**As a onetime Catholic**
You are always a Catholic if you were baptized in the Catholic Church. That mark of baptism is on your soul.
You can come back to the Catholic Church any time. Just make an appointment with a priest and get your questions (gripes) answered.
PS. There have been bad Popes before and the Church has survived. It will this time, too.
“You are always a Catholic if you were baptized in the Catholic Church.”
I was days old at the time.
It may be considered a good work regarding my parents. And, yes, I was confirmed in 8th grade Catholic school.
But baptism, whether Catholic or not, means absolutely nothing to a baby which has no idea what’s going on beyond the fact that some guy wearing a dress and mumbling words I can’t understand is pouring cold water on my head.
If it is not done voluntarily and with knowledge, it means squat to one’s soul. To suggest otherwise is quite un-Christian and illogical. Otherwise you could just go around with a big squirt gun and a megaphone saving souls in Saudi Arabia.
I don’t have to meet with any priest. I’ve been through it all: Catholic schooling, alter boy, an aunt who was a nun, the full nine yards.
I understand Catholics have this Muslim-like thinking about never having free will after the involuntary baptism. And I don’t regret the schooling in general because it was much better than the public school. And you can feel free to keep me on the roster if it helps you somehow.
Catholics have done some great things in history between internal squabbles and legalism mumbo jumbo. But nobody is required to be Catholic in order to be saved.
Some advice, whatever it is worth to you... include the mention of later, knowledge-driven and VOLUNTARY confirmation as evidence that somebody actually joined your club. The baby thing, with all due respect is... well... infantile.
Christ rent the veil. No pope, socialist or not, can sew it back up.
I’m free to be Christian with or without the traditions of men.