R.C.I.A. Material?

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I;m not sure if this is the right forum, but does anyone have experience with a good RCIA program other than “Journey of Faith”? I’ve used “Journey of Faith” a number of years but I’m getting a little burned out with it. And besides, there are a few mistakes in the handouts.
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!!
 
typewriterman said:
I;m not sure if this is the right forum, but does anyone have experience with a good RCIA program other than “Journey of Faith”? I’ve used “Journey of Faith” a number of years but I’m getting a little burned out with it. And besides, there are a few mistakes in the handouts.
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!!
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For basic course information, we use “Essentials of the Faith”, but then we rely on different presenters to expound on the material.
 
Whatever you select, please, PLEASE make sure that you zealously instruct your candidates about the dangers of mortal sin and hell (especially if you can’t find a lesson plan that that properly discusses these topics).

This was something that was sorely lacking in my RCIA class. Towards the end of the program, I decided to bring up the evils of contraception during a class and I’m not sure that the instructor even knew what natural family planning was (much less having any materials that she could distribute to the candidates). This is very scary, if people aren’t being taught about the dangers of mortal sin and the importance of repentence and reconciliation then we could have RCIA graduates who are comitting eucharistic sacrilege in their first weeks after baptism. The even scarier thought is that the souls of these people could fall into hell due to our lack of courage and poor guidance at a time when they needed it most…
 
MidnightSun12 said:
Whatever you select, please, PLEASE make sure that you zealously instruct your candidates about the dangers of mortal sin and hell (especially if you can’t find a lesson plan that that properly discusses these topics).

This was something that was sorely lacking in my RCIA class. Towards the end of the program, I decided to bring up the evils of contraception during a class and I’m not sure that the instructor even knew what natural family planning was (much less having any materials that she could distribute to the candidates). This is very scary, if people aren’t being taught about the dangers of mortal sin and the importance of repentence and reconciliation then we could have RCIA graduates who are comitting eucharistic sacrilege in their first weeks after baptism. The even scarier thought is that the souls of these people could fall into hell due to our lack of courage and poor guidance at a time when they needed it most…
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This is one of the areas “Journey of Faith” skips through too. Teaching about mortal sin and its sure consequences has seemed to have fallen out of favor with many programs.
 
We have a specific session on Sin and Reconciliation, which includes a Mock confession.

It is always a big hit.
 
typewriterman said:
This is one of the areas “Journey of Faith” skips through too. Teaching about mortal sin and its sure consequences has seemed to have fallen out of favor with many programs.
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That’s very sad…isn’t the Church’s main job the salvation of souls? Not just teaching us ‘Jesus was a nice guy, so be nice to people?’

In my RCIA class we used a little blue book called ‘Believing in Jesus.’ I thought it was a little simplistic. It’s been 14 years, and I got rid of it at some point; I can’t remember if it said anything about degrees of sin.
 
typewriterman said:
I;m not sure if this is the right forum, but does anyone have experience with a good RCIA program other than “Journey of Faith”? I’ve used “Journey of Faith” a number of years but I’m getting a little burned out with it. And besides, there are a few mistakes in the handouts.
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!!
Click to expand...
Greetings in Christ!

My wife came into the Church two years ago and the RCIA program used material from The Association for Catechumenal Ministry. I didn’t read a lot of the material, but what I did read was excellent. We think we have it stored away in a closet. Let me know if you want to know how it addresses any particular aspect of our faith, and I’ll try to find it for you.

In Christ,
Pete

“If everything that the Roman Catholic Church taught were true…”
 
We use the handouts from ACM and the reviews from our classes are always very positive. They read “All or Most” of the handouts. We give a saint each week as well. It’s a one time charge, then the only cost going forward is xerox costs. I’ve also e-mailed them to people who missed a class… very convenient.
 
I’m hoping that my pastor will be willing to use ACM this year. He knows the program we have needs to be improve.

I need to contact ACM and see if they will send me some sample handouts. I think it will be helpful for the pastor to see examples.
 
May I suggest that your parish RCIA team get to a workshop offered by the North American Forum on the Catechumenate? They send teams around the country teaching parishes how to do the rites well. They may also be able to recommend good texts. www.naforum.org
 
Back around 1999-2001 my wife & I taught Bible-based RCIA with our own syllabus and handouts sourced online. This was over 10 years ago, and participants still speak well of it. I now teach 6th grade catechism without a book, and it works well, too.

If you can’t find a packaged program that suits you, it’s possible to DIY.
 
The information giving in these RCIA programmes seems more thorough than the one offered in my church, which for 2011-12 was:

First Semester Timetable: September to December 2011
Code: 
29th September - Introduction to ABC [About Becoming Catholic]
6th October -       God, the Father
13th October -     God, the Son
20th October -     God, Holy Spirit
27th October -     Mary
3rd November -   The Bible
10th November - The Communion of Saints
17th November - Reading Week/ Discussion Forum
24th November - Prayer
1st December -   The Season of Advent
Second Semester Timetable: January – April 2012

The Paschal Mystery

· 19th January – Celebrating the Paschal Mystery through Liturgy and Sacraments

· 26th January – The Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism

· 2nd February – The Sacraments of Initiation: Confirmation

· 9th February – The Eucharist Part I

· 16th February – The Liturgical Season of Lent

· Wednesday 22nd February – Ash Wednesday

· 23rd February – The Eucharist Part II

· 1st March – The Sacraments of Healing: Anointing of the Sick

· 8th March – The Sacraments of Healing: Confession

· Sunday 11th March 9:45am – First Scrutiny (Presentation of the Creed)

· 15th March – The Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Matrimony

· Sunday 18th March 9:45am – Second Scrutiny

· 22nd March – The Sacraments at the Service of Communion: Holy Orders

· Sunday 25th March 9:45am – Third Scrutiny (Presentation of Our Father)

· 29th March – Preparation for those who are to be Initiated into the Faith

· Sunday 1st April 9:45am – Palm Sunday & Beginning of Holy Week Liturgies

· Thursday 5th April – Maundy Thursday

· Friday 6th April – Good Friday

· The Easter Vigil: Holy Saturday 7th April

I assume that the topics covered will be the same for this year too, when I start next month.
 
KCT said:
Thanks. I got a few off the ACM website; the pastor loved them! He said to go ahead and order. 👍
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You’re welcome. Your parish can reproduce the handouts for any group or purpose in the parish!
I suggest you also purchase the RCIA Leader’s Guide and the RCIA Catechist’s Guide from ACM.
 
quiet52 said:
You’re welcome. Your parish can reproduce the handouts for any group or purpose in the parish!
I suggest you also purchase the RCIA Leader’s Guide and the RCIA Catechist’s Guide from ACM.
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I did. 👍

And we do plan to use the material for MUCH more than just RCIA. I may use the Reconciliation lesson at my parent meeting for sacrament prep! I think the reproducibles will be invaluable for the upcoming Year of Faith as well.
 
Thanks for the links from another awaiting RCIA !
Would you mind sharing those links on RCIA 2012 2013 forum?
 
quiet52 said:
You’re welcome. Your parish can reproduce the handouts for any group or purpose in the parish!
I suggest you also purchase the RCIA Leader’s Guide and the RCIA Catechist’s Guide from ACM.
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Please, before you plan to make all these copies, be sure you have explicit permission to do so. Copyright infringement is illegal and carries a hefty fine if caught. One offense will be a 5 figure amount.

It’s also a matter of social justice. Those who produce these materials need the profit to allow them to produce more materials. Think of the irony - teaching people about being Catholic using stolen materials…

If reproduction permission is given in the materials, read the info carefully to see what and how much you actually can copy. Church music licenses, for example, rarely if ever allow copies for the choir, just for the congregation.
 
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