When can you call yourself Catholic?

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Religious_Girl

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I’m starting on a RCIA course, but it will not be until Easter that I am baptised.

The thing is, I have been wanting this for so long, that the wait is beginning to get me down. I know that I can go to mass and pray in the same way as Catholics, but not receiving Holy Communion and Confession is something that I feel so separated from.

I so want to be Catholic, but know that I won’t be for a long time.
 
Religious_Girl said:
I’m starting on a RCIA course, but it will not be until Easter that I am baptised.

The thing is, I have been wanting this for so long, that the wait is beginning to get me down. I know that I can go to mass and pray in the same way as Catholics, but not receiving Holy Communion and Confession is something that I feel so separated from.

I so want to be Catholic, but know that I won’t be for a long time.
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I am going through RCIA as well and like you will hopefully be baptized at Easter. It doesn’t get me down though to have to wait. I am having a great time learning about the faith and feel it does not need to be rushed. God Bless:D
 
The desire you have for the Eucharist is a sign that you a meant to be in the Church. Do not despair at the wait, but offer it up as a benefit for poor souls in Purgatory or for your own good. In that way, it will make you stronger when you do become Catholic.

God Bless!
 
Dear Chibear and Religious Girl. Encouragement and prayers to you both! This period of preparation is not so very long after all, and follows the liturgical year from the current"ordinary time", through the Advent and Christmas Season, into Lent and Easter. It truly is a journey that Catholics follow each year. It is like a pilgrimage to the joy of the Resurrection. We had friends who went through RCIA last year, and we were privileged to be at the Holy Saturday service where they were received into the Church and received the Sacraments for the first time. They positively glowed! I agree that the other poster that the longing for the sacraments is a sign that you are where you need to be. Have patience! ❤️❤️
 
gt8952b said:
The desire you have for the Eucharist is a sign that you a meant to be in the Church. Do not despair at the wait, but offer it up as a benefit for poor souls in Purgatory or for your own good. In that way, it will make you stronger when you do become Catholic.

God Bless!
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:yeah_me:
So true! I agree. A positive way to look at this is that while going through RCIA, we can remind ourselves and our friends and family that this is part of the journey! It will go more quickly than imagined. God honors the heart’s desire and that is why he calls us to this ancient and beautiful Rite. Also, many people like to attend even* after* they join the Church and become sponsors for new people entering. All things worth having take time. When I went through, I felt very glad to have time to prepare and to ask questions. Holy Saturday will be a beautiful day for all just entering the Church and for those remembering what it was like to go through their own faith journey.
:harp::amen::clapping::angel1::flowers::thankyou:
 
It’s good to hear that it doesn’t seem to affect others, but it does me.
 
Religious_Girl said:
It’s good to hear that it doesn’t seem to affect others, but it does me.
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The Church considers you a part of her because you are a catechumen. Although you have to wait a few months yet to be baptized, your soul is in not in danger because you desire baptism, therefore, if you should die your desire for baptism means God sees you as one of his own in anticipation of you receiving the sacraments. So, let this time of RCIA be one of learning, patience, joy and anticipation. All will be well for you are within the arms of the Church. You can talk to your priest about your status, if you wish, but he will tell you the same thing. Welcome home to the Church! 🙂
 
gt8952b said:
The desire you have for the Eucharist is a sign that you a meant to be in the Church. Do not despair at the wait, but offer it up as a benefit for poor souls in Purgatory or for your own good. In that way, it will make you stronger when you do become Catholic.

God Bless!
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Wonderful words, and so very true!

The Lord bless you both, Religious Girl and eo_chibears.
 
In a few weeks you will go through the “RITE OF ACCEPTANCE INTO THE ORDER OF CATECHUMENS” You will meet the Bishop, you will sign the book - and after that, if you were to die, you would receive a Catholic funeral. After that, countdown to Easter 🙂
 
Castello said:
In a few weeks you will go through the “RITE OF ACCEPTANCE INTO THE ORDER OF CATECHUMENS” You will meet the Bishop, you will sign the book - and after that, if you were to die, you would receive a Catholic funeral. After that, countdown to Easter 🙂
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You seem to be mixing two of the Rites together. The Rite of Acceptance is the one that often happens this time of year. The Rite of Election is when you meet the Bishop and sign the book. It is the one that happens at the beginning of Lent.
 
Dear Religious Girl. I was reading over the posts and realized we all jumped in on the process that was occurring and did not acknowledge your sense/feeling of being separated, and your longing for reconciliation and communion. Let me assure you that you are less separated than you may feel at this point. Mother Church has her arms around you! I would really encourage you to discuss this with your priest and or leaders of your RCIA group -perhaps both. They can offer you better counsel since they know you better. God Bless. Let us know how things are going.

PS: you too Chibear - guess I feel a little attachment here since we are also Bear fans!
 
I think it’s lovely you are excited and even impatient to become one with the Church. I offer that patience is one of the virtues Catholicism leads us to desire and God is offering you a wonderful opportunity to practice it.

Try to take joy in every moment of the process, the journey doesn’t stop after RCIA. Baptism is just the beginning and your whole life will be a more blessed journey from now on.
 
My husband is due to be received into the Catholic Church next Easter as well. For him it’s a little different because he was baptised in a form recognised by the Catholic Church. He still won’t receive Holy Communion or make his confession until Easter (and I think he will be confirmed then, but he already did that in his other church too, so not sure).

We had to fill in a census recently, and hubby listed himself as Catholic. He figured that because he had made the decision to join, the procedural part would take time, but he was in his heart a Catholic, and would identify as such.

It sounds like you feel this way too - you believe the CC is the true church and you want to be a part of it, so although you must wait for the sacraments, you can consider yourself a member of the Church and identify as a Catholic. Especially in light of what others have said in this thread about desiring baptism.
 
Religious_Girl said:
I’m starting on a RCIA course, but it will not be until Easter that I am baptised.

The thing is, I have been wanting this for so long, that the wait is beginning to get me down. I know that I can go to mass and pray in the same way as Catholics, but not receiving Holy Communion and Confession is something that I feel so separated from.

I so want to be Catholic, but know that I won’t be for a long time.
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When I first approached a parish with the desire to become Catholic, I was told that we were not going to be in the country long enough, that their program (in the UK) typically lasted 6 weeks and we were in transit to the US after leaving Iran in November 1978. So, I waited.

When we got to the US, I went to a parish and enquired. It was December by this time. I was informed that their RCIA program begins in September and they do not permit joining it in progress and that I would have to wait until the next September to begin RCIA. I understand your desire, the feeling of not being completely a part of the Church and the seemingly endless wait. God had lit a fire in me to be baptised, but then He made me wait. All I can say is that it was well worth it.

Even though you cannot yet receive Communion, you can make a Spiritual Communion.
My Jesus,
I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
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Amen.
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Since you are not yet baptised, you will not be recieving the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to the Sacraments of Initiation. This is because Baptism washes away both the eternal and the temporal effects of sin in ones’s life - everything prior to that point, so Confession is not necessary. One thing I wish I had done was a thorough examination of conscience prior to being baptised so as to be aware of all the things I was turning away from, all the sins that were being forgiven, even if I didn’t have to tell anyone. There are many guides to examinations available online or you can ask your RCIA class for assistance.

Here is one.

May God bless you on your journey.
:signofcross:
 
Think of the wait as a time for courting. Seek it with a joyous heart. God will bless you in so many ways. Are you baptized already? That may tell the story a bit further. At one point you would be eligible for all the rites of a Catholic in good standing. There are many that can better explain this in detail than me. I’m currently in training to become a catechist.
 
Just wanted to say thanks to those people who have been of help, and that I am probably not going to stay on this forum. I can’t ask the things I need to, so will go somewhere that I can.

Thanks again.
 
Religious_Girl said:
Just wanted to say thanks to those people who have been of help, and that I am probably not going to stay on this forum. I can’t ask the things I need to, so will go somewhere that I can.

Thanks again.
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Unless your questions would violate forum rules (which I can’t imagine they would) you can ask anything you’d like on this forum. Trust me, we’ve read it all here! :eek: 😉
 
Religious_Girl said:
I’m starting on a RCIA course, but it will not be until Easter that I am baptised.

The thing is, I have been wanting this for so long, that the wait is beginning to get me down. I know that I can go to mass and pray in the same way as Catholics, but not receiving Holy Communion and Confession is something that I feel so separated from.

I so want to be Catholic, but know that I won’t be for a long time.
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  1. You can call yourself a Catholic Candidate:thumbsup:
  2. You can wear a Catholic crucifix as a silent statement. I wear the San Damiano crucifix myself:)
 
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