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Hi Mike,
Thanks for getting back to me. In reference to the FREE Catechism I sent you, the family should receive something by Monday or Tuesday.
You said:
Just a few questions:
- What happens if a married Protestant Minister/Pastor decides to come into communion with the Catholic Church?
- Does he become part of the laity or is he eligible to become a minister in the Church as a deacon, priest, pastor, etc.?
A married Protestant Minister who joins the Church could become a Catholic priest but the Church would want to ensure certain family issues, I don't totally know, are addressed appropriately. If a married Protestant Minister does become a Catholic priest, he would not be able to re-marry if his spouse passes.
That said, there are definitely ways for Protestant Ministers to become Catholic priests in the Church. One of the priests at my parish is a former Episcopalian Minster.
You want to do two things:
- Touch base with Marcus Grodi of the Coming Home Network. He specializes in this area. Here is his web site.
- Mention this to the priest/pastor that brings you into the Church.
You said:
- Also, what becomes of the congregation that he once led as a spiritual leader?
That's something outside the scope of what we would know. It probably varies from Protestant denomination to denomination. If you are the sole spiritual leader of your denomination, on leaving, you may wish to share with them why you are becoming Catholic. If there are others in your hierarchy, they would probably send a replacement minister, but again, I'm just guessing. If you share with them, do so in a non-coercive, non-judgmental manner. All of us have to respect each others free will to discern the true faith.
As I have previously said, quoting Eric, we should not join a Church because:
- It challenges us, or
- Spiritual makes us feel good
No, we should join a Church because we believe on issues of faith and eternal salvation it is a truth-telling Church.
If you are not familiar with them please read about the Early Church fathers. These were the very first Christians. Your congregation will be surprise at how Catholic they sound – because they were Catholic! Here are some resources:
You said:
I am convinced that Baptism is the critical point of salvation as it taught by the Scriptures and supported historically by the Church since the time of Christ, and even since John the Baptist.
With that said, if one is baptized as an infant:
- does that Baptism mark the point of salvation, or
- does the believer need to be baptized again, or
- are they able to be baptized again when [he/she] reaches the age of reason?
For the normative case, Yes, baptism marks the point of salvation as Jesus said, unless you are baptized you cannot inherit the kingdom of Heaven. (Mark 16:16)
Infant baptism marks the point of salvation as a person can only be baptized once. If the pastor is unsure whether the candidate received a valid Trinitarian baptism, he can conditionally baptize the new candidate like this:
Michael, if you are not yet baptized, I baptize you, in the name of the Father,
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Protestants argue that there never was such a thing as infant baptism. The Early Church Fathers say otherwise. Check out my Scripture Passages page too:
https://www.AskACatholic.com/ScripturePassages
You said:
One last question.
- What are the main components of a typical Mass (the Ordinary or Extraordinary Form)?
The main components of a typical Mass are pretty much the same for both the Ordinary or Extraordinary Form.
You may find this web page interesting too:
Just wondering:
- Are you a Protestant Minister yourself?
I hope this helps,
Mike
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