Mildly Annoyed with RCIA

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snowman10

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Maybe it is just me, but my RCIA group is not very good. The Priest is nice, but sortof dry. His idea of teaching us was popping in a video of Bishop Donald Wuerl, who is very good and orthodox. However, that is all Father really does. Then tonite, we had a woman come in who sat down and read from about a thousand papers about salvation history, and not even in the correct sequence. So far in RCIA, we have not really even had a question and answer day. In their defense however, RCIA runs on the college schedule, so we take a break over Christmas. But I am just annoyed with the way RCIA is run.

Then I remember though, I learned more about the Faith from books and the wonderful people here on CAF…😃

Love you all,
dxu…:blessyou:
 
Meh, I got 50x more out of self-study than I ever did out of Confirmation, and I suppose that I don’t really expect RCIA to be a whole lot different than Confirmation. I’ll admit, I don’t like the way most of the religious ed classes at my church are run.

Have you thought about approaching the priest and asking him if you could have a Q&A session rather than a video next time (or shorted video or something). If everyone else in the class feels this way I’m sure the priest would be willing to do so. However, I would maybe ask him at the end of a class so he has time to prepare something if he so desires.

Glad to hear you are making your way through it though. How long have you been taking classes?

Eamon
 
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turboEDvo:
Meh, I got 50x more out of self-study than I ever did out of Confirmation, and I suppose that I don’t really expect RCIA to be a whole lot different than Confirmation. I’ll admit, I don’t like the way most of the religious ed classes at my church are run.

Have you thought about approaching the priest and asking him if you could have a Q&A session rather than a video next time (or shorted video or something). If everyone else in the class feels this way I’m sure the priest would be willing to do so. However, I would maybe ask him at the end of a class so he has time to prepare something if he so desires.

Glad to hear you are making your way through it though. How long have you been taking classes?

Eamon
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This is my 4th or 5th class. It is hard though because I do not know for sure if I will make it the whole way through. You see, I live 2 hours away from where my college is, and I will not be at college during Easter. Ergo, I must find a parish near my house. But my house is in a different dioecese and they need to call the parish and find me a sponsor and get all the fine print worked out. If it won’t work, I am going to ask the Priest here if he can bring me into the Church after Easter, on a regular Sunday. I hope it all works out…that and I hope my mom will understand. I have already talked to her but she is very ehhh.

dxu
 
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snowman10:
This is my 4th or 5th class. It is hard though because I do not know for sure if I will make it the whole way through. You see, I live 2 hours away from where my college is, and I will not be at college during Easter. Ergo, I must find a parish near my house. But my house is in a different dioecese and they need to call the parish and find me a sponsor and get all the fine print worked out. If it won’t work, I am going to ask the Priest here if he can bring me into the Church after Easter, on a regular Sunday. I hope it all works out…that and I hope my mom will understand. I have already talked to her but she is very ehhh.

dxu
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Is your program only 1 year? For some reason, I though RCIA was a two year process. Hmm. Well, yeah, talk to your priest and I’m sure you can work something out.

Eamon
 
Meh, I got 50x more out of self-study than I ever did out of Confirmation, and I suppose that I don’t really expect RCIA to be a whole lot different than Confirmation. I’ll admit, I don’t like the way most of the religious ed classes at my church are run.
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Same here. After reading Catholicism and Fundamentalism a few times, the articles on www.catholic.com nearly every day, and numerous other books and websites, I knew most of what we covered in Confirmation prep.

-ACEGC
 
When I went through the RCIA (last year and was confirmed this past Easter) our program lasted a year, technically it was 7 months.

As for the classes, yes, ours were quite boring too. They (the teachers) gave us a chance to ask questions after every class though which helped a lot. Like Eamon said, I learned way more online and from books than from the classes.

When it comes to you changing where you go to the classes (i.e. a different parish) I don’t think there would be a lot of red tape, probably just a phone call from your RCIA teacher. Its still quite early in the game, so it shouldn’t be a problem. I actually didn’t start the classes until November (just because I had a strong religious background).

Good luck to you and hang in there, it should get better. 😉
 
What is your RCIA experience like? I am so disappointed in my parish. It’s disorganized and we haven’t learned a darn thing since we got there. I feel so bad because I told my husband that he might get some answers to his lingering doubts about Catholicism and now I’m starting to have doubts about the parish that I love so much.

Shouldn’t there be some kind of syllabus - or general plan what to talk about? Last week two of our team leaders spent the first half hour deciding if they should make a schedule for who should bring snacks, or just wing it. Then once this earth-shattering decision was made, we then all watched for another 10 minutes as they drew up this schedule. I’m not kidding. 40 minutes on this. I was about ready to leave.

Last night she said that they we were going to discuss the gospel reading from last Sunday. So she passed out copies and made someone “volunteer” (like it’s elementary school or something) to read. Then asked us to comment on it. A couple people made some comments that were pretty decent but that’s where it ended. Somehow someone mentioned how they were in the store today and how annoying those cell phone walkie talkies were. They then proceeded to discuss this vital issue for 15 minutes and drink their coffee. Then we went over to the church to practice the Rite of Welcome/Acceptance that we’ll be doing for Sunday. She didn’t explain the background behind it, why we do it…just you stand here, say this, you stand here…etc.

I was so looking forward to RCIA because I thought it would be a wonderful experience with my husband. Boy was I wrong. There’s just no plan - no learning. I don’t know if anyone else in the class feels this way, but I think we’re all waiting for something to happen. We’ve been at this for a little over a month now and it still is like it’s the first meeting every time or something. Our parish priests are brand new, still learning their way around the parish so to speak, and I don’t know either one at all. So it would be weird to talk to them about it…especially since I get the feeling that they think the team is doing fine. I don’t feel like I want to get anyone in *trouble *either.

I’m so sorry for the long post…I just needed to vent my frustration. I’m just really let down. I dread going every week - and to think we have to do this every week till April…:eek: I don’t think either of us is going to be able to stand it.
 
Celia,

I thought I had it bad. Talk to your priest about this. Out of curiosity, are you already Catholic or converting? Maybe I missed something in the post.

Anywho, I have found that the more versed you are in the Faith, such as if you have read alot of books and spent time here on the CAF, then you will almost always know what the instructors are talking about, and can probably teach the class better than they can. I am not trying to be rigtheous or rude, but it is the truth. However, if there is a good parish nearby, maybe you should seek that one out instead, even if it is an hour drive.

Keep us up to date.

dxu
 
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snowman10:
Maybe it is just me, but my RCIA group is not very good. The Priest is nice, but sortof dry. His idea of teaching us was popping in a video of Bishop Donald Wuerl, who is very good and orthodox. However, that is all Father really does. Then tonite, we had a woman come in who sat down and read from about a thousand papers about salvation history, and not even in the correct sequence. So far in RCIA, we have not really even had a question and answer day. In their defense however, RCIA runs on the college schedule, so we take a break over Christmas. But I am just annoyed with the way RCIA is run.

Then I remember though, I learned more about the Faith from books and the wonderful people here on CAF…😃

Love you all,
dxu…:blessyou:
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Heh, heh. As many of us converts can tell you, RCIA is part of the “test.” If you can stand that, you can stand being Catholic. RCIA runs the spectrum from great to stupid from strong to heterodox. Hang in. My motto in RCIA was: WHATEVER IT TAKES. Still is. I have a sign on my computer: QUIDQUID REQUIRITUR.
 
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Celia:
I was so looking forward to RCIA because I thought it would be a wonderful experience with my husband. Boy was I wrong. There’s just no plan - no learning.Man, it seems as if the problem of poorly-run RCIA classes is pretty pervasive. Your class sounds a lot like mine, except that there’s lots of discussions about superstitious practices and unapproved private revelations.

There’s lots of discussions about RCIA nonsense going on right now. Have fun reading about it in this thread about RCIA Sponsors.
 
It is the pastor that sets the tone for the RCIA. One problem may be that the pastor doesn’t have the energy and is burnt out. It may be time for the pastor to step aside and take a sabbatical. I know that there is a shortage of priests, but God prefers quality over quantity.

Be careful! Many lay people I know that volunteer to teach RCIA bring with them an agenda. Often it is a theologically destructive and progressive one. Examine whatever they tell you by what is proclaimed in the scriptures, and through the light of traditional Christian orthodoxy.
 
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snowman10:
Maybe it is just me, but my RCIA group is not very good. The Priest is nice, but sortof dry. His idea of teaching us was popping in a video of Bishop Donald Wuerl, who is very good and orthodox. However, that is all Father really does. Then tonite, we had a woman come in who sat down and read from about a thousand papers about salvation history, and not even in the correct sequence. So far in RCIA, we have not really even had a question and answer day. In their defense however, RCIA runs on the college schedule, so we take a break over Christmas. But I am just annoyed with the way RCIA is run.

Then I remember though, I learned more about the Faith from books and the wonderful people here on CAF…😃

Love you all,
dxu…:blessyou:
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Another discussion on the trials and tribulations of RCIA is going on here…

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=81770
 
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snowman10:
Celia,

I thought I had it bad. Talk to your priest about this. Out of curiosity, are you already Catholic or converting? Maybe I missed something in the post.

Anywho, I have found that the more versed you are in the Faith, such as if you have read alot of books and spent time here on the CAF, then you will almost always know what the instructors are talking about, and can probably teach the class better than they can. I am not trying to be rigtheous or rude, but it is the truth. However, if there is a good parish nearby, maybe you should seek that one out instead, even if it is an hour drive.

Keep us up to date.

dxu
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Hi snowman,

Yes, I was raised Catholic, was baptized, had my first communion and penance at the appropriate times, went to Catholic school my whole life too. I’m not new to the game, but I was never confirmed and that’s why I’m there. My husband wasn’t raised in any particular faith and was never baptized. He’s gone through a lot of thinking and praying to decide to join the Catholic church and is becoming very disillusioned with the whole RCIA process, and I can’t say that I blame him.

I’m pretty well versed in the faith I think, and I’m starting to think more so than the teacher. Not to be rude or make myself sound important, but she’s been asked simple questions before that I knew the answer to and she’d say that she needed to check on that or something. And never mentions it again.

I think I’m too far into the program now to transfer out to another, but if it continues this way, perhaps I will have to wait until next year. 😦 I’m going to try and avoid that at all costs though…it’s just this is so frustrating. It’s not what I expected at all. And I feel bad for people that aren’t too familiar with the faith (like my husband) *this *is their first experience with the church?? RIdiculous…
 
netmil(name removed by moderator):
Another discussion on the trials and tribulations of RCIA is going on here…

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=81770
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Gosh. So it’s not just my parish. :nope: Something needs to be done. They should have a set of guidelines or something for all RCIA classes, instead of just the instructor winging it. I can imagine the people that this experience must have turned away from the church, if this is the norm. As a cradle catholic, I had no idea.
 
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Celia:
Gosh. So it’s not just my parish. :nope: Something needs to be done. They should have a set of guidelines or something for all RCIA classes, instead of just the instructor winging it. I can imagine the people that this experience must have turned away from the church, if this is the norm. As a cradle catholic, I had no idea.
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And our parish is the best around. Very Historically Catholic. All the smells and bells.
I wish the program could be better for my hubby.
 
This is also a similar story that I heard from my Brother-in-law and cousin-in-law when they converted and as I was told it was in my parish several years ago. I think that this is a further example of the consequences of the poor catechesis done throughout America over the past few decades. I’m told that things started to shape up when the Bishop got involved and prepared a curriculum to be covered in every parish RCIA class.

If you live in a diocese that hasn’t stressed RCIA from a macro level, your challenge is greater than in one that has but your parish hasn’t got on board yet. But in neither case, while not neglecting your own study and discernment, I encourage you to do a little web research on RCIA. There are many parishes that have posted their curriculum (I know because we have plagarized some!), take it to your Priest and give him some constructive suggestions on how it can better meet your needs.

You might be surprised how your efforts are recieved. Many Pastors/parishes don’t have the resources or expertise to put a good program together or are stuck in a rut. You might just help give them the boost (logistic and by your enthusiasm) they need.
 
If anyone is in MI there is a great RCIA at Christ the King Catholic Church (Diocese of Lansing). It’s very orthodox, I’ve found it to be pretty well organized and a lot of great people have entered the Church through it (including Steve Ray and his family). I would definitely recommend it to anyone within driving range.
 
Anthony's Mom:
If anyone is in MI there is a great RCIA at Christ the King Catholic Church (Diocese of Lansing). It’s very orthodox, I’ve found it to be pretty well organized and a lot of great people have entered the Church through it (including Steve Ray and his family). I would definitely recommend it to anyone within driving range.
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Do you have the syllabus for it?
I would be willing to drive up to get it. We’re in Macomb county.
 
Celia, I would say something to your instructor, mabey along the lines of… “Do you have a syllabus I could get a copy of? I’d like to be familiar with the topics presented once we really get into the classes this winter/fall/etc”
I help teach an RCIA class here, and we very much have a schedule-students are given it in their binders-, and without it we’d never get anywhere.
 
I am going to write to the Holy Father and ask him if after I go through the whole process if he can form a Convert College or some type of setup that has a rigid structure to be followed. I would want to teach it. I swear I could blow my RCIA teachers out of the water, except our Priest. Im trying nor to be prideful but geez people, get with it…:banghead:

dxu
 
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