My situation with RCIA

[SecretaryMonday]

I feel that I am catholic, the conversion process that some of the posters above mention I feel has already taken place. I prayed a lot about becoming catholic and god led me to the church. I was sure about becoming catholic before I started the inquiry sessions. I came to the decision after about a year and a half of prayer and discernment.

Me too. I studied Catholicism for almost two years before contacting the parish. For me, I would not have entered RCIA unless I was already sure that I wanted to be a Catholic (even though I wasn’t necessarily ready to admit it yet ).

I haven’t talked to the director of RCIA yet and I will probably just wait it out, I just wanted to express my feelings and get some feedback.

Again thank you all for the advice.

Waiting it out will be fine; it will also be fine to express your desire to enter now. Since the class knows you a little bit now (and you are even being invited to Ignatian retreats!), its possible that they feel you’re ready, and they may approve an earlier entrance.

Just a quick note about my Confirmation, in case it will be helpful in your decision: The main focus of the RCIA class is the Easter vigil, and they are worried about making sure THAT event goes well; an earlier Confirmation, apart from the whole class, might be more susceptible to mistakes, certainly less fanfare (but the quiet can be really nice, too).
I opted to enter the Church in the middle of winter instead of the Easter vigil. It was a nice, quiet occasion. Then, when Easter came, I realized that there were little details that were observed for everyone else’s Confirmations that had been overlooked in my case, probably because mine was at an odd time when the RCIA director wasn’t really ready.

It was bizarrely painful (I’m one of those brooding, emotional Melancholics that need everything to be perfect and think everybody’s out to hurt them; we crush easily. ).

 

[HoosMommie]

I have gotten hints from our RCIA director that they try to make this a memorable occasion for all the participants.

Good things come to those who wait…

Believe me, the Easter Vigil Mass is a memorable occasion without them even trying! It begins in the dark, both outside and inside the church, and when the lights finally come on and you sing the Gloria once again, it will take your breath away. And the Litany of the Saints! And the Catechumens being baptized! And seeing them all receive their very first Holy Communion! And . . . And . . . And . . . It WILL be so worth the wait.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

Believe me, the Easter Vigil Mass is a memorable occasion without them even trying! It begins in the dark, both outside and inside the church, and when the lights finally come on and you sing the Gloria once again, it will take your breath away. And the Litany of the Saints! And the Catechumens being baptized! And seeing them all receive their very first Holy Communion! And . . . And . . . And . . . It WILL be so worth the wait.

And you will probably get a parish-wide party - someone else gets to do all the planning, providing, and inviting, all you have to do is show up!

 

[steve_b]

I was in the same boat, as a former Baptist/Evangelical. I had studied the Church pretty thoroughly before deciding to enter RCIA. I attended Mass regularly and attended every RCIA class but I was impatient and wanted the Eucharist so badly. Over time, however, I learned that it was important for me to be humble and obedient and to open myself to the process which Mother Church recommends. I also found that, with my fervor and enthusiasm, I could influence and encourage my fellow RCIA members who weren’t quite as learned about the Church or the Sacred Scriptures. After having gone through the entire process and experiencing the stages of the process, the blessings, meeting with the Bishop etc. I wouldn’t have traded it for the world and my longing for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament only increased the rapture and beauty of the Easter Vigil. I truly felt like the Bride St. John of the Cross wrote of in The Spiritual Canticle:

There He gave me His breast;
There He taught me a sweet and living knowledge;
And I gave myself to Him,
Keeping nothing back;
There I promised to be His bride.

Excellent response.

In Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome, he opens up his letter complementing them not only on their faith but for their obedience of faith.

 

[Honour]

Good Evening Folks,

I’ve been in the RCIA process since March including the Inquiry period.

I was baptized in 2011 at the Baptist church I was attending and I’ve been faithfully attending church for the last 3-4 years (as well being brought up in church…I’m 26). I’ve studied the word of god and I’ve prayed a lot about my spiritual journey and I believe God wants me in the Catholic church. I feel very ready to join the church but I have to go through the process and wait until the Easter Vigil. I studied the Catholic faith intensively prior to joining the RCIA group and I have no objections or questions about the faith that are holding me back.

I feel ready but it seems as though the process at our parish is set in stone…everyone goes through the process and everyone get their sacraments at the Easter Vigil.

I love the group and I love sharing and discussing the topics with the other participants but I’m really yearning for the holy Eucharist and confession. I pray for special intentions during communion but it’s hard not being able to receive. I attend 3 masses per weekend and I’d love nothing more than to partake in the blessed sacrament.

Should I approach my parish priest and see if he thinks I need to continue through the RCIA process? I don’t want to offend the group facilitator but I really don’t want to wait another 6 months either.

I would really appreciate some advice on the best way to handle this situation.

Thank You,

EP.

I recommend the book 7 Secrets of the Eucharist. The last “secret” is all about spiritual communion…I just thought it was a not so useful prayer before I read that book. It has totally changed my thoughts/feelings/prayers regarding having to wait for the Eucharist! Highly recommended!

 

[5Loaves]

Just a quick note about my Confirmation, in case it will be helpful in your decision: The main focus of the RCIA class is the Easter vigil, and they are worried about making sure THAT event goes well;

The candidates and catecheumens shouldn’t be concerned about that Liturgy. Their sponsors are there with them as they are throughout the journey, as well as the clergy and the RCIA team.

Hopefully this time of preparation is one where a Christian like OP is drawing closer to Christ and His Church, having the teachings of the Church clarified and understood as much as possible with doctrinal and spiritual preparation, so that when they make the profession of Faith in the Rite the candidate has a good understanding of what they are professing. During the period they are in RCIA they will be growing in closeness with members of the parish during at least Sunday Mass, and exploring their place in the Body of Christ, what ways they will be able to serve in the parish or in the larger community in living out their baptismal roles of “priest, prophet, and king”, what other opportunities for spiritual formation in the parish are best suited to their ongoing mystagogy as Catholics, integrating the formation they received leading up to the Rite of Reception with their new and future lives as Catholics.

Then, when Easter came, I realized that** there were little details that were observed for everyone else’s Confirmations that had been overlooked in my case, **probably because mine was at an odd time when **the RCIA director wasn’t really ready. **

It is doubtful the priest “overlooked” anything. All rites in the Catholic Church are spelled out and unless you have heterdox clergy he is using the ritual books of the Church. The Rite of Reception of Baptized Christians into Full Communion of the Catholic Church is a very simple Rite. The Baptized are already Christians, they are simply coming into full communion with the Church.

In the link I included in an earlier post you can find the Rites themselves. Since this link is googlebooks there are some pages not included, but you should be able to see the Rites there. “Reception of Baptized Christians into Full Communion of the Catholic Church” begins with paragraph 473 on page 275, Outline of the Rite on page 278. Page 279, part of the Invitation, is missing, but the rest of the rite is there. You can see there that it’s a very simple Rite. It’s unlikely “the RCIA director wasn’t really ready.” And it’s the clergy who are responsible for the rite.


Paragraph 473 "“The rite is so arranged that no greater burden than necessary (see Acts 15:28) is required for the establishment of communion and unity.”

 

[Starrsmother]

CCC 1899 The authority required by the moral order derives from God: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."17

RCIA is not only about you learning to be Catholic. It is also about the RCIA instructor and the priest seeing a conversion in you. You will demostrate this conversion by obeying your RCIA instructor and the priest in all things./QUOTE

…but I still think and agree with the other poster that it would be perfectly fair and rasonable to ask your instructor and priest if there’s any way that you could move your First Communion up–say even to Christmas maybe. But the key here is that if they tell you no, you must humble yourself and obey. If you can’t obey on this first little thing–you will be in big trouble later on when something truly huge comes up that you may not personally agree with or desire.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

It is doubtful the priest “overlooked” anything. …

It’s unlikely “the RCIA director wasn’t really ready.” And it’s the clergy who are responsible for the rite.

The priest was wonderful.
I shouldn’t have started complaining to begin with, but in explanation, by “little things,” I meant things like the fact that, at the Easter Vigil, all of those who were being Confirmed in my parish (not everywhere, I know) had a laminated nametag with the Confirmation name that they had chosen. I submitted my desired Confirmation name to the RCIA director and she assured me that it would appear on my nametag. She never got around to printing a nametag. I just assumed that the priest had the name in his notes, but he didn’t. When I asked about it, she said “Well we didn’t print a tag because the priest already knew your name was ------].”

And yes, I understand that choosing a Confirmation name is not a universal practice and having a patron saint is a pious personal devotion that is not required.

 

[EternalPromises]

JM3;11308868:

CCC 1899 The authority required by the moral order derives from God: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."17

RCIA is not only about you learning to be Catholic. It is also about the RCIA instructor and the priest seeing a conversion in you. You will demostrate this conversion by obeying your RCIA instructor and the priest in all things.

I would certainly submit to the authority of my priest, I wouldn’t question his decision in the slightest. In no way shape or form would I do that, I would thank him for his time and advice and give him a hug ( I would also be obedient to the will of my RCIA director)

 

[phil19034]

You should do what your RCIA director recommends.

However, it is technically possible for you to receive Confession & First Communion earlier if your Pastor feels you are ready.

Though, chances are that you would still receive Confirmation with the rest of RCIA Catechumens & Candidates at the Easter Vigil.

That said, I do think being able to receive your first Communion, with your Confirmation, in front of the bishop is pretty cool.

In my Archdiocess, all RCIA Catechumens & Candidates receive Baptism and/or Confirmation together at the Cathedral. If your does the same thing, it will be amazing.

Welcome home and God Bless!!!

 

[5Loaves]

by “little things,” I meant things like the fact that, at the Easter Vigil, all of those who were being Confirmed in my parish (not everywhere, I know) had a laminated nametag with the Confirmation name that they had chosen. I submitted my desired Confirmation name to the RCIA director and she assured me that it would appear on my nametag. She never got around to printing a nametag. I just assumed that the priest had the name in his notes, but he didn’t. When I asked about it, she said “Well we didn’t print a tag because the priest already knew your name was ------].”

Well, appropriate that your priest knew your name. It’s not unusual for a priest to ask the candidate if they have chosen a confirmation name if there is more than one candidate for him to need to remember by a new name. That also is where the sponsor helps out. Your sponsor standing at your side knew your confirmation name, too.

And yes, I understand that choosing a Confirmation name is not a universal practice and having a patron saint is a pious personal devotion that is not required.

I suppose it may be regional. I just finished recording the names of all the confirmandi, Catholics being confirmed as adults, for the Diocese from last year and I think there was one for the whole Diocese who had a confirmation name. This is a very diverse Diocese culturally so it seems across cultures it isn’t happening around here these days, sadly.

If you have any concern that your own confirmation name may not have been properly recorded in your confirmation record ask to have that checked. Catholics think the Church keeps great records. We see all the time that this isn’t always true. I was given a copy of my Confirmation record when I needed one a few years ago and my mother’s name had been copied incorrectly on the copy. The person who gave it to me made it clear she had no intention of redoing it. I contacted the parish priest and he took care of getting an accurate copy for me. When I went to get a copy of my daughter’s records the church where it happened had no records for her. Fortunately the mission records did have it and sent a copy to us and a copy to the parish where the rites had taken place, as per instructions from the chancery.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

I was given a copy of my Confirmation record when I needed one a few years ago and my mother’s name had been copied incorrectly on the copy. The person who gave it to me made it clear she had no intention of redoing it. I contacted the parish priest and he took care of getting an accurate copy for me. When I went to get a copy of my daughter’s records the church where it happened had no records for her. Fortunately the mission records did have it and sent a copy to us and a copy to the parish where the rites had taken place, as per instructions from the chancery.

Oh dear! I’m glad you got all the paperwork sorted out.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

Well, appropriate that your priest knew your name. It’s not unusual for a priest to ask the candidate if they have chosen a confirmation name if there is more than one candidate for him to need to remember by a new name. That also is where the sponsor helps out. Your sponsor standing at your side knew your confirmation name, too.

The priest didn’t ask (which I mentioned to the RCIA director prior to Confirmation), and all that my sponsor knew about it was the date and time (I didn’t know any Catholics, so a sponsor was chosen for my from the parish; we never got to know one another).

If you have any concern that your own confirmation name may not have been properly recorded in your confirmation record ask to have that checked.

I was Confirmed under my legal name, so its not a record-keeping error. My middle name is “Joy,” though, and that’s a half-decent Confirmation name.

 

[felsguy]

In my Archdiocess, all RCIA Catechumens & Candidates receive Baptism and/or Confirmation together at the Cathedral. If your does the same thing, it will be amazing.

My goodness, this would be amazing. How long does this ceremony take? Given the size of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, there must be hundreds involved, no?

 

[15Lk_clu]

I’m in a similar situation. I know so much about the Church already, and know for a fact that I am (unfortunately) already more knowledgeable than the cradle Catholics about to be confirmed.

However, think of RCIA as a time to really get into the faith in a structured way. Use it as time to discern your call further.

There’s no harm in raising it with the RCIA director, but I would suggest thinking a bit more on why exactly you want to be confirmed now (other than a longing for the Sacraments, which is quite understandable).

 

[RachaelM]

I was a candidate, validly baptized in 1992. I’ve just completed the Rite of Reception on Sunday, September 15, 2013. There was a mixture of catechumens (non-baptized) and candidates (baptized) in our RCIA group. The 3 non-baptized, per the Senior Priest and our RCIA director, were Baptized, Confirmed, and took first Holy Communion at 2013’s Easter Vigil, after going through RCIA 9 months to a year. The 2 candidates, when they were deemed ready, were formally received into the Church (sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion) on their desired dates in 2013, one in January (after a year in RCIA), and I in September. Hopefully, you have a knowledgeable priest and RCIA director, in discussion with you.

Note, I was in the RCIA process for THREE years because I had a marriage impediment to straighten out before I could come fully into the Church. At times in RCIA sessions, I felt like an overgrown 6th grader! But, it was well worth every moment of time I spent attending RCIA. I was so ready to come into the Church Starting in year 2, I underwent a massive internal conversion and intensifying in year 3, that I would not have missed for all the world.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

Note, I was in the RCIA process for THREE years because I had a marriage impediment to straighten out before I could come fully into the Church. At times in RCIA sessions, I felt like an overgrown 6th grader! But, it was well worth every moment of time I spent attending RCIA. I was so ready to come into the Church Starting in year 2, I underwent a massive internal conversion and intensifying in year 3, that I would not have missed for all the world.

Wow! Thanks for sharing.

 

[ChevalierdeJohn]

Gee. I already “know” far more about the Catholic faith than what we learn in RCIA, but not having “lived” Catholic I haven’t practiced it in the same way the deacon and RCIA team members have, and can learn much from their examples and teachings. Furthermore I love going to RCIA because we get to talk about God and Christ and His works and everything. What could be better? Are you so blessed that you have too much Christ in your life and want to skip this?

Even after I am, hopefully, received fully into the Church, I would sign up for RCIA every year if I could.

 

[EternalPromises]

John, as I noted in my OP I love the group and I love the discussions we have. I simply asked for the opinion of other CAF members.

While I haven’t been a practicing Catholic for very long I have been a faithful Christian trying as hard as I can to strengthen my relationship with Christ for a number of years now. My only point was for someone who is a baptized Christian the 12-16 month process can be a bit long.

I immensely enjoy the time of fellowship but I really wish I was able to partake in the Eucharist and the sacrament of Reconciliation. I believe that these two sacraments are very important to my spiritual journey and would greatly help me.

I’m not sure how to take your last question…are you being serious or condescending?

It would be impossible to have too much Christ in my life, he’s blessed me very much and given me an unquenchable fire in my heart to know him more deeply.

It’s very likely I would still go to the RCIA groups even after I was confirmed.

 

[Callmemaybe]

It is great to see this thread! As a Baptized Protestant who would like to convert I’m wondering the same thing for when/ if I start RCIA.