Questions from an atheist--Am I allowed to attend RCIA?

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Hi, this is my first post so if it’s in the wrong category please forgive me. I’m curious to know if it would be inappropriate to attend a RCIA course to learn more about Catholicism but not convert? I would be completely up front about this, there are far, far too many issues I disagree with RCC teachings on to become a Catholic but I’m curious to learn more than I picked up in school.

Feel free to ask me anything and I’ll try to answer as best I can.
 
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I don’t think it would be, no. When I was assisting RCIA, on occasion there’d be someone there with no intention to convert and was just there to learn, though they were also typically due to marry a Catholic.
 
RCIA is a very high level over view meant for people coming from a wide array of backgrounds. It’s not a rigorous course or anything. Some have good programs, some not. If you’re interested, I’d reach out to the parish office and ask for the contact information for the director of (adult) education, or just say you’re interested in RCIA and would like to speak to its director. Then, ask him or her if they’d be okay with you sitting in. I’d be open that you don’t intend to convert but would like to learn more about Catholicism. If he or she says no, I’d just accept it. Maybe try a different parish.

Some parishes have plenty of resources to do things like this. Others are short staffed. Most RCIA programs run from September to Easter.
 
It sounds like you were Catholic before? Maybe going would help you come back to the church?
 
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Unless you are interested in ritual and traditional devotional teaching and practice, I can not see how RCIA would be of benefit.
Curious as to what you would want to learn. RCIA is not intended as a philosophical and deeply theologically directed course. It is for those who are convinced of Theism and wish to choose the Roman Catholic Church in which to give expression to such belief. I don’t think what you are looking for (although I do give to you the possibility that you are interested in simple answers). From the historical writings of noted atheists, I don’t see how RCIA is going to be of all that much interest to you.

Edited to say. I spent six years as a member of RCIA teaching teams and leading the program in a couple of parishes. There is much to cover in the (generally) once a week sessions, and the people trying to lead the sessions are not interested in getting side tracked into tangents that have nothing really to do with the subject of the evening’s class. I see that as a problem both for you and for the RCIA sessions you might attend.
 
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Hi Margaret42, I was born into a practicing Catholic family that became mostly non-practising about the time I was 6. I also attended Catholic school from 5-16 however I did not get confirmed.
 
Hi joeybaggz, I wouldn’t go on tangents I would like to think I’d be more respectful than that. I’m more curious about why Catholics believe what they do, mostly as a way to get more understanding of my grandmother’s beliefs. If a RCIA course is the wrong place for that I’d appreciate being pointed to resources that would help me out.
 
I assumed you were baptized in the Catholic Church, then. From the Church’s perspective, you’re a lapsed Catholic. Not that you would do it (or should, if you’re atheist) but just for some perspective, you could go and do your first confession if you wanted to get back involved with the Church.
 
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Inquisitor85 said:
Hi joeybaggz, I wouldn’t go on tangents I would like to think I’d be more respectful than that. I’m more curious about why Catholics believe what they do, mostly as a way to get more understanding of my grandmother’s beliefs. If a RCIA course is the wrong place for that I’d appreciate being pointed to resources that would help me out.
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Good, if you are respectful and simply inquiring of your family’s traditional belief, RCIA might be a good place to start. But I would reinterate my point that long winded deeply philosophical and adversarial "tangents’ is not going to sit well with those sponsoring and leading the discussions. Good luck.
 
Yeah, I have done both my first communion and confession with school when I was 7 and 9 respectively.
 
To be honest atheists that are adversarial to those who do believe in a religion always seem extremely immature to me. I’ve done the whole anti-theist thing when I was a teen and it just annoys literally everyone.
 
One other thought. If it is simply what Catholic believe and why we do and say what we do, there are a lot of very good posters here (faithful and well informed Catholics, laity and clergy alike) that offer very solid and in many cases, simple and direct answers to questions. Suggest you throw up your questions on the Catholic Living thread and seek some answers here.
 
Inquisitor85 said:
I’m more curious about why Catholics believe what they do, mostly as a way to get more understanding of my grandmother’s beliefs.
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If this is your main and perhaps only goal, have you asked your grandmother why she believes what she believes? If not, perhaps spending an hour and a half once a week is better spent taking her to dinner than in RCIA.
 
I’d truly love to do that, unfortunately the ravages of Alzheimer’s aren’t conducive to in depth conversations.
 
Yes, this is appropriate. I know a few people who were enrolled in RCIA for several years and then decided to convert.

However, I would only tell you to attend RCIA if you were sincerely looking for answers or to gain a clearer understanding of the Church. If you’re going just to debate and cause chaos at the meetings, then no, please do not attend and disrupt it. RCIA is only for those truly seeking to understand the faith better or to convert.

Like someone mentioned up thread, call ahead and meet with the RCIA director and discuss your concerns and expectations. They can help guide you through the process and see if RCIA is right for you.
 
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If you have specific questions, have you tried the articles at Catholic Answers? They have a tremendous number of articles on various topics. Just go to Catholic.com and search for the information you want to explore.

I wish you well on your quest.

Blessings
 
guanophore said:
Catholicism for dummies - don’t take that personal, it is an excellent book even for a cradle Catholic.
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An excellent suggestion! I love both Fr. John Trigilio and Fr. Ken Brighenti (the book’s authors). They co-host the “Web of Faith” program on EWTN, where people write in to ask questions about Church teaching. I watch them every Saturday night. They give pretty solid advice and answer a wide range of questions (but, you probably already knew that).
 
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Hi firstly thanks for the recommendation, it’s on my next Amazon order.

As for what I disagree with, gender equality, LGBT+ rights, abortion, right to die, priestly celibacy, use of contraception. That’s without getting into the whole argument about whether a god exists or not.
 
I would begin with a catechism, compendium of the catechism, or an easily read and understood book such as Catholicism for Dummies. In them, the teachings are both described as well as explained. Once you are exposed to the reasoning behind them, many if not all of your objections may very well fade.
 
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