No longer Catholic?

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VonDerTann said:
The natural law imprinted on our hearts makes us yearn for God.

I feel rather sorry for folks who go to/from Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism and atheism like they’re changing jobs every few months - they’re clearly searching for something they can’t find (or they have “it” and don’t know it).

Pray for the friend to figure it out. Sad.
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I have to disagree that such a practice is sad. Self-examination and self-searching is one of the most noble pursuits one can undertake. For some it’s easy. For others it can be long and complicated with many bumps along the way. Check out “The Journey Home” on EWTN. Some guests make one or two such shifts in their lives, while others go through many shifts trying to find what is true. They find the truth lies with Catholicism, and for other people in their journeys they find the truth lies elsewhere.

We should applaud people who are willing to uproot from where they stand in the search for truth no matter how often it may occur.
 
VanitasVanitatum said:
Actually she can depending on the requirements.
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Perhaps, if it’s something like Buddhism combined with a form of Christianity. But I would think Catholicism (which requires being faithful to the Magesterium) and one of the Protestant offshoots (which denies the authority of the Magesterium) would be mutually exclusive.
 
Mike_from_NJ said:
If the OP’s friend had instead gone to the Baptist church instead of atheism how would you describe her religion? You can’t just say “Catholic” since that ignores the very real and faithful practice she’d be doing as a Baptist.
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I actually have relatives in that position. One was the child of a Baptist minister who allowed the nuns at the hospital where he was born to baptize him Catholic because he was near death. His parents just wanted him to live. They were like yeah just do whatever you think will help. He grew up to be a fervent Baptist like his parents.

The man is Catholic. But I’m not going to run up to him at family gatherings and go, “you know, you’re really Catholic.” Maybe that Catholic baptism will help him get into Heaven one day, who knows?
 
She is a very intelligent person. She is very logical, no-nonsense, very thoughtful…she is probably one of the most intelligent humans I’ve met in my life.

No tragedy happened, except her not having the Faith to continue in the Church.

Like I said before, she was convinced the CC held the fullness of Truth. I believe she just wasn’t ready for it too. She was in a hurry to convert!
 
Sounds like unreasonable expectations. Well, we can pray for her and allow the Holy Spirit to go to work.
 
“…and my life was empty”.

She told me she truly thinks religion is a way to fill that void we all have. She thinks religion gives a false hope, false happiness and a false fulfillment to make humans believe they truly have a purpose. Otherwise, why are there so many other religions…because they give everyone a “purpose” according to her.
 
Explain so I can understand where you’re coming from if you don’t mind.

Some here are saying she still is Catholic and others are saying she’s not. This is kind of confusing.
 
So even if she totally rejects the Church’s teachings, believes in the total opposite, she’s still Catholic??
 
She told me if God/Holy Spirit truly existed then she wouldn’t have fallen away. Like I said she’s very convinced God doesn’t exist, and that’s one of the reasons why she left.
 
As has been said multiple times in the thread, once a person is baptized Catholic, or otherwise formally received into the Church (in some cases the person’s non-Catholic Trinitarian baptism is accepted by the Church), then “being Catholic” Is not based on whether one, at a later date, accepts or rejects Church teachings.
 
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Mike_from_NJ said:
But I would think Catholicism (which requires being faithful to the Magesterium) and one of the Protestant offshoots (which denies the authority of the Magesterium) would be mutually exclusive.
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Baptism is the only requirement to be Catholic, to be a practicing Catholic has more requirements.
 
Thank you all for your responses.

I now understand she’s still Catholic even if she’s atheist, rejects Church’s teaching or worse.

Thank you again.
 
Never been an atheist, so I can’t speak from that experience. However, your reply is spot on. Her friend needs to pray for her and through God’s will, she might return.
 
Memo0 said:
She will always be a Catholic
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Always is a long time. Maybe for the rest of her life and then if she dies in a state of grace. If she doesn’t, she is certainly not Catholic at that point.
 
Through Baptism …
we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church…
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Your arm is your arm, for your whole life.
Since human beings are a unity of body and soul, and sacraments have a real effect on the whole human person, one can’t be unincorporated from Christ any more than your arm is no longer part of your body.
An indelible spiritual mark . . .
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Even though baptism is indelible and is the gateway to salvation, it is not the realization of it in the person. Co-operation is required.
 
goout said:
one can’t be unincorporated from Christ any more than your arm is no longer part of your body.
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goout said:
Even though baptism is indelible and is the gateway to salvation, it is not the realization of it in the person. Co-operation is required.
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Not sure if you’re saying there are Christians in hell or not. To be clear there aren’t any. Our Lord is not suffering in hell.
 
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