Leaving the Catholic Church - countmeout.ie (1 Viewer)

[ann post]

Munich has lost 472 Catholic worshippers this month alone, nearly four times the number for the past three months.

The figures are precise because Germans must register and deregister if they worship or not as the church is funded by a tax levy on each parishioner, which works out at about €800 ($1170) a year a person.

you probably should anyways.

 

[maims bond]

ok so I was baptised in Germany so do I actually have to get in touch with the Parish over there?
resident in dublin now! thanks! I was confirmed in Ireland if that matters... naffest trouser suit ever.

If you'd emailed us this question we'd have labelled it 'lazy person', but just because you're a thumpeder:

I was not baptised in Ireland, live abroad or am from another country. How can I defect?

The "Declaration of Defection" is a standard form so, without the cover letter, the rest of the document is just as valid anywhere in the world as it is in Ireland. Print it out, fill in the details and then find the address of the parochial house or bishop's office of the diocese in which you are resident. You can download a completely blank form at this link, if you wish.

For users in the UK, here are a few links that might help you find your diocese:

• Wikipedia - List of Dioceses in the United Kingdom
• UK Catholic Parish Directory.

Essentially, you send it to the diocese you currently live in then they take it from there. Germany might be a little different because I know they have some sort of system where you can do it through the local court system, to get out of paying tax. Would say you have to be living in Germany to do that though.

 

[ratmonkey]

Germany might be a little different because I know they have some sort of system where you can do it through the local court system, to get out of paying tax. Would say you have to be living in Germany to do that though.

I think you don't actually get out of paying the tax in Germany, just that the state gets the money instead of the earthly representative of your imaginary friend. (Most likely why they don't want to call Scientography a religion there, that way they get to keep more tax monies)

 

[maims bond]

COUNTMEOUT.IE SUSPENDS SERVICE DUE TO CONCERNS OVER CHANGES TO DEFECTION PROCESS

12th October 2010

The group behind the CountMeOut.ie website has suspended the service that assists those who wish to renounce their membership of the Catholic Church. The decision was taken in response to a lack of clarity regarding recent changes to the Code of Canon Law.

In April of this year, the Church modified Canon Law to remove all references to the act of formal defection, the process used by those who wish to leave the Catholic Church. This change means that the annotation of the baptismal register in response to a defection request no longer changes a person’s relationship with the Church; it is merely an administrative act.

Several people have contacted CountMeOut.ie in recent weeks expressing concern at the delay in their defection request. Most have received responses from the Dublin Archdiocese stating that their application cannot be processed until the Archdiocese decides how to implement the canon law changes.

CountMeOut.ie have written to the Dublin Archdiocese on a number of occasions seeking clarification. Despite these requests, the Church have yet to reach a firm position on how or whether they will continue to accept requests for the annotation of the baptismal register. We believe that, in principle, the withdrawal of the defection procedure has implications for a person’s right to freedom of religion and association. Moreover, the confusion over the proposed changes has raised questions as to the validity of defections carried out prior to April of this year.

The CountMeOut.ie website went live in July 2009. Since that time there have been over 12,000 downloads of the declaration of defection documentation. The service will remain suspended until such time as the Church clarifies in full what changes will be introduced to defections.

For further information on the reasons and background to the change, visit http://www.countmeout.ie/

 

[тхеодоре кацзынски]

sounds like a case of

 

[maims bond]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1012/breaking32.html

 

[ann post]

its sorta neck and neck between facebook and the church for which is harder to leave.

 

[rettucs]

its sorta neck and neck between facebook and the church for which is harder to leave.

and thumped

 

[pete]

Banned.

 

[therealjohnny]

http://www.atheist.ie/2011/01/be-honest-to-godless-in-the-irish-census-on-10-april/

Why is this important?
The Census results are used to predict future demand for State services and other policies. Knowing the true number of nonreligious people strengthens the case for secular schools and hospitals, and for a greater separation of church and state generally.
So be honest to Godless in the Irish Census on Sunday 10 April. Think before you tick. And if you’re not religious, please tick the no religion box.
Please don’t tick a religion you don’t actually practice.
Please don’t tick your childhood religion out of habit.
Please don’t let someone else fill in your answer.
Please don’t write in ‘Atheist’. It’s not a religion.
Please don’t write in anything that’s not a religion.
Please don’t ignore the question. Answer it honestly.
If you’re not religious, please tick the no religion box.
What if you believe you are spiritual but not religious? What if you believe in a god but not in religion? Please remember that the Census is not a survey of theological beliefs. It is a measure of social changes, including in religious affiliation, to help plan the allocation of State services and other policies.

 

[rettucs]

bump. has anyone gone through this process?

 

[Anthony]

My wife did. I was half way through when they shut it down. Something she reminds me of constantly.

 

[MilanPan!c]

Do I need a Declaration of Defecation every time I use the loo?


In all seriousness though, I don't understand why people are obsessed with "officially" leaving any church....?

 

[Lili Marlene]

Because we want to make it very, very clear to the Catholic Church of Ireland what we think of them. With no room for misinterpretation.


Not that I did or anything. I've got enough automatic excommunications according to canon law that it's all good for me. Each to their own and all that. Could I still technically be forgiven by some trolling priest?

 

[Lili Marlene]

. Could I still technically be forgiven by some trolling priest?

Seems i'd have to ask for forgiveness first. Suppose i'll just have to keep my wits about me when i'm drinking with priests.

 

[therealjohnny]

I think it has been said elsewhere in this thread that if you haven't actively left the Church it can have an effect on policy and decision making, as when they tote up the numbers many people will be listed as Christian or Catholic even though they haven't had any truck with the Church for years.

 

[Lili Marlene]

Like, for example, to get this changed:

Constitution of Ireland | Atheist Ireland


or whenever Breda O'Brien starts saying things like

the majority of the population claims to be Catholic

and you wonder what she's basing this on

Closure of All Hallows is a loss to third-level education as well as to church - Religious News & Affairs | The Irish Times - Sun, Jun 01, 2014



edit: actually in fairness, she's probably basing that on the 2011 census;

3,831,187 roman catholic out of 4.5 million. Depressing.

 

[magicbastarder]

I think it has been said elsewhere in this thread that if you haven't actively left the Church it can have an effect on policy and decision making, as when they tote up the numbers many people will be listed as Christian or Catholic even though they haven't had any truck with the Church for years.

policy decisions are based on the census, not on baptismal rolls. baptismal rolls have no role whatsoever in government policy processes.

 

[Unicron]

Most cathoilics in Ireland are catholics in the smae way that they're mormons as well. And most practicing catholics are actually theological prods.

 

[Lili Marlene]

Most cathoilics in Ireland are catholics in the smae way that they're mormons as well. And most practicing catholics are actually theological prods.

Except they say they're catholics on the census, they don't say they're mormans.