Can I take RCIA at another parish?

[Maria3m]

Last year, I took RCIA at my parish. It wasn’t what I needed…we mainly discussed the reading for the upcoming week. I would have prefered to learn more about what the RCC teaches.

Our parish has no adult education classes, but I REALLY want to learn more. I have read a tremendous amount in the past year on my own, but I know that I need more than just reading books w/o being able to have a discussion.

So…my question is can I take RCIA at a neighboring parish, but still attend mass at my current parish?

Thanks!

 

[homewardbound]

I don’t have a 100% answer but…I don’t see why you couldn’t.

I’m planning on attending mass at a different parish then the one I’m in RCIA in so I’m curious to see how others answer this also.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Last year, I took RCIA at my parish. It wasn’t what I needed…we mainly discussed the reading for the upcoming week. I would have prefered to learn more about what the RCC teaches.

Our parish has no adult education classes, but I REALLY want to learn more. I have read a tremendous amount in the past year on my own, but I know that I need more than just reading books w/o being able to have a discussion.

So…my question is can I take RCIA at a neighboring parish, but still attend mass at my current parish?

Thanks!

Maria,

The purpose of the process of RCIA is not specifically aimed at “teaching” (which is why the term “classes” is avoided in the context of the RCIA). Rather, it is about enculturation – of bringing those who seek to join the Church into the culture of the Church. This certainly does involve “teaching” – but more in the sense of “catechesis” which is a “sharing of faith.” A major part of this is to bring the catechumen into contact with the parish so that the individual becomes a part of the parish and is able to select a way in which he or she can live out the call to service that is a part of our baptism.

One of the popular ways in which this catechesis is done is by breaking open the lectionary (the readings of the week). However, that should be only one aspect of the catechesis. The other should be regular sessions in which the teachings of the Church are highlighted via the readings. It sounds like this might have been missing from the process you went through.

If what you are looking for is more in-depth teaching, consider seeking out programs that the diocese sponsors for ongoing education. That might be more in keeping with your needs. Speak to the RCIA director in your parish about your desire and see if there is something else your parish can offer your. If you like, bring this note to your director and see how what I say squares with what he or she thinks.

Deacon Ed

 

[Damascus]

Last year, I took RCIA at my parish. It wasn’t what I needed…we mainly discussed the reading for the upcoming week. I would have prefered to learn more about what the RCC teaches.

Our parish has no adult education classes, but I REALLY want to learn more. I have read a tremendous amount in the past year on my own, but I know that I need more than just reading books w/o being able to have a discussion.

So…my question is can I take RCIA at a neighboring parish, but still attend mass at my current parish?

Thanks!/QUOTE

Good to hear you have a desire to learn what the “RCC” teaches. You can call it the Catholic Church you know. The times when you will see this distinction is when Eastern Orthodox and Catholics converse- and since you are not posting this in that section of the forum, you dont need to use that abbreviation.

This is the most confusing post of all time!

“my parish” ?- are you a member of a parish or simply attending one that you want to be your parish when you become a Catholic?

If you are not a Catholic you can attend RCIA anywhere!

I am wondering why you want to be a part of a parish that does not cut it for you in the RCIA. I mean you have not made a commitment yet and can go anywhere you want to.

Wouldnt you want to find a parish that you can go through the whole process with?

 

[Maria3m]

If what you are looking for is more in-depth teaching, consider seeking out programs that the diocese sponsors for ongoing education. That might be more in keeping with your needs. Speak to the RCIA director in your parish about your desire and see if there is something else your parish can offer your. If you like, bring this note to your director and see how what I say squares with what he or she thinks.

Yes, I want more in-depth teaching. The only teaching our parish offers for adults is RCIA based around the weekly readings or a group that discusses…yep, the weekly reading.

I’ve felt like I should talk to someone about offering a class that goes more in-depth. (You wrote EXACTLY what I wanted…an in-depth class.) I’ll speak with our DRE or maybe even have courage to talk with our priest.

Thank you, Deacon Ed.

 

[Maria3m]

Good to hear you have a desire to learn what the “RCC” teaches. You can call it the Catholic Church you know. The times when you will see this distinction is when Eastern Orthodox and Catholics converse- and since you are not posting this in that section of the forum, you dont need to use that abbreviation.

Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

This is the most confusing post of all time!

LOL…again… That’s why I don’t post too much. My writing skills could use a refresher course.

“my parish” ?- are you a member of a parish or simply attending one that you want to be your parish when you become a Catholic?

Last year, when I started RCIA I became a member of the church. I didn’t know I should shop around for a church that would fit me better. Actually, it was the first time I had entered a church in at least 20 years. I didn’t know & still don’t know all of the norms. I just felt led to get to a Catholic church.

No, I guess I’m not Catholic…in my heart I am, but I don’t have the paperwork to more forward. I was baptized Catholic as an infant, but don’t have proof. So, instead of entering at Easter 2006, I’m kinda floating until my mom writes a letter & gets it notorized.

I continue to attend because I am wrapped up in this church, I enjoy it, however it is lacking when it comes to education.

The only reason I’m considering RCIA or taking any class at another parish is because when I called and spoke to the Deacon his words spoke to me in a way I’ve never heard anyone speak.
LOL I thought it was wierd at the time …continually telling me that the Holy Spirit had lead me to come home. He continually called me to find out where I was in my journey.

It was a year ago, but he left such an impression on me.

OK, I wrote too much. LOL
I just wanted to know if it’s ok to go there for class while attending mass at (and tithing to) a different parish.

Maybe I would change parishes. I don’t know. My son is going to receive First Holy Communion this year. (5th grade, late, I know) but the priest at our current parish and his CCD teacher left an impression on him. He has talked of being an Alter Boy, attending missions, and even of becoming a priest.
Taking him to a different church because I need more might not be a good idea.

 

[palmas85]

Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

LOL…again… That’s why I don’t post too much. My writing skills could use a refresher course.

Last year, when I started RCIA I became a member of the church. I didn’t know I should shop around for a church that would fit me better. Actually, it was the first time I had entered a church in at least 20 years. I didn’t know & still don’t know all of the norms. I just felt led to get to a Catholic church.

No, I guess I’m not Catholic…in my heart I am, but I don’t have the paperwork to more forward. I was baptized Catholic as an infant, but don’t have proof. So, instead of entering at Easter 2006, I’m kinda floating until my mom writes a letter & gets it notorized.

I continue to attend because I am wrapped up in this church, I enjoy it, however it is lacking when it comes to education.

The only reason I’m considering RCIA or taking any class at another parish is because when I called and spoke to the Deacon his words spoke to me in a way I’ve never heard anyone speak.
LOL I thought it was wierd at the time …continually telling me that the Holy Spirit had lead me to come home. He continually called me to find out where I was in my journey.

It was a year ago, but he left such an impression on me.

OK, I wrote too much. LOL
I just wanted to know if it’s ok to go there for class while attending mass at (and tithing to) a different parish.

Maybe I would change parishes. I don’t know. My son is going to receive First Holy Communion this year. (5th grade, late, I know) but the priest at our current parish and his CCD teacher left an impression on him. He has talked of being an Alter Boy, attending missions, and even of becoming a priest.
Taking him to a different church because I need more might not be a good idea.

If you were baptized Catholic then you are Catholic. Congratulations. Confirmation is not a mandatory sacrament, although certainly better to have. Would you be required to go through the whole RCIA process in your diocese? I know some places require this and others don’t placing you into CCD instead. Did you speak with the Pastor or just the Deacon? I might advise speaking to the Pastor in your situation… There may be other conditions as well, determined by your Bishop. As far as your Baptism, the Parish you were baptized at would have a record. You can contact them directly. I don’t know why you would need a notarized document from your mother.

People entering the Church without Baptism are called Catechumans. People in your situation, I believe are called candidates.

 

[Damascus]

LOL…again… That’s why I don’t post too much. My writing skills could use a refresher course.

I will pray for your family. Your son sounds amazing.

May you have a good experience with all you do.

 

[Damascus]

If you were baptized as a Catholic-

You dont need your paperwork. You need to name the Parish you were baptized in…They have your paperwork.

I am not picking on you here , but it seems (Appears possibly)you have been given some bogus information.

I think you should consider a meeting with your Pastor about all this.

 

[Maria3m]

You dont need your paperwork. You need to name the Parish you were baptized in…They have your paperwork.

It’s because of my “special circumstances.”

Before giving me up, my birth mother had me baptized in the Catholic hospital I was born at.

My mom was given pictures of the baptism and told by the nun it was done that morning. I’ve contacted the hospital for help to find out where the certificate went, but have never received a reply.

My RCIA instructor (the parish DRE) told me I needed to continue to make an effort to get the certificate. Easter Vigil came and went.

A few weeks ago, I had my mom speak w/ the priest. Explaining she knew I was baptised and we had pictures. Our priest said we need to continue to contact the hospital for a response. If we still get no response, she’d need to write a letter and get it notorized.

It’s frustrating, to say the least.
Sometimes I just want to give up, but where would I go?!
This is where I am supposed to be.

Paperwork won’t keep me out…just delay me a bit.

 

[jmcrae]

Paperwork won’t keep me out…just delay me a bit.

If there is serious doubt that you were baptized, I don’t understand why they didn’t do a conditional baptism? It shouldn’t have kept you out of the Easter Vigil altogether.

The good news, though - if you do find proof of your Baptism, you can probably be Confirmed and receive First Holy Communion at any Mass. Discuss this possibility with your priest.

As for getting educated in the Faith, try a local convent or monastery - there are usually classes of some kind that you can take from the monks and from the sisters. Also, see if there is a Catholic college or University near by, and see if you can take extension classes.

There are also long-distance courses available that you can take by mail or on the Internet. Also take advantage of anything offered by the parish itself - Bible studies, etc.

As to your first question - yes, you can take any kind of classes you want outside of your home parish. By the way, your home parish is the one where you live. You can’t “transfer parishes” unless you actually move into their territory. You can of course send your money there and attend Mass there on a regular basis, but your home parish is the one whose territory you are currently living in - even if you’ve never been to Mass there.

 

[Damascus]

If there is serious doubt that you were baptized, I don’t understand why they didn’t do a conditional baptism? It shouldn’t have kept you out of the Easter Vigil altogether.

The good news, though - if you do find proof of your Baptism, you can probably be Confirmed and receive First Holy Communion at any Mass. Discuss this possibility with your priest.

As for getting educated in the Faith, try a local convent or monastery - there are usually classes of some kind that you can take from the monks and from the sisters. Also, see if there is a Catholic college or University near by, and see if you can take extension classes.

There are also long-distance courses available that you can take by mail or on the Internet. Also take advantage of anything offered by the parish itself - Bible studies, etc.

As to your first question - yes, you can take any kind of classes you want outside of your home parish. By the way, your home parish is the one where you live. You can’t “transfer parishes” unless you actually move into their territory. You can of course send your money there and attend Mass there on a regular basis, but your home parish is the one whose territory you are currently living in - even if you’ve never been to Mass there.

Time to let the confusion begin again!!

Please read this - somewhere in the middle of the page it is cleared up here regarding parishes–http://www.catholic.com/newsletters/kke_030311.asp

catholic.com/newsletters/kke_030311.asp

 

[Deacon_Ed]

It’s because of my “special circumstances.”

Before giving me up, my birth mother had me baptized in the Catholic hospital I was born at.

Your best bet would be to contact that parish that serves that hospital. The records would not be kept at the hospital but at the local parish.

Deacon Ed

 

[jmcrae]

Time to let the confusion begin again!!

Please read this - somewhere in the middle of the page it is cleared up here regarding parishes–http://www.catholic.com/newsletters/kke_030311.asp

catholic.com/newsletters/kke_030311.asp

What I found was this:

YOUR NEIGHBORLY PARISH MAY NOT BE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

My neighborhood parish is within walking distance of my home, but I seldom attend Mass there. Instead, I drive fifteen minutes to a parish located in San Diego’s Old Town State Historical Park. It’s the parish where my wife and I were married and where our son was baptized.

The parish near my home bothers me, for several reasons: It looks like a giant barn. It (therefore) is not conducive to prayer. Its priests give fluff homilies with little doctrinal content. Its Masses have so many extraordinary ministers walking about the sanctuary that I am reminded of the chorus lines in those old Busby Berkeley musicals. There are other problems, but you get the picture.

So I drive to a more conducive parish–which is what many Catholics do. In a poll conducted in 2002 by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, 25 percent of Catholics reported that they attend a parish other than the closest one. Twenty years ago, the number was 15 percent.

Sometimes folks call Catholics Answers wondering whether it is permissible for them to attend Mass at a parish across town. The answer is yes. You can attend wherever you wish. You also can put your money wherever you wish. You are obliged to support the Church but not your closest parish.

Which doesn’t contradict anything that I said.

 

[Damascus]

I read that last scentence and I still dont understand your comment about a home parish …

and how you use the word territory.

 

[jmcrae]

I read that last scentence and I still dont understand your comment about a home parish …

and how you use the word territory.

Each Catholic church building has a territory called a “parish.” This is demarcated by the local Bishop. All of the Catholics living in that parish territory are “members” of that parish - even if they go to Mass somewhere else.

We are permitted (at present - it was not always so) to attend any parish church in our Diocese - we don’t have to attend our home parish church (that is, the parish church of the parish in which we live). That’s what Karl Keating was talking about in the e-letter that I quoted.

What I was saying before was that the OP could attend RCIA or anything else for that matter at any parish in her Diocese - she isn’t required to do everything at her home parish.

 

[Damascus]

Each Catholic church building has a territory called a “parish.” This is demarcated by the local Bishop. All of the Catholics living in that parish territory are “members” of that parish - even if they go to Mass somewhere else.

We are permitted (at present - it was not always so) to attend any parish church in our Diocese - we don’t have to attend our home parish church (that is, the parish church of the parish in which we live). That’s what Karl Keating was talking about in the e-letter that I quoted.

What I was saying before was that the OP could attend RCIA or anything else for that matter at any parish in her Diocese - she isn’t required to do everything at her home parish.

Thanks I did not know that. But what prevents transferring if you can go wherever you want to begin with?

 

[Maria3m]

Your best bet would be to contact that parish that serves that hospital. The records would not be kept at the hospital but at the local parish.

The hurdle is the hospital and the parish that serves it are in Germany.

If it would have been a military hospital the DRE told me he would have contacted them. (He has books with addresses and phone numbers.) Once he found out it was a civilian hospital…the church would also be off of a military installation…he told me he couldn’t help.

It had become so frustrating and disappointing to hit walls everywhere I turned that I just backed off for a while. I could feel myself getting very resentful.

I plan to remind my mom about the notorized letter. I’ll attach my baptism pictures & see what happens from there.

Honestly, if it’s another brick wall, I still wouldn’t walk away.

 

[Damascus]

What a life! Dont give up. Let us know how this turns out, we are rooting for you

 

[Chris-WA]

Last year, I took RCIA at my parish. It wasn’t what I needed…we mainly discussed the reading for the upcoming week. I would have prefered to learn more about what the RCC teaches.

Our parish has no adult education classes, but I REALLY want to learn more. I have read a tremendous amount in the past year on my own, but I know that I need more than just reading books w/o being able to have a discussion

.

One thing you should know is that not all RCIA classes are created equal. Sadly, the quality of RCIA varies greatly from parish to parish because the church doesn’t have a universal syllabus and depends mostly on local volunteers to do the teaching. Often what you cover is up to their own whims (by the way, I think this a terrible way to go about it but without more concrete guidance from the Magisterium, we’re unfortunately stuck with it for the time being). If your RCIA program is not teaching you the official teachings of the Catholic Church, it is doing you and the church a disservice. As an adult, you need to know what the church really teaches before you agree to baptism and/or confirmation, otherwise you are making an uninformed decision that affects the rest of your life. More than ever, we need informed Catholics. Far too many are not and are therefore quite unaware of the church’s teachings on many important life issues.

So…my question is can I take RCIA at a neighboring parish, but still attend mass at my current parish?

By all means, if your parish RCIA program is weak, find a better one! And when you finish, go back to your own parish and volunteer to help make their RCIA program better!