Returning to the RC Church

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JohnStrachan

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I believe God directed me to this site for a reason. And since coming here I been received warmly. If I wanted to return the RC church - I’ve been away for 10 years - what is the best way to do that?
 
Yep. Meet with the priest or confession. I’d recommend the former though. Confession can take place there and you can talk with him.
 
JohnStrachan said:
I believe God directed me to this site for a reason. And since coming here I been received warmly. If I wanted to return the RC church - I’ve been away for 10 years - what is the best way to do that?
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Looking into RCIA or cathecisis classes may be a good idea.

Were you confirmed?

Maybe try going to Mass (but don’t receive Holy Communion).

The most important thing has already been mentioned. If you have been confirmed all you need to do is go to Confession. My other suggestions are around learning more - especially as you are not sure.
 
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If you wish to make an appointment you can. If you just want to get it overwith and get back in the fold, simply make a list of your sins starting with anything grave, go early to confession, get in and get out.

I returned after 18 years lapsed and got my confession over in about 5-7 minutes with no appointment because I just wanted to get 'er done and didn’t feel like palavering around.

I expected to get yelled at by the priest because I’d done some really bad stuff, but he was really positive, kind, happy and welcoming.

Good luck, glad you are coming home.
 
Consulting with a priest or deacon. 😃
Confession. 🙏
Welcome back home! 😁
 
Welcome back!
Confession is a good way back to becoming a practicing Catholic. You may also choose to make an appointment with your parish priest, that should be fruitful. If you would like; attending RCIA could be a good thing as well.

Before Confession I recommend you to do some preparation if you would like to do so take a look on these sites;
Feel free to catch up with me on PM or here if you have some questions 🙂
 
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Was away for twenty years. I spent about a year before coming back reconciling misconceptions from my Calvinist wanderings …eventually adding the rosary (albeit while still holding certain dogmas at arm’s length). I’m pretty sure the rosary was a major factor in my reversion. Once Our Lady is involved there’s no turning back.🙂 🙂 🙂

One Wednesday about two years ago, it happened to be an Ash Wednesday, I decided to take the plunge and get me some ashes. I searched around for the most convenient Mass near me purposefully steering away from the church I’d left (didn’t need to add drama). One church up the road had several Masses and one perfectly convenient service. I chose that perfectly convenient service so I could test the waters without the pressure of Mass and Communion. I felt instantly at home.

That Lent I did daily Mass as often as possible and on Sundays slipped off to 7:30 Mass much to my husband’s surprise before attending service at the Presbyterian church.

Coming back was as simple as going to confession sometime during Holy Week (was waiting for another perfectly convenient time…then, that mid-morning opportunity just happened to present itself). The priest gave me absolution and welcomed me back. I could’ve danced in that moment after confession I was so happy…except I had a penance to say and nobody wants to see me dance. I was able to receive Communion for the first time on Easter Sunday 2017.

If you’ve already been baptized, confirmed, received first Communion, and Reconciliation all you need to do is go to confession. But definitely set up a meeting with the priest if you have any concerns because confession isn’t the time to hash those out…that could lead to a long line of anxious penitents behind you.
 
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JohnStrachan said:
If I wanted to return the RC church - I’ve been away for 10 years - what is the best way to do that?
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I’d say make an appointment to talk to your local
Catholic pastor and he can guide you from there as to what you may need beyond confession.
 
So I registered for this site to answer some questions for myself. I’m not sure if I want to come back to the Catholic Church, or if I ever would be fully accepted back. You see, I’ve been away and not practicing for 30 years. In that time, I’ve married and raised a family outside the church, divorced and remarried outside the church, and am confused about how the church would welcome someone like me back. Like aren’t marriage outside the church and divorce both way up there on the Sin scale? When I do attend at the Catholic Church, as I have done from time to time for funerals and weddings etc. I don’t take part in the Eucharist because I don’t think even going to confession gets me clear to do so. Anyway. I would welcome some discussion around this. I am a very spiritual person and I believe I still have a rich faith. When I stopped practicing many years ago my issues were (and still are) about not needing intermediaries between myself and God and other rebellions reasons like that.
 
Welcome back! I came back recently too. All I had to do was go to confession.
 
Call up your pastor, walk up to him after Mass and say “I’ve been away for 10 years and I am ready to come home”.
 
BrokenSaint said:
Like aren’t marriage outside the church and divorce both way up there on the Sin scale?
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No more than anyone else’s sins. we are all way up there on the sin scale. 🙂

Set up an appointment with your local pastor, he can help you with what needs to happen to bring your marriage into the Church, reconciliation, resuming the sacramental life, etc.
 
Please speak to a priest about your particular situation. It sounds like after 30 years, things may be more complicated than us strangers on the Internet can properly address. It sounds like the Holy Spirit is calling you to come back, so I would definitely answer that call if I were you, and like I said, take the first step by talking to a priest.

Remember, the Church is for sinners. Most of us who were “away” for a while did stuff way outside the Church rules. The Church still wants us back. It’s not a society of perfect people, and in fact I find a lot of the most devout people have had a pretty rocky and winding path.

Good luck and God bless on your journey home. I will pray for you.
 
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Welcome back and welcome home!

I returned to the faith last year and I thank the Lord everyday for calling me back home.

The first thing I did was call my local church and set up an appointment with a priest for Confession and just to talk. I felt incredible after. I think everyone here agrees that is a great first step =]

Welcome back again!
 
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BrokenSaint said:
So I registered for this site to answer some questions for myself. I’m not sure if I want to come back to the Catholic Church, or if I ever would be fully accepted back. You see, I’ve been away and not practicing for 30 years. In that time, I’ve married and raised a family outside the church, divorced and remarried outside the church, and am confused about how the church would welcome someone like me back. Like aren’t marriage outside the church and divorce both way up there on the Sin scale? When I do attend at the Catholic Church, as I have done from time to time for funerals and weddings etc. I don’t take part in the Eucharist because I don’t think even going to confession gets me clear to do so. Anyway. I would welcome some discussion around this. I am a very spiritual person and I believe I still have a rich faith. When I stopped practicing many years ago my issues were (and still are) about not needing intermediaries between myself and God and other rebellions reasons like that.
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You will always be welcomed back. If your spouse has never been married to someone else I doubt you got a dispensation to marry outside the Church, so you can petition to have your first marriage annulled and convalidate your marriage. While this is going on go to Confession and welcome home.
 
Thank you for the most straight forward answer so far.
 
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I was also away from the church for 30 years and married outside the Church. As others have said, it’s best to make an appointment to speak with a priest.

Because you married outside the Church the priest cannot grant you absolution in confession until you have your marriage situation straightened out. That should not be very complicated for you as a Catholic because you did not follow the marriage laws of the Church. If either of your wives was married before then things get more complicated but the priest can advise you on that.

When I first returned I could not be absolved in confession or receive Communion either until my marriage was sorted out. It was well worth the wait! All of us are sinners so don’t be afraid to speak with the priest.

Welcome home!
 
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