If a person is baptized in a non-Catholic church as an adult making a personal decision to follow Christ and they want to join a Catholic church, will they have to be baptized again?

No absolutly not .Once you are Baptised you are Baptised in the eyes of the Church no matter what Christian denomination you were Baptised in .

However, other rites must be prepared for, they are not automatically conferred.

Both baptised Christians and those new to Christianity go through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) to enter the Church. This is a series of weekly explorative and formative meetings where they get the chance to learn about Catholicism and decide if it's right for them. It proceeds through several stages, culminating with their being introduced at parish masses and participating in various rites.

 

The main difference for those who are baptised, of course, is that they skip the baptismal step. However, both groups receive Confirmation rites and their First Communion. This all occurs at the vigil mass, the night before Easter.

 

We had a small ceremony for our RCIA group, this past Thursday, where the catachumens (unbaptised) and candidates (baptised) received and accepted the Nicene Creed. I was very honored to assist in celebrating the rite for the first time, and it was a very cool experience!

Both baptised Christians and those new to Christianity go through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) to enter the Church. This is a series of weekly explorative and formative meetings where they get the chance to learn about Catholicism and decide if it's right for them. It proceeds through several stages, culminating with their being introduced at parish masses and participating in various rites.

 

The main difference for those who are baptised, of course, is that they skip the baptismal step. However, both groups receive Confirmation rites and their First Communion. This (and baptisms) all occurs at the vigil mass, the night before Easter.

 

For our RCIA group, this past Thursday, we had a small ceremony where the catachumens (unbaptised) and candidates (baptised) receive and accept the Nicene Creed. I was very honored to assist in celebrating the rite for the first time, and it was a very cool experience!

Cool! Thanks for info.

If a person is baptized in a non-Catholic church as an adult making a personal decision to follow Christ and they want to join a Catholic church, will they have to be baptized again?

 

If the baptism is Trinitarian, the Catholic Church will consider it a valid baptism. Trinitarian Baptism means you are baptised in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit as directed by Jesus in the gospels.

Would it depend on who does the baptism? Any believer can perform baptisms.

 

So lets say i baptize my child in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

I have never met anyone who didn't think Catholics were Christians...however a very good friend of mine who is Catholic that thinks Protestants think this way.

Would it depend on who does the baptism? Any believer can perform baptisms.

 

So lets say i baptize my child in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Can't speak for the Protestant beliefs, but for Catholics, anyone can baptize in extreme circumstances -- such as an imminent death. In ordinary circumstances though, the sacrament should be performed by a bishop, priest or deacon.

Would it depend on who does the baptism? Any believer can perform baptisms.

 

So lets say i baptize my child in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

 

I forgot, along with being Trinitarian, water has to be used during the baptism. So, in your instance, in your faith/church, if a father baptising his kids is valid, it was Trinitarian and you used water, his baptism would be valid should he/she convert to Catholicism.

Would it depend on who does the baptism? Any believer can perform baptisms.

 

So lets say i baptize my child in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

 

Personal opinion of mine...when a parent baptizes a child, it's incredibly meaningful & emotional. Friend baptizing friend is close behind.

Where I was raised in the Hollars of Alabama we only had Baptist/Free Will Baptists/Southern Baptists/. I didn't know the word Catholic until President Kennedy ran for office and they made such a fuss over it.

If I recall correctly, the current Pope had some defaming remarks once towards non Catholics doubting the validity of their baptism because it was not from "the church." There are more tensions from hierarchy/doctrine than from the people who pack the pews.

So having a screen name which most people dont know who a poster is not anonymous enough?

 

Wouldn't change my vote.

 

Being a Christian is Jesus decision.

 

Denomination is a man made choice.

 

Yes, because some of us -- yourself included -- have been around this site long enough to the point that others who do not post on this site know we do, and they may even occasionally be checking up on us just to see what we write. That alone would cause many people to disguise their true feelings about considerations such as political party, favorite team, racial, ethnic and religious prejudices, among other things.

If I recall correctly, the current Pope had some defaming remarks once towards non Catholics doubting the validity of their baptism because it was not from "the church." There are more tensions from hierarchy/doctrine than from the people who pack the pews.

 

Yeah, the current guy ain't quite a feel-good Pope the way Karol Wojtyla was. Then again, the current guy is a hardcore German at his essence, and our folk can be a bit on the hard-headed side.

I'm betting if you could vote anonymously that there would be a more honest reflection.

 

Yes, because some of us -- yourself included -- have been around this site long enough to the point that others who do not post on this site know we do, and they may even occasionally be checking up on us just to see what we write. That alone would cause many people to disguise their true feelings about considerations such as political party, favorite team, racial, ethnic and religious prejudices, among other things.

 

I really don't think that's true.