...Am I included Roman Catholic census somewhere? I mean even though I am not a Catholic anymore, when the Holy See does a census of followers, am I in it?
2007-09-14 08:20:25 · 14 answers · asked by Yahoo Sucks 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I have been confirmed as well at my own discretion.
2007-09-14 08:25:54 · update #1
How do I get "Un-Baptized"?
2007-09-14 08:26:41 · update #2
A very good question.
It seems like the government, at least, would record you as a Catholic.
2007-09-14 08:23:14 · answer #1 · answered by Tim 47 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
To my knowledge there is no Roman Catholic census anywhere - that would be a momumental undertaking as there are maybe at least a billion (with a "b") Catholics worldwide........
You are included in Church records somewhere though - that I know for certain from my own experiences. All of my Church records (baptism, confirmation, first marriage and subsequent annulment, second marriage in the Church) are all on file at a small country church where my family used to live, but where none of us reside any more.......
Once a Catholic, always one. You are still a Catholic even if you don't practice it and have fallen away. As a once-fallen-away Catholic who has since come home, I invite you to come back into the Mystical Body of Christ. You won't regret it, I promise you.
2007-09-14 08:42:44 · answer #2 · answered by the phantom 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If they did do a census, I believe you would be counted, unless you got yourself officially excommunicated. However I'm pretty sure there is no central database of church members.
The reason they would count you is that once you are baptized, you are a member of the Church, permanently. Unless, as I said, you get yourself officially excommunicated. But even if that happened, I don't think anyone would think to cross-reference your excommunication certificate with your baptismal certificate and subtract you from the count.
The primary recordkeeping in the Church is done at the parish level, not in Rome. Each parish keeps records of the baptisms, marriages, etc., which they perform. So if they did a census, they would just ask each parish how many baptismal certificates they have on file, and add them up.
Of course the Church knows that a certain percentage of baptized persons no longer adhere to the Faith. But there is no official document kept on file to count such people -- there is no "Certificate of Abandonment of Belief". If there were, then later on if you came back to the Church, you would have to file a "Certificate of Resumption of Belief". Then later if you started to have doubts, you would file a . . . . You get the point. It's not practical to keep track of the current state of the personal beliefs of baptized Catholics.
2007-09-14 08:31:51 · answer #3 · answered by Agellius CM 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Holy See does not do a census of its followers. You are not on anyone's list with the exception of Homeland Security's list.
If you ever decide to go back to the Catholic Church, you will not need to be baptized again. Just go to Reconciliation and confess of the sin of purposely missing mass and then jump back in.
2007-09-14 08:34:26 · answer #4 · answered by Sldgman 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There might not be a census anywhere but if you were baptized the "church" claims you as one of their own until you die or are excommunicated.
2007-09-14 08:27:34 · answer #5 · answered by donbicho 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know if they take a census, but if you REALLY don't want to be in the church anymore, write them(the church you were baptized and possibly confirmed in) a letter saying:
"I am no longer a Catholic, please don't consider me as one. sincerely (your name here)"
lost.eu/21618
2007-09-14 08:29:34 · answer #6 · answered by Quailman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
depends.
If you received first communion or confirmation, then yes.
But the church teaches that when you are baptized the seed of the holy spirit is planted into you, and you can never leave behind that mark of baptism. (which sux) even if someone is totally fallen away from the church.
so yes.
2007-09-14 08:27:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I in no way heard of at the same time with element, yet no infant may be baptized, he/she ought to have expertise of what baptism ability first. in case you do not have faith in why you get carry of baptized, then tear it up; yet be warned, you're renouncing your concept in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.
2016-11-10 11:00:39 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you must contact the spirit of king richard the lionheart and ask him to have the church reverse your baptism becasue you were forcibly baptized.
I'm pretty sure the last time they did that was when christians forcibly baptized jews while he was off having sex with the king of france and butchering christians muslims and jews in the desert.
2007-09-14 08:33:28 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there is such a "census"...but you are indeed a member of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the Body of Christ, by virtue of that Holy Baptism, until you are dead...or get yourself ex-communicated for some sort of heresy.
2007-09-14 08:24:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋