NadaTeTurbe Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 One of my friend is being baptized in a protestant church. She invited me. I was all okay and happy, until another friend (a future priest) send me this : http://www.catholic.com/quickquestions/as-a-catholic-may-i-witness-my-grandsons-lutheran-first-communion But to attend a non-Catholic ceremony that one knows to be invalid—whether it be a baptismal ceremony, a marriage ceremony, or a first communion ceremony—would be to send the wrong message. I feel bad, really bad. I want to go, it's a close friend... (plus I did not know there were protestant in my part of France, I thought they were in Alsace or Paris, not in the south !). I don't know what to do. On one hand, I want to go, it's a friend, and I want to pray with her and for her, on the other hand I don't want to do something band, I don't come from a catholic background (atheist family), and I sometimes made mistake, and on the other other hand (yes I have three hand), this advice seems lacking charity, and on the other other other hand the website is very catholic, with priest, etc... so they know better than me. What's your advice ? Is it okay to go to a non-catholic ceremony when you're a catholic ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotpink Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I am not sure you are correct...from my understanding it would be illicit but not invalid. First communion is a bit different because as far as I know the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Catholic and the Melkiates and a few outlayers do believe in the whole Body and blood thing, but most do not. Therefore for say, Luterans, first communion would be nothing more than a symbol of adulthood. Baptism, which I have been baptized, is pretty universal to Catholics from my understanding. Meaning that while my Baptism would not count at another "protestant" church, no matter what Church I got baptized at, so long as they said Father, Son and Holy Spirit/Ghost then I'm good. Marriage, from my understanding is much more complicated. This is what I am pasting from my friend- Catholic means baptized/confirmed? I know it's atleast one of those. Catholic+opposite sex Catholic+Catholic church= YAY Catholic+opposite sex Catholic+ Civil Authority= Boo- bad, don't go unless it will cause a rift. Not valid in the eyes of the church for either party. Automatic grounds for lack of form Catholic+opposite sex non Catholic (christian or not)+ civil authority= Boo- bad, don't go unless it will cause a rift. Not valid for the Catholic, grounds for lack of form, though not as easy? Catholic+opposite sex Christan +Catholic Church= YAY Catholic+opposite sex atheist+ Catholic Church= YAY not catholic+opposite sex not Catholic+Civil Authority= Go, valid natural marriage Catholic (or not)+Same sex anything+ Civil Authority= Do not go, couple is always sinning, as only men and women can marry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadaTeTurbe Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 What do you call Civil Authority ? In France you have to get married at the town hall first, so they give you the paper that allow you to get married in whatever religion you want. A religion can not perform a wedding without the paper from the mayor. But I know that american can get married without going to the town hall, that's it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotpink Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 What do you call Civil Authority ? In France you have to get married at the town hall first, so they give you the paper that allow you to get married in whatever religion you want. A religion can not perform a wedding without the paper from the mayor. But I know that american can get married without going to the town hall, that's it ? Oh thats kinda funky. Yeah in america the Priest, Justice of the Peace, or protestant minister comes to your wedding and signs the marriage lisence. In some states he gives it back to the couple to file, in others he or she will go to town hall/mail to town hall and file it directly. For the most part states have their own rules, but the paperwork is done at the marriage ceremony. You can get married at a courthouse but that's not as typical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlick Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 There's nothing wrong with going to a Protestant Baptism. The sacrament is valid. If you know beforehand that it won't (because the formula they use is different), stay at home - in that case it's a parody of a sacrament and even attending that is a grave sin. You should also consider the signal you give as a Catholic when you refuse to attend a Baptism which your own Church considers valid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 There's absolutely nothing wrong with going to a non-Catholic baptism. They're using the Trinitarian formula, right? Then it's perfectly valid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taig Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 (edited) You may attend your friend's baptism in good conscience if the church he or she will be baptized into uses the Trinitarian formula (that is the minister doing the baptism says "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit"). Not all Protestant groups used that formula. Those are the groups who do not share in the same baptism as Catholics and if you want to be strict about belief in your Catholic faith, then those would be the baptism ceremonies to avoid. Find out which Protestant faith group your friend will be baptized into and look up that group's baptism formula. The Archdiocese of Santa Fe has a document which lists various Protestant faith groups and whether or not the faith group uses the Trinitarian formula which is valid in the Catholic Church. That is at: http://www.archdiocesesantafe.org/Offices/Worship/RCIA/RCIAInformation/Baptisms.pdf This is important information to know, because one can only be baptized once and if somebody chooses to convert to Catholicism, the priest needs to know if that person was validly baptized in another faith or not. If the person WAS NOT validly baptized, he or she will be baptized with the Trinitarian formula. If the person WAS validly baptized, then the person only needs to be confirmed into the Catholic faith. All the best to you NadaTeTurbe. Edited April 21, 2015 by Taig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadaTeTurbe Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 OKay, thank you. My friend said to me they use the trinitarian formula so I can go :D I will offer her a CD of Johnny Cash singing old hymns, some flowers and... a catholic bible I'm so happy. Okay it's not catholic but at least it's christian ! In France we have not all this church ! There's protestant church, then there's a megachurch and some church for african people (who sing in tongue). There's missionary mormon, though. I love torturing them. I think they hate me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taig Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 It sounds like your friend is very blessed to have you for her friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadaTeTurbe Posted April 21, 2015 Author Share Posted April 21, 2015 Because of Johnny Cash, I guess ? No, seriously, I am blessed to have her. She's such a good friend. Pray for her, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ark Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) There's absolutely nothing wrong with going to a non-Catholic baptism. They're using the Trinitarian formula, right? Then it's perfectly valid. I think I know what you mean here but just to be precise there is no such thing as a non-Catholic baptism. There is only one baptism and when Protestants baptize they perform a Catholic sacrament illicitly. This is an important distinction because otherwise we can fall to the false notion that there are means of salvation outside of the Church. Edited April 23, 2015 by Ark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taig Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Are you a member of SSPX Ark? Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ark Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Are you a member of SSPX Ark? Just wondering. No, I'm not, I'm just a Roman Catholic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linate Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 a valid baptism, but you are still damned even right after you do it. what a strange concoction of beliefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linate Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 crazy how doctrines of man can so casually be placed above such simple and basic truths in the bible... "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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