RCIA Appropriate?

[lola55]

Hi!
I was raised Catholic. The church in my neighborhood had no school so they suggested that I attend a local Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) school because it was doctrinally closest to the church. To attend, however, I had to be baptized there and attend service and Sunday school. For all their cultural idiosyncrasies (well, to me, as I am neither German, nor Swedish as most of the congregation was), they gave me a solid education and really focused on teaching us about Catholicism and Judaism as well. I attended mass as well during that time.

Now I want to be confirmed in the Catholic church. A monsignor told me that he’d just confirm me since my education was so close to the church and I knew the differences between the two. I guess I should have jumped at his offer because where I live now, I’m told that I need to attend RCIA for a year. I have no doubt I would benefit from RCIA in some respects (my memory is not perfect of course), but I guess it’s a shock since I’ve been told more than once in other dioceses that I would just be passed through. Since I travel a lot, should I just find a church that will confirm me with less fuss? It’s hard to express what I feel about this situation, but basically I’m a life-long Christian and don’t have the energy of a convert. Since I’m new to these boards, I’m not sure what kind of sense of humor is here so I’ll just leave it at that.

Thanks.

 

[Symeon]

Since you are already baptized, you really don’t need to go to RCIA. If the local parish insists on RCIA, perhaps you can talk to other priests in your area about your situation.

 

[Mel_Stones]

I think it would be a good thing for you to go through RCIA. Lutheranism might be close but it is definitely NOT Catholic and is often anti-Catholic. Were you baptized Catholic or just Lutheran? Lutheran baptism would likely be accepted but Lutheran catechism IMO should not be accepted.

Lutheranism is closest because they were the first break from Catholicism. Basically Luther wanted to do things his way instead of staying true to the Church. Sacraments and beliefs are close but not the same (close like an apple is to an orange - both are fruit but they are not the same thing). A lot of current Lutheran views are VERY different and indeed opposite of Catholic teaching (i.e. views on abortion and women ministers).

If you truly want to come home to the Church set up by Christ himself with an unbroken lineage back to Him and 2000 years of teaching and tradition, then just take the opportunity to learn more about your Faith and to purge yourself of any incorrect teaching.

Christ’s peace be with you.

 

[NPC]

While you may benefit from some of the material covered during RCIA, there is no requirement for you to go through a full RCIA course. RCIA is directed at Catechumens - those who are completely new to the Church i.e. unbaptised.

Had you received any of the other sacraments apart from baptism? You mention that you still attended Mass while at the Lutheran school, so did you make a first confession and receive Holy Communion? I think the extent to which you have been involved in the life of the Church will determine what sort of “training” you need before Confirmation - I know there are some people here on CAF who are involved in RCIA programmes so they may know the intricacies, but to me, one year seems a bit excessive given that you are far from ignorant of the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church…

There was a similar thread a couple of months ago but I can’t find it at the moment. But what I do remember is that there is supposed to be a distinction between those who are Catechumens and those who have been baptised already - including the RCIA process.

 

[jmcrae]

Hi!
I was raised Catholic. The church in my neighborhood had no school so they suggested that I attend a local Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) school because it was doctrinally closest to the church. To attend, however, I had to be baptized there and attend service and Sunday school. For all their cultural idiosyncrasies (well, to me, as I am neither German, nor Swedish as most of the congregation was), they gave me a solid education and really focused on teaching us about Catholicism and Judaism as well. I attended mass as well during that time.

Now I want to be confirmed in the Catholic church. A monsignor told me that he’d just confirm me since my education was so close to the church and I knew the differences between the two. I guess I should have jumped at his offer because where I live now, I’m told that I need to attend RCIA for a year. I have no doubt I would benefit from RCIA in some respects (my memory is not perfect of course), but I guess it’s a shock since I’ve been told more than once in other dioceses that I would just be passed through. Since I travel a lot, should I just find a church that will confirm me with less fuss? It’s hard to express what I feel about this situation, but basically I’m a life-long Christian and don’t have the energy of a convert. Since I’m new to these boards, I’m not sure what kind of sense of humor is here so I’ll just leave it at that.

Thanks.

Ask about private instruction. I used to be an RCIA Coordinator for the Period of Inquiry (people just asking about the Church and how to join), and I was fortunate to be working with a good priest who was willing to take people for private instruction, in cases where the RCIA was not really a good fit. In a lot of cases, he would send them back to me for regular RCIA instruction, because they didn’t know as much as they thought they knew, but there were a few who really did know as much as they thought they did.

I am thinking that in a case like yours, private instruction would be a better fit. It wouldn’t take as long, it would be tailored to your needs, just to fill in your knowledge gaps, and you could receive your Confirmation at the next time that the Bishop comes to your parish Church, instead of waiting for a whole year.

 

[NPC]

Just to add slightly to my last post - the thread to which I referred may be found HERE. Although the O.P. wasn’t in the same situation as you, both of you have valid baptism. There’s a link on one of my posts to a document from the Liturgy Office in the U.K. which deals with RCIA and guidelines for those who have already been baptised.

 

[lola55]

Thank you everyone for your help. Before contacting my local church, I had expected that I would attend adult confirmation classes. I know not all churches can have both adult confirmation classes and RCIA, but that’s what I was thinking would make sense for my situation. I’m not a convert after all.

There are three main synods of the Lutheran Church in the US. I was fortunate to go to the LCMS when not only was it more old-school and Roman Catholic-friendly, but the senior pastor was VERY old-fashioned. So the differences between the two were less than what one may have expected. One of our pastors was from a Catholic family and LOVED the Catholic church and basically would have been a priest if he could have married, too. We were always reminded the that Lutheran church was part of the greater Catholic church (said in the creed). So no anti-Roman Catholic sentiments there. My mother would never have stood for that.

I’ll get more information, but I think if I can find adult confirmation classes somewhere else, I’ll try for that. I doubt my local church will accommodate me with individualized classes, but I can always inquire.

Thank you!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hi!
I was raised Catholic. The church in my neighborhood had no school so they suggested that I attend a local Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) school because it was doctrinally closest to the church. To attend, however, I had to be baptized there and attend service and Sunday school. For all their cultural idiosyncrasies (well, to me, as I am neither German, nor Swedish as most of the congregation was), they gave me a solid education and really focused on teaching us about Catholicism and Judaism as well. I attended mass as well during that time.

Now I want to be confirmed in the Catholic church. A monsignor told me that he’d just confirm me since my education was so close to the church and I knew the differences between the two. I guess I should have jumped at his offer because where I live now, I’m told that I need to attend RCIA for a year. I have no doubt I would benefit from RCIA in some respects (my memory is not perfect of course), but I guess it’s a shock since I’ve been told more than once in other dioceses that I would just be passed through. Since I travel a lot, should I just find a church that will confirm me with less fuss? It’s hard to express what I feel about this situation, but basically I’m a life-long Christian and don’t have the energy of a convert. Since I’m new to these boards, I’m not sure what kind of sense of humor is here so I’ll just leave it at that.

Thanks.

You say that you were raised Catholic but don’t say if you were Baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church or received your First HOly Communion in a Catholic Church as part of “being raised Catholic”.