RCIA Home Study - HELP!

[puzzleannie]

your first step should be to meet with your pastor, since if you are already Catholic you should not be in RCIA in any case. It is true, however, that due to lack of resources, adults preparing for sacraments may be studying together, even though some are baptized and some are not. It is the case here because it is the only way I can do it. The bishop decides on the preparation required, in this diocese it is one year for adult Catholics preparing for Confirmation and/or communion. It may be less, on the judgement of the pastor, if they are already well catechized and practising the faith, so I advise meeting with your pastor before looking for another parish, and possibly losing more time. In any case, the bishop usually reserves Confirmation of Catholic adults to himself, as he does in this diocese, so it is quite likely he won’t be offering that until after Easter in any case, so there may be no benefit in your changin.

Yes if someone is committed and motivated, home study–the KofC has an excellent program and there are others–is an option. We work with long distance truckers, oil field workers, emergency response workers and others on this. I do have to say in my experience very few of the adults who promise to follow through on home study actually do it, but there have been exceptions.

Even if Confirmation is done for all adults on Pentecost or some other set date, your first confession and first communion should be done as soon as you understand the nature of those sacraments and are worthily disposed.

 

[NanaGigi]

I am co-director of our RCIA program. We have one person who cannot attend our class time because of work obligations. I and my co-director, with the assistance of our spouses (who are part of our team of RCIA teachers) are doing a private catechization of this person.

We have given him reading materials based on his particular questions and we discuss his questions when we meet. We actually meet (in my home) bi-monthly from 60-90 minutes with this gentleman and his sponsor and go over the two weeks of lessons he has missed. He reads the required chapters and is always very prepared for our discussion. He is very grateful. When I told the Pastor, he was thrilled that we had volunteered this extra time to help someone come into the Church.

Perhaps you could ask someone on the RCIA team who is more responsive than your director to help you move along with the class. In our program, the Sponsor is also responsible to help the Candidate; that is, the Sponsor should attend a session when the Candidate cannot and then teach and discuss that session with the Candidate. You need a dedicated Sponsor to help you.

 

[jjones]

As a catechist in the RCIA I would like to congradulate you on your decession to become one with Christ in the Catholic Church.

Let me begin by saying you are blessed and very fortunate as life everlasting is guaranteed by your baptism, confirmation and communion with our Lord Jesus Christ. You have been chosen by God to be saved and become part of his church.

How important is Life Everlasting to you? You do understand that if you believe, you do not die? What is more important that this?

First and foremost, you are going through the single most important phase of your spiritual journey, where the very foundation for your faith is being established. The stronger the foundation, the stronger the faith.

These all important RCIA sessions you are attending are of extreme importance. Our beliefs, our traditions, and the scripture that is being taught to you are all based on a plan to bring you home to Christ. To become one with Him.

My suggestion to you is to work with your Pastor and the director of the RCIA and make the necessary sacrifices you need to complete your education in Christ and His Church.

Nothing in life is more important than receiving the Holy Spirit and becoming one with God and his community of believers.

May the Lord bless you and help you as you work out your scheduling problems. The reward that awaits you is life everlasting.

 

[Exhausted]

Thanks PuzzleAnnie, NanaGigi and JJones for taking the time to share your thoughts with me.