Catholic issue?
I was baptized Catholic after I was born, when I was around 12 my dad had me baptized Baptist (without my mom's permission) I was wondering if I have to take RCIA classes to become Catholic again?
I was baptized Catholic after I was born, when I was around 12 my dad had me baptized Baptist (without my mom's permission) I was wondering if I have to take RCIA classes to become Catholic again?
Comments
no. the baptsim is permanent , and good luck in your rcia programme
Catholics believe that RC baptism leaves an indelible mark on your soul, once Catholic always Catholic so no .
As a Catholic...
I'm going to mostly re-iterate what others have said..but hope to add some information.
First off.. you were baptized Catholic, so you are Catholic, plain n simple. The 2nd Baptism at 12 was unnecessary, but a nice way to re-affirm your faith. Kinda like what Confirmation is all about in the Catholic church.
You see, Catholicism is very rational, I find. It acknowledges that some actions can not be undone and are permanent. In other words, we can't go back in time and undo things.
Baptism is a lot like that. It truly happened, so we can't go back in time and pretend it didn't happen.
Secondly, Baptism forgave you of original sin and made you a child of God. That sorta thing can't be undone because God doesn't disown his children.
Make sense so far?
Likewise, the Catholic church doesn't disown its own, either. So you are forever Catholic, in the eyes of the Church, even if you denounce it or leave it.
Make sense?
We have a very LARGE sense of family which includes all those souls who went before us and are now in Heaven (aka the Saints)
As the popular saying goes among Catholics: "You are Catholic...welcome Home!"
Your parent(s) as your guardians, made vows on your behalf to teach you their faith and to raise you Christian. That is the point of infant baptism. To make you a child of God and for your parents to speak on your behalf (which is one of the duties of being a parent)
As a teenager, old enough to decide for yourself, your responsibility is then to (hopefully) REAFFIRM those pledges and make them your own. This is one of the purposes of confirmation, to complete the Sacrament of Baptism.
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<< I was wondering if I have to take RCIA classes to become Catholic again?>>
NO, you don't need RCIA to become Catholic AGAIN.. you need it to learn about the faith before you accept it as an adult and to make up any of the Sacraments (besides Baptism) that you missed. Such as: First Confession and Holy Communion.
So as a child, your parents answered for you, because you could not and THEN you learned about the faith.
As an Adult entering the faith, you do things in reverse, having passed the age of reason. You first LEARN about the faith and THEN accept it.
This is exactly how the Jewish faith did it. If you are a child, your parents accept for you and then you grow up in the faith, learning as you get older. But if you come to the faith as an adult, because you are beyond the age of reason... you first learn and THEN accept it, if you want to.
So as an adult or teenager - you go through RCIA so you can learn about the faith and see if this is something you want to undertake and join. - Not because you aren't Catholic or your baptism was invalid.
Make sense?
You can't be re-baptized. Baptism is baptism across the board. You were baptized in the Catholic church... being baptized elsewhere doesn't reverse the process. Some protestants believe you have to be baptized IN a particular church to belong, but the Catholic church does not believe that. If you were baptized once, you were baptized, period. If you were never baptized in the Catholic church, but baptized in a protestant one, then the Catholic Church would recognize that as well.
For instance, when a convert to Catholicism, who was previously baptized in, say, a protestant denomination, enters the Catholic church, the CC does not baptize them again. They recognize the original baptism as valid. If there is a question to the validity of the baptismal sacrament performed, then they would baptize the person, not to undo anything, but to ensure that the person had actually been baptized.
In short, you are baptized. If you want to re-enter the Catholic faith, go talk to a priest at your local Catholic church. He may have you take some classes so you can learn more about the faith and prepare to receive the other sacraments (Confession, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, etc.)
You were baptized a Christian. You were raised Catholic or Baptist. According to the Catholic faith, your first baptism was valid. If you know little about the Catholic faith, taking RCIA might be beneficial. Talk to a priest. There are many ignorant Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, etc. out there. Do you want to be one of them?
Don't worry you don't. The Baptist baptism is nullified as you were already baptized. You can only be baptized once.
I don't think it's required, but I still would consider it. Just go to church with your mom as often as you can!
No, you don't.
. .
No, being baptized is just a think Jesus did.
Ask your priest.
Forgive me.
/Orthodox