Do I need to attend RCIA?

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Forest_Green

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Hi there,

I am an adult who is going to be confirmed at the Easter Saturday Vigil, and I have thus far been attending weekly RCIA sessions.

I was wondering if it was a requirement for me to attend these sessions? I did initially enjoy them, but now find them rather formulaic and uninspiring. I also feel I do not integrate particularly well with the rest of the group. I feel I could spend the hour that I spend at RCIA reading scripture and my copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and learn what is necessary.

What do others think??

Thanks,
FG.
 
I am just beginning my journey as well. One thing I would say is this:

Not everything about Faith is inspiring, just as the way anyone lives their lives on a day to day basis, but the inspiration is in knowing you have a soul with a future. That is inspiring everyday. From my own perspective, that daily reflection in prayer from things like the Rosary is a reminder of the things we derive our inspiration from. One area that Catholicism excels to great heights.

Being part of a group study always has draw backs, and becomes “academic” at certain points…maybe those are the moments you should concentrate more…since the emotions are subdued? You also have an opportunity in the duller times to share an experience that may help someone else in their journey.

Either way, let it run its course…I assume it is set up the way it is for a reason.

YMMV. God Bless.
 
You should express your concerns to the leader of your RCIA process and/or the director of faith formation in your parish. Each person going to receive a sacrament needs to be properly instructed for it (catechized) but there can be more than one way to achieve this.

Part of being Catholic is being part of the community, and the regular RCIA meetings can help to promote this. How each of us interacts with the community varies (some more , some less).

Perhaps if you approach the next meeting not as something you have to do, but open to learning about the others in the group and their experiences, and less about getting “inspired” you might find out a bit about yourself.
 
Your pastor makes the call on who receives the sacraments, so if he says you have to go RCIA, you have to go to RCIA.

This is regrettable since RCIA is a joke nationwide from start to finish in all but a small handful of places I have yet to visit. Terrible instructors, no substantive instruction in anything, often outright heresy-peddling, etc. Three weeks ago the insufferable deacon who runs RCIA at my parish denied the perpetual virginity of Mary in front of the entire class.

The best thing you can do is treat it as a penance and offer it up in reparation for sins; continue to study on your own time (not during class, as that’s just rude and may get you marked as a malcontent undeserving of the sacraments); and whatever you do, when it comes to anything your instructors tell you, trust but always verify. If it sounds wrong, it probably is.
 
sw85, you said in criticism of RCIA, “This is regrettable since RCIA is a joke nationwide from start to finish in all but a small handful of places I have yet to visit. Terrible instructors, no substantive instruction in anything, often outright heresy-peddling, etc.”

Your tag says you completed your sacraments at the Easter Vigil of 2012. In the last 10 months, just how many RCIA programs have you dropped in nationwide to make such a claim with any validity?

Some, maybe even many, RCIA programs, like parishes, have problems. But it would be difficult to make the contention that because of problems at some parishes that the entire Church is flaundering.

Peace.
 
Hi there,

Thank you to all who have replied to my post thus far.

More specifically, the problem here is that it not academic enough, and we do not seem to be covering a lot of different material. I acknowledge, that these are meant to be gentle, informal sessions pitched at a level so that every participant can partake in the discussions, and essentially get something out of their time there.

The sessions typically begin and end with a prayer which is perfectly fine. At every session we look at the readings for the forthcoming week at Mass, and discuss what they mean to us, which again is a useful exercise, but again, something I can do myself. And that’s about it folks!! I have seen another church’s plan on the internet of what they cover in a RCIA course, and they cover all sorts of subjects and the position the Catholic Church stands on them.

I will speak to my Parish priest, who is a wonderful man about this, and ask his advice.

Thanks,
FG.
 
R_C said:
Do what Holy Church says 😃 The fact that the sessions or teachers are perchance not as good as St. Paul would be, does not mean that RCIA sessions are unnecessary 🙂
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👍 You have Lent and Holy Week coming up, which include the Rites of Scrutiny and the Rite of Election. This is the most important time to be in RCIA! You are not just attending ‘classes’, you are becoming a part of the parish community. I encourage you to stay with the RCIA sessions, ask good questions, maybe your inquiry will help someone else in the session. You can read and study on the side, but RCIA is not about ‘me’ only and what can I get out of this? You only have a couple of months to go. 🤷
 
Are you willing to make the profession of faith that is takes to be a Catholic? Do you believe and profess what the Catholic church teaches? Why not talk to the pastor about your dilema and see if you can make your own profefssion of faith early. Maybe he will let you, maybe not. it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
:):)🙂
 
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