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Bonita
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 20th, 2006 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 15 |
| First Name: | Bonita | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Oct 7th, 2007 01:47 pm |
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I was received into full communion (I was a Baptist) with the Catholic Church a number of years ago. The pastor confirmed me and heard my first confession on one day(in his office - not in RCIA), then the next morning - at the first Mass at 6:00 A:M, I received my first Holy Communion. My question is, in that situation, what would be the official date of my coming into full communion with the Catholic Church - on the date of confirmation - or the next day at my first communion? Your Sister in Christ, Bonita
P.S. The reasons for not going through RCIA are too long to discuss here, but Father gave me private instructions for quite a while before confirmation.
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2068 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Oct 7th, 2007 02:38 pm |
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Before you were confirmed, you made a profession of faith, did you not? That would be the actual moment of your becoming Catholic. The sacraments then followed, as they are reserved to members.
It was the same with me, except that I was baptized into the Church (the rite of baptism includes a profession of faith). I received holy Communion the following day (Sunday). It wasn’t until some months later that I was confirmed by the bishop.
Since my entry into the Church took place before the end of the Second Vatican Council, which restored the formal catechetical process (RCIA), I was instructed privately.
David
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Bonita
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 20th, 2006 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 15 |
| First Name: | Bonita | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Oct 7th, 2007 02:53 pm |
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| Yes, I made my profession of faith first. I forgot to mention that. Thank you for your wonderful answers to all my questions. You have helped me so many times. I thank Jesus for you and your ministry. Bonita
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5349 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Oct 7th, 2007 04:37 pm |
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Bonita wrote: The pastor confirmed me and heard my first confession on one day(in his office - not in RCIA), then the next morning - at the first Mass at 6:00 A:M, I received my first Holy Communion. My question is, in that situation, what would be the official date of my coming into full communion with the Catholic Church - on the date of confirmation - or the next day at my first communion?
A private confirmation is unusual to say the least, but I assume the circumstances were such as to justify it, and the priest had the faculties to administer the sacrament. I agree with David that the moment of your joining the Church was the moment that you expressed your faith in the Church and the priest accepted you on behalf of the Church. The sacraments are necessary to complete your initiation, so you were not a "fully initiated" Catholic until you had received all of the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation/Chrismation, Eucharist) but you were a member of the Church at the moment of your acceptance.
The difference in your case was only a day, but it can be a significant difference. When RCIA is used, a catechumen makes an expression of faith on the First Sunday of Advent but is not baptized until the Easter Vigil. The catechumen is Catholic from the First Sunday of Advent. It's really only significant if the catechumen should die prior to baptism. The catechumen is treated as a Catholic and may be commended at a Catholic funeral.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Annie
Banned
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 731 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 07:29 am |
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I , too, was confirmed privately (on a Wednesday) and had my first communion the following Sunday. I was Officially Catholic on Wednesday.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Ali
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| Joined: | Sat Jan 6th, 2007 |
| Location: | Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 661 |
| First Name: | Ali | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | JW, finally fully Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 08:33 am |
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Annie wrote: I , too, was confirmed privately (on a Wednesday) and had my first communion the following Sunday. I was Officially Catholic on Wednesday.
As in this past Wednesday? Or am I missing something (again!) LOL
What is considered a private confirmation? Will mine be private since it won't be during a normal Sunday Mass?
Ali
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Annie
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| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 731 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 10:08 am |
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No, it was last September. "Private" means not at Mass in front of everybody. My sponsor was there and so was a friend who works in the parish office. We were quiet about it because I was joining a parish where there were friends of a guy who had threatened me at a former job and I didn't want them alerted to my presence in town. We even kept my name out of the bulletin. Now I am at another parish and happy as a clam.
clamlike,
Annie
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Annie
Ora et labora
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5349 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Oct 8th, 2007 02:29 pm |
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Annie wrote: "Private" means not at Mass in front of everybody. My sponsor was there and so was a friend who works in the parish office. We were quiet about it because I was joining a parish where there were friends of a guy who had threatened me at a former job and I didn't want them alerted to my presence in town.
This is a valid reason, but I'd like to stress that by definition, liturgical actions of the Church, especially sacraments, are public acts. As much as possible, they should be conducted with the knowledge, presence, and participation of as many of the faithful as possible. That's why the Easter Vigil service is arranged around the Liturgy of Baptism and the Sacraments of Initiation, and the reception of those already baptized is encouraged at a Sunday liturgy.
There are exceptions to every rule; for the benefit of others reading this thread, I just wanted to make clear that these are exceptions and not the way the Church normally handles sacraments.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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