Aging hipster, returning to the Catholic Church...How Do I....

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: thatsright
Okay, heres the skinny....

28 year old guy, baptized catholic... After that....well I took a 27 year vacation from religion. And well...here I am

Thinking of 'getting back into' catholicism, not that its sort of country club, of course. But I did a Google search, and its hard to tell from the catholic 'charities' and if they are even really a church. So I'm just looking for a Catholicism 101 'primer' for those that want to come back 'to the flock.'

Thanks if anyone can give me some good links...

Oh, but it is a country club. A child molesting country club.

 

[UbiSunt]

G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy, as mentioned above is good, and the Cathechism of the Catholic Church. If you want the authoritative answer for Church doctrines the cathechism is the way to go. The website http://catholic.org/ is okay but don't take it as dogma or anything. The best thing you can do is go talk to a priest about starting an RCIA class, that's how you become Catholic if you're not, although you are baptized its a pretty good refresher course and it will bring you up to speed. They usually meet on Sundays after church. Good luck.

 

[LtPage1]

find a catholic church, talk to priest, see where you end up from there.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
I take offense to a 28 year old guy using the term "Aging Hipster".

Thats OUR WORD for us! 😉

Here here!!! 😀

 

[thatsright]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
why bother, just confess your sins on your deathbed to cover your ass

Man, your being waaaay too optimistic. What if I go out in hail of glory from a drunk driver, and never see it coming. Or even less fun, go out in that ever soo un fun Alzheimer's haze...

I know, I know I'm being like waaaay to practical here.

 

[Sophia]

Originally posted by: UbiSunt
The best thing you can do is go talk to a priest about starting an RCIA class, that's how you become Catholic if you're not, although you are baptized its a pretty good refresher course and it will bring you up to speed. They usually meet on Sundays after church. Good luck.

Agreed. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is the Church's exploratory program about Catholicism (attendance doesn't oblige you to join the Church) and it will also prepare you to receive any sacraments you may have missed (namely reconciliation, first communion, and confirmation). Call your local Catholic Church for the particulars in your area.

Website-wise, see How to Become a Catholic and perhaps Catholic Online Forums (many very educated Catholics there) instead of the, um, "lively" ATOT. 😉

If you wish to read the Catholic Catechism, it's available online, however it's long and some of it very involved. For an easier explanation, I've heard others recommend Catholicism for Dummies (but not The Idiot's Guide to Catholicism (doctrinal errors) though personally I've read neither.)

As others have said you are free to attend mass, though if you've only been baptised you shouldn't receive communion.

 

[Baked]

OP's lonely. Open the Yellow Pages and look for dominatrix escort service.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Do you believe that the Pope is Jesus' replacement on Earth? And that what he says is the truth? That there are huge holes in condoms through which AIDS can easily get and stuff like that?

If you don't swallow everything the Pope and his puppetmasters at the Vatican want you to you might feel more at home shopping around for something you'd feel more at home at.

 

[thatsright]

Originally posted by: Sophia

Originally posted by: UbiSunt
The best thing you can do is go talk to a priest about starting an RCIA class, that's how you become Catholic if you're not, although you are baptized its a pretty good refresher course and it will bring you up to speed. They usually meet on Sundays after church. Good luck.

Agreed. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is the Church's exploratory program about Catholicism (attendance doesn't oblige you to join the Church) and it will also prepare you to receive any sacraments you may have missed (namely reconciliation, first communion, and confirmation). Call your local Catholic Church for the particulars in your area.

Website-wise, see How to Become a Catholic and perhaps Catholic Online Forums (many very educated Catholics there) instead of the, um, "lively" ATOT. 😉

If you wish to read the Catholic Catechism, it's available online, however it's long and some of it very involved. For an easier explanation, I've heard others recommend Catholicism for Dummies (but not The Idiot's Guide to Catholicism (doctrinal errors) though personally I've read neither.)

As others have said you are free to attend mass, though if you've only been baptised you shouldn't receive communion.


Are ya sure bout that..?? I was baptized 3 days after I was born. I thought it was I shouldn't take communion until I'm confirmed??

But...so far, I mean my mouth hasn't exploded into flames after I received the sacrament last night for lent....

 

[thatsright]

Originally posted by: thatsright

Originally posted by: Sophia

Originally posted by: UbiSunt
The best thing you can do is go talk to a priest about starting an RCIA class, that's how you become Catholic if you're not, although you are baptized its a pretty good refresher course and it will bring you up to speed. They usually meet on Sundays after church. Good luck.

Agreed. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is the Church's exploratory program about Catholicism (attendance doesn't oblige you to join the Church) and it will also prepare you to receive any sacraments you may have missed (namely reconciliation, first communion, and confirmation). Call your local Catholic Church for the particulars in your area.

Website-wise, see How to Become a Catholic and perhaps Catholic Online Forums (many very educated Catholics there) instead of the, um, "lively" ATOT. 😉

If you wish to read the Catholic Catechism, it's available online, however it's long and some of it very involved. For an easier explanation, I've heard others recommend Catholicism for Dummies (but not The Idiot's Guide to Catholicism (doctrinal errors) though personally I've read neither.)

As others have said you are free to attend mass, though if you've only been baptised you shouldn't receive communion.

Are ya sure bout that..?? I was baptized 3 days after I was born. I thought it was I shouldn't take communion until I'm confirmed??

But...so far, I mean my mouth hasn't exploded into flames after I received the sacrament last night for lent....

 

[Spamela]

Originally posted by: Sophia

Originally posted by: UbiSunt
The best thing you can do is go talk to a priest about starting an RCIA class, that's how you become Catholic if you're not, although you are baptized its a pretty good refresher course and it will bring you up to speed. They usually meet on Sundays after church. Good luck.

Agreed. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) is the Church's exploratory program about Catholicism (attendance doesn't oblige you to join the Church) and it will also prepare you to receive any sacraments you may have missed (namely reconciliation, first communion, and confirmation). Call your local Catholic Church for the particulars in your area.

Website-wise, see How to Become a Catholic and perhaps Catholic Online Forums (many very educated Catholics there) instead of the, um, "lively" ATOT. 😉

If you wish to read the Catholic Catechism, it's available online, however it's long and some of it very involved. For an easier explanation, I've heard others recommend Catholicism for Dummies (but not The Idiot's Guide to Catholicism (doctrinal errors) though personally I've read neither.)

As others have said you are free to attend mass, though if you've only been baptised you shouldn't receive communion.

best answer in thread. if you've only been baptized, then you gotta
go through RCIA. adults receive their sacraments (baptism, confirmation, first communion)
at the Easter vigil mass.

Catholicism For Dummies is a great & thorough introduction.
the Catechism is a little advanced/dry.

my mouth hasn't exploded into flames after I received the sacrament last night for lent.

tsk, tsk.

j/k - i assume you didn't know any better. you can go up to the
priest or eucharistic minister with your arms folded over your
chest to receive a blessing, but communion's a no-no.

you'll have to go to confession (towards the end of RCIA) before you
receive communion. what you did had no effect, since you
aren't in full communion with the Catholic Church. also, you
don't want to get on the wrong side of 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.

feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: slick230
Check your tolerance and rational thinking abilities at the door, please.

Thats quite a blanket statement, especially for someone that claims to be both tolerant and rational (i assume you do by claiming the Catholics aren't).

I'm not particularly religious, and lots of church actions, both modern and historic, really bother me. This said, I grew up in Catholic schools, went to High School in a Jesuit school, and the priests are some of the most intelligent and rational people I have ever met, particularly the Jesuits.

edit: to get back into it, go to a mass, and afterwards ask the priest if you could talk to him.

Now, there are idiot priests, so if the guy gives a horrible homily maybe you should try back later. Not because he won't help you, but because there is probably someone else who can do a better job.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Spamela

j/k - i assume you didn't know any better. you can go up to the
priest or eucharistic minister with your arms folded over your
chest to receive a blessing, but communion's a no-no.

you'll have to go to confession (towards the end of RCIA) before you
receive communion. what you did had no effect, since you
aren't in full communion with the Catholic Church. also, you
don't want to get on the wrong side of 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.

feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

WTF? There's rules about who's allowed to receive communion?
My evil stepmother made me go to church once, and I had wine/grape juice and one of those nasty wafers. I hated it. I was never baptized and that was my first time in a Catholic church. So she should have known better than to allow me to receive communion when I shouldn't have?

 

[Spamela]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Spamela

j/k - i assume you didn't know any better. you can go up to the
priest or eucharistic minister with your arms folded over your
chest to receive a blessing, but communion's a no-no.

you'll have to go to confession (towards the end of RCIA) before you
receive communion. what you did had no effect, since you
aren't in full communion with the Catholic Church. also, you
don't want to get on the wrong side of 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.

feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

WTF? There's rules about who's allowed to receive communion?
My evil stepmother made me go to church once, and I had wine/grape juice and one of those nasty wafers. I hated it. I was never baptized and that was my first time in a Catholic church. So she should have known better than to allow me to receive communion when I shouldn't have?

in the Catholic church there are rules. i don't know about other churches.

the church depends on the individual to know the rules, so if your
step-mom was Catholic, she should've known.
btw, i've never seen anybody denied communion, but it's possible.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
WTF? There's rules about who's allowed to receive communion?
My evil stepmother made me go to church once, and I had wine/grape juice and one of those nasty wafers. I hated it. I was never baptized and that was my first time in a Catholic church. So she should have known better than to allow me to receive communion when I shouldn't have?

She was hoping you'd spontaneously explode in flames.

But as someone else pointed out, you're not in trouble since you're not Catholic anyway.

I'm a long lapsed Catholic, so I'm not up on current practice, but no Catholic Church that I knew of back in the day gave you grape juice, let alone wine. Just one wafer, no seconds. The Episcopalians served blood (wine or grape juice) with their meat (wafer = body of Christ), though. Were people especially well dressed and behaved in this "church" you went to?

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
WTF? There's rules about who's allowed to receive communion?
My evil stepmother made me go to church once, and I had wine/grape juice and one of those nasty wafers. I hated it. I was never baptized and that was my first time in a Catholic church. So she should have known better than to allow me to receive communion when I shouldn't have?

She was hoping you'd spontaneously explode in flames.

But as someone else pointed out, you're not in trouble since you're not Catholic anyway.

I'm a long lapsed Catholic, so I'm not up on current practice, but no Catholic Church that I knew of back in the day gave you grape juice, let alone wine. Just one wafer, no seconds. The Episcopalians served blood (wine or grape juice) with their meat (wafer = body of Christ), though. Were people especially well dressed and behaved in this "church" you went to?

Hm... yeah, I think that's a fair description. Maybe it wasn't a Catholic church. This was a good 15 years ago, so the details are a little fuzzy. I believe the wafer was of the unleavened variety.

 

[whistleclient]

step one:

stop calling yourself a hipster

 

[J Heartless Slick]

Originally posted by: thatsright
Okay, heres the skinny....

28 year old guy, baptized catholic... After that....well I took a 27 year vacation from religion. And well...here I am

Thinking of 'getting back into' catholicism, not that its sort of country club, of course. But I did a Google search, and its hard to tell from the catholic 'charities' and if they are even really a church. So I'm just looking for a Catholicism 101 'primer' for those that want to come back 'to the flock.'

Thanks if anyone can give me some good links...

The Church has not changed that much in the last 27 years. Go to Mass next Sunday and keep an eye on what everyone does and copy them.

 

[Stojakapimp]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
WTF? There's rules about who's allowed to receive communion?
My evil stepmother made me go to church once, and I had wine/grape juice and one of those nasty wafers. I hated it. I was never baptized and that was my first time in a Catholic church. So she should have known better than to allow me to receive communion when I shouldn't have?

She was hoping you'd spontaneously explode in flames.

But as someone else pointed out, you're not in trouble since you're not Catholic anyway.

I'm a long lapsed Catholic, so I'm not up on current practice, but no Catholic Church that I knew of back in the day gave you grape juice, let alone wine. Just one wafer, no seconds. The Episcopalians served blood (wine or grape juice) with their meat (wafer = body of Christ), though. Were people especially well dressed and behaved in this "church" you went to?

Hm... yeah, I think that's a fair description. Maybe it wasn't a Catholic church. This was a good 15 years ago, so the details are a little fuzzy. I believe the wafer was of the unleavened variety.

In the Orthodox Church you need to be Orthodox in order to receive communion. Even if you are Orthodox, people are advised to only take it when they have prepared for it. So yes, there are rules

 

[Sophia]

Originally posted by: thatsright


As others have said you are free to attend mass, though if you've only been baptised you shouldn't receive communion.


Are ya sure bout that..?? I was baptized 3 days after I was born. I thought it was I shouldn't take communion until I'm confirmed??

But...so far, I mean my mouth hasn't exploded into flames after I received the sacrament last night for lent....

Well, normally God's not that dramatic. 😉

If you received first communion as a child, then you would need to go to confession to being you back in communion with the Church. You would also need to arrange for confirmation, but I believe you could continue to receive communion prior to being confirmed (as children do).

If you were only baptised as an infant, then, as Spamela indicated, it is appropriate for you to complete RCIA prior to receiving communion (or in exceptional circumstances to receive special instruction from the priest).

For more info, "Who Can Receive Communion?"