Jesus Himself said to Nicodemus (the pope of his day if you will)
John 3:3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:4. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
John 3:5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Must: Be obliged to; (expressing necessity), (expressing insistence)
My suggestion to you and anyone else reading this, religion aside, repent and ask for forgiveness of all things you hold shameful from the age of accountability onward, all things kept secret and unrevealed outwardly. Make your peace with God by casting off the yoke of your transgressions resting assured of your final destination by The Spirit within you.
You cannot walk any better than that, religious or otherwise
Catholics are born again. It begins in Baptism which starts the road to sanctification. The next sacrament is reconciliation and it is completed with Confirmation in which we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Don’t tell me as a Catholic that I’m not born again. It’s just not the protestants’ methods that believe faith is needed but no works.