Rcia/fssp

[TheExorcist]

Hello all,

I am not Catholic but will probably be starting RCIA in the Fall. When I’m able to go to Mass (can’t always go due to awkward family circumstances) I alternate between our closest parish which is an FSSP EF only parish and our larger OF parish. I prefer the EF because I like the tighter, quieter atmosphere of the Latin Mass. I attend the OF because I like the music during Mass.*

My question is regarding RCIA and coming into the church. It seems that my FSSP parish does not have a formal RCIA program. Is this typical? Do you think there would be any problem to go to RCIA at the OF parish (they do their program in cooperation with another OF parish in town) but register at the FSSP parish. The only problem with this I see is that its going to take a fair bit of instruction to get me 100% in following the TLM.*

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I’ve got plenty of time to decide.*

Thanks!
Charles

 

[YoungTradCath]

FSSP parishes will typically do one-on-one, sometimes group, instruction for those who wish to convert to Catholicism. If you would like to convert through the OF parish, go for it, but don’t think that because the FSSP parish doesn’t really have that (although I see no reason why it technically couldn’t), that you can’t convert at that parish. You can. Just talk to one of the FSSP priests.

 

[anp1215]

Hello all,

I am not Catholic but will probably be starting RCIA in the Fall. When I’m able to go to Mass (can’t always go due to awkward family circumstances) I alternate between our closest parish which is an FSSP EF only parish and our larger OF parish. I prefer the EF because I like the tighter, quieter atmosphere of the Latin Mass. I attend the OF because I like the music during Mass.*

My question is regarding RCIA and coming into the church. It seems that my FSSP parish does not have a formal RCIA program. Is this typical? Do you think there would be any problem to go to RCIA at the OF parish (they do their program in cooperation with another OF parish in town) but register at the FSSP parish. The only problem with this I see is that its going to take a fair bit of instruction to get me 100% in following the TLM.*

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I’ve got plenty of time to decide.*

Thanks!
Charles

I think you should complete your instruction at the parish you register at, though this is just a personal opinion. The reason is, throughout instruction, you will form relationships with the priests, teachers, and fellow students. You will probably learn about programs and ministries available at the parish. When you go to Sunday Mass, you will start to see people you know, say hello, chit chat afterwards, etc.

I think you will have a more fulfilling experience if you do this.

I base my advice on having gone through RCIA at one parish and then immediately moving to another parish afterward. I was really getting in sync with my old parish and feeling at home. I miss my old parish and feel like somewhat of an outsider at my new one

 

[TheExorcist]

FSSP parishes will typically do one-on-one, sometimes group, instruction for those who wish to convert to Catholicism. If you would like to convert through the OF parish, go for it, but don’t think that because the FSSP parish doesn’t really have that (although I see no reason why it technically couldn’t), that you can’t convert at that parish. You can. Just talk to one of the FSSP priests.

Thanks YTC,

I’ve met with the asst pastor at the FSSP parish and he kinda told me the same thing, about one on one instruction.

 

[Daralharb]

Why not get both? Just let the priests know where you intend to be a part of the diocese.

RCIA will be a good primer for the things you should expect to hear and the FSSP will blow your socks off with their more correct way of catechizing (i.e. actually giving the concept in unequivocal, philosophical ways that actually make sense instead of everyone sitting around stupid and confused. I’ve seen more confused instructors in RCIA than anywhere else. ).

The EF is easier (and comes to life!) with a Missal.

The music at the OF? What about it? Have you ever been to a sung mass in the EF or just low masses?

Very glad you are getting to experience the EF. I’m always partial to one-on-one instruction in any situation, especially when the FSSP is involved. But I have seen people benefitted through the group aspect of RCIA. I think the best way is both if available.

 

[TheExorcist]

Why not get both? Just let the priests know where you intend to be a part of the diocese.

RCIA will be a good primer for the things you should expect to hear and the FSSP will blow your socks off with their more correct way of catechizing (i.e. actually giving the concept in unequivocal, philosophical ways that actually make sense instead of everyone sitting around stupid and confused. I’ve seen more confused instructors in RCIA than anywhere else. ).

The EF is easier (and comes to life!) with a Missal.

The music at the OF? What about it? Have you ever been to a sung mass in the EF or just low masses?

Very glad you are getting to experience the EF. I’m always partial to one-on-one instruction in any situation, especially when the FSSP is involved. But I have seen people benefitted through the group aspect of RCIA. I think the best way is both if available.

Smashing idea!

I have only been able to attend low masses at my FSSP parish. I am very much looking forward to the missa cantata and high masses.

 

[Daralharb]

Smashing idea!

I have only been able to attend low masses at my FSSP parish. I am very much looking forward to the missa cantata and high masses.

A Missa Cantata is a magical experience. A candlelight Missa Cantata is emotionally and spiritual overwhelming in a good way.

If you can afford it, I recommend picking up a 1962 Missal from either Angelus or Baronius Press. The Angelus Press 1962 Missal is around 60 dollars.

If you can’t afford that right away, no worries. Sometimes I just put down the Missal and take it in. I have much more freedom in the EF to spiritually examine myself without the cacophony of people getting up and down from the lectern and all the other hubbub. Just mis dos centavos. YMMV.

 

[PJM]

=TheExorcist;9018830]Hello all,

I am not Catholic but will probably be starting RCIA in the Fall. When I’m able to go to Mass (can’t always go due to awkward family circumstances) I alternate between our closest parish which is an FSSP EF only parish and our larger OF parish. I prefer the EF because I like the tighter, quieter atmosphere of the Latin Mass. I attend the OF because I like the music during Mass.*

My question is regarding RCIA and coming into the church. It seems that my FSSP parish does not have a formal RCIA program. Is this typical? Do you think there would be any problem to go to RCIA at the OF parish (they do their program in cooperation with another OF parish in town) but register at the FSSP parish. The only problem with this I see is that its going to take a fair bit of instruction to get me 100% in following the TLM.*

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I’ve got plenty of time to decide.*

Thanks!
Charles

Hi Charles,

Every Catholic parish is to either have it’s OWN RCIA Program or make arrangements for those comming into Full Communion at a neighboring parish. TALK to the Priest after Mass.

God Bless,
Pat

PJM on the Forum

 

[felsguy]

Why not get both? Just let the priests know where you intend to be a part of the diocese.

RCIA will be a good primer for the things you should expect to hear and the FSSP will blow your socks off with their more correct way of catechizing (i.e. actually giving the concept in unequivocal, philosophical ways that actually make sense instead of everyone sitting around stupid and confused. I’ve seen more confused instructors in RCIA than anywhere else. ).

The EF is easier (and comes to life!) with a Missal.

The music at the OF? What about it? Have you ever been to a sung mass in the EF or just low masses?

Very glad you are getting to experience the EF. I’m always partial to one-on-one instruction in any situation, especially when the FSSP is involved. But I have seen people benefitted through the group aspect of RCIA. I think the best way is both if available.

“instead of everyone sitting around stupid and confused. I’ve seen more confused instructors in RCIA than anywhere else”

I find this statement highly offensive and totally uncalled for. I believe the hundreds of RCIA participants and dozens of “instructors” with whom I was present at the Celebration of the Rite of Election this past Sunday would also, as would the hundreds of thousands who celebrated it throughout the world.

 

[Daralharb]

“instead of everyone sitting around stupid and confused. I’ve seen more confused instructors in RCIA than anywhere else”

I find this statement highly offensive and totally uncalled for. I believe the hundreds of RCIA participants and dozens of “instructors” with whom I was present at the Celebration of the Rite of Election this past Sunday would also, as would the hundreds of thousands who celebrated it throughout the world.

I find it highly offensive that you don’t see what a crisis the Church is in when we have laity of all walks of life running around defending practicing homosexuals getting communion, Catholic university staff siding with Obama on the HHS issue, and God only knows how many people who indeed instruct RCIA classes without knowing the faith, and students who also don’t get the real meat of things and end up memorizing factoids instead of really delving into the philosophy of it.

I’ve actually done both, and in my experience, RCIA was about as much of a joke as public school.

That being said, it did allow me the chance to truly understand the difference between the mindset of a more traditional catechesis and the modernistic manner of assembly line Catholics.

Sometimes great products are made on assembly lines when there is good QC. I’ll take individually crafted anything, any day, any time.

 

[felsguy]

To The Exorcist and others who are considering entering the Church who have come to this thread seeking information about the RCIA:

I encourage you to prayerfully continue your search for the truth about this question and about the larger questions about Christ’s Church.

I would like to share with you the fact that the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults was formally approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (now the United States Catholic Bishops Conference) in 1986 and made mandatory in the dioceses of the United States in 1988.

And, for what it’s worth, this from a few years ago:

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 11, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Tens of thousands of Americans will join the Catholic Church this Holy Saturday through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

May you persevere in this wonderful journey by whichever path Christ leads you.

 

[floresco]

I personally had a bad experience of my RCIA program, but even if I had not, I think I would recommend individual instruction over group instruction. Preparing one on one, allows the priest to address your needs and questions in a way that is not likely to happen in a group.

 

[jwinch2]

I had a wonderful and orthodox RCIA experience. I made several life long friends and would not have wished to go through it individually. Faithfulness of instruction and group versus individual classes have zero relation to each other. Our instructors taught right out of the US Catechism for Adults, there was a deacon or priest present the overwhelming majority of the time, and I could not have been happier with the process.

 

[Mike30]

“instead of everyone sitting around stupid and confused. I’ve seen more confused instructors in RCIA than anywhere else”

I find this statement highly offensive and totally uncalled for. I believe the hundreds of RCIA participants and dozens of “instructors” with whom I was present at the Celebration of the Rite of Election this past Sunday would also, as would the hundreds of thousands who celebrated it throughout the world.

While I do believe that the poster that you are responding to was more than a little, and thats putting it mildly, rude and disrespectful, he may have only been venting his feelings over what his particular experiences were or those of someone close to him. RCIA instruction can and does vary widely from excellent to downright horrible and I think it is only fair to bring that up. The differences at what is presented from Parish to Parish is quite honestly staggering and generally reflects the personal ideas, good or bad of the DRO at that particular Parish. I taught RCIA years ago during the US involvement in Iraq. This was at a Parish in southern California with a high volume of military personnel as parishners. The DRO gave an hour long speech during a session on social justice, on the illegal activity of the United States government for its involvement in that particular action and stated that no Catholic in good conscience could support it as it was clearly an unjust war. We lost four Catechumans after that class, all active duty military.

The fact that a great many RCIA instructors were woefully unprepared and not knowledgeable is not unknown and is in fact one of the reasons many Dioceses now require that all RCIA instructors complete a Diocesean approved Catechist training program prior to beginning instruction. Sadly that was not always the case and did in fact lead to complete and utter confusion in many cases. I vividly recall one of my fellow instructors earnestly telling the class that the Immaculate Conception referred to the pregnancy of Mary and the birth of Jesus. The same instructor, in what I assume was an attempt to show that Jesus has been with us always told the same class that Jesus had never really died, only appeared to do so to those watching. We also had a Deacon who advised the class that receiving the Eucharist while in a state of mortal sin was perfectly OK as the Eucharist itself is salvific.

The other problem that I saw quite often was more a lack of knowledge on how to properly teach a class than anything else. Often, classes would disintegrate into what could best be described as either self help or therapy groups or more appropriately I guess either coffee clatches or straight out bull sessions. In those cases it wasn’t that the instructor wanted things to go that way, it was just that they didn’t have a grasp of the mechanics of holding a class together and presenting material effectively.

Understand I am not defending the way in which he approached the subject, and never would, and I do believe that the overwhelming majority of RCIA instructors are dedicated and sincere in what they do and try to do the best job possible.

 

[PJM]

=floresco;9026216]I personally had a bad experience of my RCIA program, but even if I had not, I think I would recommend individual instruction over group instruction. Preparing one on one, allows the priest to address your needs and questions in a way that is not likely to happen in a group.

As a FYI;

I offer a Complete “Building Blocks of our Catholic Faith” FREE to anyone intersted in taking it.

Just send me a Private Message and I’ll get you the info.

I am a trianed, tested, experienced and annually certified member of the Marain Catechist Lay Apostolate, and our charism is sharing our Faith. Raymond Cardinal Burke is our International Director.

God Bless,
Pat
PJM on this FORUM

 

[catholicmomx5]

I attended RCIA 10 yrs ago and our instructor was very traditonal in his teachings and it was a life changing experience. This was on a military base in Okinawa.

I am now sponsoring my mom at our local parish and our Priest and deacon teach our RCIA class, we also have a theology major who will come to speak. Everything that is taught has lined up with the traditional teachings of the church (I stictly attended the TLM for the last 9 yrs and was leary about attending the Novus Ordo RCIA). I am so thrilled that the watered down version of the faith is not taught. Our parish is asociated with a major college and over 1/2 of the RCIA is college students (AMAZING!!). We are truly blessed to have a Priest who speaks about mortal sin, abstinence, homosexuality, birth control, masturbation and the importance of confession and how the lines aren’t long enough; this is even taught at the pulpit. We even have a soon to be convert who is discerning a callling to the preisthood!

Unfortunatly, I have also heard stories from friends who attended RCIA in a different state where the director taught that God was female…

If you choose to go through the RCIA program, really look into the teachings, a group is great to get to know other converts and get support from the sponsors (you will also be given a sponsor, which is wonderful, as you will have someone to talk to whenever needed) and I think it is a great learning experience, but the one on one will focus on you and you alone. Also, I am not sure if you do one on one if you will have all the rites that are offered in the RCIA program, which aren’t “necessary” for your conversion but are very memorable and powerful in your conversion walk. If you are able and the priests dont object I would do both types of intstructions.

 

[batman1973]

As a FYI;

I offer a Complete “Building Blocks of our Catholic Faith” FREE to anyone intersted in taking it.

Just send me a Private Message and I’ll get you the info.

I am a trianed, tested, experienced and annually certified member of the Marain Catechist Lay Apostolate, and our charism is sharing our Faith. Raymond Cardinal Burke is our International Director.

God Bless,
Pat
PJM on this FORUM

This is a very well laid-out class. Highly recommend it!

 

[floresco]

While I do believe that the poster that you are responding to was more than a little, and thats putting it mildly, rude and disrespectful, he may have only been venting his feelings over what his particular experiences were or those of someone close to him. RCIA instruction can and does vary widely from excellent to downright horrible and I think it is only fair to bring that up. The differences at what is presented from Parish to Parish is quite honestly staggering and generally reflects the personal ideas, good or bad of the DRO at that particular Parish.

I went through an RCIA program at one of the most notoriously liberal parishes in the diocese. Since I knew almost nothing about Catholicism, I did not realize how bad it was until years later. An example is that I was not taught how to receive the Sacrament of Confession because this parish encouraged group Reconciliation services. I had no idea this was wrong.

I don’t think the OP of this thread is as ignorant as I was, so I do not see the same danger of being misled by bad teaching.

 

[PJM]

=batman1973;9027583]This is a very well laid-out class. Highly recommend it!

GOD BLESS YOU! And MANY Thanks:thumbsup:

Pat

 

[TheExorcist]

I went through an RCIA program at one of the most notoriously liberal parishes in the diocese. Since I knew almost nothing about Catholicism, I did not realize how bad it was until years later. An example is that I was not taught how to receive the Sacrament of Confession because this parish encouraged group Reconciliation services. I had no idea this was wrong.

I don’t think the OP of this thread is as ignorant as I was, so I do not see the same danger of being misled by bad teaching.

You’re probably rIght about that. I have been studying informally for almost two years now, reading and EWTN were my primary teachers. If I do go with the dual RCIA/FSSP approach if I hear anything fishy in class I can always ask Father at my traditional parish.

I’ve listened to Patrick Madrid and Father Mitch answer questions for all that time on Open Line and I’ve gotten pretty good at recognizing if things don’t sound quite right.