RCIA for Christians already baptized?

[lilomorgan]

I’ve already been baptized (non-Catholic), but am positive that I would like to convert to Catholicism. Will the RCIA process be as long for me as it would for a non-baptized person?

 

[puzzleannie]

it will be as long as you need to prepare, as long as you need to understand the profession of faith you will be making, as long as you need to get answers to your questions about the faith, and to work through aspects of Catholic faith and life that may pose problems for you. it takes as long as it takes. You will however receive the sacraments at the time and place the bishop and the pastor deem best, in their pastoral judgement. Try not to compare your situation and progress to that of any other person that may be preparing for sacraments in the same time and place as yourself, since our own situation is unique.

 

[Phemie]

I’ve already been baptized (non-Catholic), but am positive that I would like to convert to Catholicism. Will the RCIA process be as long for me as it would for a non-baptized person?

It all depends on the parish and also on how well catechized you already are. Ideally, a parish should have a different process for the baptized from what they have for the catechumens. That may not be realistic in a smaller parish with only a few people available to offer the RCIA process.

 

[steelboss]

At our parish, the ‘RCIA - Ministry to the Baptized’ makes a few assumptions about those who are attending.
Such basics as Who is God, the trinity, Christ crucified, and other things held in common with most protestant faiths are not really focused on.
Topics tend to cover the differences, such as Mary, confession, purgatory, the mass, the eucharist, etc.
Ours is 14 weeks long, two hours a week.
Hardly enough time to get even the most basic information out to the candidates.
I always tell them this course is meant to spur their interest to research it further, as the amount of time we have is just not enough.

If I were to make a recommendation, I would take as much time as you need. Don’t feel rushed, yet don’t just sit back. Research the faith - discover the truth. It is truly beautiful.

 

[lilomorgan]

Thank you to all of you! It is great to have support and feel welcome here!

One more question, if I may - which translation of the bible is more used in Catholic studies today? Does it vary from Eastern Catholicism, as well?

To Steelboss - I’m very much interested in learning and educating myself. I just purchased a book on Catechism for the Catholic Church 2nd edition and will probably finish it before the classes even begin!

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Typically you need to attend Dec-May . About Dec 1 the liturgical year starts, you would do the Rite of Welcoming(locally), Rite of Sending (or Call to Conversion at the cathedral) then attended weekly catechism classes. Normally received in to the Church on Holy Saturday ( ancient Easter) then mystagogy Pentecost in early May. The Wikipedia site is pretty good en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCIA.

However it is easier to attend the entire RCIA schedule because the non baptized will already know each other as class members.

 

[Joannm]

Typically you need to attend Dec-May . About Dec 1 the liturgical year starts, you would do the Rite of Welcoming(locally), Rite of Sending (or Call to Conversion at the cathedral) then attended weekly catechism classes. Normally received in to the Church on Holy Saturday ( ancient Easter) then mystagogy Pentecost in early May. The Wikipedia site is pretty good en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCIA.

However it is easier to attend the entire RCIA schedule because the non baptized will already know each other as class members.

What you are describing is a “classroom” model for RCIA which is not the ideal. RCIA should be an ongoing process and people should be admitted to the process whenever they first approach the priest or RCIA director. We did the Rite of Acceptance three times last year, once in October, once in April and once the beginning of June. SOme of our catechumens have been in the process since before last Easter. Only one of our candidates in new as of last month. We met as a group up until the end of June and then they received “homework” over the summer in lieu of meeting. We began formal meetings the first weekend of September. The problem with using the “classroom” model is that RCIA becomes a program that has a beginning and an end. RCIA is a process that begins when a person first inquiers about hte faith and begins to meet with the priest or director and then begins formal sessions. Some may be ready to be baptized at the following Easter, but some may need to wait. Some baptized candidates may be ready to be received within one or two months after first approaching us. When it comes to RCIA there should be no set timetable.

 

[Hope070408]

I’m starting RCIA at my husband’s parish, and there is basically a set schedule for the rites and topics covered in our meetings each week. The two of us who came for inquiry night last week are already baptized. That hasn’t changed anything in the schedule for us, so the program is going by the classroom model here, too…

 

[CalCatholic]

Thank you to all of you! It is great to have support and feel welcome here!

One more question, if I may - which translation of the bible is more used in Catholic studies today? Does it vary from Eastern Catholicism, as well?

To Steelboss - I’m very much interested in learning and educating myself. I just purchased a book on Catechism for the Catholic Church 2nd edition and will probably finish it before the classes even begin!

Hi lilomorgan,

The translation that most RCIA classes probably use is the New American Bible (NAB). This is the translation that is used in the Mass. I went through RCIA about 4 1/2 years ago, I read many books before going to RCIA and one that I really found helpful was; Catholic and Christian, by Alan Schreck, Servant Books.
God Bless you on your journey!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’ve already been baptized (non-Catholic), but am positive that I would like to convert to Catholicism. Will the RCIA process be as long for me as it would for a non-baptized person?

Generally speaking no it should not be, however each persons situation is different and the time will be different for each.