RCIA and Traditional Catholicism

[Cider]

I’m not Catholic yet and I want to start RCIA. I was attending a FSSP parish during my time of discerning if I was ready to convert but we had to move and I can’t attend there anymore. We moved over 4 hours away.

Where I live now there is 1 SSPX Church which I don’t want to attend because they are not in full communion with Rome. We have one other Church that has the TLM but it is not part of the Diocese and I can’t tell who they are affilliated with as they aren’t listed on the SSPX or FSSP websites as a parish.

Since we moved, I’ve been attending my local parish that has NO. But I really miss my FSSP mass. Our diocese also has 1 parish that does a Latin mass but it’s the NO.

I was hoping to find a parish that I could attend RCIA at and have the TLM that is in communion with Rome. Like my old FSSP. Now I don’t know what to do. I don’t want any question as to the authenticity of my conversion or to have to do it over.

I wish I could move back to my old community but that isn’t possible due to my husbands job.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I’m not Catholic yet and I want to start RCIA. I was attending a FSSP parish during my time of discerning if I was ready to convert but we had to move and I can’t attend there anymore. We moved over 4 hours away.

Where I live now there is 1 SSPX Church which I don’t want to attend because they are not in full communion with Rome. We have one other Church that has the TLM but it is not part of the Diocese and I can’t tell who they are affilliated with as they aren’t listed on the SSPX or FSSP websites as a parish.

Since we moved, I’ve been attending my local parish that has NO. But I really miss my FSSP mass. Our diocese also has 1 parish that does a Latin mass but it’s the NO.

I was hoping to find a parish that I could attend RCIA at and have the TLM that is in communion with Rome. Like my old FSSP. Now I don’t know what to do. I don’t want any question as to the authenticity of my conversion or to have to do it over.

I wish I could move back to my old community but that isn’t possible due to my husbands job.

What makes you think you would have to do it over or that the authenticity of your conversion would be questioned? You are being received into the Catholic Church, not a particular form of the Mass. There is not two Catholic Churches, one which uses the Extraordinary Form and one which uses the Ordinary Form. There is ONE Catholic church and two forms of the Mass in the Latin Rite.

If someone in your previous community has told you otherwise, they are dead wrong and need to be corrected. Go to the RCIA that is available to you and be received into the Catholic Church. You can attend either form of the Mass and be fully, authentically 100% Catholic. It’s the same Church. God bless you in your Catholic journey!

 

[ibkc]

Since we moved, I’ve been attending my local parish that has NO. But I really miss my FSSP mass. Our diocese also has 1 parish that does a Latin mass but it’s the NO.

I was hoping to find a parish that I could attend RCIA at and have the TLM that is in communion with Rome. Like my old FSSP. Now I don’t know what to do. I don’t want any question as to the authenticity of my conversion or to have to do it over.

Your conversion will be valid, even if you do RCIA in a parish that takes a heterodox approach. So please do not worry about that.

Is the parish that offers the OF in Latin reasonably close to you? If so, I would make that your home parish and go through their RCIA. If they are offering a Latin mass in the OF, they are likely to offer a thorough, orthodox RCIA.

 

[Lhhs]

You can do private prep in lieu of RCIA, which I would recommend. Maybe the SSPX would be willing to guide you:shrug:

 

[muffinmojo]

I did RCIA too, at a traditional OF parish. While it’s certianly not the best, RCIA is endurable. A traditional OF can be quite nice too-though I understand why you prefer the TLM =)

 

[Joe_5859]

Your conversion does not rise or fall on the quality of the RCIA program nor even the degree of orthodoxy of the priest. The sacraments work ex opere operato (“out of the work having been worked”). This means they work objectively, regardless of the holiness of the priest.

So do whatever you have to do to be initiated into the Catholic Church at a parish that is recognized by your local diocese (i.e., not an SSPX parish). So long as you do this, the sacraments you receive will be valid and there will never be a need to do them over again.

 

[Lhhs]

While it’s certianly not the best, RCIA is endurable

Or it could be worse. Really. Sometimes it’s literally a bad place to be

 

[Cider]

Sorry if my post was confusing, I think I was caught up in the frustration of knowing I was living close to the ideal parish for me, and now I’m not.

My problem is, I really want is to join a parish that I can make my home and do RCIA there that has the TLM. But there isn’t one in my diocese or within driving distance in another diocese.

I’ve never been to SSPX. They are probably the closest thing locally to the FSSP I was going to, but their status with Rome is confusing for me. I thought they were in schism. I know the pastor at my local parish advised me not to go to their masses. So how could I go through RCIA there and have it be licit with Rome? I know that “we recognise 1 baptism” but what about confirmation?

So I should probably just find a parish in my diocese and get through the process and worry about finding a home parish later?

 

[jmcrae]

You can do private prep in lieu of RCIA, which I would recommend. Maybe the SSPX would be willing to guide you:shrug:

The SSPX is in schism - they are not able to put someone into union with a Church that they themselves are not in union with.

The Sacraments are the Sacraments, though - if the parish is in union with the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, then their Sacraments are valid - the form of the Mass has nothing to do with it.

Private instruction is an option if the priest has the time and the inclination to do it, and if the person has already been baptized. RCIA is required for those who have not been baptized.

 

[LilyM]

I’m not Catholic yet and I want to start RCIA. I was attending a FSSP parish during my time of discerning if I was ready to convert but we had to move and I can’t attend there anymore. We moved over 4 hours away.

Where I live now there is 1 SSPX Church which I don’t want to attend because they are not in full communion with Rome. We have one other Church that has the TLM but it is not part of the Diocese and I can’t tell who they are affilliated with as they aren’t listed on the SSPX or FSSP websites as a parish.

Since we moved, I’ve been attending my local parish that has NO. But I really miss my FSSP mass. Our diocese also has 1 parish that does a Latin mass but it’s the NO.

I was hoping to find a parish that I could attend RCIA at and have the TLM that is in communion with Rome. Like my old FSSP. Now I don’t know what to do. I don’t want any question as to the authenticity of my conversion or to have to do it over.

I wish I could move back to my old community but that isn’t possible due to my husbands job.

This ‘other’ traditionalist parish could be run by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP for short) - who are a traditionalist order akin to the FSSP, in full Communion with Rome. Or just possibly it might be run by one of the bigger orders. In any event, if they’re in full communion with Rome your problems would be solved.

Why not just call them up and ask them who runs the joint?

 

[Joe_5859]

Sorry if my post was confusing, I think I was caught up in the frustration of knowing I was living close to the ideal parish for me, and now I’m not.

My problem is, I really want is to join a parish that I can make my home and do RCIA there that has the TLM. But there isn’t one in my diocese or within driving distance in another diocese.

I’ve never been to SSPX. They are probably the closest thing locally to the FSSP I was going to, but their status with Rome is confusing for me. I thought they were in schism. I know the pastor at my local parish advised me not to go to their masses. So how could I go through RCIA there and have it be licit with Rome? I know that “we recognise 1 baptism” but what about confirmation?

So I should probably just find a parish in my diocese and get through the process and worry about finding a home parish later?

People go back and forth on these threads over whether or not the SSPX is technically in schism. The bottom line is that the Holy See has discouraged people from associating with the group at the present time. And their sacraments are, at best, of dubious liceity and questionable validity. It would be best to avoid them and go with a parish that is recognized by your local diocese.

You are not obligated to remain at the parish that receives you into the Church. It would certainly be no problem for you to go through RCIA at one parish and then switch if you find one you like better later on. Although there is a liturgical component, RCIA mostly involves instruction for the sake of conversion. Provided the priest and parish are in line with the teachings of the Church, I can’t imagine there being that great a difference between RCIA at a EF parish as opposed to an OF parish. The most important thing is for you to become Catholic!