Will my beliefs bar me from becoming Catholic?

[Lancer]

Hi…Below…last quote…is what it takes…the actual profession of faith for a baptized Christian to be received into the Church.

You are being led by the Holy Spirit right now…He got you to this point…you did not do it by your own reason and intellect…but by Graces of the Holy Spirit…just continue to submit in docility to His continual Graces/inspirations…and the Holy Spirit will get you to the “goal line”.

Warning: if you now start imposing your reason and intellect and logic/feelings over the Holy Spirit’s Graces…you will assuredly end the journey…the Graces will be there…but you will have closed the “door”…by your own free will…by superimposing you logic/feelings, reasoning and intellect…in front of the Holy Spirit’s Graces.

Get help on the “stumbling blocks” (most everyone in/coming into the Catholic Church has them)—by–continual prayer…study the Church teachings…read theologians/morat ethicist works/writings…have frank discussions with your pastor/priest/deacon…on these stumbling blocks…devour the Catechism on these issues.

Don’t be like Flannery O’Connors character–Hulga–in Good Country People–who had*** “…the look of someone who has achieved blindness by an act of the will and meant to keep it”…***

Luke 10:16
New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Sending out the Seventy-Two to Preach for Him

16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Formulation of the Truth in all matters of Faith and Morals…is not a personal decision…it is the Authoritative Teaching Mission of the Catholic Church. Communion with Christ in Holy Communion demands communion with the Pope, your Bishop and the Magisterium of the Church…which is signified by our “Amen” when we receive the Holy Eucharist.

Prayers and best wishes on your journey coming home.
Pax Christi

PROFESSION OF FAITH and THE OATH OF FIDELITY
ON ASSUMING AN OFFICE TO BE EXERCISED IN THE NAME OF THE CHURCH
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

As conforming to Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio Ad Tuendam Fidem, this Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity supercedes the Profession and Oath of 1989.
I. PROFESSION OF FAITH

I, N., with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the Symbol of faith: namely:

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the Word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church, either by a solemn judgement or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed.

I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals.

Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.
ewtn.com/library/curia/cdfoath.htm

 

[clem456]

You are being led by the Holy Spirit right now…He got you to this point…you did not do it by your own reason and intellect…but by Graces of the Holy Spirit…just continue to submit in docility to His continual Graces/inspirations…and the Holy Spirit will get you to the “goal line”.

Warning: if you now start imposing your reason and intellect and logic/feelings over the Holy Spirit’s Graces…you will assuredly end the journey…the Graces will be there…but you will have closed the “door”…by your own free will…by superimposing you logic/feelings, reasoning and intellect…in front of the Holy Spirit’s Graces.

Get help on the “stumbling blocks” (most everyone in/coming into the Catholic Church has them)—by–continual prayer…study the Church teachings…read theologians/morat ethicist works/writings…have frank discussions with your pastor/priest/deacon…on these stumbling blocks…devour the Catechism on these issues.

Yes, recognize it is God’s work in you. No one can keep you from that calling but you. And it is a journey, it takes time and a lot of prayer.

 

[A_G]

To become Catholic, one must accept the teachings of the Catholic Church. The original poster speaks about gay marriage and abortion.

Gay marriage is not accepted in the Catholic Church. It is not moral. The Bible speaks against that lifestyle, as does the Catechism.

Abortion is not accepted in the Catholic Church. It is a termination of life. Obviously it is an evil act, a mortal sin.

As an earlier poster noted, there are many Catholics who have committed various types of sins (both mortal and venial). The Church has many members who have committed sins, and the only way back is repentance. One must repent, be truly sorry for, and confess his/her sins. One must accept the teachings of the Church as truth.

To become Catholic, one must accept the teachings of the Catholic Church.

 

[Sarcelle]

Hi everyone,

I’ve posted a few times and recently have been attending Mass regularly as well as beginning a Journey in Faith course ran by our local church. Everyone has been very welcoming and I have even had an audience with the Bishop who was asking me about my decision to attend Mass considering I had not been overly religious in the past. He even blessed my rosary, which I found to be a very kind gesture.

The one thing I have not yet brought up with my Priest or my JiF class is my opinion on certain beliefs that the Catholic Church has. I have no objection to gay marriage; Jesus preaches about love and it makes no difference to me whatsoever what gender two people who love each other are - what matters is their feelings towards each other. To deny them the right to marriage whilst offering them equal rights in other areas of life is hypocritical, in my opinion.

The second thing is that I agree that, in certain cases, abortion is a justifiable act. I do not believe it should be made as a lifestyle choice but if a girl or woman has been sexually assaulted and then becomes pregnant, I fully and utterly refuse to condemn her for not wanting to continue with the pregnancy. I would concede that perhaps some form of counselling prior to that drastic decision being made should be (and probably is) given, however I would never condemn a traumatised abuse victim for making such a choice.

I know I need to talk this through with my parish priest but would these beliefs bar me from taking my place in the Catholic Church & receiving communion?

Thanks
Stuart

When I finally went back to the Church, I was completely on board with regards to the Church’s teaching on abortion and contraception.

I was still not against gay marriage since I know a lot of wonderful people who suffer from same sex attraction. Since then I have educated myself on the Church’s position on gay marriage and now completely agree with it. I suggest studying and asking more questions with regards to the teachings of the Church on abortion and gay marriage.

 

[R_C]

To become Catholic, one must accept the teachings of the Catholic Church.

I would humbly disagree.

**Everyone **can become a disciple of our Lord in His Church - especially those who need His guidance the most.

To be a Christian in the Catholic Church, one must definitely accept the teachings that our Mother and Teacher, the Church, has received and is now passing unto us. They are not “her” teachings because they are not man-made ideas. However, acceptance is rooted on humble obedience when we don’t understand, but also in understanding, since it is the will of the Head of the Church, our Lord, that we understand what the Father does as friends, rather than live in ignorance like servants (John 15:15).

If a person does not understand and thus is not able to accept a certain (or certain) teachings, that does not prevent the person, in the Christian spirit of humbleness, with childlike trust as expected by Christ of his disciples, to acknowledge them out of the virtue of obedience, and become a disciple of the Lord.

The apostles did not understand what the Lord taught about giving them his flesh as true food, and many disciples walked away…the apostles said: “this teaching is hard, who can hear it?” but did not leave…they did not leave because only the Lord has the words of eternal life…and the Lord, who once spoke through the prophets and then became flesh, now guides and enlightens His Church in matters of faith and morals…so, a person who does not understand yet, must seek understanding and counsel, and can still accept the teaching and be a valid disciple.

He utterly refuses to condemn a sinner? Good! For Christ, who has received all judgment from the Father, promised to not judge anyone and exhorted us to do the same.

He acknowledges that all love is holy? Good! For God Himself is full of unconditional love, and has exhorted us to love in the same way.

He is concerned about the sadness of those who are denied what he erroneously calls “marriage” or about the sadness of someone who bears a child she did not consent to have? And who can condemn this? For these feelings come out of charity. Once he understands what the Sacrament of Matrimony truly is, and that the true trauma and sadness do not come from bearing that child, but from killing him, then the very charity that burns his heart and that is the certain sign of God’s dwelling in him will turn him into a most loving advocate of life.

My understanding is that to be validly baptized as a member of Holy Mother Church, one must at least:

• have some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith
• have manifested the intention to receive baptism
• promises to observe the commandments of the Christian religion

Can.* 865 §1. For an adult to be baptized, the person must have manifested the intention to receive baptism, have been instructed sufficiently about the truths of the faith and Christian obligations, and have been tested in the Christian life through the catechumenate. The adult is also to be urged to have sorrow for personal sins.

The Truths Absolutely Necessary to be Known and Believed , as a Means of Salvation:

1. The principal mysteries of our holy Catholic Faith;
2. That there is a God who will reward the good and punish the wicked.

III. The Principal Mysteries of Our Holy Faith Are:

1. The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, that is, the mystery of one God in three Divine Persons.
2. The mysteries of the Incarnation, Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
   (source)

What our dear brother should do is find out more about the Sacred Tradition on these matters - and as long as he seeks in the right places, he will find the answers in a most sensible, rational, and meaningful teaching - and talk to a priest in order to inquire about the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Let nobody dare to cast the first stone on anyone who wants to follow Christ. Nobody can come to the Lord unless the Father has willed it so.

Love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor like yourself.
Do this, and you shall live.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

A question to those who have responded:

1. May a Catholic disagree but accept the teachings and still be a catholic?

I am not asking this to start a debate, it is an honest question.

Well, you are already Catholic. You should speak to your pastor. I don’t see how you can have Catholic Faith and disagree with anything in a serious way. You need to re-examine your thinking. Are you reading your Catechism.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

Hi…Below…last quote…is what it takes…the actual profession of faith for a baptized Christian to be received into the Church.

You are being led by the Holy Spirit right now…He got you to this point…you did not do it by your own reason and intellect…but by Graces of the Holy Spirit…just continue to submit in docility to His continual Graces/inspirations…and the Holy Spirit will get you to the “goal line”.

Warning: if you now start imposing your reason and intellect and logic/feelings over the Holy Spirit’s Graces…you will assuredly end the journey…the Graces will be there…but you will have closed the “door”…by your own free will…by superimposing you logic/feelings, reasoning and intellect…in front of the Holy Spirit’s Graces.

Get help on the “stumbling blocks” (most everyone in/coming into the Catholic Church has them)—by–continual prayer…study the Church teachings…read theologians/morat ethicist works/writings…have frank discussions with your pastor/priest/deacon…on these stumbling blocks…devour the Catechism on these issues.

Don’t be like Flannery O’Connors character–Hulga–in Good Country People–who had*** “…the look of someone who has achieved blindness by an act of the will and meant to keep it”…***

Formulation of the Truth in all matters of Faith and Morals…is not a personal decision…it is the Authoritative Teaching Mission of the Catholic Church. Communion with Christ in Holy Communion demands communion with the Pope, your Bishop and the Magisterium of the Church…which is signified by our “Amen” when we receive the Holy Eucharist.

Prayers and best wishes on your journey coming home.
Pax Christi

Thank you.

 

[A_G]

I would humbly disagree.

**Everyone **can become a disciple of our Lord in His Church - especially those who need His guidance the most.

To be a Christian in the Catholic Church, one must definitely accept the teachings that our Mother and Teacher, the Church, has received and is now passing unto us. They are not “her” teachings because they are not man-made ideas. However, acceptance is rooted on humble obedience when we don’t understand, but also in understanding, since it is the will of the Head of the Church, our Lord, that we understand what the Father does as friends, rather than live in ignorance like servants (John 15:15).

If a person does not understand and thus is not able to accept a certain (or certain) teachings, that does not prevent the person, in the Christian spirit of humbleness, with childlike trust as expected by Christ of his disciples, to acknowledge them out of the virtue of obedience, and become a disciple of the Lord.

The apostles did not understand what the Lord taught about giving them his flesh as true food, and many disciples walked away…the apostles said: “this teaching is hard, who can hear it?” but did not leave…they did not leave because only the Lord has the words of eternal life…and the Lord, who once spoke through the prophets and then became flesh, now guides and enlightens His Church in matters of faith and morals…so, a person who does not understand yet, must seek understanding and counsel, and can still accept the teaching and be a valid disciple.

He utterly refuses to condemn a sinner? Good! For Christ, who has received all judgment from the Father, promised to not judge anyone and exhorted us to do the same.

He acknowledges that all love is holy? Good! For God Himself is full of unconditional love, and has exhorted us to love in the same way.

He is concerned about the sadness of those who are denied what he erroneously calls “marriage” or about the sadness of someone who bears a child she did not consent to have? And who can condemn this? For these feelings come out of charity. Once he understands what the Sacrament of Matrimony truly is, and that the true trauma and sadness do not come from bearing that child, but from killing him, then the very charity that burns his heart and that is the certain sign of God’s dwelling in him will turn him into a most loving advocate of life.

My understanding is that to be validly baptized as a member of Holy Mother Church, one must at least:

• have some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith
• have manifested the intention to receive baptism
• promises to observe the commandments of the Christian religion

What our dear brother should do is find out more about the Sacred Tradition on these matters - and as long as he seeks in the right places, he will find the answers in a most sensible, rational, and meaningful teaching - and talk to a priest in order to inquire about the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Let nobody dare to cast the first stone on anyone who wants to follow Christ. Nobody can come to the Lord unless the Father has willed it so.

Love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor like yourself.
Do this, and you shall live.

I’m a cradle Catholic, so I never went through the conversion process but I’m sure through the conversion process we are taught what the Church accepts and what it rejects, at least at the basic levels. I understand what you are saying but I was specifically talking about the topics of abortion and gay marriage. They are both rejected by the Church. To participate in abortion is an automatic excommunication. As a public figure if you support abortion you can be excommunicated (in public), and this has happened to politicians. Similarly with gay marriage, the Church doesn’t allow it. The Church prays for Traditional Marriage, and is not afraid to speak what is right and what is wrong. These rules come from God.

So I understand and fully agree with what you are saying. I was however speaking about these 2 topics the OP was talking about. I seriously doubt he can be baptized Catholic if he tells the priest straight out that he supports abortion and is looking to support gay marriage. If I’m wrong about this please correct me.

 

[fairway]

I have no objection to gay marriage; Jesus preaches about love and it makes no difference to me whatsoever what gender two people who love each other are - what matters is their feelings towards each other.

That is an (unintentional) equivication, because love has many diverse meanings in English, whereas in Greek they have different words for what the English all classify with the imprecise term “love”. Romantic love, which you are speaking of, in ancient Greek is eros. This kind of love is not mentioned at all in the new testament! That is explicitly **not **what Jesus was speaking of in the Bible according to the Koine Greek New Testement, which is most likely the original version of the New Testement.

see christianity.about.com/od/glossary/a/Eros.htm.

 

[LostSheepUK]

Just some things to think about concerning “love”.

If everything needs to be “equal” concerning love and marriage:
What if parent and child love each other and want marriage?
What if brother and sister love each other and want marriage?
What if and adult and child love each other and want marriage?
What if a man and beast love each other and want marriage?

Are you being serious? If you honestly believe these questions are pertinent to my OP then you need to have a word with yourself.

I am trying to be honest in my fledgling relationship with God but your questions appear to imply something sinister rather than providing a constructive, reasoned argument.

 

[LostSheepUK]

I would humbly disagree.

**Everyone **can become a disciple of our Lord in His Church - especially those who need His guidance the most.

To be a Christian in the Catholic Church, one must definitely accept the teachings that our Mother and Teacher, the Church, has received and is now passing unto us. They are not “her” teachings because they are not man-made ideas. However, acceptance is rooted on humble obedience when we don’t understand, but also in understanding, since it is the will of the Head of the Church, our Lord, that we understand what the Father does as friends, rather than live in ignorance like servants (John 15:15).

If a person does not understand and thus is not able to accept a certain (or certain) teachings, that does not prevent the person, in the Christian spirit of humbleness, with childlike trust as expected by Christ of his disciples, to acknowledge them out of the virtue of obedience, and become a disciple of the Lord.

The apostles did not understand what the Lord taught about giving them his flesh as true food, and many disciples walked away…the apostles said: “this teaching is hard, who can hear it?” but did not leave…they did not leave because only the Lord has the words of eternal life…and the Lord, who once spoke through the prophets and then became flesh, now guides and enlightens His Church in matters of faith and morals…so, a person who does not understand yet, must seek understanding and counsel, and can still accept the teaching and be a valid disciple.

He utterly refuses to condemn a sinner? Good! For Christ, who has received all judgment from the Father, promised to not judge anyone and exhorted us to do the same.

He acknowledges that all love is holy? Good! For God Himself is full of unconditional love, and has exhorted us to love in the same way.

He is concerned about the sadness of those who are denied what he erroneously calls “marriage” or about the sadness of someone who bears a child she did not consent to have? And who can condemn this? For these feelings come out of charity. Once he understands what the Sacrament of Matrimony truly is, and that the true trauma and sadness do not come from bearing that child, but from killing him, then the very charity that burns his heart and that is the certain sign of God’s dwelling in him will turn him into a most loving advocate of life.

My understanding is that to be validly baptized as a member of Holy Mother Church, one must at least:

• have some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith
• have manifested the intention to receive baptism
• promises to observe the commandments of the Christian religion

What our dear brother should do is find out more about the Sacred Tradition on these matters - and as long as he seeks in the right places, he will find the answers in a most sensible, rational, and meaningful teaching - and talk to a priest in order to inquire about the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Let nobody dare to cast the first stone on anyone who wants to follow Christ. Nobody can come to the Lord unless the Father has willed it so.

Love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor like yourself.
Do this, and you shall live.

Thank you for such an indepth and reasoned answer…I appreciate the fact you considered my emotional turmoil and guided me in the direction of the Scriptures instead of using outlandish allegories or practically calling me a heretic!

I have contacted my priest for guidance and pray daily for the strength to see the wisdom behind God’s word.

 

[R_C]

To participate in abortion is an automatic excommunication. As a public figure if you support abortion you can be excommunicated (in public), and this has happened to politicians. Similarly with gay marriage, the Church doesn’t allow it. The Church prays for Traditional Marriage, and is not afraid to speak what is right and what is wrong. These rules come from God.

So I understand and fully agree with what you are saying. I was however speaking about these 2 topics the OP was talking about. I seriously doubt he can be baptized Catholic if he tells the priest straight out that he supports abortion and is looking to support gay marriage. If I’m wrong about this please correct me.

I understand. However, you now present your point in a somewhat clearer way. There is a difference between not accepting the teachings yet bowing our head in humble obedience and not accepting the teachings and fighting against them. If I don’t accept, say, that abortions should never be done, not even in the most extreme cases, that does not mean I should publicly support abortions. I just keep quiet, like a good learner, and listen to my teacher and ask questions, until I understand. And I will understand, because this is the will of Christ: “seek and you shall find, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free”. After all, supporting an intrinsic evil out of what may have been a temporarily invincible ignorance does not mean the person is not called to be a great disciple of the Lord. And St. Paul knows that very well!

Of course, I also presume that a person cannot enter a community if he still wishes to fight against it. But I do consider that the same person could tell the priest that he does not understand rejection of abortion under certain circumstances and does not understand rejection of homosexual marriage, yet will not oppose those teachings and seeks guidance to understand why the Church, called to love and charity, teaches those things.

I have great faith in the teaching authority of the Church. I honestly believe that anyone who seeks understanding within the Church will find it. Sacred Tradition is very liberating.

 

[R_C]

Thank you for such an indepth and reasoned answer…I appreciate the fact you considered my emotional turmoil and guided me in the direction of the Scriptures instead of using outlandish allegories or practically calling me a heretic!

I have contacted my priest for guidance and pray daily for the strength to see the wisdom behind God’s word.

You are very kind, and what I wrote, I wrote because I could feel from your words the presence of the Lord in your heart, and your sincere humbleness in this last reply is yet another clear indication of this.

Quam pulchra es, amica mea.
Quam pulchra es, oculi tui columbarum absque eo.
Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea sponsa.
Vulnerasti cor meum in uno oculorum tuorum.