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Lutheran Wife has questions before joining Catholic Church

Posted on 05/01/2007 9:13:13 AM PDT by Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey

Hello Brothers & Sisters --

We want to join a Catholic Church here in Michigan. I was raised Catholic, my wife was raised Lutheran - MS.

We were not married at a Catholic or Lutheran church.

She (as do I) have some questions. We would appreciate any answers or comments:

-- Why is the RCIA program so long (September to Easter Vigil) for someone who is not a 'non-Christian' and with so much Christian schooling already (Lutheran MS School - K-8)?

-- Why is she considered a 'convert'? She is still Christian, willing to accept a fuller understanding way of the church and way of practicing the Christian faith.

-- The Catholic Church does say we are married, but we have to apply for a "dispensation" and have another marriage ceremony. If the RCC accepts her baptism, why not our marriage (two baptized Christians who exchanged rings "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit")? This makes her feel like our wedding in 1998 "didn't happen."

-- She didn't really know this one: Why do Lutherans only have 3 sacraments (baptism, holy communion and reconciliation), as opposed to 7 in the RCC?

Thank you for any and all your thoughts.

This is harder for me than I imagined.

Peace.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Mainline Protestant
KEYWORDS: lutheran; romancatholic
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1 posted on 05/01/2007 9:13:20 AM PDT by Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey
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To: Siobhan; Canticle_of_Deborah; NYer; Salvation; sandyeggo; american colleen; Desdemona; ...

Catholic ping!


2 posted on 05/01/2007 9:16:42 AM PDT by Pyro7480 ("Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, esto mihi Jesus" -St. Ralph Sherwin's last words at Tyburn)
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To: All
This is a smart move, as there are no “Lutheran School Girl Uniforms”
3 posted on 05/01/2007 9:20:45 AM PDT by Hegewisch Dupa
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To: Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey

http://www.ecatholic2000.com/rcia/rcia4.shtml

This might help you too.


4 posted on 05/01/2007 9:25:28 AM PDT by netmilsmom (To attack one section of Christianity in this day and age, is to waste time.)
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To: Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey

I’m no expert but I think I can offer some input on a couple of your questions.

In many parishes you can have a much abbreviated RCIA program if converting from another Christian faith.

I do not think you actually have to have another wedding, you simply have to have the marriage blessed by the Church. This simply means that the Church needs to confirm that your marriage meets the typical requirements. For example you were not married under duress or that you are not ineligible to be married because you are close relatives or some such thing.


5 posted on 05/01/2007 9:26:41 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter (Posting from deep behind the Maple Curtain)
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To: Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey
I am going to assume that this is not just a sophisticated form of Catholic-bashing.

Talk about making it complicated?
You need an official certificate saying "I have converted" because?

I was born a Catholic, so I can't from experience relate how I would "join"; but I know I would not question every official requirement after I make a special effort to ask for them. That is suspicious.

I would read CS Lewis' Mere Christianity, and A Grief Observed (where he calls God the Cosmic Sadist) to get a notion of what conversion involves.

I know that every religion has the extremist militants. Those of Christian sects are no more desireable to me than militant islamics.

6 posted on 05/01/2007 9:27:27 AM PDT by Publius6961 (MSM: Israelis are killed by rockets; Lebanese are killed by Israelis.)
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To: Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey
Let me see what I can so here.
 

-- Why is the RCIA program so long (September to Easter Vigil) for someone who is not a 'non-Christian' and with so much Christian schooling already (Lutheran MS School - K-8)?

The RCIA program stretches out so long because there are lots of new materials to be learned.  This person will realize that many in the class are not as "churched" as he and his wife are, and so need much more catechesis.

-- Why is she considered a 'convert'? She is still Christian, willing to accept a fuller understanding way of the church and way of practicing the Christian faith.

I don't believe that his wife is considered a convert.  She will not received all the Sacraments that he does at the Easter Vigil.  Many couples tend/want to update themselves on the Catholic Church along with their spouse who is becoming Catholic.

-- The Catholic Church does say we are married, but we have to apply for a "dispensation" and have another marriage ceremony. If the RCC accepts her baptism, why not our marriage (two baptized Christians who exchanged rings "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit")? This makes her feel like our wedding in 1998 "didn't happen."

Your wedding in 1998 did happen!  Through this ceremony you receive the additional blessing of the Sacrament of Matrimony along with other blessings for your family.

-- She didn't really know this one: Why do Lutherans only have 3 sacraments (baptism, holy communion and reconciliation), as opposed to 7 in the RCC?

Christ did institute seven Sacraments.  Luther only recognized three of them however.  Think of all the added knowledge you will receive (and blessings) received when you DO receive these additional Sacraments.  (Although I doubt that you will be receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders -- LOL!)

BTW, Catholic instruction continues formally through high school, and informally for adults as long as we live! Learn and grow!

7 posted on 05/01/2007 9:27:29 AM PDT by Salvation (" With God all things are possible. ")
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey
My Dad was raised Lutheran and Republican, while my Mom was raised Catholic and Democrat. After about ten years of marriage, they reached an accommodation: they adopted her religion, Catholicism, and his politics, Republicanism.

All three of us children are Republicans. My brother remains a Catholic, while my sister and I are Protestants.

9 posted on 05/01/2007 9:30:19 AM PDT by Hebrews 11:6 (Do you REALLY believe that (1) God is, and (2) God is good?)
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To: Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey
Here are my RCIA links:

Lutheran Wife has questions before joining Catholic Church

Belleville Bishop Braxton in Brouhaha with his priests (title mine)

A Ramble through My "New Catholic" Wish List {RCIA referenced]

Help with RCIA (Vanity)

Catholic Liturgy - Funeral Masses for a Suicide And More on Confession for RCIA Candidates

Confession for RCIA Candidates And More on the Prayer of the Faithful

RCIA and Holy Saturday

10 posted on 05/01/2007 9:31:45 AM PDT by Salvation (" With God all things are possible. ")
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To: bigcat32

So I guess where you go to church they about as fond of Christian charity as they are on canon law, eh?


11 posted on 05/01/2007 9:32:57 AM PDT by Claud
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To: bigcat32

Well I don’t know, my Husband just became Catholic last year and feels much closer to Our Lord.

Maybe some have a problem with the “rules and regulations” but to some of us, that makes us feel much closer to Jesus’ suffering on the cross.


12 posted on 05/01/2007 9:34:00 AM PDT by netmilsmom (To attack one section of Christianity in this day and age, is to waste time.)
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To: bigcat32
“If you really want to establish a relationhip with Jesus then I suggest you avoid the Catholic Church. If you want to bang your head against the wall trying to figure out all of these kinds of rules and regulations then by all means join the Catholic Church.”

An almost perfect statement of ignorance. You rival Gore in being almost completely wrong. What do you have against Christ?

13 posted on 05/01/2007 9:34:07 AM PDT by IrishCatholic (No local communist or socialist party chapter? Join the Democrats, it's the same thing.)
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To: Claud

We’re fond of Truth.


14 posted on 05/01/2007 9:34:55 AM PDT by bigcat32
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To: Hebrews 11:6

Sounds like you have a nice well rounded family!
God Bless you!


15 posted on 05/01/2007 9:35:21 AM PDT by netmilsmom (To attack one section of Christianity in this day and age, is to waste time.)
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To: IrishCatholic

Nothing. He’s my saviour.


16 posted on 05/01/2007 9:35:47 AM PDT by bigcat32
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To: bigcat32

So are Catholics, that’s why we live it.


17 posted on 05/01/2007 9:35:59 AM PDT by netmilsmom (To attack one section of Christianity in this day and age, is to waste time.)
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To: bigcat32; Religion Moderator

Why are you bashing Catholic beliefs?


18 posted on 05/01/2007 9:37:45 AM PDT by Salvation (" With God all things are possible. ")
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To: bigcat32

If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a tinkling symbol. And if I have prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. —1 Corinthians 13


19 posted on 05/01/2007 9:39:46 AM PDT by Claud
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To: Rocky Mountain Wild Turkey; Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; ...
Congratulations to you both! And 'Welcome Home' to your wife!

I believe you will find answers to some (if not all) of your questions at Marcus Grodi's excellent web site:

Coming Home Network

I am also pinging the Catholic List for their feedback. God bless you both!

20 posted on 05/01/2007 9:39:51 AM PDT by NYer ("Where the bishop is present, there is the Catholic Church" - Ignatius of Antioch)
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