What do I need to do (step by step) if I want to reach Roman Catholic Baptism as an adult by atoning for this sin of mine mentioned below?

[Bluesky]

First of all, I am sorry if my English is poor, I am not a native speaker from a European country.

I liked the Roman Catholic Mass I attended so much, that I went out to take the Eucharist at the end. I did not know that it was completely improper and I seriously hurt the rules of the Church and the Eucharist since I have not been baptised (and unfortunately I am still not baptised), and of course, I had many sins to be confessed first that time as well (even, if I suppose and hope these sins are not all extremely serious).  This happened in 2019. I have regretted that as much as I can ever since. I think I have managed to commit one of the greatest possible sins possible during a mass.

I can see now that I should have been begun to converted (find a cathecumen course for adults) right after that, and I should have told a Catholic priest my sin. I regret that I did not do so, because now COVID makes it quite hard to find a catechumenate in my country, and I dare not go to church because of COVID (this is not necessarily what the Catholic Church expects in my country now from me because of the COVID danger).

So I do not know what to do, because obviously I cannot solve this personally and I cannot really ask for the help of a Catholic priest online. Should I pray until the end of COVID when I can get more personal help from my Church? What prayers should I say until that, in a detailed way, please, if it is possible? On the other hand, how do I do penance for? I do not want to ignore my sin. 

By the way, I already define myself as a Catholic, e.g. I tell the rosary every day, I have a crucifix on my wall, and I pray a lot, and, besides, I follow the holy mess online. 
And in addition to what I have described, I also try to convert my faith into acts, even if it is a hard point to me, and e.g. I help others (such as family members, housework), with more or less success.  

Thank you in advance!

Sorry for my long and quite complex post.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Bluesky said:

First of all, I am sorry if my English is poor, I am not a native speaker from a European country.

I liked the Roman Catholic Mass I attended so much, that I went out to take the Eucharist at the end. I did not know that it was completely improper and I seriously hurt the rules of the Church and the Eucharist since I have not been baptised (and unfortunately I am still not baptised), and of course, I had many sins to be confessed first that time as well (even, if I suppose and hope these sins are not all extremely serious).  This happened in 2019. I have regretted that as much as I can ever since. I think I have managed to commit one of the greatest possible sins possible during a mass.

Hello Bluesky  and welcome to Phatmass.

I thought your English was excellent - not "poor" for sure.

Re receiving Holy Communion during Mass though you are not Catholic.  You have not committed a sin because you were not aware at that time that it was sinful.  In Catholic Teaching, you need to know something is a sin in order to commit sin.

How wonderful and a Grace from God that you have begun your journey to The Catholic Church already.  Re prayer - you can speak to Jesus in your own words - or The Our Father is the prayer Jesus taught His apostles when they asked Him to teach them to pray.  Pray it slowly.  Then pray it again taking each line and thinking about it:

The Our Father

Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.  Amen

3 hours ago, Bluesky said:

I can see now that I should have been begun to converted (find a cathecumen course for adults) right after that, and I should have told a Catholic priest my sin. I regret that I did not do so, because now COVID makes it quite hard to find a catechumenate in my country, and I dare not go to church because of COVID

I think COVID and the restrictions imposed caught most of us by surprise and some things not done and then unable to do because of COVID.

Sure, do pray until the end of COVID and then every day after.  The Church encourages us to pray every day.

I think you are doing great although you do not recognise it.  You want to pray and you are praying, you are also:

3 hours ago, Bluesky said:

I also try to convert my faith into acts, even if it is a hard point to me, and e.g. I help others (such as family members, housework), with more or less success.

You are on a most excellent path to prepare yourself for Baptism even before your actual preparation program in The Church begins.  You have begun a firm relationship with Jesus - you are journeying with Him now.  I hope you will feel very soon that you can make contact with your parish re baptism despite COVID.  You could ring your parish and talk with them now.

Here is an online copy of the entire Catholic Bible from the  Vatican website.  You might like to read some of it daily, especially the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and the story of Jesus during His lifetime here on earth  http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_INDEX.HTM

God bless and please keep me in prayer.  You will be in mine. 

You are doing great, Bluesky!

Regards - Barb, South Australia

______________________

Edit:  Each week you will see in the Open Mic Forum here, a thread by cappie (a Catholic priest).  It is a short homily on the Sunday Gospel and Scripture Readings at Sunday Mass.  It is always a rewarding read and meditation:

Here is this week's OP by cappie: 

 

[Guest]

Here is a link to the daily readings at Mass.  https://www.dow.org.au/media-resources/daily-mass-readings/

 

 

 

[Bluesky]

Dear Barb,

thank you for your letter, for all the resources and help. I pray for you many times.

I am so happy and relieved that I did not commit a crime. I had a hunch maybe I should not take the Eucharist that time, but I did not know anything specific about the rules (which is my fault, because e.g. it was one of my first participation in a Mass, so I was a complete newcomer).

Thank you, I have already read the four Gospels. And after that, what would you suggest, please? In what order do you suggest I should read the other books in Scripture?

A friend of mine, a devout Roman Catholic, a humanist and a talented scholar told me that religion had two main missions. The first is to help others, and the second is to deepen in the knowledge and mystery of religion and God in the rest of our time. Would that be true?

And if so, what is the approximately good ratio between the two main missions? That also arises in me because, unfortunately, I am quite busy. I would like to spend all day dealing with religion, which, really sorry, I have barely had in my life so far. But I have only about half an hour - one hour for religion on weekdays, 1-2 hours on weekends on Saturdays and Sundays. So, what do you think, how to spend this narrow time in the most effective ways for strengthening my faith more and more?

Excuse me, if these questions are not related to my original question, I can also open a new forum.

Thank you very much!

Best regards

[Lilllabettt]

50 minutes ago, Bluesky said:

Dear Barb,

thank you for your letter, for all the resources and help. I pray for you many times.

I am so happy and relieved that I did not commit a crime. I had a hunch maybe I should not take the Eucharist that time, but I did not know anything specific about the rules (which is my fault, because e.g. it was one of my first participation in a Mass, so I was a complete newcomer).

Thank you, I have already read the four Gospels. And after that, what would you suggest, please? In what order do you suggest I should read the other books in Scripture?

A friend of mine, a devout Roman Catholic, a humanist and a talented scholar told me that religion had two main missions. The first is to help others, and the second is to deepen in the knowledge and mystery of religion and God in the rest of our time. Would that be true?

And if so, what is the approximately good ratio between the two main missions? That also arises in me because, unfortunately, I am quite busy. I would like to spend all day dealing with religion, which, really sorry, I have barely had in my life so far. But I have only about half an hour - one hour for religion on weekdays, 1-2 hours on weekends on Saturdays and Sundays. So, what do you think, how to spend this narrow time in the most effective ways for strengthening my faith more and more?

Excuse me, if these questions are not related to my original question, I can also open a new forum.

Thank you very much!

Best regards

Another way you may hear is love God, and your neighbor as yourself. These 2 summarize all the commandments. 

Or a classic expression is 1. to know love and serve God in this life, and 2.be happy with Him forever in the next. 

[Guest]

Hi again Bluesky,

I will try to answer your questions, but I think it is very important that you make contact (phone) with your Catholic parish.  The questions you are asking are the type of things best dealt with in spiritual direction by a spiritual director.

What @Lilllabettt has posted is spot on and hits the summary of the whole Law.  We are to love God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves.  I think you are already striving in that direction.  If we focus on these two things, we will unfailingly grow in holiness and be pleasing to God with our efforts to please Him.

2 hours ago, Bluesky said:

Thank you, I have already read the four Gospels. And after that, what would you suggest, please? In what order do you suggest I should read the other books in Scripture?

Perhaps you could take the Readings from Mass on the Sunday https://universalis.com/20201115/mass.htm each week.  Begin with a very short prayer - for example "Come Holy Spirit and inflame my mind, heart and soul" (very short prayers of one or two sentences, we call "aspirations"): .  The First Reading is always from the Old Testament.  The Second Reading from the New Testament.  Lastly there is The Gospel from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.  These are the Readings at Sunday Mass.  There is of course the meditation from @cappie as I mentioned in my previous post.  During the week at weekday Mass, we have only one Reading from the Old or New Testament, along with The Gospel.

There is no formally set formula for prayer during our day.  We pray as we are motivated to pray (or more correctly - as we are inspired by The Holy Spirit)

Our purpose in Catholicism is to praise and thank God.  We then strive to express our love of God by loving service to our neighbour. This is a way of spreading The Gospel ("preach The Gospel to every creature" - as Jesus instructs His apostles and therefore us too) These are really questions for a spiritual director and I am not that.  Again, I urge you to make contact with your Catholic parish.  That is so important. 

2 hours ago, Bluesky said:

And if so, what is the approximately good ratio between the two main missions? That also arises in me because, unfortunately, I am quite busy. I would like to spend all day dealing with religion, which, really sorry, I have barely had in my life so far. But I have only about half an hour - one hour for religion on weekdays, 1-2 hours on weekends on Saturdays and Sundays. So, what do you think, how to spend this narrow time in the most effective ways for strengthening my faith more and more?

Because you are already praying and striving to put your Faith into action by service to others as follows:  "I also try to convert my faith into acts, even if it is a hard point to me, and e.g. I help others (such as family members, housework), with more or less success."  You really are doing it all, all that is asked of us to grow in Charity.  Not only this, because of what you are already about, all that you say, think and do is an act of praise and thanksgiving to God.

We can all find putting our Faith into acts difficult at times, or even often sometimes, or as you said: "a hard point".  You are not alone there, Bluesky   It is not a question of time given to specifically religious type of subjects.  If all you can spare in a day is 2 minutes, that is more than sufficient.  If you have half an hour or one or or even say, 8 hours daily - that is more than sufficient.  You are making holy your employment or study (any and all your duties in a day).  You are making holy every second of your days.  It is not a question of the time available, rather it is that time that God has given you to focus on religious matters, time He has given you for your various duties each day (or what the secular world calls "time available")  Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, it is only a short chapter http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__PKY.HTM  "I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about. He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done"

The Good God does not ask that we have Him in our conscious mind every second of our day.  He reads our hearts and knows it better than we do.  Hence when we focus on our work or study, our duties in a day, they become our prayer, our act of praise and thanksgiving to Him, even though we are not consciously thinking of these things, thinking of God.  An excellent way to begin each day is with The Morning Offering and it says it all : "O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart."

The Church highly recommends The Morning Offering each day.

2 hours ago, Bluesky said:

Excuse me, if these questions are not related to my original question, I can also open a new forum.

I don't think you need to open a new thread in the forum.  I am sure that a moderator will advise you if it is necessary.  Your questions are excellent, Bluesky.  In fact, for one not yet in formation for Baptism even, they are astounding and inspired, inspiriting, questions!

Please do make contact with your parish and ask can you speak to the parish priest.  I think it is very important that as soon as it is possible (due to COVID) you do begin your formal formation for Baptism.   We call it "The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)".  I think it is of great importance, in fact, that you begin your formation for Baptism as soon as possible.

I do feel inadequate, Bluesky, I hope you are finding my responses helpful and please do ask if you have any problems, have a need to ask more questions.

God bless, Bluesky  - a big welcome to Phatmass again.  We are really honoured on Phatmass, we are all blest by God, to be able to journey with you in your journey Home (into The Catholic Church).

Warm regards - Barb 

 

_______________

Lost my edit facility again.  The sentence:  "In fact, for one not yet in formation for Baptism even, they are astounding and inspired, inspiriting, questions!"  Should read "inspirational, questions" 

Edited November 15, 2020 by BarbaraTherese
Forgot something

[Guest]

I just thought of this, Bluesky.  You can get a relatively short reading from The Bible and also The Catholic Catechism free of charge in to your email inbox.  Over time it eventually covers all of those two resources, Bible and Catechism.

https://chnetwork.org/free-resource-updated-version-of-our-read-the-bible-and-the-catechism-in-a-year-guide/

The full (free online) Catholic Catechism is here: https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

 

[Guest]

Woops!  Sorry Bluesky, I gave you the wrong link.  The link I gave you is actually the overall plan (pdf download) to cover The Bible and the Catechism in a year.

I know I have given you much information and a fair few links.  I think that The Holy Spirit is very much with you, and that you (under His guidance) will therefore pick and choose what will work for you and what will not.

Here are the links I meant to give you - they are actually an email daily into your email inbox:

Bible (or Holy Scripture) daily email: https://www.bibleinayear.org/

Catholic Catechism daily email: https://flocknote.com/catechism

 

 

[CatherineM]

Welcome. Your English is better than I speak any other language. 

You can absolutely call yourself a Catholic. My mother was never formally received into the church due to a marriage issue, but she practiced the faith without receiving the Eucharist for 65 years. 

[Bluesky]

Dear All,

thank you very much for your help and helpful links.

For me, some of the religious standards are not only 'following formalities', as some might see (strange, but I also received such comments from a Catholic acquaintance, which I do not think is malicious on his part). Maybe, according to some, baptism or the following of Christian (including Catholic) symbols (e.g. objects at home symbolising Christianity) are, in fact, formalities.

But not for me, because as I see it, they are of great importance, the signs of eternity in substance and their forms are above an increasingly empty, secular world. My last decades were quite empty without the God and religion, so I think I know that darkness and emptiness even if I was not a criminal that time, of course. Therefore I have learned to respect the symbols of religion, at least I hope, which already give me more than the secular things over several decades.  

And if the brands of company X or Y are almost revered as idols by some, it is saddening to me, whereas, I think, I have the right to follow the symbols of my religion.

Of course,  I am looking for a balance here, too, maybe sometimes I exaggerate it, like perhaps some of the new converts.

And I pray daily, right now, for my 9-year-old daughter, who has probably infected by COVID in the last few days. And I hope it cannot be regarded as 'superstition' if Roman Catholics pray daily, even if they have only a short time to do so. So, (in addition to recover her), I search the right prayers to get help for her healing but I am not sure I have found them, yet.

Thank you very much.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Bluesky

[Guest]

I am very sorry to read that your 9 year old daughter has COVID, Bluesky.  I will keep her and you, your family, in prayer.  I do hope she has a full recovery and soon.  God bless and guide your search for a suitable prayer of healing.  This must be a very worrying time for you and your family.  I am not making any suggestions re a prayer for healing because I think it is something you would like to find yourself?

I have been a Catholic from birth i.e. Catholic family.  My home, including front and rear gardens have religious statues and artistic images most everywhere.  I love to have them around and also it is a statement without saying anything that I am Catholic.  Sometimes I have been asked about a particular statue or image - to me the various artworks can be an evangelising tool as well.

For me and I hope for others too the artworks are a reminder that there is a life after death.  A life and real people in Heaven beyond this life, mysteriously to some perhaps, present in this life as well.

There is at times in society, a false belief that Catholics worship images.  Of course, we do not - they are merely a reminder to oneself and all that there is more than this life. 

1 hour ago, Bluesky said:

Maybe, according to some, baptism or the following of Christian (including Catholic) symbols (e.g. objects at home symbolising Christianity) are, in fact, formalities.

But not for me, because as I see it, they are of great importance, the signs of eternity in substance and their forms are above an increasingly empty, secular world.

Well said

I have a poster above my desk here "The challenge is to be yourself in a world that tries to make you like everyone else".  The following of Jesus and His Gospel along with professing Catholicism, will sooner or later have one swimming against the tide of society 'of everyone else' and their opinions - and enduring a sort of persecution.  The same can apply with being oneself rather than conforming to everyone else in order to belong.

Bluesky, you are a real inspiration!  Your words almost mirror something Pope Benedict wrote.

Prayer for your daughter, for you and your family.

Edited November 17, 2020 by BarbaraTherese

[Bluesky]

Dear Barb,

thank you for the blessing, I pray for you and your family, as well, and I completely agree with what you have described.

My knowledge is still incomplete, but as I can already see, I think the Roman Catholic religion is by far the most human-centred religion, no matter how much others attack it by the opposite. It is human-centred, because the ornate and dignified churches, the possibility of taking daily Eucharist, the diverse, sacredly enriched calendar, and the many objects of grace allow us to be better people every day by including and calling upon symbols and meaning (and I think there are several more examples). Symbols and meaning are very important in our soulless secularising world, I suppose.  

And another main virtue of our religion is, I think, that it does not consider mystique to be bad in itself until it crosses a barrier.

Could you send me resources about the main platforms and main religious groups that exist within our Church, please (for example, based on the way and subject matter of prayer, just like focusing more on Eucharist or Rosary, if you think my point is justified).

Thank you.

Edited November 18, 2020 by Bluesky

[Anastasia]

1 hour ago, Bluesky said:

I think the Roman Catholic religion is by far the most human-centred religion

Hi Bluesky,

Christianity is not "human centered" religion, it is God centered religion but, since Christ is both Son of God and Son of Man perhaps it is legitimate to say that it is the religion of a very humane God. “God became man so that man might become god”  as St. Athanasius said.

When I became Orthodox I began reading lives of various Saints. Much can be understood from their lives. Perhaps you would also find some spiritual food there.

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Bluesky said:

My knowledge is still incomplete, but as I can already see, I think the Roman Catholic religion is by far the most human-centred religion, no matter how much others attack it by the opposite. It is human-centred, because the ornate and dignified churches, the possibility of taking daily Eucharist, the diverse, sacredly enriched calendar, and the many objects of grace allow us to be better people every day by including and calling upon symbols and meaning (and I think there are several more examples). Symbols and meaning are very important in our soulless secularising world, I suppose.

Hi again

Growing in knowledge is a lifelong quest that will not be fulfilled until we get to Heaven.  Hence, you are not alone, we are always incomplete until Heaven.  @Anastasia is quite correct, we are a God centred religion. 

The Church recognises and teaches that we are not body and a soul, but body and soul working in a united partnership ideally.  Jesus became a human being and in that alone - but not only, we recognise our great dignity as human beings.  As many of our saints, who were also mystics especially, have said that we must never abandon contemplating Jesus, truly man and Truly God. And, of course, since Jesus is Truly God, He is the centre of absolutely all things and on which we focus.   Where we can find Jesus is in The Gospels, in The Sacraments - and of course in the centre of our being.   It is my way anyway and I have never been attracted elsewhere - others indeed might be.  The Church in Her teachings do not put us all in the one compartment as it were, in spiritual straightjackets, I call it; therefore our spirituality is rich in diversity in unity.  If that can make sense for you?  

Quote

Luke Chapter 12: "When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. 21Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is, or ‘There it is. For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst."

9 hours ago, Bluesky said:

And another main virtue of our religion is, I think, that it does not consider mystique to be bad in itself until it crosses a barrier.

I am unsure what you mean by "mystique".  We are certainly not most commonly gifted with deeper insights than what is generally known, insights into Scripture and what The Church teaches.  Some of our saints certainly were - but nothing can be added to nor taken away from The Scriptures, nor our Catholic dogma and doctrine - what The Church authoritatively teaches.  While deep insights into Scripture etc. and the rich meaning can be gifted to our saints for example, but not them alone.  There are many real saints in our midst who will never be known as holy or saintly - or canonized.  What Jesus has told us:

Quote

Matthew Chapter 18: "He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."

Hence what we ideally will strive for in our relationship with God, with Jesus, is childlike simplicity in what He has told us and in what The Church teaches; with what The Holy Spirit has inspired in Scripture etc.  Simplicity too in our relationships with our neighbour i.e. each other.

9 hours ago, Bluesky said:

Could you send me resources about the main platforms and main religious groups that exist within our Church, please (for example, based on the way and subject matter of prayer, just like focusing more on Eucharist or Rosary, if you think my point is justified).

Gosh, Bluesky, there are that many groups existing in The Church, I would not know where to start.  It probably does depend too on groups that might be in your area, your parish.  You can always ring the parish and ask.  Quite personally, I would never seek membership of a group unless I could have personal regular contact with them, what is in effect, the support of the community.

I am hoping I have addressed your questions ok.  Other members might have understandings to share with you too.  We have had a sudden bout of very real heat here - my groceries have been delivered and I have not put them all away yet.  I am almost 75 years of age and I am exhausted!

God bless your searching - and bring healing to your daughter.  Prayer too for you and your family.  Please remember me and all in your prayer.

Cheers!............Barb

[Bluesky]

Dear Anastasia and Barb,

thank you very much for your posts and help. I pray for both of you. 

Best regards,