Posted on 03/30/2019 8:12:59 AM PDT by Salvation
Question: I had reason to hope my niece was going to convert to the Catholic faith. But there were so many obstacles the Church set up that discouraged her. She was asked to go to classes, and they told her that her marriage was not valid and she would need an annulment. Further, it was necessary to wait until Easter, etc. The nearby evangelical church set up no such obstacles, and she was able to join at once and be considered a member. I hear so much talk of evangelization today, but I share my niece’s frustration. Can we not streamline this process?
— Name withheld
Answer: There is a kind of appealing simplicity that you describe in many Protestant denominations. But there are problems with the approach that should give us pause. Ultimately evangelization is more about conversion than mere membership. We are summoned to embrace the saving teaching of the Lord and to walk according to it.
Because adults make informed decisions, the Church considers it important to teach them the fundamentals of the Faith so that they can know what it is they are agreeing to when they enter the Church. Although some of the Scriptures portray an almost instant, on-the-spot baptism, the consensus in the early Church shifted to a lengthy, three-year period of instruction (called the catechumenate) prior to baptism. This likely was because of the insight that quick conversions often led to quick departures or a falling away when the true demands of discipleship became known.
Instructions are most insisted upon for those who are unbaptized. In the case of those who are baptized and come from different Protestant denominations, the length and content of instructions will depend on their background. It is up to the discretion of the pastor who discerns with each individual what is needed. It is certainly not required for those already baptized to “wait until next Easter.”
The concerns about a person’s marital status are rooted in the very words and teachings of Jesus himself. He teaches without ambiguity that for a person to marry, then divorce and enter another marriage, puts them in an ongoing state of adultery in the “new” marriage (cf. Mt 5:32; Mt 19:1-9; Mk 10:11-12; Lk 16:18, etc). He adds rather firmly, “What God has joined together, let no one divide” (Mt 19:9).
It will be further noted that when the Lord was evangelizing the woman at the well, he brought her to a moment of conversion, and she asked for the gift of faith. But the Lord Jesus saw fit to first raise with her the fact that she had been married five times and was now living with a man outside of marriage. Her conversion would not be complete or adequate until she was willing to live chastely. Then the graces could flow.
For reasons of their own, many Protestant denominations have decided to practically overlook such passages. But the Catholic Church takes the Lord’s teaching on these matters rather seriously, as he clearly intended that we should. In some cases, after an investigation based on evidence, the Church may use its power to bind and loose, to indicate that the previous marriage was not “what God has joined,” and it recognizes the first marriage as null. A person’s current marriage then can be blessed and recognized. But we simply cannot set the Lord’s words aside as if they were of little importance.
Thus some conversions to the Catholic faith will take some time to be faithful to the teachings of the Lord and the nature of true conversion. It is worth the diligence required.
3 years? RCIA is not a 3 year program and it’s only one night a week.
Easy come, easy go.
Catholicism does not equate to being a Christian and being a Christian does not equate to being a Catholic.
Salvation is easy.
Romans 10:9-13 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
No church membership required. Simple faith, like this guy.
Luke 18:9-14 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
You keep bringing Jesus into the equation. There's classes, ceremonies, rules, memorized responses and a whole lot of other things to belong to THE ONE and ONLY HOLY CHURCH.
/s
“You keep bringing Jesus into the equation. There’s classes, ceremonies, rules, memorized responses and a whole lot of other things to belong to THE ONE and ONLY HOLY CHURCH.
”
Don’t forget the Roman Hamster Wheel of Guilt...
Then why does Roman Catholicism grant church sanctioned divorce.
You can dress it up all you want and call it as many different names as you want, but Scripture is clear about breaking the marriage vows and giving a *church* a handsome amount of money to get it does is not found anywhere in Scripture as a legitimate reason for divorce.
Most protestants only know what they are told to believe. You can’t blame them for that
Cocaine fueled homosexual orgies at the Vatican is higher standards than what?
True and correct. You have to swear your allegiance to the said church and said head of the one world religion, one world government, leader of the one world global warming group, said pope of the one world mob. No thanks. I am very happy serving my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. Don’t serve a denomination or church. I serve HIM!!!
There is no 3 year rcia program. Most start in September end at Easter Vigil, one night an hour or so a week.
No thanks. I’ll keep my membership in the Body of Christ. Others can stand on their head to belong to a sect that puts manmade rules in the way of those seeking Christ
Amen
Things get convoluted (as they most often do with man) when people try to make man’s existence for the benefit of the church (usually his/their own church) rather than the church’s existence for the benefit of man.
“Most protestants only know what they are told to believe. You can’t blame them for that”
I agree, but at least they are being told the scriptures, as it should be.
In many churches, they are encouraged to individually read and study the Bible themselves.
Most Christian pastors tell their congregation to check what they say by comparing it to Scripture and to NOT believe them just cause they say so.
Nobody is told to blindly believe that the church hierarchy decrees that they believe under threat of eternal damnation.
Thought control like that, dictating what people have to believe, is the mark of a cult.
As I said you can marry a non-catholic easily. The church has no problem with it. I did. A priest will handle the ceremony. The Catholic person just needs to promise that they will raise the children Catholic. That and pre-cana classes are all thats required.
Getting an annulment is easy or hard depending on several factors. Its easy if the ex will sign the annulment forms. Its faster if you have a Canon Lawyer or at least someone who knows the process and can shepherd it along. If you married a Catholic and your ex is not eager to sign off on the annulment you will have a tough time of it, especially if there are children and your marriage was long.
There are lots of pro gay, pro abortion, short dress wearing Catholics. Being Catholic does not stop you from sinning. Hopefully it just means you are trying to love god and your fellow man. After that you work through the Creed and the Our Father and the ten commandments, and the rest of the orthodoxy. Judging others without following through to helping others is a waste of time.
Everyone that thinks this guy paid $5000 for a priest tp marry them, speak up. Didn’t happen!
What's ironic is that the very Catholics who condemn us for not following Catholicism don't even accept their own pope as legitimate, even though he was elected according to procedure by their college of cardinals.
So they hypocritically damn non-Catholics for not following the organization they don't even follow themselves.
I am very happy serving my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. Don’t serve a denomination or church. I serve HIM!!!
AMEN!!!
I can follow Jesus just fine without a pedo/homo priest running interference for me with God. Preach it, brother!
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