Invalid Conversion?

[timeraveler]

When I went through RCIA I took a history class that covered some years of the Middle Ages Church, a brief sketch of confession, a tour of the church with some explanation of the basic layout of a church, and was given a ‘godmother’ that I spoke with once a few minutes before the Easter Mass where I was called a Catholic and allowed to take communion.
There was NO education about transubstantiation, nothing about Jesus or even the apostles, nothing about mass and how to participate. They accepted my baptism by a backwoods Baptist preacher at age 9 without question.
I really feel like I did not have a valid conversion. How can one be properly converted when they were not taught how to practice and why it is practiced?
It has made my spiritual life a living Hell, in my opinion. I have waffled back and forth between Catholicism, other denominations, and pagan religion since I was fifteen years old. Part of me feels that if I am to be Christian, it must be as a Catholic, but I must admit that I am quite discouraged. Does the church not care at all that people are attempting to come to the church and having these experiences? Do priests not care that people are struggling with this and potentially turning away from a relationship with the church and even Christ Himself? Do RCIA directors not care or just poorly trained?

 

[Zekariya]

You should speak with a priest at a different parish about your concerns and let him direct you. Prayers offered.

If at your baptism the minister used the trinitarian formula (“I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”) and water, your baptism is valid.

The validity of your conversion does not in any way depend on how well you were educated. Any validly baptized person accepted into the Catholic Church is Catholic.

 

[josie_L]

When I went through RCIA I took a history class that covered some years of the Middle Ages Church, a brief sketch of confession, a tour of the church with some explanation of the basic layout of a church, and was given a ‘godmother’ that I spoke with once a few minutes before the Easter Mass where I was called a Catholic and allowed to take communion.
There was NO education about transubstantiation, nothing about Jesus or even the apostles, nothing about mass and how to participate. They accepted my baptism by a backwoods Baptist preacher at age 9 without question.
I really feel like I did not have a valid conversion. How can one be properly converted when they were not taught how to practice and why it is practiced?
It has made my spiritual life a living Hell, in my opinion. I have waffled back and forth between Catholicism, other denominations, and pagan religion since I was fifteen years old. Part of me feels that if I am to be Christian, it must be as a Catholic, but I must admit that I am quite discouraged. Does the church not care at all that people are attempting to come to the church and having these experiences? Do priests not care that people are struggling with this and potentially turning away from a relationship with the church and even Christ Himself? Do RCIA directors not care or just poorly trained?

I don’t know how to respond to this post per se because I’m a cradle Catholic, however, having read some testimonies on CAF, the RCIA process can be riddled with problems depending on who’s in charge, i.e., my suggestion is to perhaps seek out other Catholic converts that have had a positive experience with RCIA or rather a positive spiritual conversion to help you out (are there any other Catholic converts that you know of?). Moreover, in what manner was your baptism performed, i.e., can you give us details because I think there are many on these forums who could help you out?

 

[marlap2]

When I went through RCIA I took a history class that covered some years of the Middle Ages Church, a brief sketch of confession, a tour of the church with some explanation of the basic layout of a church, and was given a ‘godmother’ that I spoke with once a few minutes before the Easter Mass where I was called a Catholic and allowed to take communion.
There was NO education about transubstantiation, nothing about Jesus or even the apostles, nothing about mass and how to participate. They accepted my baptism by a backwoods Baptist preacher at age 9 without question.
I really feel like I did not have a valid conversion. How can one be properly converted when they were not taught how to practice and why it is practiced?
It has made my spiritual life a living Hell, in my opinion. I have waffled back and forth between Catholicism, other denominations, and pagan religion since I was fifteen years old. Part of me feels that if I am to be Christian, it must be as a Catholic, but I must admit that I am quite discouraged. Does the church not care at all that people are attempting to come to the church and having these experiences? Do priests not care that people are struggling with this and potentially turning away from a relationship with the church and even Christ Himself? Do RCIA directors not care or just poorly trained?

As a facilitator of RCIA, it grieves me that you have these struggles. In my first meeting with the people entering the Church I pray with them that this time together will enable them to have an ongoing conversion, and create disciples, not just a Sunday church goer who is there out of obligation. I truly believe that when one develops a rich prayer life, with a relationship with Christ, and has come to truly believe and welcome Christ in all the Sacraments, but especially the Eucharist, nothing, absolutely nothing can pull him away from Mother Church. I’m currently seeing miracles happen in the hearts of the people who come faithfully every week, who are spending time with the Blessed Sacrament, who love the Mass and all that it is offering them. They yearn for Easter. At the same time I just got four phone and emails from five people who want to join now. I am struggling with this so much, because over the last months (Since September) so much has happened and been imparted. HOW do I do this with these new people? I think I shall welcome them with open arms, but they will have to wait until next Easter. This can be so difficult. How do you individually make judgements on people’s conversion? I don’t know. I PRAY that God sorts this out soon.

In the meantime, dearest one, your journey is your own and no one else’s. Your next step … towards the Church our not, is your step. I pray you take it towards home… here…
And there is a sea of healthy resources for you to continue on your faith journey. Nothing has to hold you back, not even a bad RCIA experience. Use the wonderful resources right here, at Catholic Answers. Go and watch amazing conversion stories on EWTN (through Youtube). Find some great books. Develop a love for scripture and the Catechism. If you don’t have a good Catechism, buy one. I would suggest you also buy a companion book like the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.

I am a convert myself, and not all of my RCIA experience was positive. I won’t go into details. But after my baptism, I started my journey of discovery by finding as much Orthodox (Truth) things that I could. Now I have a library of books, and around 70 videos (saints, Catholic stuff) I actually have to curb myself sometimes, because I can tend to be a spiritual glutton for knowledge and spend less time in prayer, which is NOT good.

Pray for your ex-RCIA facilitators. Learn as much as you can about your faith, and then practice it. And who knows, maybe our Lord is leading you to become the teacher that you needed to have? Wouldn’t that be amazing…

God bless you. HUGS. and prayers!

 

[timeraveler]

Thank you. Your words are a huge encouragement. It has already come to mind that God may be leading me to help others in their conversion process. I am praying about it.