Apostasy/excommunication from the RC Church.

[Star]

Namaste

Today I have decided to formally start my apostasy/excommunication process from the Roman Catholic Church.

After having done some googling (*lol*) in Portuguese (I was born here but lived abroad for quite a few years so I'm still not familiar with certain areas of language, especially such specific/technical terms like religious ones...), I came up with the following piece of text (now translated it to English):

""I, XXX YYY, bearer of the Identity Card number 12345678 from 00/00/0000, from the Arquivo de Identificação de Lisboa (Lisbon's Identity Archive) (as you can see on the attached document [[attach a photocopy of ID card]]), would like to, in a free and fully conscious manner, request, in conformity with the canonical norms that regulate it (cf. can. 124-126), for an actus formalis defectionis ab Ecclesia catholica to be processed, having as a consequence a full rupture with the vincula to the Roman Catholic Church, including its faith, sacraments and pastoral community.

Therefore, and in the conjugation of two elements - an internal act and its corresponding external manifestation (the elaboration of this request) - I kindly request that the information in my baptism records (cf. can. 535, § 2) is updated in order to explicitly mention a "defectio ab Ecclesia catholica actu formali”, and thus fulfill my will to excommunicate from the Roman Catholic Church.

Yours sincerely,

XXX YYY"

I realise apostasy from the Catholic Church is usually a troublesome process, as they don't seem to like it much, so any suggestions as to how to improve my text before sending it off are very much appreciated.

I'm about to send an email to "the church" (got an email address off their Contact section in their Portugal website) asking whom should I send off my letter to. I've read some conflicting information - some sources claim you should send it to your current local parish priest, and some claim you should send it to the priest who baptised you (I don't have a clue who he is...), so I'd like a reply from them so I may also quote it in my letter.

Another fairly sensitive issue is - I want to take this decision, but I don't want my parents to know about it yet. I should be able to actually include some note in my letter requesting that absolute privacy is kept about my decision outside the "paperwork system" of the Church, shouldn't I? I mean, so that the local priest doesn't run off to my parents or grandmother talking to them about it...if there's "doctor-patient" confidentiality, there ought to be "church-involved person" confidentiality too.

Thanks in advance for any comments, help, feedback, etc.

Much love to all!

[Eastern Mind]

Aum.

Big decision.

But a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do. If you know you don't believe, my understanding is that they have to release you. It is there duty. Fortunately this isn't the 1500s or you'd be burning at a stake in the near future.

I suspect that the parish priest would feel duty bound to inform your parents. I could be wrong. Depends on him, I'm sure. I mean confession is confidential, so this should be, too. Often I think they pretend it is impossible, but it's not. You can always go to the person above, like a Bishop.

Remember, this is an insult to their sense of teaching. Its always sad to let a member of the flock go. They may very well feel like they failed you, which is logical. Really I think it is the sense they failed themselves, though.

Just know others have been through this for various reasons. Expect some turmoil. That will be when you go, or if you go back, and he refuses communion. Best wishes.

Aum Namasivaya

[Star]

I personally think it'd be very disrespectful of him to go and "tell the parents" - it's not like I'm a young child, or even under 18 anymore...but yeah, unfortunately they do do that stuff. I've sent off that email so let's see what they say, hopefully they'll reply soon (and spare me from the "Jesus is the only salvation, you can't leave us" bulls...erm, stuff).

[rcscwc]

I personally think it'd be very disrespectful of him to go and "tell the parents" - it's not like I'm a young child, or even under 18 anymore...but yeah, unfortunately they do do that stuff. I've sent off that email so let's see what they say, hopefully they'll reply soon (and spare me from the "Jesus is the only salvation, you can't leave us" bulls...erm, stuff).

Lols are in order. Even if you were under 18, they have no business to go to parents. They don't when they convert [even frudulently] those under 18!!

[Eastern Mind]

Lols are in order. Even if you were under 18, they have no business to go to parents. They don't when they convert [even frudulently] those under 18!!

This is so true, and another reason, I feel, that Star is correct in this method.
There are unethical conversions:
1) converting youth who really aren't up to thinking for themselves
2) using food, bribes, promises of jobs
3) deceptions showing the power of praying to Jesus, (or Allah perhaps)
4) use of the sword or threats
5) converting the dieing on their deathbeds
6) converting after death (as far as I know only Mormons do this)
7) using the 'flirt to convert' method
8) community or peer pressure
9) scare mongering about hell
10) brainwashing methods such as sleep deprivation

Then there is ethical conversion. That is being straight forward and honest with all who might care, and letting them know beforehand. Then the people affected have the understanding that the individual who wishes to convert is doing so solely because of their own wishes, with sane mind.

Clearly Star is following the second option. I feel proud to accept someone like this into this great faith.

Aum Namasivaya

[Star]

Thank you, EM.

And yeah rcscwc, it's definitely on the verge of amusing...but I wouldn't put it past them to do so, at all! :/

I've emailed two people so far (used a generic central Church info email address, and my district's) and no one has replied to my emails, and I don't think they will...for some strange reason... *cough* I'll email my local parish tonight (using just my name's initials as I wanna enquire about privacy!), and if they don't reply until the end of the week then I suppose I'll just address my letter to the head of the RC Church in the country...?

OM.

[satay]

namaskar,

As a person born in a hindu family and indian culture, I find this apostasy/excommuncation process a little bit strange. I didn't realize that you actually have to do this to make it official.

May I ask, why you want to break ties 'officially'? What's the meaning of breaking the ties if your heart is of a hindu?

From hinduism point of view, I don't think it is necessary.

Just curious.

Namaste

Today I have decided to formally start my apostasy/excommunication process from the Roman Catholic Church.

Thanks in advance for any comments, help, feedback, etc.

Much love to all!

[Star]

Namaste Satay,

@Satay: I do realise it's a "paperwork only" process, but for some reason I can't quite explain, I feel like when I'm 100% sure this path is what I want, it'll set my mind and heart more at rest. Some would say this means I think that the Catholic Church has the power to define who belongs to "them" and who doesn't. This is true. I recognise they can do that...it'd be a similar situation if I requested the political party I'm affiliated it for me to officially leave; or if I belonged to a scientific society...and so on, and so forth. I see them as little more than an Institution, so they may do such things. When quoting their "laws", I'm also implicitly recognising their ability to have internal laws, like other institutions (again, political, scientifical, academical...etc.; their "laws" exist within a space codified as such, and I believe they should be respected; likewise, if I once belonged "in paper" to an Institution such as the Catholic Church, I believe I should also make a formal leave). I hope my point made some sense, from a "Western" point of view perhaps. :P

[Spiritualseeker]

namaste,

well star I am very proud of you. It seems like you really are devoted to Sanatana Dharma and to Lord Ganesha. I believe if you truely entrust your will into His Will then this process will be made without obstacles. Please do let us know what happens.

-juan

[dhruva023]

This is big decision, I hope everything works out nicely.