H
HB11
Guest
Yes , I get it. We are still seeing our leaders and in touch.
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Joe_5859
Guest
Indeed. Ultimately, the entirety of Church teaching and the entirety of God’s Revelation is present in the Person of Jesus. Fundamentally, we must introduce those in RCIA to Christ.
J
Joe_5859
Guest
Those are thew two main resources I have used in RCIA.
Even though I don’t presently play the Symbolon videos in RCIA, though, I bring it up throughout the process as a way to reinforce the teachings or to makeup for a class they may have missed.
H
Horton
Guest
This is what the RCIA program in my parish has been doing for years. Teaching the “feel goods”. So much so that they have failed to bring issues such as marriage cases to the attention of the priest, letting them go on through being initiated into the Church in a state of grave sin.
There teaching on the Eucharist was how it was a fix all for everything but never explained when one should not receive, or that receiving while not in a state of grace was grave matter.
The couple leading RCIA have been replaced by another this year so hopefully the program will be more robust and teach the faith, not just the “feel goods”.
There teaching on the Eucharist was how it was a fix all for everything but never explained when one should not receive, or that receiving while not in a state of grace was grave matter.
The couple leading RCIA have been replaced by another this year so hopefully the program will be more robust and teach the faith, not just the “feel goods”.
H
HB11
Guest
I would like to give out either" CCC" or" Catholicism For Dummies" after Vigil next year. My husband said it could make trouble. What do you guys think? What is that ACM mentioned? I want as much help as possible to learn and share.
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Horton
Guest
Give them the CCC at the beginning of RCIA and teach them how to use it. I was given a bible and the CCC at the beginning. I learned how to be a Catholic from those books. We also got a binder with 2-3 page pamphlets that taught very little.
J
Joe_5859
Guest
ACM is the Association for Catechumenal Ministry: https://acmrcia.org/
They have put out a Catechist Guide and Leader’s Guide that are very helpful for those who are coordinating RCIA in their parish. There is also a “Participant Book”, though to call it a “book” is a bit of a misnomer. You basically get a CD-Rom with pdfs of hundreds of different handouts on various topics, prayers, saints, etc. It’s not really something you would give as a whole to someone going through RCIA. Rather, it is something the RCIA Coordinator and/or presenters use to make handouts for whatever they are talking about that day.
I agree with Horton about giving people a CCC and a Bible at the start of the year. That’s what we do. We want them to have the resources at the beginning so that they can begin to use them and learn from them. I wouldn’t wait until after the Easter Vigil to give them those books.
I also try to give out a more readable version of the Catechism as well. In years past I’ve given out the US Catechism for Adults, or the Compendium. This year I’m giving out “Essentials of the Faith” by Fr. McBride. I notice that Edward Sri has a “Symbolon” book out now, too, so I may switch to that for next year. I keep looking for the perfect, shorter, readable synthesis of Catholic teaching. Everyone is at a different place, so I try as much as I can to have something for everyone.
If you are looking for a gift to give out at Easter, I would go with a Handbook of Prayers (such as the one published by Midwest Theological Forum) or some sort of devotional item, like a crucifix. You can get nice, reasonably priced ones from Autom.
Either way, I’d check with the RCIA coordinator or the pastor to make sure you are not getting something they are going to be getting from the parish.
They have put out a Catechist Guide and Leader’s Guide that are very helpful for those who are coordinating RCIA in their parish. There is also a “Participant Book”, though to call it a “book” is a bit of a misnomer. You basically get a CD-Rom with pdfs of hundreds of different handouts on various topics, prayers, saints, etc. It’s not really something you would give as a whole to someone going through RCIA. Rather, it is something the RCIA Coordinator and/or presenters use to make handouts for whatever they are talking about that day.
I agree with Horton about giving people a CCC and a Bible at the start of the year. That’s what we do. We want them to have the resources at the beginning so that they can begin to use them and learn from them. I wouldn’t wait until after the Easter Vigil to give them those books.
I also try to give out a more readable version of the Catechism as well. In years past I’ve given out the US Catechism for Adults, or the Compendium. This year I’m giving out “Essentials of the Faith” by Fr. McBride. I notice that Edward Sri has a “Symbolon” book out now, too, so I may switch to that for next year. I keep looking for the perfect, shorter, readable synthesis of Catholic teaching. Everyone is at a different place, so I try as much as I can to have something for everyone.
If you are looking for a gift to give out at Easter, I would go with a Handbook of Prayers (such as the one published by Midwest Theological Forum) or some sort of devotional item, like a crucifix. You can get nice, reasonably priced ones from Autom.
Either way, I’d check with the RCIA coordinator or the pastor to make sure you are not getting something they are going to be getting from the parish.
W
whatistrue
Guest
In my first session last Tuesday, we were given a “Compendium”. For those who may not be familiar, it was described to us as basically a “Cliff’s Notes” version of the CCC published by the USCCB. We will also be given, later in the sequence, a full CCC and a Bible (I believe a study version of NABRE, but I can’t swear to it). On a different note, I am in a class of about 10 - 12 people, and there is another class of approximately the same size going through with instruction in Spanish at the same time as the English one I am in.
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Horton
Guest
We were given the simple inexpensive white CCC and the red paperback NAB. It was certainly enough to start with.
S
Shasta-Rose
Guest
A lot like yours. So I was floored when I was watching a program on EWTN, and these two priests were in agreement about how you were going to hell if you missed church and didn’t get to Reconciliation about it, and the same with holy days of obligation.
I was rather familiar with most Catholic ideas, but I bought a book on the Mass, going through it step by step, which really helped. I highly recommend The How-To Book of the Mass: Everything You Need to Know but Nobody Ever Taught You, by Michael Dubruiel. This is what they should have been teaching in RCIA but weren’t. Please get this book . It is INVALUABLE. (There is a similar one by Cardinal Wuerl.)
In RCIA, we mainly read the latest scripture readings and sat around and felt what one word jumped out at us. Practically no teaching going on at all. Our teachers were such nice people but not really teaching, but I am now thinking that they are told to present it as they are and not get into the “nuts & bolts,” since this does seem to be the norm, from what we read here on the forum.
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Wendy1989
Guest
Your experience sounds like mine! I did learn about the liturgical year and Holy Days of Obligation but not much else. We had one presentation on Confession/Reconciliation and that was it. I basically went once and then didn’t go again until 8 years later. Of course, that was 31 years ago and I am ever grateful for Catholic Radio especially Catholic Answers!
My parish was a 'Spirit of V2" parish and didn’t want to tackle the hard stuff. There was also some rather sketchy theology dished out about contraception, etc… I haven’t been involved in RCIA in the past several years, so I’m not too sure about what is being taught now. I do know that the Rosary isn’t taught until after Easter. I also know that they don’t use any prepared books or programs. Sad.
My parish was a 'Spirit of V2" parish and didn’t want to tackle the hard stuff. There was also some rather sketchy theology dished out about contraception, etc… I haven’t been involved in RCIA in the past several years, so I’m not too sure about what is being taught now. I do know that the Rosary isn’t taught until after Easter. I also know that they don’t use any prepared books or programs. Sad.
L
lampshade_on_my_soul
Guest
We were not taught you cannot take communion if you haven’t confessed mortal sins. We weren’t even taught what mortal and venial sins are. Nothing about contraception was taught. Nothing about homosexuality.
H
HB11
Guest
I wanted to give as gifts, just to be helpful for them . I doubt I could ever be there as anything but a visitor. I am too opinionated, LOL. I stopped by last year on way to Mass.
J
JimG
Guest
These are things I was taught decades ago in Catholic elementary school from the Baltimore Catechism. It seems that RCIA ought to be able to cover the basics of Catholic teaching in 9 months; maybe they should just break out the Baltimore Catechism during the first session.
H
HB11
Guest
I remember printing out something I think called 92 Questions. They sounded to me like that Baltimore Catechism that folks as old as me learned. I think those few sheets would be cheaper and a great help with basic teachings of our Faith. I don’t know if suggesting it would go over well or not.
S
SJstl
Guest
I’m going into Week 3 of RCIA. The course instructor is the Parish Priest. He wanted to conduct the adult class himself and I’m glad he made himself available.
The principle material he has given us and is planning on using is a copy of the The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism (No. 2). No glitter, no glam, just some good old fashioned 1950’s graphics and illustrations to go along with fundamental instruction. I don’t think he’s planning on using many, if any handouts, videos and certainly no Powerpoint. He has a chalkboard, piece of chalk and we all have a Bible to support the Catechism.
Along with his instruction, I can find plenty of YouTube videos to watch, many of which have RCIA courses themselves. It is important to watch some of this external information as you can and will fill in doctrinal gaps regardless of who is teaching your RCIA course. RCIA is a fundamental course that is standardized from what I can tell only in the respect that it focuses on the catechism. Outside of that there seems to be an endless realm of varieties that can be incorporated into the instruction.
This is one set of 92 questions I found. There are also RCIA quizzes online, some more difficult than others.
https://www.lincolndiocese.org/curriculum-requirements/92-questions
The principle material he has given us and is planning on using is a copy of the The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism (No. 2). No glitter, no glam, just some good old fashioned 1950’s graphics and illustrations to go along with fundamental instruction. I don’t think he’s planning on using many, if any handouts, videos and certainly no Powerpoint. He has a chalkboard, piece of chalk and we all have a Bible to support the Catechism.
Along with his instruction, I can find plenty of YouTube videos to watch, many of which have RCIA courses themselves. It is important to watch some of this external information as you can and will fill in doctrinal gaps regardless of who is teaching your RCIA course. RCIA is a fundamental course that is standardized from what I can tell only in the respect that it focuses on the catechism. Outside of that there seems to be an endless realm of varieties that can be incorporated into the instruction.
This is one set of 92 questions I found. There are also RCIA quizzes online, some more difficult than others.
https://www.lincolndiocese.org/curriculum-requirements/92-questions
O
otjm
Guest
Most RCIA classes start in September and end in about June. To be blunt, there is a limited amount of time to address issues, coupled with the fact that some entering RCIA are coming in with a blank slate and others have at times an extensive background in Christianity.
I cannot speak to whomever taught you, but I seriously doubt that anyone teaching RCIA intends to “basically let them be whatever kind of Catholic they want to be”. Perhaps you were not taught that RCIA is just the beginning, and that learning - about the Church, liturgy, spirituality, morality and a host of other topics is your lifetime assignment.
Topics that should be covered: Revelation; Trinity; Christ - incarnation, mission and resurrection; church - foundation, purpose and Apostolic succession; Church - brief history & Nicene Creed; tour of church building; the Mass; Mary; Advent & liturgical calendar; saints; intro to baptism and confirmation; Eucharist; Reconciliation and anointing of the sick; holy orders and matrimony; morality and sin; 10 commandments - love of God & neighbor; judgement, heven, hell and purgatory; Lent and Lenten pracitices; Christian prayer and forms of prayer; the Lord’s prayer; Catholic dsicipleship; reelection on Holy Saturday night and th road ahead; ongoing conversion; encountering Christ - clebrating our faith; parish life and world events. these were taken from an RCIA course; other matters could replace a topic here and there.
Time is simply limited. It sounds as if you did not have the most solid program; but even the most solid program may have missed some of the items you noted, or treated them only extremely briefly.
I cannot speak to whomever taught you, but I seriously doubt that anyone teaching RCIA intends to “basically let them be whatever kind of Catholic they want to be”. Perhaps you were not taught that RCIA is just the beginning, and that learning - about the Church, liturgy, spirituality, morality and a host of other topics is your lifetime assignment.
Topics that should be covered: Revelation; Trinity; Christ - incarnation, mission and resurrection; church - foundation, purpose and Apostolic succession; Church - brief history & Nicene Creed; tour of church building; the Mass; Mary; Advent & liturgical calendar; saints; intro to baptism and confirmation; Eucharist; Reconciliation and anointing of the sick; holy orders and matrimony; morality and sin; 10 commandments - love of God & neighbor; judgement, heven, hell and purgatory; Lent and Lenten pracitices; Christian prayer and forms of prayer; the Lord’s prayer; Catholic dsicipleship; reelection on Holy Saturday night and th road ahead; ongoing conversion; encountering Christ - clebrating our faith; parish life and world events. these were taken from an RCIA course; other matters could replace a topic here and there.
Time is simply limited. It sounds as if you did not have the most solid program; but even the most solid program may have missed some of the items you noted, or treated them only extremely briefly.
O
otjm
Guest
The Baltimore Catechism was also spread out over eight years.
There are materials out there (e.g. Symbolon has a program) which can be helpful in preparing a course.
There are materials out there (e.g. Symbolon has a program) which can be helpful in preparing a course.
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ConcernedConvert
Guest
We were pretty lucky. Our RCIA instructor was a very motivated FSSP Priest. One thing that was very helpful was a book he had us look at and pick apart called: A Brief Catechism For Adults.
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