Can I volunteer at my Catholic Church?

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Ok here’s my question: I’m not Catholic, but have started to go to RCIA and my full wish and intent is to become Catholic. Our Parish sometimes puts out requests for helping out in the Church, could be moving furniture around or helping out with one of the outreach ministries etc. I would like to help out in some way but am not sure if the fact that I’m not actually Catholic would pose a dilemna. The only aspect of Catholic life that I don’t partake in is Communion and I understand and accept the reasoning why. Is that the only restriction for someone like me?

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ww
 
I believe that there are many ministries that you may pricipate in. We have cantors, musicians and other choir members who are not catholic. My daughter volunteered every week in a soup kitchen with the parish youth group for a year before coming nto the church through th RCIA when she was in high school.

You could assist with the home care ministry [except for bringing cmmunion] giving rides to mass, visiting shut ins etc. The funeral ministry probably could use you to bring food set up and clean up for the after funeral mass receptions…

The art and environment folks can use help changing the flowers and other seasonal art [environmental] decorations…

You could probably assist with ushering…

Participate in parish activities and fund raisers…
 
The RCIA at the church I attend actively encourages this. It’s a way for people to get to know each other and to get used to things. Some of the most responsible volunteers have been those about to join the church. Go for it 👍
 
Different Parishes/Pastors have different ideas on this. When I was in RCIA, our Priest did not permit non-Catholics to volunteer, to sing in the chior, to usher, to teach CCD, etc. We were encouraged to look into the various volunteer activities so we could find were we would serve after RCIA.

Some Parishes permit or even encourage non-Catholics to join up, so, see where your Parish fits in that scale.
 
Someone who is in RCIA is part of the parish, so I would say to go ahead and volunteer in those areas where it’s appropriate. Things like liturgical ministries and religious education wouldn’t be a good fit while social justice and fund-raising activities would be. Ask your pastor or catechist for guidance.
 
YES!!

The church love getting help from everyone!! Especially if it means getting the people in RCIA to help out!!

I helped out with a lot of things before I became a Catholic.
 
Several of our RCIA particioants are in the choirs.

We also encourage them to work as greeters at the masses so they have an opportunity to interact with the congregation.
 
Would you like to come and help at my parish? 😃

I hope you do volunteer! Our RCIA participants are encouraged to make serve a habit – because that’s part of what makes us Catholic Christian. Enjoy your RCIA journey!
 
yes you can volunteer in any ministry or apostolate that is not directly in service to the liturgy (although in most places you could join the choir since they are an adjunct, not integral to the service, but you could not be a reader or extraordinary minister of holy communion). You might be welcomed as an usher or greeter, depending on the parish. You also could assist with CCD in areas like hospitality, hallway security, office aide, but not teaching in a classroom. That is because the requirements for this is the same as for a baptismal godparent or confirmation sponsor: fully initiated Catholic, and you are working on it but not there yet.

However there are probably a lot of service ministries if not in your parish, that other parishioners support, such as pro-life witness, any outreach to the poor, sick, elderly or needy of the parish, that you could most emphatically join. The heart of RCIA is welcoming the candidates to become part of parish life, and with a few exceptions, you can and should begin that now. in fact, your sponsor should be inviting you to do so.
 
The only limitations I see are Lector, Cantor, and EMCH. You can still sing in the choir and help with a great number of different ministries. High School Confirmants are often required to help usher or serve at parish dinners, etc. Other than altar server, I don’t see anything that they do that you cannot do.
I always look forward to the Easter Vigil Mass when new members are brought into the Church. At times these new members have added something of themselves to the Easter celebration. It might be a special banner that an artist (one of the new members) has made or a song that is sung during Communion. It is great that you are already feeling a part of the family and want to contribute. Check with the pastor of the parish you are studying with.
 
waxwing: it may take you years to discover the treasure that God has blessed us all with. Even though you may not receive Holy Communion and even though you haven’t been confirmed yet, you should start thinking of yourself as Catholic.

I am also a convert and went through RCIA beginning only about three years ago. There are many wonderful treasures that one by one you will discover. And many of the treasures in the church are available to you especially as the Holy Spirit reveals them to you.

You are likely to discover various prayers that will mean a lot to you. You will discover how various sacramentals can be so meaningful and how they can encourage your heart and your faith. I hope that some of the Saints will become so real to you as you experience answers to prayer. I don’t want to give away anything. But love what God reveals to you and just know that there will be more and more the further you go.

The best advice I can give you is to be patient. To trust that God loves you very much. To be obedient to the teaching of the Church. And pray.

You are already signed up for RCIA and this will take some time away from them already. For that reason, I limited myself to one night a week and RCIA was enough for my first year. I joined the choir the following year and I still sing in the choir and love it a lot. With RCIA are not only the classes, but perhaps you will be reading a lot. In school, ideally you should probably spend two or three times as many hours as classroom hours studying the same topic. That too is probably true of RCIA.

A lot depends on your station of life. For example, if you already have time commitments (for example, a wife and children – and especially if they are not yet Catholic) then you need to be careful to not overburden yourself. If you are a student still in high school or college, then too it may make sense not to get pulled away from your studies. However, if you are on your own maybe it is not a problem to have something two nights a week at the Catholic Church.

I do firmly believe that each and every Christian should find an opportunity to have a personal ministry – to find something that God has called them to do and then to do it as well. Lately for me that is singing in the Choir. In my Catholic Church, there are many different kinds of opportunities available to have a personal ministry. There are greeters, ushers, RCIA sponsors, catechists, Legion of Mary, Rosary Alter Society, those who pray, those who visit the sick or provide transportation, those who help with the annual parish festival, Knights of Columbus, Mass coordinators, Baptism coordinators, etc., etc., etc. If and when God calls you to some service, I think you will find yourself very happy to do it. And perhaps too you will know with a high degree of certainty that this is what God wants you to do. There will be no doubt.

God bless you on your journey. And remember that this is not just a phase in your life that will end in a few months or a few years. Plan for the long term. Think in terms of your whole life.

jmm08

P.S. Maybe the name waxwing means something? Read about the legend of Icarus. Don’t fly too high too soon on your escape from your former prison. Don’t let the sun melt the wax on your wings. Be careful. Be prudent. And think of the future.
 
jmm08 said:
You are already signed up for RCIA and this will take some time away from them already. For that reason, I limited myself to one night a week and RCIA was enough for my first year. I joined the choir the following year and I still sing in the choir and love it a lot. With RCIA are not only the classes, but perhaps you will be reading a lot. In school, ideally you should probably spend two or three times as many hours as classroom hours studying the same topic. That too is probably true of RCIA.

A lot depends on your station of life. For example, if you already have time commitments (for example, a wife and children – and especially if they are not yet Catholic) then you need to be careful to not overburden yourself. If you are a student still in high school or college, then too it may make sense not to get pulled away from your studies. However, if you are on your own maybe it is not a problem to have something two nights a week at the Catholic Church.
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I wrote what I wrote a little too quickly and didn’t proof-read enough. Those two paragraphs probably make more sense if you read the second one first. My wife is not Catholic. We weren’t Catholic when we married – we started going to a Baptist Church years ago. So I don’t think it is right for me to spend too much time with Catholic activities if that can take away from my existing family responsibility. Each of us is different and our unique life circumstances can make things a little different. But remember that God is in control and He knows all about your life circumstances. And He cares about all the others in your life as well.

Once RCIA has started, you will probably have a “sponsor”. I hope you have a good sponsor who will be able to help you figure things out and answer questions.

In any case, please pray about things. I found much comfort (and I think I always will) in praying the “Hail Mary”.
 
JMM08

Thanks for that.
I found your thoughts and insights on this journey to be very thoughtful and and encouraging.

ps: I always have a hard time choosing user names, but I do love birds and ww’s have a beautiful song.

Thanks to all who replied, Its always great to find a web site with so many genuine and helpful people.

ww
 
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