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wingfan
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Doug | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised Lutheren, converting to Catholicism |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 11:27 am |
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I have been attending the Catholic Church (when I attended  ) for the last 10 years. I am now trying to reconnect both myself and my wife who is a cradle Catholic. About 4 months ago, I started meeting with our priest about finally making my conversion to the Faith. There was no RCIA program and the priest just wanted to meet a few times and we would figure it out together.
After a few meetings, the priest told me to just give him a call when I was ready for my First Communion... I did this and set the date. About a month ago, I made my First Confession and First Communion. However, the priest didn't have me do any profession of faith, or anything. It was just a normal mass with nothing different. I went through the communion line thinking the priest would just bless me or something if I wasn't supposed to be there, but he gave me communion so I figured it was all OK.
Now the story gets weird. A week ago, our priest announced that he is leaving our parish for medical reasons and is now gone. I wasn't able to contact him prior to him leaving and was told he is not able to be contacted now. I had no idea what to do since they don't expect to get a new priest assigned for quite some time. This led me to look for the records of my First Communion with the parish office so I could potentially continue the conversion process in a neighboring parish. When I called, they had no records on me at all! So, not only am I extremely confused, I may have been participating in Communion sinfully.
Any ideas/guidance would be GREATLY appreciated.
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Annie
Member
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 718 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 12:33 pm |
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Were you confirmed by him? The record in the parish would be of your confirmation. If you are being catechized individually, the priest is supposed to make sure you believe the fundamental dogmas of the Church and intend to be obedient to the teachings of the magisterium. He is then supposed to confirm you if you have already been baptized and were active in another faith community. After that comes the Eucharist. He sounds more than a little lax if you have not left out details.
Here is some more info:
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/HOW2.htm
Edited to add details.
Last edited on Tue Oct 16th, 2007 12:44 pm by Annie
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Annie
Ora et labora
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wingfan
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Doug | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised Lutheren, converting to Catholicism |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 12:55 pm |
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No, I wasn't confirmed by him. He indicated that I would be confirmed at Easter. More than a little lax is an understatement.
As for the records, I was under the impression that the Sacrimental Records of the parish would contain record of my baptism, first communion, and (eventially) my confirmation. I gave them a copy of my baptism certificate from the Lutheran church I was baptised in and was told at that time that they would enter that into the record. However, even that is not anywhere on file. It is like I didn't exist there.
Either way, sounds like I need to seek out advice from a different priest and not continue participating in the Eucharist until I get this all worked out.
Thanks for the link. I looked it over and now have good questions to ask when I find another priest to discuss this with.
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Annie
Member
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 718 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 01:19 pm |
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That's good. And by the way, don't worry about previously taken illicit Communions, that is on the priest's ticket since it was his duty to do things properly. What he did was gravely sinful but you are blameless. But now that you know better you are supposed to wait until you are confirmed, reconciled, etc. etc. Good luck. Let us know what happens.
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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: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 03:04 pm |
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wingfan wrote: Either way, sounds like I need to seek out advice from a different priest and not continue participating in the Eucharist until I get this all worked out.
Your profession of faith does not need to be a formal one, and it does not need to be before the congregation. You indicated that you met with the priest several times, and no doubt he was comfortable with your Catholic faith. He unquestionably accepted you into the Church when he gave you your first communion.
There is a problem with the sacramental records that needs to be corrected. You may not have a resident priest but you will certainly have a parish administrator of some type appointed. You will need to talk to him to get the records straightened out, or contact the chancellor of your diocese. You will also need to make arrangements to be confirmed.
But I don't think there is a problem with your admission to the Church and your continuing to receive Eucharist and Penance, and any other sacraments that you might encounter (anointing of the sick, etc.). Any priest has the authority to accept you into the Church and even though this priest's methods may have been a little unorthodox, it's still valid.
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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
Member
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 718 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 03:27 pm |
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| Rick is right, of course.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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wingfan
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 8 |
| First Name: | Doug | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised Lutheren, converting to Catholicism |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 04:18 pm |
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Thank you both for your responses. I really appreciate the insight. I am going to meet with another priest tonight!
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Annie
Member
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 718 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 04:38 pm |
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| CL!
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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: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Oct 16th, 2007 09:46 pm |
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Annie wrote: Rick is right, of course.
Is that respect? I'm not used to that! 
____________________
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
Member
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 718 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Oct 17th, 2007 09:54 am |
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Yes, even you can occasionally be right. 
Hey, that smiley box thing is cool.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Oct 17th, 2007 12:25 pm |
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CajunRick wrote: Your profession of faith does not need to be a formal one, and it does not need to be before the congregation. You indicated that you met with the priest several times, and no doubt he was comfortable with your Catholic faith. He unquestionably accepted you into the Church when he gave you your first communion.
Any priest has the authority to accept you into the Church and even though this priest's methods may have been a little unorthodox, it's still valid.
This is interesting, Rick. They got me coming and going: conditional baptism; confession covering entire life; and profession of faith involving my joining the parish priest in front of the altar, facing those present, and reading aloud. In fact, I was even instructed to speak loudly so that everyone could hear. Methinks great care was taken to get me in good and proper. It was a glorious day.
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 4981 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Wed Oct 17th, 2007 01:48 pm |
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Intercessor wrote: It was a glorious day.
For you Phoebe, they did everything by the book, and a glorious day is the desired result!
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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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Bernadette
Member
| Joined: | Sat Oct 13th, 2007 |
| Location: | Los Angeles, California USA |
| Posts: | 10 |
| First Name: | Bernadette | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Catholic, *dramatic* conversion, Congregational, Foursquare, Amish-Mennonite, Calvary Chapel, Eastern ... |
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Posted: Thu Nov 1st, 2007 11:34 am |
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Hi, Doug,
I had a similar strange circumstance:
When my marriage was convalidated in 2003, I didn't know it at the time, but the Priest who officiated made no records except a small certificate he gave only to me! Soon after this, he left this small, mission church, and who knows what became of him...
Two babies later, I misplaced my convalidation certificate. I phoned the new Priest; nothing. I wrote the Diocese; they said they had nothing. I began praying in earnest, and this time I wrote the new Priest, who wonderfully sprung into action! (And he's elderly, too!) He phoned our witnesses, who remembered the exact date (embarrasingly-- I did not!), and he made out a bigger and lovely new certificate that I am proud to display, AND he completed the paperwork and sent everything to the proper authorities.
This Priest also mentioned that when he arrived at the church, he found a note addressed to him from the Priest who married us that read, "Record keeping is not my forte. Sorry." Turns out the former Priest also never completed proper Communion records, Confirmation, etc. The new Priest sure had his work cut out for him, bless his heart!
All that to say, KEEP PRAYING throughout this process, and you will soon find everything falling into place! Don't be discouraged!
God bless you, my brutha!
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"Listen to Him." --God the Father (Luke 9:35)
"Do whatever He tells you." --Blessed Mary (John 2:5)
http://www.myspace.com/donna_ellis
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