Is this true about Alpha?

[prophetdaniel]

Encouraging highschool and post-secondary students to take responsibilty to find ways to understand and strengthen their faith is important. Is attending Alpha one of those ways? Is it true that Independent Catholic school students are not excempt from attending Alpha because these schools only teach basic knowledge? Parish programs assist youths in how to apply that knowledge in a secular environment. Do you agree with such an assesment? If you did attend Alpha did it help?

 

[turboEDvo]

What’s Alpha?

Eamon

 

[kmktexas]

Alpha is a Protestant youth and young adult program that some Caholic parishes have tried to adopt for Catholic use. It is aimed at young people who do not have a prior close relationship with Jesus (the un-churched in Protestant-speak).

If a student comes from a family with strong Cathoic values, practices and teaching, Alpha will not teach them much but it may give a student a nice way to socialize with other Catholics.

So yes, if a student has had little or only watered down faith teaching, then Alpha might be a way for him/her to strengthen their faith. On the other hand, it might not since it does seem to appeal to the emotionality of the faith experience more than is prudent. It all depends on the person.

I don’t understand what you are asking about the Independant Catholic school students. No Catholic school student should be required to attend a parish based program any more than an adult Catholic would. (In other words, an adult might be required to go to RCIA if not confirmed yet, but a confirmed Catholic wouldn’t be required to go to adult religious ed although it might be encouraged). They should be encouraged to participate in all of the programs at the parish including the youth program but if it isn’t a requirement, why would an exemption be needed? In my (admittedly limited) experience the Independant Catholic schools tend to teach the Faith in more depth if only because they have more time to do so than parish-based programs or diocisan Catholic schools. In our area, it is only in the Independant schools where Religion is a required course and is taught every, single day. This includes the basics of Catechism as well as how to apply the teachings of the Church in daily life. Most parish based programs only teach the kids once or twice a week which isn’t really enough time to cover the “basics” let alone the practical applications. Teaching the practical applications without a strong understanding of the basics of Church teaching is just a waste of time.

Many diocisan Catholic schools (at least in our area) treat Religion as an elective and it is taught a few times a week. They also allow students to opt out of the class, something our independant school would not allow.

So, I don’t see any value that a Catholic student who is attending a good Catholic school would get out of a program like Alpha, other than a social one.

 

[katy]

There is a version of Alpha for Catholics. Don’t know much about it, tho.

 

[prophetdaniel]

kmktexas:

I don’t understand what you are asking about the Independant Catholic school students. No Catholic school student should be required to attend a parish based program any more than an adult Catholic would.

I am not saying Independant Catholic school students are required to attend Alpha. What I heard is youths who are enrolled in Catholic schools should consider enrolling in Alpha because it gives them an opportunity to meet other Catholics.

The announcement was also aimed at trying to include the rare few who believe because they attend an Independant Catholic school their faith is superior, therefore, do not need to make any effort to attend parish programs.

 

[puzzleannie]

Alpha is intended as initial evangelization for those who have never heard the initial proclamation of the Gospel. There is an Alpha for Catholics, which takes the presentation of the basic elements of the Apostles Creed a step further and explains the Mass and Sacraments.The next logical step is for this person to enter RCIA and complete preparation and formation for initiation into the Catholic Church.

There is an Alpha tailored for high school youth, for young adults and college students, even for prisons. As a program for baptized but uncatechized (read clueless) Catholic youth this could be a good starting point, but is not really the way to go with youth who are already confirmed or preparing for confirmation. It is not adequate on its own for confirmation preparation, or for post-confirmation faith formation.

We have had an active Alpha program in this parish for 5-6 years. The plan called for all parishioners to attend, and from them to form teams to run the succeeding programs. the year they did not have full-time DRE a volunteer ran Alpha (with a good team) for junior and senior high school students. It went pretty well, because a lot of them truly had not been catechized since first communion, but they also had a further confirmation program for that group.

Alpha also does not replace youth ministry, or parish youth group. It is great for its intended purpose, initial presentation of basic Christian doctrine to those who have never been exposed to it before.

 

[VeronicasJude]

We have Alpha for Catholics at our parish and it is an awesome program if it is run right. In our parish though it is intended for adults, those who are 18 and over as we have youth ministries as well.
Alpha is also great for many adult Catholics who basically followed orders as a child but had no idea what anything was about, the same reason that many of us have left our faith and hopefully returned to find out.

We have speakers every week, usually our Monsignor who does an excellent job.

The spring session is Alpha and RCIA and the Fall session is just Alpha. We plan retreats as well.

We have dinner the first hour, then speaker and then an hour of discussion.

I have been cooking for Alpha for the last 2 sessions and think it is an awesome program.

 

[Joan_M]

Alpha is a Protestant program that is totally inadequate as religious training for Catholics. Alpha for Catholics is almost as inadequate as the original Alpha program, since it is required that you use the original Alpha program, and some “add-ons” for Catholic theology. This is foolish, since you will have learned Protestant theology first!

If you want to really find out what Alpha is about, check out the following websites:

www.ourladyswarriors.org Click on “Dissent” and you will find two articles on Alpha.

catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=4310

I would run far from Alpha. There must be a Catholic course that would be much better.

 

[puzzleannie]

Joan M:

Alpha is a Protestant program that is totally inadequate as religious training for Catholics. Alpha for Catholics is almost as inadequate as the original Alpha program, since it is required that you use the original Alpha program, and some “add-ons” for Catholic theology. This is foolish, since you will have learned Protestant theology first!
.

as stated, it is Christian doctrine, and does not get into “Protestant theology”. It is not RCIA and it is not for the purpose of imparting specific Catholic doctrine and practice. It is initial evangelization to those who have never heard the gospel message. Trying to shoehorn it into something it was never intended to do probably won’t work, and yes, there are probably better alternatives for those situations.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

puzzleannie:

Alpha is intended as initial evangelization for those who have never heard the initial proclamation of the Gospel. There is an Alpha for Catholics, which takes the presentation of the basic elements of the Apostles Creed a step further and explains the Mass and Sacraments.The next logical step is for this person to enter RCIA and complete preparation and formation for initiation into the Catholic Church.

There is an Alpha tailored for high school youth, for young adults and college students, even for prisons. As a program for baptized but uncatechized (read clueless) Catholic youth this could be a good starting point, but is not really the way to go with youth who are already confirmed or preparing for confirmation. It is not adequate on its own for confirmation preparation, or for post-confirmation faith formation.

We have had an active Alpha program in this parish for 5-6 years. The plan called for all parishioners to attend, and from them to form teams to run the succeeding programs. the year they did not have full-time DRE a volunteer ran Alpha (with a good team) for junior and senior high school students. It went pretty well, because a lot of them truly had not been catechized since first communion, but they also had a further confirmation program for that group.

Alpha also does not replace youth ministry, or parish youth group. It is great for its intended purpose, initial presentation of basic Christian doctrine to those who have never been exposed to it before.

Sounds ALMOST like a Light of the World Retreat or other kyregma retreat stretched out…

 

[puzzleannie]

OutinChgoburbs:

Sounds ALMOST like a Light of the World Retreat or other kyregma retreat stretched out…

it ends with a retreat in which teaching on the Holy Spirit is presented. Nicky Gumbel, the Anglican clergymen who started Alpha, is part of the charismatic movement, but the doctrine on the action of the Holy Spirit is about as charismatic as this gets. In no way does it present Life in the Spirit or other charismatic movements, other than to describe the gifts and fruits of the Spirit described in scripture. Most participants count the retreat as the high point of the experience.