If one is baptised Catholic while they always remain Catholic

[Trunicate09]

If one is baptized as Catholic will they forever be considered Catholic, even if they do not go to Mass or believe in Catholic teachings? Is there an official view or statement regarding this? Just wondering.

 

[blackout]

I don't care what ANYONE's official statement says.

The answer is NO.

gOd that crap makes me angry.
Who is anyone to try and tell anyone else who or what they are.

I worked REALLY hard to identify and smash every insidious RC taboo
I had been "saddled with" since childhood.

I'm generally very peaceful about people choosing to do their own thing.
But when someone tries to force me in their thing I really get livid.

Sorry for my rant.
Some people would like to think they own you.
Body, mind and spirit.

But people think alot of things.
So whatever.

 

[ericoh2]

I actually was baptized Catholic but I do not think one is always considered Catholic just because of this. I think you have to be a practicing member in order to keep this status. As far as I know they still have the doctrine of excommunication, which banishes you from the Catholic community, in which case one baptized a Catholic would no longer be considered Catholic by the church.

 

[blackout]

Just noticed the directory. sorry.

Still as one who was a RC for MANY years,
I think my view should count for something.

Delete my response if you must.

 

[ericoh2]

Just noticed the directory. sorry.

Still as one who was a RC for MANY years,
I think my view should count for something.

Delete my response if you must.

Me too, sorry, I didn''t see that this was a Catholic only question. I'm no longer part of the Catholic church but like Ultraviolet I was Catholic for quite a while so at least I have somewhat of an understanding of them.

 

[Trunicate09]

Thank you both for your answers. Yes, I do want a Catholic's viewpoint on the matter, but I accept non-Catholic answerers and/or answers as well. =)

I was baptized Catholic as an infant and attended Catholic school until the 3rd grade, but I've always been more or less non-religious but believe in God, however. I never was excommunicated nor have I converted to another religion or faith. This is why I'm not sure.

 

[Quiddity]

Being in or out of the Church is not a black/white absolute proposition. Some people are confused, angry, sad, etc. and still be quite catholic. It's not an easy question to answer without knowing the person exceptionally well. This, of course, only God knows.

However...

The baptismal seal is irremovable, and in that sense a Catholic is always a Catholic. But a Catholic may separate himself from the Church through schism. Although it appears that the Church no longer excommunicates people to the extent of removing them from the Church, she did so in the past, but seems to have shied away from it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Being engaged to someone that was baptised Catholic, and now denounces that faith, I would have to say no. Same for me, only replace Catholic with Baptist. Would such a question follow along the lines of "once saved always saved" or is it something completely different?

 

[Quiddity]

Being engaged to someone that was baptised Catholic, and now denounces that faith, I would have to say no. Same for me, only replace Catholic with Baptist. Would such a question follow along the lines of "once saved always saved" or is it something completely different?

Completely different.

 

[RomCat]

You will be always Catholic.
When you are baptized you will
always carry the mark of a Catholic.
It does not matter if you rennounce
your faith or not. You cannot undo
baptisim.
Even in the next life you will retain
this mark.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

You will be always Catholic.
When you are baptized you will
always carry the mark of a Catholic.
It does not matter if you rennounce
your faith or not. You cannot undo
baptisim.
Even in the next life you will retain
this mark.

In a hypothetical situation, if one were to renounce faith in the Catholic church, and then want nothing to do with God, would that individual still be admitted into Heaven?

 

[RomCat]

No one will be saved but thru the Church;
whether athiest, agnostic, Muslim,
Jew or Christian.
Christ is one with His Church and no
one is saved but thru Jesus Christ.
Hence, no one is saved but thru His
Church.
It is possible for those outside the
Church to be saved but it will be thru
the Church by which they receive the
grace of salvation.
God is merciful.

 

[Kathryn]

Not sure whether the OP meant the question to be "Is that person always considered Catholic by the Church or by society" or "Is that person always considered Catholic by God?"

As a former Catholic (who still has great respect for about 90 percent of RC teachings), I don't believe the Church would consider someone who denounced or left the Church still "Catholic." They would be called a lapsed Catholic at the most. The Church very rarely excommunicates anyone.

Society would not consider someone who says they are no longer a Catholic as Catholic, of course.

As for God - that's between that person and God. That determination is definitely above my paygrade - and anyone else's around here for that matter!

 

[Evee]

Can I get a quick clarification?
Suppose that someone is baptized Catholic, and then wants to join a different denomination. Does that person get REbaptized? What if the denomination he "switches" to doesn't do infant baptism. Does he get REbaptized then? What is the status of his Catholic baptism if he does?
Many thanks in advance for humouring my curiosity.

 

[Kathryn]

CAtholicism has nothing to do with whether or not the "new" church accepts the baptism. Many would probably not accept it - most certainly if they don't practice infant baptism.

Catholics, on the other hand, accept any convert's baptism that is done in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

Any subsequent baptisms have no effect on the validity of the initial Catholic baptism.

Catholics believe only one Trinitarian baptism is necessary, regardless of which church that occurred in.

 

[Venatoris]

If one is baptized as Catholic will they forever be considered Catholic, even if they do not go to Mass or believe in Catholic teachings? Is there an official view or statement regarding this? Just wondering.

No, infant baptism does not make you a Catholic for eternity. It is merely a way to introduce a child to the church from the get-go, making you a full member of the church until you are old enough to make the choice yourself. Being a Catholic is still and always will be, a choice. Hence, the rite of confirmation. I know many people who were baptized as children that are no longer Catholic. Furthermore, via RCIA you can always become a Catholic later in life.

As for excommunication, at one time marrying someone from outside the church was an instant ousting but that was changed many moons before I was born. My great-grandmother was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic church for marrying a Lutheran. Today, I think they reserve it only for extreme situations of misconduct.

 

[PureX]

Thank you Victor,

And Victor and Romcat are correct. "Excommunication" is not an automatic state that lapsed Catholics fall into because they are no longer practicing the Catholic religion. It is something that only the Vatican can impose on a person. Otherwise, lapsed Catholics is all we are. (Not including Victor, here, of course.)

I am a lapsed Catholic, too, and when I was younger, I had a lot of anger toward Catholicism. But now days I see that I was unreasonably idealistic about religion and as a result was too hard-hearted and highly expectant of it.

 

[PureX]

In a hypothetical situation, if one were to renounce faith in the Catholic church, and then want nothing to do with God, would that individual still be admitted into Heaven?

Catholics go to "Purgatory", first. Then perhaps to "heaven", later.

 

[Kathryn]

***There is no scriptural support for your assertion that one remains a Catholic no matter what the circumstance. Too, it makes no difference what the Catholic Church pronounces anyway for her pronouncements do not affect Christians...only Catholics.

geo

Newsflash - Most Catholics are Christians.

I think a more accurate statement would be, "It makes no difference what the Catholic Church pronounces anyway, for her pronouncements do not affect non-Catholic Christians."

 

[Kathryn]

Catholics go to "Purgatory", first. Then perhaps to "heaven", later.

If you go to Purgatory, you will always end up in Heaven. Those who are destined for Hell do not ever go to Purgatory.

Purgatory is the "refining fire" that Christians go through BEFORE entering Heaven.