RCIA - How much longer?

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McGilvra

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I have read I have fifty more days before I am a full member of the church. I don’t know what is happening, because I have been kept in the dark.

When can I stop going and what would the effect be if I failed to go to RCIA class from here on out?

I am going to switch parishes because of my INTENSE dissatisfaction with this process.
 
Wha? When I converted, I wasn’t aware you had to officially graduate from neophyte to full member. What the heck?
 
That’s what I’m talking about…I’m not invited to participate in the church yet. In fact, my fiancee and I volunteered to feed the homeless through our shelter and we were told that our services would not be needed at this time.

No Catholics that I personally know are familiar with most of the process that I have underwent.
 
McGilvra said:
I have read I have fifty more days before I am a full member of the church. I don’t know what is happening, because I have been kept in the dark.

When can I stop going and what would the effect be if I failed to go to RCIA class from here on out?

I am going to switch parishes because of my INTENSE dissatisfaction with this process.
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McGilvra said:
That’s what I’m talking about…I’m not invited to participate in the church yet. In fact, my fiancee and I volunteered to feed the homeless through our shelter and we were told that our services would not be needed at this time.

No Catholics that I personally know are familiar with most of the process that I have underwent.
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You will need to help us understand. Most RCIA programs apply the sacraments during the Saturday [Easter] Vigil (last Saturday). Did that happen to you? Second and even more important Catholic is a life not a program, Catholic never ends. In 50 days Pentecost occurs which some call the founding of the Church. Many teen agers are confirmed at or around Pentecost are you in that group*? Sacraments are approved by the Bishop and typically conferred by the Parish Priest and that can be done at any time.

*These teens received Eucharist at an early age, and return for Confirmation. If the Eucharist is first received as a teen or adult the Confirmation must occur at that time.
 
I was baptized, confirmed, and received communion on Saturday.

I recognize that catholicism is a lifepath, not a program that ends. However, I feel singled out as a “non-catholic” or a lesser person throughout this period and I spend hours each week attending “classes” that aren’t helpful to me developing a closer relationship with God.
 
Lemme ask this based on your other posts in other threads, how much communication have you had directly with your priest about your concerns and if so, what was that like?
 
McGilvra said:
I have read I have fifty more days before I am a full member of the church. I don’t know what is happening, because I have been kept in the dark.

When can I stop going and what would the effect be if I failed to go to RCIA class from here on out?

I am going to switch parishes because of my INTENSE dissatisfaction with this process.
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I am assuming you were received into the Church with the sacraments of initiation at Easter and have been encouraged strongly to participate in the 50 days of mystagogy (the bare minimum that is required) until Pentecost. If I am wrong, correct me. You are a neophyte, a fully initiated Catholic right now. the period of mystagogy is to bring you “out of the dark” and is the period of explanation of “what just happened to me” and reflection on the experience. You have not been “kept in the dark” but it is not really helpful to discuss the experience before it happens. That is what mystagogy is for, to answer all those questions you have since and about the Easter Vigil.

If you drop out now, or switch parishes without letting those directing you give you guidance during this time, no, you do not “lose” your status as a full member of the Church, but experience has shown it is highly unlikely that you will remain a practicing Catholic if you do not participate in the experiences planned for you in the year of mystagogy. (as I say, 50 days is the bare minimum, a year is better, at least of monthly meetings if not weekly). That is because support for you at this time as a new Catholic is critical. Please reconsider, express your dissatisfaction with your directors, and allow them the opportunity to deal with your issues with you.
 
McGilvra said:
I was baptized, confirmed, and received communion on Saturday.

I recognize that catholicism is a lifepath, not a program that ends. However, I feel singled out as a “non-catholic” or a lesser person throughout this period and I spend hours each week attending “classes” that aren’t helpful to me developing a closer relationship with God.
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Your parish is actually the one that’s doing it right, although they should be explaining it to you more as they go along, so that you can appreciate what’s going on, instead of being made to feel as though you are in some kind of never-ending guessing game. If you stick with the process, you will go through 50 days of Mystagogia, which is the final phase of the process of RCIA. 🙂

You can receive the Sacraments now and of course you are “fully Catholic”, but the purpose of the Period of Mystagogia is to “break open the Mysteries.” It also gives you a chance to become settled into the Catholic lifestyle before taking on ministry projects.

Topics you will cover during this period include “Conversion: A Lifelong Process”; “The Laity: Called to Build God’s Kingdom”; “Your Special Gifts”; “Family Life”; “Your Prayer Life”; “Discernment”; “Holiness”; and finally, “Evangelism”.

Should you feel inclined to do so, you will have opportunities to memorize the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Seven Virtues, and the Twelve Gifts of the Holy Spirit. 🙂
 
McGilvra said:
I was baptized, confirmed, and received communion on Saturday.
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That is 3 of the seven sacraments next is (4) reconciliation (confession) which is a minimum of annual (5) marriage, (6) Anointing of the sick (last rites), and (7) ordination (rarely received)
McGilvra said:
I have read I have fifty more days before I am a full member of the church. I don’t know what is happening, because I have been kept in the dark.

When can I stop going and what would the effect be if I failed to go to RCIA class from here on out?
…
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It would be incorrect to conclude you are not a Church member you’re in with all rights, there is no external affect “from here on out” and ill formed conscious is the risk. There is a big difference in what you should do and what you must do. The better option is to attend class.
 
At our current parish we are still required to attend our regular weekly classes each Wednesday night till the end of May. At the parish we are moving to they have the Mystagogia classes once a month for a year that they encourage you to attend.
 
I find it ironic that I am now informed that I need classes to deepen my faith and become more involved in my parish, when I am not yet allowed to do so…in fact, I was told that my services were not needed in terms of volunteerism.
 
We were told about the mystagogia throughout the year, our Father said it is more like “bible study”.
I don’t mind going.
 
McGilvra said:
I find it ironic that I am now informed that I need classes to deepen my faith and become more involved in my parish, when I am not yet allowed to do so…in fact, I was told that my services were not needed in terms of volunteerism.
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These are your only 50 days as a Catholic where you will not be on a committee of some kind. Take them as a gift, and use the days to learn how to live the Catholic life, with daily prayer and Holy Communion, and weekly Confession. 🙂
 
I can understand wanting to help new Catholics better understand the Church and their place in it, but to deny them membership in the parish and tell them they can’t work at a soup kitchen is ridiculous.

Once again some parish has taken it on themselves to over do some things at the expense of common sense. DREs and RCIA leaders are NOT priests, and so shouldn’t be put in the position of telling new Catholics they are “neophytes” who HAVE to have their “guidance” before they can consider themselves fully Catholic. :ouch:

Adult Catholics ought to be able to decide for themselves if they want to be members any particular parish or how much they want to be involved, not lay people who can all too easily let a little power go to their heads.

McGilvra, find another parish if you aren’t happy with the “program” at your current one, read the Catechism, get involved as much as you like, be faithful in doing the things the Church actually requires you to do, and you will be fine.
 
These fifty days of Mystagogia are not that you aren’t a full member of the church, but because you are still developing yourself after the reception of the sacraments on Saturday Easter Vigil. Mystagogia is the period from here till you ‘graduate’ when you will be basically reflecting on what the whole experience was like to you. After these fifty days are up you are free to join in any lay ministry services that surrounds your parish or other Catholic groups.
McGilvra said:
I find it ironic that I am now informed that I need classes to deepen my faith and become more involved in my parish, when I am not yet allowed to do so…in fact, I was told that my services were not needed in terms of volunteerism.
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For a more detailed explanation of this period:

catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=4254
 
actually part of what is supposed to happen during mystagogy is that the neophytes ARE invited to participate in parish ministries and community life, so why someone would be told they cannot serve is a puzzlement. I will say this once more and then shut up. Mystagogy, like the entire RCIA process, is a GIFT, not an obligation. Take it in the spirit intended, as a gift, or reject it, but please do not condemn those who give a great deal of their time, energy, knowledge and faith to present the gift. There are a great many people involved who are trying to welcome the neophytes, and quite frankly, the attitude that they are imposing a burden, rather than sharing what they consider to be the Pearl of Great Price, is not what we are trying to cultivate.
 
I think someone did an incomplete job of explaining the RCIA process for you… you’re in Mystagogia, as was said before, and you are 100% Catholic. 🙂

I’m not sure about the volunteering thing… they said that your services weren’t needed at that time, did they say it was because you were just received into the Church? Perhaps they already had too many volunteers, and really didn’t need you right then? Or some other circumstance?

It’s actually best that you don’t jump right in, for the moment… Mystagogia will allow you to continue on the correct spiritual path, and will give you some understand of what you’ve been through thus far. It’s important to focus on that until it’s over.

Welcome home! You’re Catholic! :extrahappy: :dancing: :extrahappy: :dancing:
 
I had never heard the word Mystagogia until we went and visited the parish we are moving to. In all of the RCIA classes it has never come up once.
 
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