Minimum Catholic Requirements?

[Elzee]

I’ve been reading ‘Catholicism for Dummies’ by Fr. Trigilio and really like it. But, he confuses me right off the bat…on page 13 he gives the ‘minimum requirements for being a Catholic’ and then lists the 6 precepts of the Church (attend Mass on Sunday and holy days, confession annually, receiving Holy Communion during Easter, observe laws on fasting and abstinence, obey marriage laws of the Church, support the Church financially).

Is this really all that is ‘needed to be a Catholic’ once you’re received into the Church? i know in our church, for example, when adults are received at the Easter Vigil, they are asked if thye agree to accept all the teachings of the Church. And, according to a question I asked on the ‘Ask Apologist’ forum, we should not be receiving Communion if we do not submit to the Church’s teachings (on abortion, birth control, Mary, meaning of the Eucharist, etc.) If that’s the case, how can the minimum Catholic requirements only be adhering to the 6 precepts? Does anyone know what Fr. Trigillio means by this?

 

[Robert_in_SD]

Elzee:

I’ve been reading ‘Catholicism for Dummies’ by Fr. Trigilio and really like it. But, he confuses me right off the bat…on page 13 he gives the ‘minimum requirements for being a Catholic’ and then lists the 6 precepts of the Church (attend Mass on Sunday and holy days, confession annually, receiving Holy Communion during Easter, observe laws on fasting and abstinence, obey marriage laws of the Church, support the Church financially).

Is this really all that is ‘needed to be a Catholic’ once you’re received into the Church? i know in our church, for example, when adults are received at the Easter Vigil, they are asked if thye agree to accept all the teachings of the Church. And, according to a question I asked on the ‘Ask Apologist’ forum, we should not be receiving Communion if we do not submit to the Church’s teachings (on abortion, birth control, Mary, meaning of the Eucharist, etc.) If that’s the case, how can the minimum Catholic requirements only be adhering to the 6 precepts? Does anyone know what Fr. Trigillio means by this?

These precepts involve what one has to DO when one is a Catholic. It presumes that one already believes the Catholic faith. If you want to know what one has to BELIEVE be Catholic, the best place to start is the Nicene Creed.

 

[Thomas_More_1]

They are only the very minimum external laws. That’s it.

What you have to do interiorly, spiritually, and to grow in faith, hope and charity, well that’s a whole 'nother thread.

 

[Verbum]

Hi Elzee,

Act of Faith

O my God, I firmly believe that thou art one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that thy Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. **I believe these and all the truths the Holy Catholic Church teaches **because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceived nor be deceived.

This is the minimum.Plus you must act according to your beliefs.

Veerbum

 

[dafalax]

One thing i love about the Catholic Church is that Jesus, in His wisdom, gave us tools and structure to help us grow closer to Him. We only have to confess if we have mortal sins, but if you take advantage more often, how much better it is for you! You are more consistently thinking about your sins and talking with someone about them so you can overcome them. You need only attend Sunday mass, but how much more blessed is your life if you attend every day? The bare minimum requirements of what we do as Catholics are to give you a taste, to whet your appetite. They are God’s invitation. How sad it is when we keep him at arm’s length and only do the bare minimum, and then only grudgingly.

 

[threej_lc]

Most organizations have “dues” or annual fees to maintain membership. These are just the annual dues that the church requires of its memebers to be in good standing. It already assumes that ones accepts the full teachings of the church.

Josh