it would have been the responsibility of your priest and parents to make sure you went through it right). But even if you were actively trying to make a mockery of everything - and it certainly doesn’t sound as though you were - everything would be forgivable.

As for the baptism - If you do not have a certificate and cannot satisfy diocesan officials enough that they issue one, you can get a conditional baptism (the priest will say something like "if you have not been baptized, I baptize you…). If you have in fact been validly Baptized, this will only serve to satisfy the record keepers; if you have not, then you will be baptized by that ceremony. I do not know how much preparation (if any) would be required, but you should talk to your priest about it.

As regards to the communion - you are only required to go to confession before communion if you are in a state of mortal sin. If you haven’t been doing so, just start now. If you are afraid that you should have known that you should have been going when you haven’t, just mention that in your next confession and see what the priest says. You may have to sort out the baptism thing before you can start on this, I would make an appointment with your priest to get the whole thing sorted out as soon as possible.

I also wouldn’t worried about being embarrassed. The priest will just want to get things straightened out, same as you.