Catholic Newbie: What to do before RCIA

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Sophia_Parthena

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Hey guys. For the past month or so I have been spending about 3-4 hours a day researching all things Catholic. I feel and know that the Catholic church is where I’m supposed to be, the teachings what I’m supposed to follow, etc. I’ve already accepted and adopted many of the practices and am doing surprisingly well, but that’s probably because I’ve always been quite disciplined, and I commit through and through when something feels right in my heart. However, I’m still newbsauce and probably will be for a long time on this journey, since it seems that the more I dig the more questions I have, which is sometimes overwhelming (looking into saints for example…OVERWHELMING…le sigh). I’ve looked into my local parishes, and I really favor two of them because they offer the Latin Mass once or twice a month. But none of the local parishes offer year-round RCIA, so it’s looking like my education is at a standstill until September. What are some things I can do before then? Books I can read, etc.? I read somewhere that finding a sponsor is a good idea, someone who can teach me while I wait, but I don’t really know anyone. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. I’m ready to jump in and learn learn learn, but this waiting period is kind of frustrating…

Thanks!! 😃
 
One of the faults of the Church’s over-reliance on RCIA for converts is this precise problem. I think the days of private instruction from priests are much better. It is seems not popular on this forum to admit to it, but RCIA programs have several faults IMHO. But you need to be patient.

Continue studying and reading. Keep going to mass, praying the rosary, and other practices you have made. Conversion is a life-long process for all of us, even us cradle-catholics, so just pray for the day when you will have the sacraments available to you for assistance.

Since you already like the Trindentine Rite, maybe, you might go to a Trindentine rite parish and talk to the priest there and see if there is anyway to speed up the process. I don’t know how they approach it, but it is likely more old-fashioned.

When one is ready to “jump-in”, one should be allowed. The graces of the sacraments are so important to help us on our journey. Alas, the Church is wonderful and magnificant, but it is not infallible in some matters.

But keep praying and practicing and studying. It is well worth it!!!
 
Welcome and congratulations on your journey!

I’d suggest having the Catechism of the Catholic Church for reference

amazon.com/Catechism-Catholic-Church-Second-U-S/dp/0385508190

(or) the Compendium of the Catholic Church (cliff notes for the Catechism written by Pope Benedict)

amazon.com/Compendium-Catechism-Catholic-Cardinal-Ratzinger/dp/1574557203/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

and Catholicism for Dummies written by two Catholic priests.

amazon.com/Catholicism-Dummies-Religion-Spirituality/dp/1118077784
 
Hi Sophia, good for you!👍
I am just finishing RCIA and getting baptized this year, so I’ve gone through what you’re going to go through.
First things first, I assume you have these things already but:
Get a solid translation of the Bible, preferably with all the books intact (73 in all). Revised Standard Version is good, but any Bible pretty much will do.
Get a Catechism of the Catholic Church. They run cheap.

As far as good reading, it all depends on what you like and what you respond well to. Some respond well to deep reading, some light, some middle. For now, I would stick to Catholic reading though - even though much Protestant writing can be excellent, it’s best to stick to the road if you know what I mean. What are you interested in reading? I can give you some recommends if I know where your interests lie, what kind of reading you like, etc.
Let me know:)
 
Welcome Home! There is plenty you can do before you start RCIA in the Fall: attending weekly Mass (daily is better if you can swing it), buy and start reading “The Catechism of the Catholic Church”, buy and start reading a good Catholic translation of the Bible, start a prayer life, watch EWTN (or another good, faithful Catholic channel) on television and have a look at their website, find a Catholic bookstore in your area and check out all the “Catholic stuff”, Lent is coming up next month, you can observe the lenten practices: once you find a parish you like, feel free to get involve in whatever activities that appeal to you, you can do anything a Catholic does at this point except receive Communion and if everything goes well, you will be preparing for that at this time next year! Don’t miss the Easter Vigil, on April 7th, that is what is waiting for you next Easter. It might seem like a long wait, but the time will go by quickly; my husband had to wait also, but when RCIA started he had already worked out a lot of the issues and was well prepared for the process. At any time you can call and make an appointment with a priest to discuss your questions and concerns, and of course you can ask us too, we like that. 😉
 
tafan said:
One of the faults of the Church’s over-reliance on RCIA for converts is this precise problem.
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The problem isn’t with the rite. The problem is the way parishes implement the rite.

There’s nothing in the rite that says it should run September-May; there’s nothing that says everyone should start at the same time and finish at the same time.

In fact, the rite foresees great individualization.

If the OP came to my parish, we would meet and she could start Inquiry as soon as she was ready, within the week if she desired. And I believe that’s the way it should be done.

Don’t blame the rite. Blame an effort in many parishes to do the minimum and do it the easiest possible way for the catechists rather than the catechumens and candidates.
 
Hi Sophia!
As the others have said “Welcome Home”! I was exactly in the position you are in now, last year. I made an appointment with the priest and RCIA director. They recommended reading for over the summer. There is so much that you can read now. They can also inform you what documentation you will need when you do begin classes in September and you can start collecting that together. Later when you find your sponsor( not so much a tutor or teacher), but best, a good friend who can share in your spiritual journey. Mine found me! In RCIA, if you are a catacumen (aren’t baptised yet) many churches have the group leave before communion for a discussion on the scripture/gospel reading. I was already baptised so as Father suggested, I started attending vigil mass on Saturday evening, but of course without taking communion. (just sit on the end and move aside when everybody goes up). It also gave me an opportunity to meet my future parishioners every week. Try volunteering for groups in the church. With time, you will develop an easy weekly rhythm. Another benefit is that by spiritually immersing yourself, you will develop an inner joy. I am so thankful that I did have to wait. I learned so much more and it also means more now. You’ll see, every step is a blessing.
All the things the others have posted are good advice. Try not to see the wait as frustrating and negative. Instead, see it as a positive opportunity to feed your soul and to learn. You won’t regret it. I haven’t. Good Luck! 👍
 
Hmgbrd said:
Try not to see the wait as frustrating and negative. Instead, see it as a positive opportunity to feed your soul and to learn. You won’t regret it. I haven’t. Good Luck! 👍
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! You’re completely right. I need to see this waiting period as a time of immersion, contemplation, and growth rather than a source of negativity and impatience. It truly is a blessing. Every night when I finish studying I am so happy and feel at home, and sometimes I can’t sleep because I am so excited about being on this path.

Everyone has wonderful advice. I will head to the used bookstore tomorrow to find some materials, namely the Catechism. I also need a Bible and a rosary. Hopefully I can find these things at a good price because I’m currently unemployed. Is there a certain Bible I should use? I love the idea too of starting my prayer routine. Tonight I plan to finish writing out the Rosary prayer, in English and in Latin side by side, and recite it daily in accordance with the mysteries. I’m realizing that I never really knew how to pray. I’m not even sure if I’m doing it correctly to be honest.

About attending Mass… I was never baptized, so–other than the Eucharist–are there things I cannot participate in? Am I allowed to dip my fingers in the holy water and make the cross when I enter the basilica? Am I allowed to kneel when others do?

Thanks again! I find great comfort in these forums. You guys are so welcoming and respectful.
 
I got my *Catechism of the Catholic Church *from the RCIA team gratis. But the paperback edition is not expensive if you have to buy one. Online at the Vatican website there is an online version in all languages and that is free! Plus there were Bibles for sale at a very reasonable price ($10). I have the Revised Standard Version/ Catholic Edition. It is important that you get the Catholic Edition because during the reformation the Protestants removed :eek: 7 books of the Bible! So a protestant bible is missing whole sections! (This was a shocking fact that I learned later.) I also started with “A Father who keeps his promises” by Scott Hahn, and "Good News about Sex and Marriage" by Christopher West. I also checked the public library for books and found another by Scott Hahn, “Signs of Life” which explains the biblical roots for Catholic traditions. I got a CD of the Rosary in the beginning which helped me to learn the prayers and to follow along without stumbling over what I should remember next. I bet that you could find a website that could “say” the Rosary with you at a Click if you can’t invest a lot! Plus EWTN reads the Rosary for a half hour in the evening. Just say it with the sisters. So much easier. You’ll have it down in no time! The basic prayers can also be found online.

As far as I know, genuflecting (you are actually genuflecting to the real prescence of Christ) is OK…Making the sign of the cross with holy water is to remind you of your baptism so you’ll have to ask your priest about that because you aren’t baptised yet (as you can see I am a newbie too!), I don’t see a problem without water though. But again if you want to be certain ask your priest. Following along with the Mass is all OK but no communion. Read up on why and where these things originated in “Signs of Life”. The demonstrations of devotion are not just empty ritual. Everything means something. That is what is so wonderful about the faith. Just a thought… why not check out the live Masses on EWTN? That way you can get familiar with the mass before going in if you are shy. 🙂
 
Sophia_Parthena said:
Thank you so much! You’re completely right. I need to see this waiting period as a time of immersion, contemplation, and growth rather than a source of negativity and impatience. It truly is a blessing. Every night when I finish studying I am so happy and feel at home, and sometimes I can’t sleep because I am so excited about being on this path.

Everyone has wonderful advice. I will head to the used bookstore tomorrow to find some materials, namely the Catechism. I also need a Bible and a rosary. Hopefully I can find these things at a good price because I’m currently unemployed. Is there a certain Bible I should use? I love the idea too of starting my prayer routine. Tonight I plan to finish writing out the Rosary prayer, in English and in Latin side by side, and recite it daily in accordance with the mysteries. I’m realizing that I never really knew how to pray. I’m not even sure if I’m doing it correctly to be honest.

About attending Mass… I was never baptized, so–other than the Eucharist–are there things I cannot participate in? Am I allowed to dip my fingers in the holy water and make the cross when I enter the basilica? Am I allowed to kneel when others do?

Thanks again! I find great comfort in these forums. You guys are so welcoming and respectful.
Click to expand...
Never baptized? You’re in my boat then;) (I was never baptized in the sect I grew up in, but am getting baptized this year).
Your words remind me so much of how I felt around four years ago when I first started. Now, unfortunately as baptism is the entry way into all the other sacraments, you do not have access to them in the way that baptized catholics do. I know, it’s a bummer. I have struggled with this very thing very much for a long time. But then, it’s easy to forget what we can do. Pray, especially the Rosary. It is what brought me in to the Church in a major way.
Read the Bible, and pour over the lives of the saints. The Saintcast is a podcast that greatly helped my spiritual life - www.saintcast.org
Go to Mass every Sunday, and get in the habit of it. Go more if you can. Go in to the Church to pray, get to know your new home, be excited. Go to Adoration too - talk to a priest or staff member at a church and they will hook you up as to how to go about things.
I’ll add you to my prayer list. 👍:crossrc:
 
Welcome! I didn’t go through RCIA, but I went through RCIC when I was 13. 🙂 While I agree with some posters that it can be a bit streamlined, I really felt that it was a wonderful experience for me. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I second what other posters have said, about attending mass, reading the catechism, and prayer. Develop a strong faith-based life style before you begin the program, so that your heart and mind are hungry for what you’ll be taught. 🙂 Also don’t be afraid to ask questions! Goodness knows I hounded the priests at my parish with every little question that came into my head.

Once again, Welcome, and God bless!
 
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