Need an answer please!

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crazycrazy

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Here is the situation:

I wanted to go into RCIA, but it is too late in the year. I asked the priest about being baptized anyway, and he said that I would have to go through RCIA first.

What if I die tomorrow? I am not even in RCIA.

Would I be justified in receiving a valid baptism in a protestant church?
 
In this situation you are baptized by intent and can safely wait until you have completed a RCIA course before being formally baptized.

If you truly wish to join the Catholic Church being baptized in a protestant church won’t help anything. Just relax and know your intent is enough until the true opportunity is available.

Did you specify to the priest that you want to be in RCIA? I can’t imagine there isn’t something that can be worked out so you don’t have to wait until next fall to start learning. Perhaps there is a way you can have an individual sponsor get you caught up, so to speak, with the rest of the class.
 
See if you can locate a Catholic Church in your area that offers the Traditional Latin Mass. Often these Priests will give you one-on-one instructions. That’s how I entered the Church. I attended weekly instructions with the Priest for about an hour and was baptized after about three months.
 
Ultima Ratio has the best advise. see if you can find a Trad priest and begin instruction. I have a friend that found a Trad priest, who after talking with him for about an hour, decided to go ahead and baptise him that weekend. He felt that he was sufficiently informed to lead a good Catholic life. And the priest was correct.
 
If you’re baptized before you’re ready you will have problems. You need to be properly taught to handle life after it.

You don’t want to be falling into sins and owing penance for them that you could otherwise have avoided properly taught.

Baptism is a once in a lifetime event. Preparation is key. Only in clear danger of death is it done in emergencies, or of course for infants who will be raised in the faith.

Find a traditional parish, F.S.S.P. would be great. Be taught there so you know how to overcome sin and make your baptism one you live as strongly as possible.

The older form of baptism is best as well, the prayers accompanying it are especially helpful for clearing out any bad influences from your past.

Trust in the Lord. 🙂
 
Is there any good reason why this person cannot approach an Eastern Catholic (note I did not say “Orthodox”) priest about baptism?
 
Ask the priest if you can attend the RCIA meetings anyway, just to learn about the faith. You may indeed have to wait until next year. On the other hand, you may soften his heart and he would relent. Most RCIA programs are still in the ‘inquiry’ stage.

Or find out if there is another parish in the area that will admit you to their RCIA program; some are year-round programs and inquirers are accepted at any time. In my parish you would be admitted and would have team members who would help you catch up. Don’t give up. If you do have to wait, continue to attend mass, make spiritual communions, pray, ‘offer it up’ as the good sisters used to tell us.

I recommend attending instruction sessions or RCIA in the parish you plan to attend. If you intend to go to a FSSP parish, take instruction there, otherwise don’t try to evade the requirements in the parish you will attend. Obedience seems to be highly thought of by the Lord.
 
Cluny said:
Is there any good reason why this person cannot approach an Eastern Catholic (note I did not say “Orthodox”) priest about baptism?
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No reason at all if the person wants to become an Eastern Catholic. Since he (she?) spoke about RCIA, it is my assumption that he intends to belong to the Latin rite. He should therefore accept the process he is advised to go through, whether RCIA or individual instruction. Would you tell someone wishing to become an Eastern Catholic to go through RCIA in a Latin Rite parish? Yes, the baptism would be valid but he would have missed being formed in the rite he wants to belong to.
 
Would it be considered mortal sin (heresy) to join an Orthodox Church instead?
 
crazycrazy said:
Would it be mortal sin (heresy) to join an Orthodox Church?
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That’s a really good question. I don’t think someone who is not baptized is able to commit heresy. OTOH, the Catechism is pretty clear that if you know the Catholic Church is true, and you refuse to join it, you are in a seriously bad state.

In any case, you REALLY shouldn’t do it unless you are really convinced that the teachings of the Orthodox churches are more true than those of the Catholic church. Keep in mind that there isn’t just one Orthodox church with different rites, in the same way as there is one Catholic church with different rites (e.g. Latin, Maronite, Byzantine, etc.). The Orthodox churches (e.g. Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox) do not all teach precisely the same things, so you would need to look into their teachings.

–Jen
 
Claire_from_DE said:
I recommend attending instruction sessions or RCIA in the parish you plan to attend. If you intend to go to a FSSP parish, take instruction there, **otherwise don’t try to evade the requirements in the parish you will attend. ** Obedience seems to be highly thought of by the Lord.
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This is the best advice that I’ve read here. It seems wrong to try and go around your pastor to get what you want immediately.
 
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