Is Catechism (RCIA) required?

[doc_ball]

Is there another way to become a Catholic besides going through the RCIA program?

 

[deogratias]

Not without some instruction

I think, in some places where there is no RCIA program, there are one to one meetings with a priest or deacon - but either way, you have to learn about the faith before you can confirm it.

 

[SMHW]

Yes. There are other ways to become Catholic besides going through the RCIA program. But unless one lives in a place without an RCIA program, there is no ordinary way to become Catholic other than going through the program.

Now the RCIA process should not be a ‘one size fits all’ experience because Candidates (those already baptized) have different rights and needs than Catechumans (the unbaptized). But not all parishes have their programs set up to differentialte between the two. If the program at a certain parish does not seem to meet the needs of an individual then there is probably another parish nearby which does.

The time necessary to go through RCIA is probably as important as the instruction. The time it takes to go through RCIA will help the Catechuman/Canditate to develop the discipline of following the rules rather than to look for personal exceptions/exemptions from the rules.

 

[Scott_Waddell]

The way it was supposed to work was that RCIA was for the unbaptized and converts were supposed to have sessions with the priest. Of course priests are usually busier than one-armed jugglers, so they get sent to the RCIA program.

Scott