What is my current state according to the catholic church?

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Hello, I am a pretty young Individual highly interested in the Catholic Church. After about a year of philosophical investigation, I have come to the conclusion that the catholic church is the true church founded by Jesus Christ. I am, however formally still in the protestant church and currently in mortal sin.

I ask this question because I have a flight in about 2 weeks (I am terribly afraid of flying even though my fear of flying is probably very irrational) and want to know what my current state is according to the catholic church (because I am scared something bad happens while flying you know what I mean).

I also know that converting to the catholic church takes a long time (like 6 months to a year if I remember correctly).

Also, I am already baptized (in the protestant church but if I am not mistaken baptism in the protestant church is valid according to the catholic church).

Now to my question: If something bad would happen, is there any way for salvation even though I am not in the catholic church yet? Is there some way to get rid of my mortal sin (can non-catholics that are baptized take catholic confession?) in 2 weeks? What is my current state according to the church?

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Thank you for your questions. I will take one at a time.

Your Baptism, if done in the proper form (“the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit,” found in Matthew 28:19) and using the proper matter (preferably moving water either by full emersion or pouring over the head), and your Protestant Church has a proper theology of the Holy Trinity, then your Baptism is likely valid.

Non-Catholic Christians cannot receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation unless there is a present danger of death or a grave necessity (refer Canon Law 844).

You can however call a local Catholic Priest and explain to him your situation and ask if he can give you a blessing.

You may also make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible, which for you would be around the time when you receive the Sacraments of Initiation, following OCIA.

You may also attend Mass where there is a communal recitation of penitential contrition during the Sacred Liturgy, a general act that calls upon Christ’s mercy.
However, this is not to be confused for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which confers Christ’s salvific grace and provides sacramental absolution of grave sins.

Lastly, Jesus knows your intention and we trust and hope in His mercy in the case of a tragic situation.

If for some reason your plane were to go down and you have not been fully initiated into the Church that Christ begun in the Apostles and their successors, giving them the authority, responsibility, and privilege to forgive sines, and thus have not yet come to Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but have a desire to, and an intention to complete your act of contrition prior to a tragic event, you can have trust and hope in Him.

I have a friend who after becoming Catholic (a convert from Islam) once went sky-diving and she wrote on the palms of her hands, “I :heart: Jesus” or “Jesus, I trust in You” (I cannot remember exactly which, but she is one of the most joy-filled people I know). And not only did she survive jumping out of a plane, she still loves Jesus : )

So, call your local Priest, explain the situation and go from there. Hope this helps.

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I agree with what Cade wrote. I’ll just add some words from Jesus and from Pope John Paul II. “Do not live in fear” and “Be not afraid,” Jesus said. Pope John Paul II said, “Do not be afraid of God.” God wants to bring us to Heaven to live with Him. Presumably, as a Protestant, you have been on a path to Him, but now recognize the Catholic Church as the real path. And you seem to be characterizing your not yet being Catholic as a deadly, willful sin. It doesn’t sound that way to me. If you are turning more fully to God, He welcomes you and helps you.

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Peace to all,

To me the autonomy the Catholic Church is from the Holy Spirit Family Power to be able for all Reborn Baptized to stand self righteous before The Holy Family from Sacrifice and justified through Penance for forgiven and In Communion with Him re-Sanctified and Confirmed in all to be able to become again Saved through the Christ, reimaged through both natures, spirit and life immortally glorified and incorruptibly transfigured in One Holy Spirit Family One God in being, to me, I believe.

Peace always,
Stephen

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Dear friend, God bless your heart and good intentions, for just as there is baptism of desire, I believe you could say there is baptism or there is reconciliation of desire and a quote on quote faithful and desire, or a desire to belong to the one true church which could operate like a baptism of desire and save you in any situation in which you die before actually becoming Catholic or no fault of your own

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Peace to all,

So true, SPauline1212, Thus Purgatory exists, where one who through no fault of his own does not get to know The Christ yet does not harm his brother or sister or his servant will become again, logically through the White Hot Fire of Divine Mercy, from Mary through Jesus in the Christ becoming again, to all, logically becoming again One Family.

Logically we become Catholic now or later, I believe, through OMNILogicalGod, to me.

Peace always,
Stephen

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Thank you so much for this long and helpful answer! I really appreciate it.

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