Catholic in good standing - definition QUESTION from Barbara Carpenter on August 4, 2002 Would you be able to tell me the definition of a Catholic in good standing and where this comes from?
I have been searching several documents and web sites, but cannot seem to find a definitive answer. I know there must be one, because many things, being a confirmation sponsor, godparent, EEM, all require this.
Thanks!
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on August 14, 2002 Dear Miss Carpenter:
A Catholic in good standing is a baptized person who is confirmed in the Catholic Church and is are joined with Christ in its visible structure by the bonds of the profession of faith, the sacraments, and ecclesiastical governance. (Canon Law 205)
What does that mean?
It means that a Catholic in good standing is loyal and obedient to the Pope and Magisterium, belief all that the Catholic Church teaches that must be believed by all the faithful, participates regularly in the Sacraments of the Church.
To participate in the Sacrament of the Eucharist one must be free from mortal sin. Thus a Catholic in good standing is in a state of grace or at least will be the next time he goes to confession at his next opportunity.
A few Examples of people NOT in good standing:
1)A person who is married but did not get an annulment of a previous marriage is living in continual sin and thus is not in good standing.
2) A person who joins the freemasons is in sin as long as he is a member of the Masons and thus is not in good standing.
3) A person who believes that women can be priests is dissenting against an infallible teaching of the Church and is not in good standing.
4) A person who has committed any mortal sin and refuses to confess it is not in good standing.
5) A person who has done something to deserve excommunication is not in good standing (excommunication can be automatic such as in the case of abortion, heresy, schism) or declared by formal decree from the Church).
Does this help?
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