Leaving the Catholic Church: Count Me Out

[Imperfectpeta]

I probably can figure out the answer without asking, but do the Christian denominations have this list as well? I was christened as a little one and if I am on a list somewhere would be interested to know about it... It's not just a catholic thing right?

[wearestardust]

I believe there are ways of being excommunicated. Though it's not quite the same thing as leaving, and they tend to be dire (eg having a vasectomy).

To be perfectly honest, I find it amusing to be still a Catholic though still in a sort of non-financial sense.

[c2105026]

Back when I was buddhist I wanted to have my baptism to the Uniting Church of Australia annulled. I rang the local office to see what could be done. Answer: Umm, noone has ever actually enquired about that, so we don't know.

I figure I go to the church office of where I was baptised (tamworth, nsw) and see if I can see my 'file' etc. but its a 8 hr round trip; fuel atm is $1.50/litre; can't be bothered at this stage.

[TASIN]

You could always get a de-baptism certificate (discussed elsewhere). It may not take you off their books but it might make you feel good.

[Alex]

Pray tell , how does one get de baptised from the catholic church?

[Seamus]

Originally Posted by Penny Shipton

Pray tell , how does one get de baptised from the catholic church?

Recovering Catholic of 40 years here:

You cannot be de baptised.


You CAN:have your name removed from the books so to speak. I think you need to contact the office of your arch diocese.

You CAN be automatically excommunicated (no ceremony or official notice is needed) The simplest was is apostasy;simply reject ANY article of faith. EG original sin,the resurrection, the immaculate conception of Mary===== You may have been excommunicated for years and not known it . I only found out this year.

.I actually rejected Catholicism in 1968. Took me another 20 years to become an atheist,although I called myself an agnostic for a long time,rather than an agnostic atheist.

[Right wing atheist]

I did the excommunication process a few years ago and succeeded - I received confirmation of my excommunication being entered into the baptismal register at the church where I was baptised.

The letter I submitted was quite extensive in order to cover off all the bases and leave no loose ends. If send a PM, I'm happy to e-mail to anyone who'd like a copy.

It needs to be sent to the church at which you were baptised, as well as a copy to the relevant regional diocese.

I suggest sending everything by registered mail. A few dollars extra cost, but it means the Church will know that they can’t claim to have not received it.

The letter includes a deadline for confirmation. This provides a trigger point for putting the matter back into your court for the inevitable follow up.

My tactic across the two letters was that this was neither a request as such, nor a matter over which they had any discretion. Their canon law over which they have spent so much effort drafting is clear – excommunication is automatic. This was simply a matter of the Church abiding by their own rules.

[FSM]

Originally Posted by Brother Nelson

I think it does, I'd prefer it other people didn't call me a catholic/christian and I'd prefer they didn't count me in their numbers.

Where are they sprouting these "numbers"?
How do they know you haven't died size then? Do they have a system to accurately manage and balance these numbers?
It seems to me that it's basically the Census numbers they (and all parties, including us) always seem to throw about. As that seems to be the magic number that matters politically.

If someone got baptised in some diocese 30 years ago, do they actually count you in some total public number?
All I seem to keep hearing from them is "numbers of church goers are dropping" etc.

Dave.

[Sten]

Originally Posted by Seamus

Recovering Catholic of 40 years here:

You cannot be de baptised.


You CAN:have your name removed from the books so to speak. I think you need to contact the office of your arch diocese.

You CAN be automatically excommunicated (no ceremony or official notice is needed) The simplest was is apostasy;simply reject ANY article of faith. EG original sin,the resurrection, the immaculate conception of Mary===== You may have been excommunicated for years and not known it . I only found out this year.

.I actually rejected Catholicism in 1968. Took me another 20 years to become an atheist,although I called myself an agnostic for a long time,rather than an agnostic atheist.

Perhaps we could draw on Bill Meyers expertise to find a way to de-baptise Catholics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6zGK...eature=related

He manages de-baptise Mit Romney's father at the end of this very funny video.