When Is A Catholic . . .

[Good Friday]

When does a Catholic cease to be Catholic? Is it when he commits an act of heresy? Schism? Or apostasy? And what does one have to do in order not to be Catholic?

Also, would it constitute bearing false witness against one's neighbor to say that he is not Catholic when he is? Thanks!

[BLAZEr]

A Catholic never really ceases to be a Catholic. Even Apostasy is ultimately a sin that can be forgiven and the person allowed back into communion.

I think what you are referring to here is when a Catholic can present himself/herself as a Catholic in good standing. This is trickier to define. A divorced and remarried Catholic is not a Catholic in good standing. A Catholic whose life or work contradicts the teachings of the Church is not a Catholic in good standing. For example, an active homosexual who refuses to accept the teachings of the Church or someone who works for an abortion provider or, it can be argued, a Catholic politician who actively supports abortion and liberalizing of the abortion laws in their country.

These people have not renounced their baptism (as has an apostate) but they have practically (materially) renounced it by their lives (sin) and beliefs (heresy), and they are certainly outside of the Communion of the Church.

Those who are in Schism are also outside of the communion, and certainly those who originally break with the Church committ a sin, however their children would not be in sin, although still in schism and not in communion.


I think it would be a sin against Charity to call anyone who was baptised a Catholic "not Catholic." However, it is important in a culture such as ours where many people claim to be Catholic but in fact are either apostates or heretics (think here Frances Kissling of Catholics for Free Choice) to make a distinction between those who are faithful Catholics and those who Catholic in name only.