Harry's RCIA Progress

[Andruschak]

I really missed my three cats…“manifesting Guardian Angels with four feet and fur”…one of my AA friends told me. It took a couple of hours of heavy petting (pant pant pant) to calm them down.

Tomorrow I attend my first RCIA meeting at Saint Philomena in Carson.

And the mail contained the new 2007 Calandar I ordered, THE BEAUTY OF GRACE, all about indulgences available throughout the year. Too bad I am not confirmed yet, so unable to help The Church Suffering this way. But a pretty calandar in its own right.:clapping:

 

[PseudoHermit_22]

Have you ever been to or are you near Nativity Catholic Church

1447 Engracia Avenue
Torrance, CA 90501

When my wife and I were home shopping we happened upon it – very nice Church. Not sure if it is closer to you though but worth a stop in

Too bad teh houses there were too expensive very nice neighborhood.

 

[Andruschak]

Have you ever been to or are you near Nativity Catholic Church

1447 Engracia Avenue
Torrance, CA 90501

When my wife and I were home shopping we happened upon it – very nice Church. Not sure if it is closer to you though but worth a stop in

Too bad teh houses there were too expensive very nice neighborhood.

No, by a quirk of geography, St. Philomena in Carson is actually closer. But I may check it out anyway, depending on how tomorrow’s RCIA at Philomena goes.

I finished the daily Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplets several minutes ago. I had forgotten how much the cats can distract me, and yet I found it very endearing that they were so willing to “help” out.

I am hoping that Mother Mary is level headed and reasonable, really understands, and even has a sense of humor.

 

[plato3]

I really missed my three cats…“manifesting Guardian Angels with four feet and fur”…one of my AA friends told me. It took a couple of hours of heavy petting (pant pant pant) to calm them down.

Tomorrow I attend my first RCIA meeting at Saint Philomena in Carson.

And the mail contained the new 2007 Calandar I ordered, THE BEAUTY OF GRACE, all about indulgences available throughout the year. Too bad I am not confirmed yet, so unable to help The Church Suffering this way. But a pretty calandar in its own right.:clapping:

Good luck-went to high school in Redondo Beach and attended St. James Church there. One of my good friends is from Torrance.

 

[Andruschak]

Well, it wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be.

I arrived at 10 AM, nobody was there, so I did The Chaplet Of Divine Mercy as a way of tuning up. Five of us were gathered in the classroom by 10:30. We had two “facilitators” or something. It was made clear that I was considered a catachuman, and would NOT be a full member of the Church until Easter. That’s the way they do it here

The five Sundays of October are scheduled as pre-Catachuman Sessions. Today, we were read a few excerpts from Samual, and expected to comment on them.

I am not sure what this was supposed to do for us as far as understanding the Catholic faith goes, but I don’t have to. Tomorrow, my RCIA class at catechismclass.com will cover ALL the Bible readings that were part of today’s service, with commentary. The rest of the week will include more scripture readings and commentary. And much other good stuff.

The class ended with a 10 minute “guided meditation”. This from a book titled “Guided Meditations For Catechumans”. I couldn’t get into it, all my fault. For me, meditation is the Buddhist “Mindfullness Of Breathing”. I do that at home in front of my icon of “Holy Silence”.

But in the classroom, the background music (New Age Flute or something like that) was a big distraction for me. I was unable to focus on my breating, or the facilitator’s voice, or the music. My mind wobbled from one to the other. Bummer

I looked at the proposed schedule. Most of the activities are on Sundays, my days off from the Post Office. The only real problem will be in April 2007, when I need to have 5-7 April off. I hope I can get the vacation time I need.

A total waste of my time, except for the obvious fact that this is required for the day when I can make that Profession Of Faith.

 

[whatevergirl]

Well, it wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it would be.

I arrived at 10 AM, nobody was there, so I did The Chaplet Of Divine Mercy as a way of tuning up. Five of us were gathered in the classroom by 10:30. We had two “facilitators” or something. It was made clear that I was considered a catachuman, and would NOT be a full member of the Church until Easter. That’s the way they do it here

The five Sundays of October are scheduled as pre-Catachuman Sessions. Today, we were read a few excerpts from Samual, and expected to comment on them.

I am not sure what this was supposed to do for us as far as understanding the Catholic faith goes, but I don’t have to. Tomorrow, my RCIA class at catechismclass.com will cover ALL the Bible readings that were part of today’s service, with commentary. The rest of the week will include more scripture readings and commentary. And much other good stuff.

The class ended with a 10 minute “guided meditation”. This from a book titled “Guided Meditations For Catechumans”. I couldn’t get into it, all my fault. For me, meditation is the Buddhist “Mindfullness Of Breathing”. I do that at home in front of my icon of “Holy Silence”.

But in the classroom, the background music (New Age Flute or something like that) was a big distraction for me. I was unable to focus on my breating, or the facilitator’s voice, or the music. My mind wobbled from one to the other. Bummer

I looked at the proposed schedule. Most of the activities are on Sundays, my days off from the Post Office. The only real problem will be in April 2007, when I need to have 5-7 April off. I hope I can get the vacation time I need.

A total waste of my time, except for the obvious fact that this is required for the day when I can make that Profession Of Faith.

Oh, I’m sorry you have had a ‘bummer’ of an experience…early penance, think of it as? LOL Just kidding.

I have heard mixed things from various friends and family members about RCIA. And, many come away after the first few classes, with a ‘that was a waste of time’ kinda feeling. Look at this whole thing, as a preparation for your lifelong journey as a Catholic. One of my friends would do research on his own, and then he would ask a few questions during his classes, and it really livened the whole experience. Maybe they just have a set curriculum to follow, and unfortunately, the first few sessions might be a bit boring. But, it’s a shame that they are not trying to teach you about the Sacraments, and ‘formation’ etc…but maybe that will happen later on. After all, you will be going for several months until Easter, so…and that night is always monumental the candidates. (I was 14 when I was confirmed…and as a kid, I don’t think I appreciated as much as maybe I would have as an adult)

You know, when I pray the Rosary, I often put on soft meditative type music in the background, and this does help me to focus. Did they give you any direction on what to be focusing on during prayer?

What sometimes bothers me about the Catholic Church, is that it doesn’t do enough to teach the basics…to RCIA members. I have heard that from many people who have gone through the process, too…but it’s great that you are going through this…hang in there…bring some questions of your own with you to make things interesting…and look at this with an openmind. I wish you a fantastic Catholic life…welcome to our ‘family.’ (in advance):tiphat: :clapping:

 

[JCPhoenix]

I am just beginnning to teach RCIA this year…and this is my first time teaching any catechism at all.

The class I’m teaching is liturgically based. So I have to ask the OP…do you know what curriculum is being used? If so, that might help other RCIA catechists on the forums in giving you advice.

Secondly, from what I understand, RCIA is more a “journey” as opposed to the catechesis all we Catholics really want. It seems this is consistent across most programs, but of the one we’re using, it seems that the Catechesis is woven in to give an overview and the “meat” of what is needed.

Thirdly…big red flag…in reading your post, you mention Buddhist meditation…what, exactly, is this entailing?

We must be very careful about the types of meditation we use, as the Eastern stuff is NOT compatible with Christianity, nor with the Catholic idea of meditation. If you’re going to be Catholic…then be Catholic. Don’t be a Buddhist…they’re beliefs are foreign to ours and their meditation techniques should be avoided for they seek “emptiness”, not union with God.

Also, you metioned New Age music in the background at your RCIA class…now, I don’t equate “New Age Music” with “New Age Religion”, but wouldn’t it be more appropriate to use the prayerful Gregorian or Ambrosian Chant? I realize that you are not the teacher, but maybe you could interject a request for this wonderful “breath of God” which WILL help you breathe during meditation?

 

[puzzleannie]

may I respectfully suggest that one class is not enough time to form an opinion of the quality of the teaching or the value of the other activities planned for you. RCIA is a process, not a class. there is a purpose for everything that is presented. One of the most important things Christians in all stages of their pilgrimage, from catechumens, to neophytes, to mature believers, to saints, must learn is humility, obedience and receptivity to spiritual direction.

Please follow your catechists in all things that are not directly heretical or of course sinful. If you want more in the way of doctrinal knowledge, of course there is CA, EWTN, catechismclass.com, and so forth. but there is value in submitting to the dictates of the process. The time periods, the various rites that punctuate the periods and mark transitions from one stage to the next have a meaning and purpose, even though you may not appreciate it at the time.

On no account skip the period of mystagogy following Easter. It is essential, and without that period of additional reflection about what has happened you will be very much handicapped in embarking on your new life.

Welcome home, and please open your mind and heart to what the Holy Spirit is doing in you and for you. Attitude will make all the difference to you and to the value of what is presented to you.

 

[Dale_M]

It was made clear that I was considered a catachuman, and would NOT be a full member of the Church until Easter. That’s the way they do it here

Yes, that is the way they did it at my university Catholic student center 30 years ago. I was told that if I died before then, I would be treated as a Catholic but that I should otherwise hold off of the sacraments until we were officially recieved into the Church.

No flute music for us, but we used the infamous Dutch Catechism (I have forgotten its US title) which has since fallen into disfavor. It left me thinking of the Church as an almost revolutionary institution - very compelling stuff for an 18 year old.

At any rate, the next few months will pass quickly enough. I fully understand your impatience, but the delay will make the tasting all the sweeter.

 

[jmcrae]

There is such a thing as Christian meditation, and it is appropriate to use it in RCIA, along with a variety of other Catholic prayer experiences. Part of the purpose of RCIA is to introduce the participants to as much of what is available as possible. There are a variety of different spiritualities in the Catholic Church - I suspect that they were using some form of the Ignatian Exercises, in your case.

I would expect the meditation experience to be balanced with other forms of prayer, as well - Lectio Divina, the Rosary, memorized short prayers, litanies, personal prayer intentions, etc.

As others have pointed out, one class is not enough time to evaluate the entire RCIA. And yes, it’s normal that persons seeking baptism go through a months-long process that culminates with Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion on the Easter Vigil.

You’re lucky you’re not in my class - I’d be making you wait until Easter 2008, because at my parish, Catechumens have to do at least one full year of Catechesis, in addition to the rest of the Rites, etc.

As for

I am not sure what this was supposed to do for us as far as understanding the Catholic faith goes …

As leaders, we can’t presume that anyone in the class has ever seen a Bible before. The exercise was in order to determine how familiar everyone was with the Bible. If more than a few people were having trouble, your next lesson would have been an in-depth survey of the Scriptures, along with skill-builders on finding passages in the Scriptures.

You will probably have several of these kind of practice sessions, to get everyone used to using a Bible.

 

[Andruschak]

As others have pointed out, one class is not enough time to evaluate the entire RCIA. And yes, it’s normal that persons seeking baptism go through a months-long process that culminates with Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion on the Easter Vigil.
.

Excuse me…did I ever say I was seeking Baptism? I’ve been baptized, year 1944, Church of England. And from all that I have read about RCIA, I am a Candidiate, not a Catechuman.

My references: cin.org/users/james/files/how2.htm

 

[Andruschak]

.

Thirdly…big red flag…in reading your post, you mention Buddhist meditation…what, exactly, is this entailing?
?

Mindfulness of breathing. Just relax and focus on your breath. Do not try to force or regulate the breathing, just relax and notice when you breath in and out. Try to think of nothing else…and you wil soon realize how much you are distracted. But a tremendous stress reducer.

OK, this is quite different from Guided Meditation. I guess I’ll have to try and focus on what the facilitator is trying to say. It would help if the music was not so loud.

(I am a life long listener to Classical Music. But this means that any background music does not stay in the background to me. I cannot just hear Music, I instinctively LISTEN to it with full concentration. But this breaks my concentration on what the facilitator is trying to say.

 

[Andruschak]

As leaders, we can’t presume that anyone in the class has ever seen a Bible before. The exercise was in order to determine how familiar everyone was with the Bible. If more than a few people were having trouble, your next lesson would have been an in-depth survey of the Scriptures, along with skill-builders on finding passages in the Scriptures.

You will probably have several of these kind of practice sessions, to get everyone used to using a Bible.

What is so hard about using a Bible? I’ve used the Bible since I was old enough to read. As a teenager going through the Lutheran Catechism prior to being confirmed in the Lutheran Church, I was always #1 in the Bible study classes. This is not bragging, I was just that good. I’ve kept up on it, also.

 

[Andruschak]

No flute music for us, but we used the infamous Dutch Catechism (I have forgotten its US title) which has since fallen into disfavor. It left me thinking of the Church as an almost revolutionary institution - very compelling stuff for an 18 year old.

.

I’ll probably find out in a few Sundays what Catechism, if any, they are planning to use. My daily classes at catechismclass.com use the one published by USCCB Publishing. I bought a paperback copy for $20, cheap when you consider it has over 900 pages. That’s way less then 3 cents per page. Publication No. 5-110

 

[Andruschak]

You know, when I pray the Rosary, I often put on soft meditative type music in the background, and this does help me to focus. Did they give you any direction on what to be focusing on during prayer?
:

None whatsoever. No mention was made of prayer or focusing, except towards the end it was briefly stated that we should pray for the others in the classroom. But not how or why or with what. I mentioned my daily rosary, and asked if it would be OK to dedicate only one decade to the class, leaving four decades for the Church Suffering. She gave a vague yes.

 

[Boso]

Welcome back and congratulations on starting RCIA…SS Peter and Paul in Wilmington is also a great parish, now staffed by Norbertine Fathers.

 

[jmcrae]

What is so hard about using a Bible? I’ve used the Bible since I was old enough to read. As a teenager going through the Lutheran Catechism prior to being confirmed in the Lutheran Church, I was always #1 in the Bible study classes. This is not bragging, I was just that good. I’ve kept up on it, also.

RCIA is not all about YOU. You have classmates. They might not be as wonderful, brilliant, and saintly as you are. The teacher has to consider their needs, also.

Consider using the RCIA process to cultivate the virtue of patience, and to learn to think of others, as well as yourself.

 

[THutch04]

It was made clear that I was considered a catachuman, and would NOT be a full member of the Church until Easter. That’s the way they do it here

That’s how Duquesne does it as well. We use all of the Rites for Catechumens, and everyone is treated as such. Not saying that’s right, but it’s the way it works here.

I would agree that one class isn’t enough time to decide if you wish to continue or not. The class has to be structured in a way that people coming from NO religious background at all will be able to learn the basics. Think of it as an opportunity to learn patience.

This year I’m helping to lead RCIA, and believe me, I want to get into great detail about certain subjects, but we just can’t do that when there are people who don’t know what the Sign of the Cross is, or the difference between the Old and New Testaments.

 

[Andruschak]

Consider using the RCIA process to cultivate the virtue of patience, and to learn to think of others, as well as yourself.

Consider reading the link in my signature.

Consider that there are two sections.

Consider reading the section PREPARATIONS FOR CHRISTIANS

Consider what the US Conference of Bishops had to say on the subject,

 

[Jeff_Hale]

At our parish, we do recognize candidates and catechumens separately. I’ve been on the Core team four years, and we have two and sometimes three groups running concurrently. One group begins meeting as inquirers in November and will meet for a year and a half before the Easter Vigil. As that group signs the book at the Rite of Election, usually in March just before Easter Vigil nearly a year and a half later, the next group will have been meeting for several months since the preceding November and will have nearly a year to go before their Easter Vigil in the following year. A third group meets for only about six months before being confirmed in either June or December depending on when they started. We’ll have two such groups each year which we call among ourselves (the Core team) as the “fast-track.”

The groups that take up to a year and a half are all catechumens (non-baptized) along with candidates (baptized) who have little or no faith backgrounds. The ones who are confirmed twice a year have good spiritual backgrounds. Harry, if you so desired you would be in our fast-track group from the sounds of your experience and would be confirmed in either June or December. They receive a completely different catechesis, recognizing their familiarity with Christianity and so the emphasis is on Catholicism.

That said, for most people I still recommend they go through the longer process, because much will be touched on which will either be good refreshers in Christianity or completely new material.

Our newly-baptized elect receive white shawls to wear following their baptisms and are welcome to continue to wear them throughout the year at Mass. I proudly wore mine until
Thanksgiving six years ago.

I would also recommend you give your RCIA journey more of a chance, Harry, though we continually remind our candidates and catechumens they are in no way obligated to become Catholics just because they’ve attended a few sessions.

God bless you,
Jeff, OPL