is my friend really a catholic?

Question

I have a friend that is gay, doesn't ever go to church, is pro-choice and thinks it's ok to be a "cafeteria Catholic" choosing to agree with some things but not others...I say that he can't be a catholic then. He acts more like it's a democracy in which you can agree with some parts of it and not others I thought it was more like a dictatorship and not a democracy. Is he a Catholic or not?

Answer 1

Like an organisation one must abide by the rules of that organisation. But unlike an organisation to be baptised makes you a member of God’s family, nothing can change that (ever) that of itself doesn’t save us, we must be in a state of friendship (grace) with God when we die to receive salvation, standing against God and his Church, does not help, (instead hinders.) Think of the prodigal son, he could have stayed away.

For to be a Catholic one must hold and believe all that the Catholic Church, believes at teaches, (all, without exception.)

Catholicism is not a democracy. God didn’t ask us what we think right and wrong should be, he made us, so he told us, some things are clearly wrong (such as killing the innocent) while others we need someone to speak to us on His behalf, hence He gave us the Church

Your friend (and everyone else) is still called to chastity just as heterosexuals are, married or celibate.
To participate in an abortion is automatic excommunication.

I fully support choice, of all creatures living on the earth only humans are free to choose, that is free will, it is what makes us human and able to love. I support the choice, to choose what is right. Choosing wrong is an abuse of free will, especially when it harms people, like abortion does, it harms the mother, it harms the father, it is fatal to the child. Why would someone support the killing of the most innocent and helpless of all humans in the womb, yet would not accept it for those already born..

What your friend needs to do is learn more about what the Church teaches on homosexuality and life.
But perhaps where he should begin with the is the Splendour of Truth

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/04/05/do0501.xml
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html
http://www.catholicculture.org/library/view.cfm?recnum=3459

Read on a Catholic’s website, “The Cafeteria is now closed.” It was never open, or will ever open (cafeteria of teaching that is.)

Answer 2

No, he absolutely is not catholic even if he got baptized so for as long as you don't finish your sacraments you won't be a catholic you may think you are but you are not, for Catholicism is for those that follow God's church in this earth and help not to let her fall for whomever pretends to become self sufficient are just fooling themselves otherwise how would you explain all other churches following a leader? we just follow Saint Peter's successor , yes Jesus disciple. but then again being Catholic is not an easy thing that's why other denominations the "easy to follow thru the widest of doors" and onto the contrary with ours there's a narrow door and there are still many outside and they call themselves catholics, true catholics are hard to find and not every one is. but everyone is invited but only a few are chosen.

Answer 3

No, there is no salvation outside of the Catholic Church Yes, a person can get to heaven without being a member of teh Catholic Church. The apparent contradiction is resolved when you understrand that the catholic Church teaches that all who profess faith in Jesus Christ are members of the Catholic Church. Those who are members of churches that split away from the Catholic Church (Protestant) are not in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, but the Holy Spirit still uses them as a means of salvation

Answer 4

Not really.

Cafeteria style dining means to pick and choose what food to take from a cafeteria line.

The term "Cafeteria Christians" refers to people who view Christianity like a cafeteria where one picks and chooses only those beliefs that appeal to them and reject a genuine interpretation of Christian doctrine and the teachings of Jesus.

The term "Cafeteria Catholics" is similar. It is used to describe people who dissent from certain teachings of the Catholic Church while maintaining an outward identity as Catholics.

In Los Angeles in 1987, Pope John Paul II said: "It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the magisterium is totally compatible with being a "good Catholic," and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere."

Heresy is the obstinate denial after Baptism of a truth which must be believed with divine and Catholic faith.

"Cafeteria Catholics" in denial of certain truths are in danger of committing heresy.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

I guess, if there is a silver lining here, your friend isn't fooling himself. He certainly is a cateteria Catholic and he knows it.

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Merely being gay isn't wrong. It's when this gay inclination manifests itself in sexual acts - that's what's immoral on account of the fact such acts violate the Virtue of Chastity.


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Put another way, your "Catholic" friend" freely chooses not to "Keep the Sabbath Holy". That's not good.


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If there is any reason to believe your friend isn't the Catholic he claims to be, it's this. One simply cannot be pro-choice and Catholic at the same time. In fact, the phrase "pro-choice Catholic" is a contradiction in terms.


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What's the point in the Catholic Church having Universal DOGMATIC Beliefs and Practices, if the Church (allegedly) allows it's members to pick and choose which elements to believe and which to dismiss. It makes no sense.


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I agree, but only because of his pro-choice stance.


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Even in a democracy, while one might not personally agree with all the laws, we as citizens are obliged to follow the law.

Answer 6

Yes and No
Yes, by right of Baptism
No, as they are not in full communion with the Church

Best description would be a "fallen away" Catholic

For future questions: May I suggest that you go to Catholic Answers at http://www.catholic.com and then look at the left sidebar: You will see many subjects. You can click on one and see tracts that will probably answer your questions. Also, the search engine will search 20 years worth of articles from "This Rock" magazine. There are a lot of great articles there too

Also, the"official" Catechism Of The Catholic Church is online at: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/entiretoc1.htm
This is a difficult document to read. (The book is about three inches thick!) But, there is a wealth of information there too if you take the time to learn how to navigate it.

Answer 7

He may be a catholic, but not a very devout Catholic.

The catholic Church is not a democracy. We do not vote on what we believe.

Answer 8

You can be gay and be catholic. It is just whether you act on your feelings. There are lots of catholics in the world who are "cafeteria" Catholics. Does that make it right? I wouldn't think so, but I am not one to judge them.... Even my own mom was born and raised in the Catholic Church and she doesn't agree with 100% of it's teachings....

I guess the question is - does your friend go to mass every weekend. Does he particpate in the service? Does he live out his faith walk, or does he just talk the talk.....

Answer 9

Unless he has been excommunicated, he is a Catholic. He sins less than most of the bishops here in America. At least he hasn't molested any small boys. That puts him ahead of a lot of the higher levels of the clergy.

By the way, who gives Catholics a bad name are all the Bishops who protect child molesters, not gays who mind their own business.


By the way, the ten commandments are silent on homosexuality. Jesus never said a word on the subject.


Homosexuality is condemned in the Bible----in the same place where it says you can sell your own daughter into slavery, or kill people who work on Sunday.

Answer 10

Ask the Vatican plenty of gays there. Any way catholic church is a masonic cult. It is a Pagan religion. And catholics don't follow any laws of faith.