{"id":16799,"date":"2024-08-14T16:43:39","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T15:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maltahumanist.org\/?page_id=16799"},"modified":"2024-08-21T12:44:12","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T11:44:12","slug":"leaving-the-church","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/humanistsmalta.org\/mt\/leaving-the-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaving the Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ background_color=”rgba(224,43,32,0.64)” background_image=”http:\/\/maltahumanist.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/business-962355_1920.jpg” background_position=”bottom_center” background_blend=”overlay” custom_padding=”1vw||0||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” background_color_gradient_start__hover=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_start__hover_enabled=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end__hover=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_end__hover_enabled=”#29c4a9″ use_background_color_gradient__hover=”off” use_background_color_gradient__hover_enabled=”off” background_color_gradient_type__hover=”linear” background_color_gradient_type__hover_enabled=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction__hover=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction__hover_enabled=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial__hover=”center” background_color_gradient_direction_radial__hover_enabled=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position__hover=”0%” background_color_gradient_start_position__hover_enabled=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position__hover=”100%” background_color_gradient_end_position__hover_enabled=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image__hover=”off” background_color_gradient_overlays_image__hover_enabled=”off” background_color_gradient_stops__hover=”#2b87da 0%|#29c4a9 100%”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”80%” use_custom_width=”on” width_unit=”off” custom_width_px__hover=”1080px” custom_width_px__hover_enabled=”1080px” custom_width_percent__hover=”80%” custom_width_percent__hover_enabled=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}” gutter_width__hover=”3″ gutter_width__hover_enabled=”3″ parallax_1__hover=”off” parallax_1__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_2__hover=”off” parallax_2__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_3__hover=”off” parallax_3__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_4__hover=”off” parallax_4__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_5__hover=”off” parallax_5__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_6__hover=”off” parallax_6__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_method_1__hover=”on” parallax_method_1__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_2__hover=”on” parallax_method_2__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_3__hover=”on” parallax_method_3__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_4__hover=”on” parallax_method_4__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_5__hover=”on” parallax_method_5__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_6__hover=”on” parallax_method_6__hover_enabled=”on” use_background_color_gradient__hover=”off” use_background_color_gradient__hover_enabled=”off” background_color_gradient_start__hover=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_start__hover_enabled=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end__hover=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_end__hover_enabled=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type__hover=”linear” background_color_gradient_type__hover_enabled=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction__hover=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction__hover_enabled=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial__hover=”center” background_color_gradient_direction_radial__hover_enabled=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position__hover=”0%” background_color_gradient_start_position__hover_enabled=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position__hover=”100%” background_color_gradient_end_position__hover_enabled=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image__hover=”off” background_color_gradient_overlays_image__hover_enabled=”off” parallax__hover=”off” parallax__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_method__hover=”on” parallax_method__hover_enabled=”on” background_size__hover=”cover” background_size__hover_enabled=”cover” background_position__hover=”center” background_position__hover_enabled=”center” background_repeat__hover=”no-repeat” background_repeat__hover_enabled=”no-repeat” background_blend__hover=”normal” background_blend__hover_enabled=”normal” allow_player_pause__hover=”off” allow_player_pause__hover_enabled=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport__hover=”on” background_video_pause_outside_viewport__hover_enabled=”on” make_fullwidth__hover=”off” make_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”off” use_custom_width__hover=”off” use_custom_width__hover_enabled=”off” width_unit__hover=”on” width_unit__hover_enabled=”on” use_custom_gutter__hover=”off” use_custom_gutter__hover_enabled=”off” make_equal__hover=”off” make_equal__hover_enabled=”off” border_radii__hover=”on||||” border_radii__hover_enabled=”on||||” box_shadow_style__hover=”none” box_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” box_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.3)” box_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.3)” filter_hue_rotate__hover=”0deg” filter_hue_rotate__hover_enabled=”0deg” filter_saturate__hover=”100%” filter_saturate__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_brightness__hover=”100%” filter_brightness__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_contrast__hover=”100%” filter_contrast__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_invert__hover=”0%” filter_invert__hover_enabled=”0%” filter_sepia__hover=”0%” filter_sepia__hover_enabled=”0%” filter_opacity__hover=”100%” filter_opacity__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_blur__hover=”0px” filter_blur__hover_enabled=”0px” mix_blend_mode__hover=”normal” mix_blend_mode__hover_enabled=”normal” animation_style__hover=”none” animation_style__hover_enabled=”none” animation_repeat__hover=”once” animation_repeat__hover_enabled=”once” animation_direction__hover=”center” animation_direction__hover_enabled=”center” animation_duration__hover=”1000ms” animation_duration__hover_enabled=”1000ms” animation_delay__hover=”0ms” animation_delay__hover_enabled=”0ms” animation_intensity_slide__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_slide__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_zoom__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_zoom__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_flip__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_flip__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_fold__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_fold__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_roll__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_roll__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_starting_opacity__hover=”0%” animation_starting_opacity__hover_enabled=”0%” animation_speed_curve__hover=”ease-in-out” animation_speed_curve__hover_enabled=”ease-in-out” hover_transition_duration__hover=”300ms” hover_transition_duration__hover_enabled=”300ms” hover_transition_delay__hover=”0ms” hover_transition_delay__hover_enabled=”0ms” hover_transition_speed_curve__hover=”ease” hover_transition_speed_curve__hover_enabled=”ease” width__hover=”80%” width__hover_enabled=”80%” max_width__hover=”80%” max_width__hover_enabled=”80%” background_color_gradient_stops__hover=”#2b87da 0%|#29c4a9 100%”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ text_font=”||||||||” text_line_height=”2em” header_font=”Noto Serif||||||||” header_font_size=”6vw” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_2_font=”||||||||” header_5_font=”||||||||” header_6_font=”Source Sans Pro|||on|||||” header_6_font_size=”24px” header_6_letter_spacing=”8px” header_6_line_height=”1.8em” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” max_width=”80%” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”” max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”||0px” custom_padding=”10%||9.9%|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_intensity_slide=”4%” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”48px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_text_shadow_style=”preset3″ header_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0.8em” header_text_shadow_color=”rgba(0,17,51,0.55)” global_colors_info=”{}” text_font_size__hover=”14px” text_font_size__hover_enabled=”14px” text_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” text_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” text_line_height__hover=”1.7em” text_line_height__hover_enabled=”1.7em” text_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” text_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” text_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” text_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” link_font_size__hover=”14px” link_font_size__hover_enabled=”14px” link_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” link_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” link_line_height__hover=”1em” link_line_height__hover_enabled=”1em” link_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” link_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” link_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” link_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” ul_font_size__hover=”14px” ul_font_size__hover_enabled=”14px” ul_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” ul_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” ul_line_height__hover=”1em” ul_line_height__hover_enabled=”1em” ul_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” ul_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” ul_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” ul_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” ol_font_size__hover=”14px” ol_font_size__hover_enabled=”14px” ol_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” ol_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” ol_line_height__hover=”1em” ol_line_height__hover_enabled=”1em” ol_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” ol_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” ol_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” ol_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” quote_font_size__hover=”14px” quote_font_size__hover_enabled=”14px” quote_letter_spacing__hover=”0px” quote_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”0px” quote_line_height__hover=”1em” quote_line_height__hover_enabled=”1em” quote_text_shadow_style__hover=”none” quote_text_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” quote_text_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” quote_text_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.4)” text_orientation__hover=”left” text_orientation__hover_enabled=”left” background_layout__hover=”light” background_layout__hover_enabled=”light”]<\/p>\n

Leaving the Catholic Church in Malta<\/h1>\n

<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

A step-by-step list of actions<\/h3>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Membership” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”5vw||2vw” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”86.2%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|617px||auto||” custom_padding=”1px|||||” custom_width_px__hover=”1080px” custom_width_px__hover_enabled=”1080px” custom_width_percent__hover=”80%” custom_width_percent__hover_enabled=”80%” global_colors_info=”{}” make_fullwidth__hover=”off” make_fullwidth__hover_enabled=”off” gutter_width__hover=”3″ gutter_width__hover_enabled=”3″ parallax_1__hover=”off” parallax_1__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_2__hover=”off” parallax_2__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_3__hover=”off” parallax_3__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_4__hover=”off” parallax_4__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_5__hover=”off” parallax_5__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_6__hover=”off” parallax_6__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_method_1__hover=”on” parallax_method_1__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_2__hover=”on” parallax_method_2__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_3__hover=”on” parallax_method_3__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_4__hover=”on” parallax_method_4__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_5__hover=”on” parallax_method_5__hover_enabled=”on” parallax_method_6__hover=”on” parallax_method_6__hover_enabled=”on” use_background_color_gradient__hover=”off” use_background_color_gradient__hover_enabled=”off” background_color_gradient_start__hover=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_start__hover_enabled=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end__hover=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_end__hover_enabled=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type__hover=”linear” background_color_gradient_type__hover_enabled=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction__hover=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction__hover_enabled=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial__hover=”center” background_color_gradient_direction_radial__hover_enabled=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position__hover=”0%” background_color_gradient_start_position__hover_enabled=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position__hover=”100%” background_color_gradient_end_position__hover_enabled=”100%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image__hover=”off” background_color_gradient_overlays_image__hover_enabled=”off” parallax__hover=”off” parallax__hover_enabled=”off” parallax_method__hover=”on” parallax_method__hover_enabled=”on” background_size__hover=”cover” background_size__hover_enabled=”cover” background_position__hover=”center” background_position__hover_enabled=”center” background_repeat__hover=”no-repeat” background_repeat__hover_enabled=”no-repeat” background_blend__hover=”normal” background_blend__hover_enabled=”normal” allow_player_pause__hover=”off” allow_player_pause__hover_enabled=”off” background_video_pause_outside_viewport__hover=”on” background_video_pause_outside_viewport__hover_enabled=”on” use_custom_width__hover=”off” use_custom_width__hover_enabled=”off” width_unit__hover=”on” width_unit__hover_enabled=”on” use_custom_gutter__hover=”off” use_custom_gutter__hover_enabled=”off” make_equal__hover=”off” make_equal__hover_enabled=”off” border_radii__hover=”on||||” border_radii__hover_enabled=”on||||” box_shadow_style__hover=”none” box_shadow_style__hover_enabled=”none” box_shadow_color__hover=”rgba(0,0,0,0.3)” box_shadow_color__hover_enabled=”rgba(0,0,0,0.3)” filter_hue_rotate__hover=”0deg” filter_hue_rotate__hover_enabled=”0deg” filter_saturate__hover=”100%” filter_saturate__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_brightness__hover=”100%” filter_brightness__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_contrast__hover=”100%” filter_contrast__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_invert__hover=”0%” filter_invert__hover_enabled=”0%” filter_sepia__hover=”0%” filter_sepia__hover_enabled=”0%” filter_opacity__hover=”100%” filter_opacity__hover_enabled=”100%” filter_blur__hover=”0px” filter_blur__hover_enabled=”0px” mix_blend_mode__hover=”normal” mix_blend_mode__hover_enabled=”normal” animation_style__hover=”none” animation_style__hover_enabled=”none” animation_repeat__hover=”once” animation_repeat__hover_enabled=”once” animation_direction__hover=”center” animation_direction__hover_enabled=”center” animation_duration__hover=”1000ms” animation_duration__hover_enabled=”1000ms” animation_delay__hover=”0ms” animation_delay__hover_enabled=”0ms” animation_intensity_slide__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_slide__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_zoom__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_zoom__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_flip__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_flip__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_fold__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_fold__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_intensity_roll__hover=”50%” animation_intensity_roll__hover_enabled=”50%” animation_starting_opacity__hover=”0%” animation_starting_opacity__hover_enabled=”0%” animation_speed_curve__hover=”ease-in-out” animation_speed_curve__hover_enabled=”ease-in-out” hover_transition_duration__hover=”300ms” hover_transition_duration__hover_enabled=”300ms” hover_transition_delay__hover=”0ms” hover_transition_delay__hover_enabled=”0ms” hover_transition_speed_curve__hover=”ease” hover_transition_speed_curve__hover_enabled=”ease” background_color_gradient_stops__hover=”#2b87da 0%|#29c4a9 100%”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/maltahumanist.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/pexels-esra-afsar-123882149-15045325.jpg” title_text=”pexels-esra-afsar-123882149-15045325″ url=”https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1Kt5RTSx7A9mHIXN9WJAm973NCtEIhDgh\/view?usp=sharing” url_new_window=”on” _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”69%” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”59px|||||” border_width_all=”2px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” position_origin_r=”top_right” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ header_font=”||||||||” header_2_font=”Noto Serif||||||||” header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.4em” width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”88px|222px||||” custom_padding=”|0px||0px||” header_2_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_2_font_size_phone=”24px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Leaving the Church in Malta<\/h2>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”gcid-1e64024b-12fd-46e5-a161-7e6f322f0111″ divider_weight=”3px” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ max_width=”80px” module_alignment=”center” height=”3px” global_colors_info=”{%22gcid-1e64024b-12fd-46e5-a161-7e6f322f0111%22:%91%22color%22%93}”] 
\n[\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_id=”ref” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”||||||||” width=”86.8%” module_alignment=”center” text_font_size_tablet=”14px” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

For some brought up in the Catholic Church it is an important point of principle to gain recognition when they decide to leave it, to ensure they are not counted as followers (numbers of which are based on baptism records).
In 2012, a group called \u2018Not In Our Name\u2019 attempted to force the deletion of their details from church records. The case was lost, but the principle was established (see ruling<\/a> of the data protection commissioner) that an annotation should be made to the records, to confirm that the person in question would no longer be considered a member of the Church. https:\/\/www.maltatoday.com.mt\/news\/national\/22926\/church-allowed-to-process-private-data-of-non-catholics-20121126<\/a><\/p>\n

Fastforward to 2024, and one of our committee members has recently been through the process of officially renouncing the Christian faith. It is somewhat bureaucratic and time-consuming, but wholly achievable and free of charge.<\/p>\n

We lay out here how to do it:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Email the Curia at info@maltadiocese.org<\/a> stating your intention to leave the Church.
\u2022 Once the email is acknowledged, arrange an appointment with the Episcopal Delegate for Evangelisation for an interview, where you will discuss your reasons for leaving the Church.
\u2022 After the interview, the Chancellor of the Curia will be informed.
\u2022 Arrange a meeting with the Chancellor of the Curia. If this is not forthcoming via the Episcopal Delegate, you can ask for the email address of the Chancellor.
\u2022 For this meeting, bring your ID card, baptism certificate, and the completed declaration form<\/a> (for either male or female, as recognised by church).
\u2022 If your baptism certificate is unavailable, your birth date should suffice for your parish to locate and reprint it. You can either visit the parish in person or send your birth date to the Curia, who should assist in retrieving the necessary details.
\u2022 We recommend that you email the completed declaration form to the Chancellor before your meeting, for verification, to ensure all details are correct.
\u2022 The Chancellor will retain a copy of the baptism certificate. Both parties will sign, and the Chancellor will also stamp the declaration, marking the end of your association with the church.
\u2022 The Curia will provide a photocopy of the signed declaration, which serves as the official confirmation that you are no longer part of the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n