Has Anyone tried Alpha?

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There is a program running among many Catholic parishes at the moment called Alpha which i have just signed up for where people can learn more about their Faith and discuss it with others. I was just wondering if anyone on here has tried it and what was your experience like?
 
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When I used to attend Catholic Church, they were always super cagey about it and never went into detail. They said it changed their life and was amazing and whatever else.

Maybe they are told to be cagey to not ruin the surprise? It sounds like just a talk group though.
 
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Tom Nash stole my answer. 😝

Alpha is meant to be an initial proclamation of the kerygma to those who are mostly unchurched. If you expect it to be a systematic presentation of the Catholic Faith, you will be disappointed. But for what it is, I’ve heard good things. One of my priests wants to bring it to our parish. We will see how it goes. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:
 
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I’ll have more of a look into it. Coming from protestant origins worries me as i wonder if the extent of it’s philosophical depth is merely presenting the christian faith as an alternative to Secular society’s answers of happiness which invokes pleasure, wealth and prestige of being of the highest virtues
 
Coming from protestant origins worries me as i wonder if the extent of it’s philosophical depth is merely presenting the christian faith as an alternative to Secular society’s answers of happiness which invokes pleasure, wealth and prestige of being of the highest virtues
I don’t think so. As I understand it (and I haven’t participated, so this is based on testimony from those who have run Alpha programs), the program is meant to bring the participants to the recognition of the value of establishing a relationship with Christ, and to facilitate further small-group means of developing that relationship upon completion of the program.
 
It has been at our parish too. I believe it is for the unchurched or those who have fallen into lukewarmness. But I do think it depends a lot on who is running it… if you have good people working the show then the Catholic principles can be taught after the initial Christian bit is shown. There is nothing (so I am told) specifically Catholic about it or about the sacraments that is actually in the program, so it is all down to the teachers present at each table. So whether the program is any good or not, depends on a specific parish, I’d say, as the program itself is Christian and basic, but the teachers there can bring Catholicism into it if they chose to, via the discussions after each presentation. That’s probably why such mixed messages are heard about it. Our parish is having it again later this year. I am pretty sure you can view it all on youtube.
 
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I did it before I came to the Catholic Church, it was a simple discussion after a meal. Things like who is Jesus?

(It was in a Baptist church)
 
It has been at our parish too. I believe it is for the unchurched or those who have fallen into lukewarmness. But I do think it depends a lot on who is running it… if you have good people working the show then the Catholic principles can be taught after the initial Christian bit is shown. There is nothing (so I am told) specifically Catholic about it or about the sacraments that is actually in the program, so it is all down to the teachers present at each table. So whether the program is any good or not, depends on a specific parish, I’d say, as the program itself is Christian and basic, but the teachers there can bring Catholicism into it if they chose to, via the discussions after each presentation. That’s probably why such mixed messages are heard about it. Our parish is having it again later this year. I am pretty sure you can view it all on youtube.
Interesting. I thought that the Catholic version dealt with Catholic specifics.
 
Interesting. I thought that the Catholic version dealt with Catholic specifics.
No. That’s one of the things that Catholics tend to disparage about “Catholic Alpha” – that it doesn’t really teach doctrines of the Catholic faith. (To be fair, though, that’s not what its intent is.)
 
I’ve dug out my Alpha book, these are the session questions:
  1. Who is Jesus?
  2. Why did Jesus die?
  3. How can we have faith?
  4. Why and how do I pray?
  5. Why and how should I read The Bible?
  6. How does God guide us?
  7. Who is the Holy Spirit?
  8. What does the Holy Spirit do?
  9. How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
  10. How can I resist evil?
  11. Why and how should I tell others?
  12. Does God heal today
  13. What about the Church?
  14. How can I make the most of the rest of my life?
If I recall correctly the Holy Spirit ones were done together on a day retreat.

What happened with us is we had a meal together then there was a talk or video then divided into smaller groups for the discussion
 
We had thought that would be the case too, but it wasn’t. The whole course was presented the same way it is anywhere… it was the conversation after the ‘film clip and presentation’ that was to be where Catholic bit was put in. But to be fair, I did not attend so this was what people told me, though I do have it on good authority from many people. I think the name ‘Alpha’ is a brand and the package isnt varied as such though how it’s explained after each (name removed by moderator)ut can be Catholicised as such.
 
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