Has Anyone Successfully Left the Catholic Church?

[Mercurial123]

Has anyone formally left the Catholic Church and if so how easy/difficult was it? And how did you feel afterwards?

It's something I've been thinking about for a long time. My friends who were baptised Catholic but are now atheist looked a bit shocked, probably because no-one has ever considered it.

This is from a US site, but the procedure be the same in the UK?

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/expresident/how-to-leave-the-catholic-church

I didn't know it was like scientology.

It isn't the least bit like scientology. This is one of the maddest theads I've ever read.

I’m gobsmacked that their records are that accurate. I wonder if my husband is still counted as the church records from where he was baptised were destroyed in a fire, we had a hell of a job agreeing to the church to marry us. We had to get witnesses from the christening to write to the diocese.

Not that I would bother now.

Write to the parish priest, explain your situation, make your request. They will not remove or destroy your entry in the register but they will add a note next to it. That's all. I do admin for a local Catholic Church and we were talking about this a few months ago.

Ridiculous and over the top. If you don’t believe that’s it. No need to make a song and dance over it.

My friend was born and raised Catholic but lost illusion in it. She did however still believe in Jesus and wanted to pray and worship in her own way.
She was re-confirmed as Anglican at 35.

Errrmmm, just stop going? I was raised Catholic and the vast majority of my friends from primary school wouldn’t class themselves as Catholic, they just stopped going. There is no record of ‘membership’ my old parish couldn’t even find my confirmation certificate when I needed it! They do count Mass attendance sometimes and use these numbers to ascertain how many people are in the parish etc. But assuming you don’t attend Mass regularly so you wouldn’t be counted in that?

@lilacsinbloom just in terms of having to formally leave or having any angst about it.

I thought you could declare yourself whatever you like and go to whatever church you like then stop without a second thought or repercussion.

If that's not the case then that single aspect is like scientology.

I thought you could declare yourself whatever you like and go to whatever church you like then stop without a second thought or repercussion.

You can. This thread is bonkers.

Data O'Briain said even being an atheist doesn't stop you being a Catholic - it just makes you a bad Catholic.

Ah I didn't know this!
I assumed they would have to have (more) accurate figures as otherwise they won't know if people are still practicing, alive or in the UK. I suppose that's why they don't.

They do a count at every weekend Mass in one month and then average it to get a more accurate figure. They don't base it on any other registers or records.

Interesting, they really don't want to let you go do they? It's all about numbers.

That doesn't surprise me at all, unfortunately.

That's not correct.
We're all sinners, it's just a matter of degree.
Practising and 'non-practising' would be a better way to put it.

I thought I'd read some crazy threads on here but this takes the cake you just don't go nobody cares

I thought you had to write to the Bishop. Is that incorrect?

I remember when I was very young, our parish priest, after a few too many beers started a fight at the Irish community centre. I'd like to have discussed the issue with him as he was a bit of a "sinner" himself.

I don't care about anyone it's about me. And if you think this is crazy you haven't been around long enough... or led a very sheltered life.

They don't have a register so you can't be removed from it! Numbers are counted at mass each week, so you're not included in that and it doesn't involve names anyway. Individual parishes may register those living there, but unless you registered yourself you won't be on that list either. Those lists will be hugely inaccurate as most people attendjng mass probably dont bother registering, and people moving house probably dont de-regster. If you did register with your parish, just write to the parish office asking them to remove you. There isn't anything else you can do.

I can ask the priest tomorrow and let you know but the way he explained it was that the priest makes a note in the register. No mention of the bishop. The register is a historical record so it can't be removed, just updated.
I think if you can find the right kind of priest, you can ask them anything. Our priest is like this. No topic is off limits, which makes him really interesting to talk to.

I was baptised and raised RC....taken (dragged) to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days (hated it, especially Good Friday). Started having doubts about 10, but my parents were hearing none of it, finally able to stop going mid/late teens. I still got married in an RC Church in the mid 90s, due to pressure on both sides, and I now wish we'd stood up to both sets of parents.

I started having doubts of what we were expected to believe. For example being told the Facts of Life, but expected to believe Mary was a virgin etc. As a teen became unhappy with views on contraception, divorce and abortion. I'm a Londoner but my background is Irish and I was always well aware of the power the Catholic Church had in Ireland. Of course in the last 20 years there's been all kinds of controversies in Ireland involving the Church and the power it had over the government and the population (thanks Sinead O'connor RIP for speaking out when others weren't brave enough.)

Now I've turned my back on it. I don't believe in God let alone organised religion, though don't force my views on others because I live in London and its very culturally diverse and I don't want to offend others. I'll chat to colleagues and ask polite questions about aspects of their faith, wish them Eid Ramadam or say I hope Hanukkah goes well, but am glad I'm not following a religion myself. I will on occasions acknowledge I was raised RC but follow this up by saying I no longer practise. I'll usually leave it at that.

I've never 'left'....I didn’t think there was a formal way of doing it!

And when I mention a register, I'm talking about the baptism register, as opposed to a register of parishioners.
They will also have their own list of parishioners from regular Mass attendance, receiving sacraments, etc. but you can ask to be removed from that at any time because it's just a contact list more than anything.

If you could let me know that would be great. Thanks.

My husband stopped going to Mass 60 years ago, the only time he has been to a Catholic church since then is for the Baptism of our children and he wasn't exactly friendly to the priest who was a lovely man. The church has never tried to hunt him down, they won't know if he is alive or dead. People are being ridiculous.

I reckon this is the best I could get