EDIT: Someone in RCIA classes becoming Catholic for wrong reason?

[clarkest]

A close relative of mine is very deep into occult and new age spiritualities as well as certain cults (is a real legit member of the group alexander crowley started). He wants to go on a year long pilgrimage to find the truth about who/what God is and become rooted in whatever religion or spiritualist or whatever he discovers. He was raised protestant and has explored Catholicism a bit but really only the mystic saints and spiritually fun stuff, because thats all he really cares about. So as part of his journey where he will go mostly wherever the wind takes him, he wants to do one the Catholic walking pilgrimages in Europe. He’s also short on cash and heard of some sort of Catholic ministry where if you do certain work the people who run the ministry will pay your flight and possibly accomodation/food as well. So to him this is great becausw he can’t afford a year long trip. I dont know what ministry this is, he wouldnt say anything else about it.

He plans on converting to Catholicism so that he can take advantage of this free travel/room/board. I guess he thought I’d be elated that he might convert but mostly I’m torn. Part of me is happy that it’s a step closer to Jesus, but most of me is absolutely devestated because I know very well that he has zero interest in Christianity. The only reason Catholicism interests him is because of the mysticism! So him receiving the Blessed Sacrament is just heart breaking. He doesnt care about God, he doesnt believe in the Real Presence. The idea of him receiving Our Lord for the sake of cheap travel brought me to tears. It is such a grave abuse and offence against Jesus Christ. But then, what if during the conversion process he has a change of heart and his conversion is genuine? What if he has a conversion experience in Europe on the Catholic portion of his pilgrimage?

I don’t think he is aware that candidates have to go through RCIA. It seems he believes it is like protestant churches where becoming a member can be quick and easy. Perhaps the fact that around here it takes 8 months to go through all the classes may deter him.

What should I say to him, if anything, about all this? Should I say anything to his priest should he decide to begin RCIA in September?

 

[MSSheBear]

If I were you, I would just act like he was on the level unless you found he was being deceitful (as in lying about his background, name or such) or he asked you to be his sponsor. I went through RCIA myself and waiting months to enter a process that lasts months deters a lot of people.

I can get a little touchy with Catholics assuming converts aren’t really sincere since at my parish a few people assumed I would regret it and drop out soon after the Vigil, if not before.

You might encourage him to pray the Rosary daily or offer to answer his questions.

 

[clarkest]

If I were you, I would just act like he was on the level unless you found he was being deceitful (as in lying about his background, name or such) or he asked you to be his sponsor. I went through RCIA myself and waiting months to enter a process that lasts months deters a lot of people.

I can get a little touchy with Catholics assuming converts aren’t really sincere since at my parish a few people assumed I would regret it and drop out soon after the Vigil, if not before.

You might encourage him to pray the Rosary daily or offer to answer his questions.

yeah I’m a convert too, it’s a long process but well worth it. He does not pray at all, years ago he gave me the only rosary he ever owned. He has no interest in living the life of a Christian. And no I am not making assumptions, he is obsessed with spirituality and talks about it aaalll the time. He has told me these things himself and proves them with his actions.

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

I would give him info on RCIA and the phone number to the RCIA instructor. Encourage him to find out all about the RCIA process. It will either convince him he doesnt really want to convert, or it will convince him he does.

 

[esieffe]

I don’t know about your church, but in my church, [we call it OCI] people can and do fail an interview that takes place in February, with the OCI director. I don’t know if this is common in other churches or not, but it is in mine.

I don’t know what the “acid test” is, but I do know there is one. And your friend would be given time to experience a change, but at some point, if he was not in agreement with certain criteria, he would not pass OCI.

We have a very open church. All are welcome, but to become Catholic here at least, someone like your friend would not make it, unless he experienced a change that brought him closer to Christ and the Church.

 

[snowflakeinlove]

Maybe he’ll encounter Christ in RCIA and undergo conversion… who knows ?

 

[Philomeena]

The Holy Spirit can reach people through ways we can never fully understand. Let the Holy Spirit work through him. You could probably question just about anyone’s motives…Some might question the motives of someone who converts to please a spouse. That doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit can not work through that. Pray for him.

As far as the rosary, it is not required of a Catholic to pray the rosary. It is a devotion…a personal choice. Let that one go. The fact that he gave it to you might mean he respected it enough to not just throw it in the trash. He gave it to someone who cares about it.

 

[clarkest]

I don’t know about your church, but in my church, [we call it OCI] people can and do fail an interview that takes place in February, with the OCI director. I don’t know if this is common in other churches or not, but it is in mine.

I don’t know what the “acid test” is, but I do know there is one. And your friend would be given time to experience a change, but at some point, if he was not in agreement with certain criteria, he would not pass OCI.

We have a very open church. All are welcome, but to become Catholic here at least, someone like your friend would not make it, unless he experienced a change that brought him closer to Christ and the Church.

i’ve never heard of this type of an interview before. I certainly didmt have one, not that I was aware of anyways. I did meet with the priest who ran the RCIA program a few times but if my sincerity and conformity to Church teaching was being graded, I wasnt aware of it!

 

[MSSheBear]

This will be a wonderful time to give your relative a rosary and offer to pray it with him. And then pray for him. The RCIA team in my case apparently were watching us since they commented about my “spiritual growth” when I started showing up for most of the parish events. I am not sure anyone was holding us to a certain criteria. I think someone who ran an RCIA process would have a better answer.

Seriously, I think all you can do is pray that your relative experiences a true conversion. Come to think of it, I will do some praying.