5 faith facts about Bobby Jindal: an ‘evangelical Catholic’

RNS ^ | June 24, 2015 | David Gibson

[NYer]

Fans of EWTN's "The Journey Home" may still recall Marcus Grodi's 2005 interview with r. Jay Kythe: A Hindu Who Became a Catholic Priest. It provides great insight into the various Hindu gods and the emphasis on good in the Hindu religion. As he prepared for ordination, it was his Hindu family that purchased the special chalice he had selected. Truly a moving account of his conversion.

Catholic ping!

[fwdude]

Any Dem bad-mouthing Bobby Jindal is just a racist bigot.

[ansel12]

Jindal says that he first started reading the bible as a Hindu, to rebut Christians.

It seems that he was first saved and baptized as a Southern Baptist, and then moved over to a Catholic denomination, and was baptized again.

His journey indicates someone who takes his faith very seriously.

There seems to be a lot of sincerity and passion in his seeking a relationship with God.

[Sergio]

bkmk

[forgotten man]

When a Protestant converts to Catholicism the Catholic Church does not baptize them again because they have already been baptized in another Christian church. Catholics recognize Protestants as Christian.

[ansel12]

Yes I know, but nonetheless, that seems to be the path taken by Jindal.

Supposedly “According to outgoing SBC President Frank Page, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was “baptized and led to Christ by Tommy French,” a well-known Southern Baptist who pastors Jefferson Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”

[BillyBoy]

>>> It seems that he was first saved and baptized as a Southern Baptist, and then moved over to a Catholic denomination, and was baptized again. <<

No Catholic denomination would have someone already baptized in a Southern Baptist church "baptized again". Southern Baptists believe in the trinity and do a water baptism in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit, thus it is a valid Christian baptism (unlike Mormon "baptisms" and other churches that do not accept basic Christian doctirnes) The Catholic Church believes only ONE valid baptism may be performed on a person. A second baptism would be meaningless since God accepted the first one.

However, if Jindal was baptized in a Baptist church and later converted to Catholic, he would be eligible to receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion.

[Fiddlstix]

Bookmark

[Ann Archy]

I LOVE....LOVE....LOVE Bobby Jindal!!!

[Ann Archy]

Catholics do not baptize Christians....they only baptize NON-Christians who have NOT been baptized.

[ansel12]

If Jindal disclosed that he had already been baptized.

I’m well aware that Catholics only allow one baptism, but this issue with Jindal is unclear.

It is also a detail that is difficult to research, because it is the kind of religious detail that doesn’t get covered, asked about, or investigated, by the media.

[ansel12]

Yes, I know, for instance the Catholics baptize Mormons when they become Christians, all Christian churches do.

[Ann Archy]

But they would never baptize a protestant Christian.

[ansel12]

Are you reading the thread?

[Ann Archy]

yes....why do you ask??

[ansel12]

Did you read post 7, 12, and 13?

I know about Catholic baptism, that is how, unlike most Catholics at freerepublic, I know that John Paul II said that Mormons must be baptized into Christianity.

Did you read post 12?

[Ann Archy]

Yes....so??? If Jindal wasn’t sure about his Baptism, then the Priest Baptized him.....so????? he is NOW a CATHOLIC....what don’t you get about that??? Not too difficult.

[BillyBoy]

I've served as an RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) instructor. One of the questions they ask right off the bat is whether the person has previously joined a Christian Church and accepted Christ. If not, the RCIA process takes a lot longer. For example, we had a Muslim interested in becoming Catholic, but he was nowhere near as familiar with the scripture and basic Christian doctrines like original sin as the person who was raised Lutheran had been. The Muslim convert attended different classes than my brother-in-law and his niece, because the latter two had already been baptized years ago. The non-Christians can be initiated into the Catholic Church at the same Mass as the people who are already Christians, but the process leading up to that day takes a lot longer for the non-Christians, because we have to make sure they fully understand and accept Christ before they are received into the church. Those who have been already baptized are asked to provide a baptismal certificate so the parish sponsoring them can confirm its a valid baptism.

It's possible Jindal didn't have proof of his baptism with him or was just confused and didn't realize he was already Christian by being baptized in a Baptist Church, but I doubt it. If he was a Hindu considering joining a Catholic Church, the process would have been quite different.

In any case, its a matter of splitting hairs. Whether Jindal was baptized in the SBC or the Catholic Church, he has a valid a Christian baptism.

[maryz]

When a Protestant converts to Catholicism the Catholic Church does not baptize them again because they have already been baptized in another Christian church. Catholics recognize Protestants as Christian.

When I was in a Catholic high school in the 60s, we learned that in the case of a Protestant converting to Catholicism, he received "conditional Baptism" -- i.e., "If thou art not already baptized, I baptize thee ..."