RCIA begins...

[colliric]

I have to admit that even having learned so much about my new faith from this site and it’s users, and the church members that have helped me at the parishes I have enquired at, that I am a little scared of finally starting the RCIA program this week after mass. It is seriously daunting, yet totally beautiful for me.

This is my first step into the waters… and as with all initial steps, it is scary yet wonderful!

I am doing the Program at St Augustine’s Catholic Church in melbourne. The website for the parish is www.ccr.org.au which is of cause the Catholic Charismatic Renewal center of Melbourne. I feel that God is guiding me to the church through this CCR movement, as I first heard about the programs here when I first enquired about the Church late last year. so I decided to do it there. A Catholic is a Catholic, CCR or not…

I have also made contact with my local Latin Rite parish and it’s Priest(I have sat in on mass there several times and told the priest about my situation. There is no RCIA program at my local church so I enquired about several parishes where there were RCIA. I will be welcome to participate in my local parish after finishing my RCIA program.) and hope to foster a relationship with my local church once the program has finished next year.

 

[Goblin_Taters]

Is the Catholic charismatic movement that big in Australia right now? I remember several years ago sending a prayer request to a group down there, and I see charismatic associated with Australian Catholics more often than any other nationaliality, including American Catholics.

 

[colliric]

Is the Catholic charismatic movement that big in Australia right now? I remember several years ago sending a prayer request to a group down there, and I see charismatic associated with Australian Catholics more often than any other nationaliality, including American Catholics.

Meh…
I guess it’s the church’s unconcious response to the “Hillsong/Planetshakers pentacostals”(Hillsong is the biggest Megachurch, or as some say ‘McChurch’, in the world last I checked… Planetshakers is pretty big too) that have begun to dominate the protestant landscape over hear these days. In order to keep the young Catholic laity in our faith it seems some areas have allowed the CCR to do it’s thing within the bounds of the Latin rite a bit more over here than in other country’s. I have noted that the CCR uses much of the Hillsong/Planetshakers music that is compatible with Catholic doctrine…

 

[colliric]

I just sat the second week(it’s actually the 4th week as I missed the first two but got the notes for them), this was beautiful. We spent time learning about why the Romans slowly realised Christianity was here to stay and not only that but it is the religion of God. and by Christianity I don’t mean of the Protestant kind!

This was really beautiful. We focused on 3 stories, the passion of St Perpetua, St Felicity and then moved on to the story of St Peter’s sacrifice. I knew nothing substantial about this I realised, this was an awe inspiring session.

As usual I walked out amazed at the glory of god… and the fact that in 1948 by “sheer Luck” it was discovered that Christ’s words in Matthew 16:18 had duel meaning of both Spiritual and exceptionally literal. We went over the entire history of St Peter’s(I never knew about his vision of Christ walking and talking in the opposite direction… is this true? if so I am awed) martydom and then moved into the related topic of exactly where his body was buried and the history of that specific location… This was a stunning session for me.

 

[Vittorio23]

Congratulations! RCIA was a wonderful part of my life-- the two hours a week I most looked forward to. I would even skip major homework assignments in order to go. It’s a wonderful experience, be sure to soak all of it in!!! It will be over in a blink of an eye!

God bless!

 

[JohnnyReb]

RCIA begins august 30 for me. I have a question though…after Mass yesterday I read through the bulletin and it said that RCIA was preparation for the unbaptized. I thought both baptized and unbaptized went through RCIA (I am baptized, but outside of the church) So is it possible that when the bulletin was referring to the unbaptized,it included those baptized outside the RCC?

 

[Jeanette_L]

RCIA begins august 30 for me. I have a question though…after Mass yesterday I read through the bulletin and it said that RCIA was preparation for the unbaptized. I thought both baptized and unbaptized went through RCIA (I am baptized, but outside of the church) So is it possible that when the bulletin was referring to the unbaptized,it included those baptized outside the RCC?

I was a baptized Christian and went through the RCIA program in '06. Evidently, the RCIA is really designed for the unbaptized, but is utilized for both in many, if not most, diocese. It makes the task easier for the parishes to have just one program for those seeking to enter the Church. I think that an baptized Christian will find the program rich and informative. I hope your experience is a wonderful one!

Not knowing your diocese or parish, just a warning. I have heard some horror stories, you can find many on this forum, of RCIA instructors who have been less than orthodox in their Catholic views and in the content of their RCIA programs. If this should happen to be your circumstance, don’t give up hope. Press forward, study the Catechism on your own! Just get across the finish line!

God Bless!

 

[JohnnyReb]

I was a baptized Christian and went through the RCIA program in '06. Evidently, the RCIA is really designed for the unbaptized, but is utilized for both in many, if not most, diocese. It makes the task easier for the parishes to have just one program for those seeking to enter the Church. I think that an baptized Christian will find the program rich and informative. I hope your experience is a wonderful one!

Not knowing your diocese or parish, just a warning. I have heard some horror stories, you can find many on this forum, of RCIA instructors who have been less than orthodox in their Catholic views and in the content of their RCIA programs. If this should happen to be your circumstance, don’t give up hope. Press forward, study the Catechism on your own! Just get across the finish line!

God Bless!

Thanks for the warning. From reading these forums, I know that my parish is a more contemporary expression of Catholicism. It is post Vatican two in every way (we were established in 1979, the first parish establish in the Richmond area after V2). None the less, I haven’t heard anything real liberal sounding, yet. I have read through some of the catechism, and will continue to do so.

 

[Debra_C]

RCIA begins august 30 for me. I have a question though…after Mass yesterday I read through the bulletin and it said that RCIA was preparation for the unbaptized. I thought both baptized and unbaptized went through RCIA (I am baptized, but outside of the church) So is it possible that when the bulletin was referring to the unbaptized,it included those baptized outside the RCC?

A catechumen is unbaptized. A Christian baptized in another faith is a candidate for full Communion. RCIA is Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and is largely aimed at the unbaptized catechumenate. However, most parishes combine programs for the catechumens and the candidates into one. This can often cause some confusion in bulletin advertisements and the like. So, the person to answer your question in regard to your own parish is the person in charge of the RCIA program.

Best wishes for a wonderful journey. God Bless!

 

[colliric]

A catechumen is unbaptized. A Christian baptized in another faith is a candidate for full Communion. RCIA is Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and is largely aimed at the unbaptized catechumenate. However, most parishes combine programs for the catechumens and the candidates into one. This can often cause some confusion in bulletin advertisements and the like. So, the person to answer your question in regard to your own parish is the person in charge of the RCIA program.

Best wishes for a wonderful journey. God Bless!

Thank you very much, I asked today about that.

Today’s topic was a big one(they all are but this one specially)… Mary the mother of God.

On a sidenote I have the Douay Rheims, this beautiful bible really makes that particular topic easier to understand with it’s translative work of the Vulgate… what with most English biblical prayers taken from it, inc the Ave Maria and it’s unique yet just as valid rendition of Genesis 3:15. With my bible there was no need to explain the whole Mary crushing evil thing in the Marian statues.