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I have been told that in Catholicism, once a person is baptized he is saved ONLY until the commission of the first mortal sin (upon reaching the age of reason). At that exact moment, and barring some special dispensation by God, the person is no longer saved and is forever destined to hell IF nothing changes and he dies. I have been told that during this time the Holy Spirit departs the body. The good news of course is that the person can confess his sin to a priest and the priest can reinstate the person to saved status. At this time the Holy Spirit re-enters the body. This process is then repeated throughout life. Does this square with your understanding?

I have never heard that before. Neither baptism nor confirmation are repeatable. Even after mortal sins, if one goes to confession (sacrament of reconciliation) and receives absolution, then one can receive the Eucharist. But the sacrament of reconciliation, so far as I understand, is not (or does not effect) a re-entering of the Holy Spirit into the body of the penitent; it restores the penitent into communion with the Church and with God (including with the divine Person of the Holy Spirit). Therefore, if the Holy Spirit were completely gone after a confirmed Catholic commits a mortal sin, that person would have to be re-baptized, and re-confirmed to restore the presence of the Spirit. But since the Church does not re-baptize or re-confirm, it seems that according to Catholic theology and praxis the Spirit does not "depart the body" of the Catholic who commits a mortal sin.

-A8

Neither baptism nor confirmation are repeatable.

Yes, my error in not being clear. I meant that I've been told that the process of committing mortal sin, losing salvation (Spirit gone), confessing, regaining salvation (Spirit back), is repeated.

But the sacrament of reconciliation, so far as I understand, is not (or does not effect) a re-entering of the Holy Spirit into the body of the penitent; it restores the penitent into communion with the Church and with God (including with the divine Person of the Holy Spirit).

OK, I don't claim to know what is correct Catholic theology on this matter, I was just reporting what I have been told by those who have convinced me they know what they're talking about. :) If I read you correctly above, then a person who is in a damned state (post-mortal sin, but before reconciliation) still has the Spirit within him (all this is in the alternative to what Harley has found on Catholic websites :) but is just not in communion with the Spirit. If so, then what do you say happens when such a person dies before reconciliation? Wouldn't the only conclusion be that the Spirit has failed in His job? Wouldn't that be a breakage of the holy seal that the Spirit IS and represents?