I was baptised as an infant but I really don’t know much about the Catholic faith and because of my ignorance, I got baptised again this time in a non Catholic church. I realize now that what I did was sacrilegious, what should I do? The church that baptised me again was non denominational and taught me that infant baptism is wrong.
Should I go and confess my sins to a priest and how should I do it? I really would like to be a proper Catholic starting today.
If you were baptized Catholic you simply go to Confession. How do you do so?
A. Finding a place and time for the Confession
1.Google your nearest Catholic parish (or whatever parish is convenient.)
2a. Google the parish site to see if they have an appointed time for Confession. Go at that time. Try to come early. Beware that lines may be long and apparently not getting your turn is a possibility
2b. Email/call your priest to set up a time.
B. Before Confession
Use an examination of conscience you find online. You MUST confess all the mortal sins you remember. I would suggest simply confessing all sins. If you forget something that’s not a problem but if you intentionally withhold it then it is a sin and the sacrament is invalid.
C. During Confession
Take a deep breath. That’s it. Most places have a piece of paper in the confessional telling you what to do. Even if yours does not just tell your priest so.
D. After Confession
Do your assigned penance.
*since you may in theory be guilty of apostasy you may have incurred an excommunication. I’m not an expert and don’t want to panic you. In theory you must be over 16 to incur one and you must know it is an offense for which you can be excommunicated. I’m not sure if the second condition applies for apostasy though since you kind of know you’re leaving the Catholic Church when you are literally physically leaving the Catholic Church. Your priest will be able to clarify in Confession but I am 85% sure you are fine to just go to Confession
You’ve done nothing sacrilegious. The second baptism was simply unnecessary and unefficacious since your valid, infant Baptism made you Catholic. Indeed, you’ve never stopped being a Catholic since that moment. Speak to a priest about how to return to the practice of the Catholic faith and perhaps completing your initiation with Confirmation and Holy Eucharist if needed. This can be a very exciting time spiritually for you if you pursue it. For the Holy Church always lovingly welcomes back those members of our family who have been away.
He incurs absolutely no excommunication whatsoever by simply joining an ecclesial community or attempting to be baptized again. Such canonical penalty is reserved by the Holy See only for true Apostates who start their own religions, cults, or false churches. You might consider being more careful about telling others they are excommunicated. That can be quite harmful and is certainly less than charitable.
That’s why I said I’m 85% sure this is not the case. Apostasy and or schism by a member of the laity can incur a latea seninta excommunication. I assumed OP may have likely known about this since he asked “should I go”. Should I go can imply “I’m insecure/don’t know how” or it could imply “is there something that prevents me”. If I didn’t make this clear enough I do apologize and will make it clear now: anybody is welcome back into the Catholic Church at any time. The reason why I informed OP is because I remember that I had a somewhat weird situation that made me think I may have been excommunicated when I first went to
Confession and if anything my post was meant to reassure rather than scare away as I have states in my post explicitly “I am not an expert and do not want to panic you” https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/heresy_schism_apostasy.htm
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