| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmation? | George | Monday, April 18, 2005 |
Question: I was baptised Byzantine Catholic but I attend a Roman Catholic Church. On my baptismal certificate it says that I was confirmed (actually it says Christmated). I don't think I was old enough to do those things mentioned in the other post about confirmation. Does this mean that I am not really confirmed in the Roman rite? Since my parents go to the Roman rite church; should I make it official and completely change to the Roman rite? Second question, I heard a priest on TV say that if you reject any teaching of the Church you are automatically ex-communicated. I was invovled with new age for quite some time and did so then. Do I have to get the bishops's persmission to return? I have been going to daily mass and weekly confession and my parish priest has not stopped me from going. He knows my situation quite well, I told him everything about how I got invovled in the new age. Thank you |
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| Question Answered by
Dear George,Actually Baptism and Confirmation are two entirely different sacraments. Anyway, once someone is confirmed they aren't "confirmed into a rite", rather they become a confirmed Christian. Byzantine confirmation is valid and it the same as Roman confirmation, it is just celebrated differently.About changing rites: someone has just posted to my forum a brief explanation and has done a better job than I could since this really isn't my area of study. Also I know there are some resources on the web for those who have the same questions as you have.Rejecting Teaching of the Church is seriously sinful and so if someone does they should not be receiving the Eucharist. Canon Law says that an apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs excommunication.(n.1364) Whether or not you became any of these would be decided between you and your confessor or spiritual director, I really can't tell from your post and I really shouldn't try. I would say the two most serious questions that could be asked are "Were you originally Catholic and then turn away" and "did you teach false doctrine and teach it as if it were true Catholic teaching".I do know that most people that stray from the Church and then return have not been excommunicated. If you have been totally honest with your confessor then I really wouldn't worry.Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively. |
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