# How to get out of catholicism? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 19, 2015, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038 "2015-04-19T13:49:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/101 "2015-04-22T05:47:34Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > This reminds me of a scene from some Irish movie where the camera pans across the small congregation and when it gets to the back, the confessional bursts open with the lay person fleeing as the priest shouts, “_Get out of this church and don’t come back until **you stop doing that**!_” Now all the OP needs to do is find out what “_that_” was, and start doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/102 "2015-04-22T10:45:01Z")
> [@jezzaOZ](#): > > The Inquisition could declare someone a non-Catholic even though they were baptised and their fathers before them. Though there were certain side-effects of this. > > The Conversos in Spain were a particular target for the Spanish Inquisition - the other Inquisitions were more into Heresy (and not Witches I should add) > > The slight side-effect of being declared non-Catholic? Being burned at the stake. That’s not true. If anything, it was the reverse. The Conversos in Spain were in danger from the Spanish Inquisition just because the Spanish Inquisition considered them Catholics. The Inquisition legally had no authority under non-Catholics. What made the Conversos vulnerable was that they had been baptized Catholics (in many cases, by force or threat), which made them Catholic and therefore subject to the Inqusition. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/103 "2015-04-22T11:59:44Z")
Under? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/104 "2015-04-22T13:36:07Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Neither has been required in any other country where I’ve been, specially the certificates part. In fact, most countries don’t require registration as a parish member, and not every parish in the US does. And whenever I’ve offered to read or hand out Communion in other places, the priest has asked a few questions to verify that I was qualified, he hasn’t informed me that I must take a course. It was also the only time anybody has required a certificate of baptism or confirmation other than as part of the confirmation paperwork - every other time that it was relevant that I’m confirmed, it was “have you taken Confirmation?” “yes” “ok then.” Asking for a certificate means they don’t believe me, which in turn leads to me looking for a parish that’s not managed by donkeys. 🙂 I agree – parishes have always taken my word for it! I would have thought they would just be asking to see what you might need. When my Pop tried out as a lector, they did have him read a sample up at the ambo to see how he sounded but that was it. Yes, I agree registration isn’t required at our parish either – unless you want your kids to go to religious ed here. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/105 "2015-04-22T15:31:59Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Neither has been required in any other country where I’ve been, specially the certificates part. In fact, most countries don’t require registration as a parish member, and not every parish in the US does. Most parishes in the US don’t require registration unless you want something that involves either recordkeeping or scheduling. Want your kid baptized, to attend religious ed, to get married? You’ll probably have to register. Want to read at your sibling’s wedding? No need to register. Want to be a regular lector/Eucharistic minister? In my experience lectors, ushers and Eucharistic ministers have schedules and the parish has contact info which almost certainly means you will be registered at that point if you weren’t already. And I’m sure that there are more questions about certificates and such in the US than in more Catholic countries like Italy and Spain. But I’m also sure that some of the whoppers I’ve heard in the US wouldn’t happen there. For example, my son was a Cub Scout in a troop sponsored by a Catholic parish. There were some Lutheran boys in the troop. When it came time to work on religious awards, I noticed there were no materials for the Lutheran award, only the Catholic one. When I asked about it, the response I got was ( from a Catholic) was “Lutherans are a type of Catholic” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/106 "2015-04-22T16:03:06Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > [QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] > > [QUOTE=Simplicio] > > But if you don’t believe in the tenants of the Church They must live down in the basement where no one ever sees them, if you have trouble believing in them. [/quote] I just wanted to say thank you, that was nicely done. [/QUOTE] [I agree](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=93866) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/107 "2015-04-22T18:44:04Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > When I asked about it, the response I got was ( from a Catholic) was “Lutherans are a type of Catholic” Wow. Yeah, there are roughly 95 reasons to question that sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/108 "2015-04-22T18:52:47Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Actually, I had a slightly similar experience about 15 years ago. I grew up in a Presbyterian church and was confirmed when I was 13 (went atheist about two months later, with some lapses until I was in my early twenties). Around 15 years ago, I got a letter from that church I grew up in asking me how I should be treated on their rolls: > -Please keep me on the rolls! > -Please keep me on the rolls and contact me for volunteer opportunities! > -Please transfer me to the following Presbyterian church’s rolls, since I’ve moved! > > Those, IIRC, were the only options. THere was no option for, “Please take me off the rolls, since I’m no longer religious!” > > Fortunately, I know all about write-in candidacies, so I wrote one in :). Never heard from them again. The weird thing is that if you’re in the same kind of Presbyterian church I grew up in they were actually paying to keep you on the rolls! Presbytery tax! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/109 "2015-04-22T18:54:49Z")
this is the [Cub Scout Lutheran Religious award](http://www.usscouts.org/advance/CubScout/religious.asp#Lutheran) ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/110 "2015-04-22T19:06:51Z")
Sounds like a huge waste of time, you don’t have better stuff to do? I am an atheist that was raised Catholic and such a thought never even entered my mind. Hey if it really concerns you, more power to you, just seems so pointless to me!:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/111 "2015-04-22T23:30:13Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Under? Under, over, they’re both prepositions! It was early, I was on my way out the door and not underly coherent. ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/112 "2015-04-23T00:18:40Z")
> [@CaptainAmerica\_1987](#): > > People have said just don’t in anyway participate in it but over the years my dad, mom, myself and my two brothers have come to realize we want nothing to do with it anymore and are trying to see how to officially get out. How do you get your membership revoked basically? Thanks! Officially, if you do not go to Easter Mass you are declaring yourself no longer a Catholic. You may still be kept on the rolls, but theologically you have left the faith. If this is a duplicate I’m sorry, I just got tired of reading the other comments. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/113 "2015-04-23T00:54:23Z")
> [@Marion\_Wormer](#): > > Officially, if you do not go to Easter Mass you are declaring yourself no longer a Catholic. You may still be kept on the rolls, but theologically you have left the faith. > > If this is a duplicate I’m sorry, I just got tired of reading the other comments. Where’s your official source for that? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/114 "2015-04-23T03:20:35Z")
Could it be a conflagration of the requirement to attend Mass every Sunday, and to receive Communion at least once a year, at Easter? Either way, failing to do so doesn’t make you officially non-Catholic. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/115 "2015-04-23T03:24:17Z")
Years ago when I decided to part ways with the RCC I looked into this. IIRC there are a few websites that have a form letter of the sort you need to send to the local Archdiocese to request your name be removed from the baptismal role but it’s completely up to the church as to whether they do it. One reason I remember reading for doing this was that, when the church is lobbying politicians they tend to use the number of baptised members on their books when they talk about how much support they have rather than, say, the number of people who describe themselves as practising Catholics on the census or actually got to mass from week to week. From memory\*\* the other main ways to get automatically excommunicated (if you’re going for a burn-the-bridges approach) are: [ol] [li]assassinate or attempt to assassinate the pope (not recommended) :p[/li][li]join another religion[/li][/ol] \*\*which could be completely wrong now ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038/116 "2015-04-24T01:27:06Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Where’s your official source for that? > **[Catechism of the Catholic Church - PART 3 SECTION 1 CHAPTER 3 ARTICLE 3](http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c3a3.htm#II)** > > Second Edition English Translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church with Index, Cross-references and Search Utility > [@](#): > > The third precept (“You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season”) guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.84 [There’s also this](http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu334.htm) The translation of the precept that failing to attend Easter Mass is separating yourself from the Church (barring illness or other reasonable excuse) was something I picked up in one of my “How to Be A Catholic” type books. Although according to Wikipedia it appears I’m wrong. > **[Formal act of defection from the Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_act_of_defection_from_the_Catholic_Church)** > > Jus novum (c. 1140-1563) > Jus novissimum (c. 1563-1918) > Jus codicis (1918-present) > Other [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-get-out-of-catholicism/718038.md?page=5)