Converts: Was Humanae Vitea covered in your RCIA?

[InNomineDomini]

A qualified yes: while we did not go into the document itself at great length, its ideas were presented to us, along with a summary of the Theology of the Body. The talk itself was given by an M.D. who is our diocesan NFP coordinator.

 

[KCT]

Not HV by name, but Church teaching on artificial birth control? Yes.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I learned most of the Church’s teachings on sexuality just listening to Catholic Answers Live for about a year before I came into the Church. My fiancee also belongs to a very orthodox parish in Washington, DC. On our first meeting with Father at her parish about getting married, he handed us a copy of Christopher West’s book The Good News on Sex and Marriage and said, “If you don’t read this, when we sit down to talk next it will be obvious!” He then sent us to a very orthodox marriage retreat in Bethesda where NFP and the Church’s teachings were covered in depth with multiple presentations by couples practicing NFP. We did an NFP class in Arlington. The class was packed with young couples. Apparently, it is a requirement for couples getting married in that diocese to attend.

Later, I went through RCIA at a parish in my hometown led by a Priest (deep south). I was shocked that Humanea Vitea was never mentioned. All that was said was that “sex is for marriage” and 'the Church used to be against certain birth control methods due to an outdated understanding of human reproduction…" I didn’t say anything but it did upset me. I have seen some announcements about NFP classes in the bulletin at the parish. I was just wondering what everyone else’s experience was. Did your RCIA go over Humanea Vitea and the Church’s teachings on sexuality?

JMR

There is no reason to really “cover” Humanae Vitae because that type of document of the Church is rarely “covered” in RCIA. It is a Papal encyclical. The principles discussed in it however probably should be covered in RCIA. For most people. Now, I converted outside of RCIA classes But my wife converted inside RCIA classes with me as her sponsor. I have been involved in RCIA classes at several parishes. In my experience RCIA does not go deep into the faith and is sometimes timid with issues like the one in this thread.