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Carrie wrote:

Hi, guys —

I am a convert to Catholicism who had previously received Christian Baptism as a Protestant.

In between my Baptism and my conversion, I became apostate and privately renounced my Baptism.

  • I have already brought this to Confession, and I understand that I cannot be re-baptized, but is there something else that I can, or should, do to re-accept my Baptism?

Thanks for your help!

Carrie

  { Is there something else that I can do to re-accept my Baptism after privately renounced it? }

Mike replied:

Hi Carrie,

Thanks for the question.

If you have completely brought this to a Confessor in the sacrament of Confession, he should have given you the appropriate penance.

Other than that, you should:

  1. Renew your covenant each Sunday and on Holy Day's of Obligation with the Lord by going to Sunday Mass
  2. go to Confession on Saturdays or on a regular basis, like monthly, and
  3. develop a daily prayer life.

Your conscience shouldn't bother you but if it does, a good practice would be to take the Baptismal vows from the Church's Baptismal ceremony and turn them into a daily prayer.

From the Church's Baptismal ceremony:

Renunciation of Sin and Profession of Faith.

Celebrant: Dear parents and godparents: You have come here to present your [daughter/son] for Baptism. By water and the Holy Spirit [she/ he] is to receive the gift of new life from God, who is love.

On your part, you must make it your constant care to bring [daughter/ son] up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life which God gives [her/ him] is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in [her/ him] heart.

If your faith makes you ready to accept this responsibility, renew now the vows of your own Baptism. Reject sin; profess your faith in Christ Jesus. This is the faith of the Church. This is the faith in which this child is about to be baptized.

And let us all join with the parents and godparents In their profession of faith,
by responding I do to the following questions:

Celebrant: Do you reject Satan, and all his works, and all his empty promises?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?

All: I do.

Celebrant: Do you believe in the Holy Spirit,, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the Resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?

All: I do.

Celebrant: This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

All: Amen.

I hope this helps,

Mike

Carrie replied:

Hello Mike,

Thanks so much for your advice, it is helpful!

— Carrie

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