To be a Christian, you have to be baptised.
To be fully a part of the Christian community, you must receive all three Sacraments of Initiation:
baptism, confirmation, and first holy communion.
You cannot be considered an active Catholic, however, unless you consistently follow the five precepts of the Church.
As an active Catholic, you can be either a lax Catholic or a Catholic who aspires to holiness.
The tables offer a general overview of the primary Catholic profiles’ tendencies.
| The Precepts Of The Catholic Church | The Inactive Catholic | The Active Catholic | Catholics Striving for Holiness | Lax Catholics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The indispensable minimum requirements to all Baptised Catholics.
There are five precepts. |
A Baptised Catholic who is not keeping the precepts of the Church. |
A Catholic who keeps the precepts of the Church. |
Active Catholics who live to do God’s will. Their lives revolve around Jesus. |
Active Catholics who do not practice the faith with diligence. |
|
1. “You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.” |
❌ |
|
Properly prepare for Mass. |
Would miss Mass for pleasure. |
|
2. “You shall confess your sins at least once a year.” |
❌ |
|
Go to confession well-prepared at a consistent frequency: weekly, monthly, etc. |
There is no concern with preparing for confession or amending one’s life. |
|
3. “You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.” |
❌ |
|
Lead a life worthy of receiving the Eucharist. |
Not intentional in leading a life worthy of receiving the Eucharist. |
|
4. “You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.” Refrain from Servile work. |
❌ |
|
Adhere to the requirements. |
Inconsistent in the practice. |
|
5. “You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.” |
❌ |
|
Always obey. |
Prone to flexible tendencies.
|
|
“The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.” |
❌ |
|
Contribute to their parish’s welfare. |
Not willing to contribute for invalid reasons. |
| New Members | Regular Members | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The New Christian |
The New Catholic |
The Catholic Revert |
The Practising Catholics |
The Lax Catholics |
The False Catholics |
|
Someone who is in the RCIA program to be baptized or is in the first year of their Christian life. |
A baptized who is in the RCIA program to become Catholic or is in the first year of being Catholic. |
A Catholic who had left the faith and came back by going to confession. They might be enrolled in the RCIA program to complete the sacraments of Initiation. |
Catholics who desire to grow in the moral and social teachings and the values of the Beatitudes. They strive to be holy. |
Catholics who do not intentionally practice their faith. |
Catholics who lack moral integrity. |