Can you officailly leave the Catholic Church?

Question

I am an Irish catholic and would like to leave the catholic church officially once my nan has passed on. I am by no means practicing but would like to formal lodge my complaint and my name removed from the institution and all it represents. Can This been done by official means? i know to join you go through baptism and your name registered in the church. i'd like to have mine removed. Can this be done?

Answer 1

You cannot officially 'leave' per se.

However, write to the Bishop of the Dioscese where you were baptised and make it absolutely clear that you are apostate, that you deny Yahweh, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and request a letter in response formalizing your excommunication.

Can't hurt to try, if you really need something like that to validate your new-found sanity. Most atheists/agnostics are quite happy just knowing they have seen past the lies of theism without needing the paperwork.

Answer 2

Yes and no. You can be removed from parish rolls, and usually this is simply a matter of not attending or removing to another location and not enrolling, or formally you can write to the parish, diocese, or even the Sacred Rota in Rome. Or you could do as Martin Luther did and nail your theses to the door, even though I'd say this would hardly be noticed. Only the pope could formally remove you, and even that is not generally irrevocable, you cannot be unbaptized. A paid announcement in the media would be the most expeditious and public way of making your departure official and noticed.

We crucify Jesus, day by day,
In the things we do,
And the words we say.
His Body, the Church laid out
Upon the cross of the world;
We drive wedges, sharp and cruel,
Not merely to affix the corpse thereto
In caricature of execution, redemption's tool,
But to sever the limbs, break bones in two.
We see atonement, purchased thereby,
Only applicable to our particular crumb
As if the whole loaf were not sanctified,
But only "the elect" for whom He died.
In our perfection we deny
Both benefit and necessity
And allow no grace but what we mediate
Loving our Lord, while our brother we hate.
If only Peter, more perfect he,
And Paul less irascible he might be
Each an apostle fit for Jesus' choice,
But neither these days would find voice
In a church ruled by image instead of Lord,
Innocent of need for living Word.

Answer 3

Well, as a Catholic I wish you luck in whatever form of religion you choose. There is no official way to leave per se. There really isn' excommunication in the old offical sense where the do the ceremony or whatever. It is sort of an automatic thing nowadays for certain behaviors.

As for those that made all the statements about how the Catholic church is so bad... I'm afraid that responding in a similar maner (which isn't that hard) wouldn't make much of a difference would it? You already have your narrow mindsets against the church and any actual discussion I tried to have with you would appear to be pointless from the tone of the posts. God bless you all!

Answer 4

YES LORD

Write them a letter and be sure and give them scripture

Matt 23 Call no man... but brother

Heb 10 Gal 3 There is one Mediator between God
(No pope, No man can talk to God for you but Christ)

Rm 16:16 The Church ...salutes you (Not Catholic church)

Then go find the church listed in the Bible and be ye Baptised
(immersed ) Rm 6; Gal 3; Mtt 28: 20; Mk16:16

Mtt 26:27; Mk 14;24; Lk 22:20; 1Cor 11:25; You are a New Tesament ChristianWHERE HIS (CHRIST'S) BLOOD IS ONLY FOUND

Answer 5

You can't be unbaptized. You have no official listing in "the Church" as such (there is no master list of Catholics). Your only "official listing", so to speak, is in your local parish. Most people who leave God's Church for something less simply walk away and start attending the other church - or no church at all. Like throwing away diamonds to obtain pebbles.
.

Answer 6

Yes, and no.

You can ask that your name be removed from your parish register.

You cannot ask that baptismal and other sacramental records be destroyed. These have the status of legal documents.

You cannot remove the special mark that Baptism and the other sacraments have made on your soul.

Whenever you wish to return you will be welcomed with open arms.

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

Absolutely and I did just that after understanding the meaning of the words at Revelation 18:4 which strongly admonishes us to get out of her if we don't wish to share in the plagues reserved for her, which you will come to see in your own life-time. It doesn't mean that you have to break you head about your nan who will be resurrected and who can then learn the truth of it all from her loving grand-daughter, namely you! as you simply live though what seems to be close at hand according to the scientists who helped in the making of the book (and movie) written by Al Gore, which claims that this planet can not go on another ten years before it will self-destruct. That would surely be the time that God Himself calls the appointed times of the nations when He will step in with Armageddon, which is said to be the last battle that will end all wars on the earth, where He will bring to ruin those who ruin the earth instead of allowing his beautiful planet to be destroyed and will then use the same power to clean and restore it that He used to create it in the first place... I mean! It goes without saying that if you are knowledgeable enough to build a home, you can surely clean it just as easy!!! And so will He, who can do anything at all, clean and restore our gorgeous home, the earth to what it originally was in the garden of Eden (between Iraq and Iran). Anyhow! all that you have to do is to send or bring them a letter with your name, date and place of birth (where you were baptized as a baby) and tell them to remore your name from their records. What they do or don't do after that is their affair. As far as the true God is concerned, you will have done the right thing and He will be satisfied that you are no longer a part of the Empire of False Religion of the earth. Congratulations for having such insight to want to do such a thing out of your own initiative. It is indicative of the true spirit of God at work in you and for you! I take this opportunity to send you my love! Agape always!!!
EDIT
It is so not the case that you have to write to the pope! The same way you didn't need to go to the pope to become one, you certainly don't need it to leave it! His so-called reps on the earth will do just fine in delivering the records if they only do the job they are well paid for! If not, it is still not your problem as God sees everything! and his myriads of angels all over the earth don't miss a beat in reporting all that they see you do! And they do! follow you around the moment that you make one single step in the direction of the eternal God of gods which you already did in your heart or else you would never have had the idea of doing such a thing!

Answer 8

its your choice , many of us don't go to church as all in one way or another they pastors, vickers, etc, have disgraced or tarnished the name. of the church and the there god........( the media have opened a big can of worms them poor alter boys/girls innocence took away at an early age ....Excuse me , it was them that were suppose to give us salvation, and protect us but turned the church into a mockery they broke a few of the 7 deadly sins , yet preach them to us the congregation. i would never trust a priest either.ever my sons don't go both sis and bro gone on to there other beliefs a church is not one of there main outlets) we all seem to 4 get that prayers were formed on mountains, caves, under ground anywhere long before bricks and motar

Answer 9

I officially "divorced" the Jehovahs Witnesses. I wrote a letter to my local congregation Elders requesting all records of my Baptism and service be taken out of their establishment, so you might start at the local level.

Answer 10

This is a good question. Seeing as I used to be catholic, I simply don't go to church and say I am not catholic. I am not aware of a formal way to denounce your faith though.

Aside from saying "I am no longer catholic"