Is This Girl Catholic?

[CatherineM]

It also depends on how she received her first communion. If her baptism was valid, and she went through first communion class with the rest of her Catholic school classmates, then that isn't much different than the RCIC classes that most churches have. If she is afraid to talk to her priest, she could talk the her parish's RCIA director. They could probably find out quickly if her baptism was valid because we have to deal with that all the time in RCIA.

[CatherineM]

By the way, some people are having to go through that right now just because of the new/reinforced teaching from the Vatican about "Father, Son, Holy Spirit." We had to check a couple of people who had gone through RCIA even a few years ago to make sure their baptism was valid. She could use this as an excuse to investigate this to save face. I understand her not wanting to be embarrassed, and this would give her an out or a way to begin the conversation by saying, I just found out about this, and want to check out my baptism.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='prose' post='1877864' date='May 29 2009, 11:54 AM']Woah.. What????

Okay, first of all, with the exception of very specific sects, protestant baptisms are valid. Even full immersion. I have no idea why anyone would think otherwise.[/quote]

There are several reason why a baptism could be invalid.

The main one considered today is that the form used was not "I baptize you i[b]n the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit[/b]."

If you see my thread entitled Archaeology Cat, you will see it is also a problem if the water is applied either before or after the words have already been said.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='prose' post='1877864' date='May 29 2009, 11:54 AM']Secondly, you do not need to be confirmed to receive the Eucharist. In fact, here, we have first Eucharist and reconciliation in grade 2 and no confirmation until at least grade 6. SO she should be totally comfortable going to her priest about getting confirmed or getting more information.[/quote]

It is true that in most dioceses one does not have to be confirmed to receive Holy Communion, however, there is a serious obligation to receive Confirmation:

"The faithful are bound to receive this sacrament [Confirmation] at the proper time. Parents and pastors of souls, especially parish priests, are to see that the faithful are properly instructed to receive the sacrament and come to it at the opportune time." (CIC 890)