Leaving is something Catholics do regularly. If former Catholics were a denomination, they would be among the largest religious groups in the United States, Western Europe, and Latin America. Globally, there are at least 100 million former Catholics.
But leaving doesn’t mean ceasing to be connected to the Catholic Church. The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism states that former Catholics, whether they continue to profess any religious faith or not, still stand in some relation to the church. The mark of baptism, after all, is considered indelible. In addition, the church understands itself as representing God’s universal offer of salvation—so being a person means being connected in some way to the church’s mission.
Conjectures about whether others are Catholic enough—or Catholic at all—are decidedly not the task of the lay faithful. Consciences, canon law, and ordained ministers are responsible for sorting any individual’s status in relation to the church. Sometimes a person may not be in canonical good standing; this doesn’t mean they aren’t Catholic.
When a Catholic decides to leave the church, usually they simply stop attending Mass and participating in the sacraments. If they skip Mass for an entire year, including Holy Week, they are no longer considered to be in good standing. Flashier exits involve publicly professing heresy or renouncing the faith.
But even then, breaking up with the church remains a bit one-sided. Regardless of what someone does, the church always offers a pathway back—because the church’s mission is to proclaim God’s universal offer of salvation.
For example, Pope Leo XIV recently excommunicated members of the Society of St. Pius X. This feels like the church ending things. However, even excommunications assume an ongoing relationship. Excommunication does not mean a person ceases to be Catholic. It is a tool intended to clarify the seriousness of a situation that always offers a path back to full participation.
The church’s unwillingness to let go entirely has raised concerns among those looking for a decisive break. Last year, in response to petitions from former Catholics seeking to have their baptismal records expunged, the Vatican clarified that baptismal records cannot be altered or deleted. According to the Vatican, these are matters of historical fact, not membership lists. Maintaining the record also clarifies processes for future reentry. Currently, parishes can offer to attach a note to the record clarifying individual preferences without altering the document itself.
So, can a Catholic really leave the church? Sort of. Not participating is simple. Ending a parish membership could be a phone call away. But scrubbing history is more difficult, and dissolving sacramental records is off limits. Asking the church to renounce its openness to anyone is impossible. While this all makes sense in terms of the church’s self-understanding, room remains at the pastoral level to better serve those desiring a clearer separation.
This article also appears in the October 2026 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 91, No. 10, page 48). Click here to subscribe to the magazine.
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