Lapsed Catholic
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In Roman Catholicism, a lapsed Catholic is a Catholic who has ceased practicing the Catholic religion. Such a person is said to have lapsed from the Faith.
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[edit] Why are they called lapsed Catholic and not ex-Catholic?
According to Catholic belief, a person who becomes Catholic remains Catholic forever."Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark... of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation." Catechism of the Catholic Church 1272The term "lapsed Catholic" is therefore favored over "ex-Catholic". Even repudiating the entirety of Catholic faith does not make a Catholic 'ex'-Catholic or 'un'-baptised, but rather an apostate. Likewise, a Catholic who rejects an essential part of the Catholic religion is a heretic, and a Catholic who refuses to submit to the Roman Pontiff is a schismatic.
[edit] Non-participation
Sometimes the person may self-identify as a "recovering Catholic." Many lapsed Catholics stop practicing after leaving their parental home, where they have gone through the paces of religious services to please a more devout relative, especially a parent. Some Catholics who still attend church services may still think of themselves as "lapsed" if they have not participated in Catholic sacraments or if they only attend special masses like Christmas and Easter. These are colloquially referred to by such terms as Chreasters, C & E Catholics, or Poinsettia & Lily Catholics.
[edit] Practicing Catholics
A lapsed Catholic may return to active practice by receiving the sacrament of confession.
[edit] Lapsed non-Catholics
The term "lapsed" is sometimes affixed to people of other religious denominations who have stopped practicing (e.g. lapsed Hindus or lapsed Muslims).
