Non-Christians in RCIA

[sablouwho]

Oh hey, does it seem weird to “shop around” for a parish?

No, not at all. I’ve been doing the same thing.

I will pray that you find a parish and an RCIA program that resonate for you.

 

[lufty]

I am now back with my original RCIA experience with the Archdiocese! Yay! I feel really good about revisiting it. It is a one-on-one experience for me right now, attending Mass, bible study based on the weekly scripture and gospel preparing for Sunday Mass, and ongoing meetings regarding my inquiry. I have asked to meet with a priest from time to time, and have been allowed to do so, but recommended to introduce myself to the Priest that I feel a connection to after Mass.
I plan on attending evening Mass at the parish that I felt a little alienated at their RCIA group, and will discuss my thoughts with their RCIA director, as I think they deserve to hear my feelings. I also want to forgive them, and feel attending Mass there is important, as I can attend daily (work schedule thing, and they have daily St. Jude Mass in the evenings).

Thanks to anyone who was praying for me. God brought me right back to where I started this journey. Funny huh?

 

[RebeccaJ]

I live in a major US city. I have contacted many local parishes and the Archdiocese. Only in desperation have I been contacted by a Sister in my exploration, and her recommendation in contacting a parish has failed to meet with me as well.
Why is it that the CC depends on laypeople to contact non-baptized non-Christians? Why can I not have any contact with an actual priest or sister? These laypeople seem to fail to be interested in accepting me into an RCIA program, or have their own objectives? Why is this?

What gives?

I live in San Francisco. If anyone knows an actual Priest, Sister, or NON Layperson that can contact me, please help. I have serious doubts that there is a program to accept non-Christians into the CC that involves actual priests/sisters that can answer real questions, and get those interested in the CC and Christianity baptized.

Feel free to PM me.

Lufty, I know this struggle. I tried for several months to find out how to learn about Catholicism in a Catholic church. I figured out this weird thing called RCIA on my own and set out to find one. I read many of them start up in Sept. and so during the summer, as I was going to Mass every Sunday, I looked in the bulletin. Eventually a notice showed up about RCIA starting, only, the phone number that was in the bulletin was wrong.

Wait for the next Sunday, nope, still the same wrong number. So I called the parish office, got an answering machine, and left a message explaining I wanted to contact the person in the bulletin about RCIA but the phone number was wrong. Could someone please call me back? No call back. The bulletin had the starting place/time of RCIA, so, I just showed up.

In the meantime, I was looking online for other parishes in my area, and a deacon who was over a RCIA had posted a bunch of information about their RCIA, including the date/time. He also has a blog, with tons of information. So, I just showed up to that RCIA too. Both were in the same week, on different nights. I chose to go to RCIA where the deacon was at, because he explained everything so well for this non-Catholic, non-Christian, and everyone else I’d say.

I’m thinking you’ve hit something similar. I don’t believe people were trying to avoid me, just for whatever reason I had to get this going on my own. You can just show up to RCIA. It is very “normal” to do so. This time of year, where we are headed into Lent, if/when you just show up, introduce yourself and say you are interested in sitting in. You can do this at several parishes, and then you will also meet face to face the people who actually run/teach the RCIA class and can choose one from there.

PS: I never once spoke to a priest before my baptism. I did work closely with a deacon.

 

[lizds]

I live in a small towm, and at the time there was not an RCIA program avalible. I’ve talked to three different priest at three different parishes. One parish didn’t have RCIA and wasn’t planning on starting one, another was wanting to start one but were quite busy because they lacked a pastorial council. The priest at the last parish didn’t have one, but he was willing to work with me one on one till either the Easter vigil or until we were able to find an RCIA program.

I worked with him for about 2 months until, the other parish finally started up their RCIA. It was only me and two others. One of them was a young man, he’s was about 17, who came from an atheist family. He wasn’t baptized.

The program is open for every background… non-baptized, non-christian, whatever… You name it. Perhaps if you can’t find an RCIA program, maybe you might be able to find a priest who would be willing to work with you one on one. They do tend to start around September-October so that might be one reason why your having troubles finding one.

 

[fdesales]

This has not been my experience. In the 3 months of inquiry, I have yet to been introduced to an RCIA group that is run by an actual Priest.

What should I do?

There is no necessity for being in an RCIA program run by a priest. No rule states that this is prefered, normal, or whatever. It depends on how busy or interested the priest is or whether there is ample help from within the parish. If you are learning the faith, experiencing liturgy, partaking in fellowship, you are in a good program, whether run by a priest or not.

If you are happy with the program, there is no need to seek out one run by a priest.

Regards

Fdesales