RCIA Necessary?

[DianaCC]

My RCIA program was a horrendous heretical mess, so I know where you are coming from. But if the RCIA program is so bad, what are the chances that meeting privately with the same priest who presumably is in charge of the RCIA program will be any better?

It’s easy enough to find an Elijah hiding somewhere.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

Dianna who is to say the priest won’t turn over the one -on- one instruction to the DRE. Scott Hahn as I recall did not go through RCIA, but he understood the Bible and theology better than most Bishops.

 

[TrueLight]

i think it would depend if they ere already a baptized christian and the ba[ptism was seen as valid by the Catholic church. for example, i was baptized and confirmed in the episcopal church. i had not attended church for many years and then studied for about 10 years before i decided to join the Catholic church. i met with the RCIA director for once
a week for about 2 months and then was received into the church in a small ceremony.
you would need to meet with the priest or the RCIA director to be approved for this and i am sure every situation is unique.
there is a lot to learn about being Catholic and the Catholic church.
i have been Catholic for a little over 3 years now and i am still learning and will continue to learn and study for the rest of my life i think.

When you say you were “received” into the church during a small ceremony, did that include confirmation?
[/quote]

 

[Boxy]

I have been throught RCIA but did not become Catholic about 5 years ago. Chrismated Eastern Orthodox (OCA) yet have continued to be attracted to the Catholic church. My priest indicated that I would not have to go through RCIA but suggested that I do so to get back into the Latin rite. I am in the process of being received in the church and will start RCIA again next week. Essentially my pilgrimage through Episcopal to Orthodox to Roman Catholic has been quite educational.

My take on RCIA is that it is not feasible to obtain instruction from the Priest full time one on one and these group classes are efficient and instructive. You learn from other folks in the group as well.

The whole process I have been through has increased my faith and strength in Christ.

There are plenty of living, breathing exceptions to that, myself being one of them. The bottom line is that it is at the discretion of the priest.

I agree with the RCIA process. I believe it is a very beautiful thing. My parish has a thriving and orthodox RCIA program. There are some cases where it is not necessary or practical or both.

In my case, after 3 years of regular attendance at various Orthodox churches, 8 months of catechesis in an Antiochian Orthodox church, with this whole time sprinkled with generous (name removed by moderator)ut from a very ecunemically minded Serbian Orthodox priest. When it became clear to me that God was calling me to become Catholic, I attended mass for several weeks.

I then shared this with my parish priest. I told him that if he felt it necessary, that I’d enter RCIA. He did not. And here I am.

 

[The_Idiot]

Boxy

I hope your priest has explained to you that you will not be a Roman Catholic after he has Received you.

You will be an Eastern Catholic yes still Catholic ] but as you will have come from Orthodoxy you are ascribed to the Eastern Catholic corresponding to the Orthodox Church you have come from.

You may attend any Catholic Church and Receive the Holy Gifts there BUT unless you petition for a transfer of Canonical Enrolment you will be an Eastern Catholic.

 

[TrueLight]

My take on RCIA is that it is not feasible to obtain instruction from the Priest full time one on one and these group classes are efficient and instructive. You learn from other folks in the group as well.

The whole process I have been through has increased my faith and strength in Christ.

I am so blessed to be getting personal, one-on-one, in depth instructon.

It’s not possible for everyone especially in large parishes. Also, some priests are better at catechesis than others.

So far, during my 6 week instruction period, I have read through three Catechism books, one devotional book and I’m getting a history book next (I’m a fast reader).

It has been awesome!

 

[7_Sorrows]

When you say you were “received” into the church during a small ceremony, did that include confirmation?

yes, the priest was there, also the woman who i worked with one on one for 8 weeks who was the rcia director and her husband. it was very nice. the rcia director and her husband later took me to lunch and gave me a small gift.

 

[kmaaj]

You learn from other folks in the group as well.

My family situation combined with my work hours (I typically work 2nd or 3rd shift) make typical RCIA and any other formal catechism classes (read: EO) all but impossible for me. The EO churches I bounced around had a real hard time conforming to this. The priest in the Antiochian parish all but flat out refused to even acknowledge it. The first RCC priest that I talked to INSISTED that I go to my boundary parish and enter the RCIA there. The second priest that I talked to said that I did not have to observe boundaries, but strongly pushed for RCIA. I talked with the deacon at the main cathedral; he pushed RCIA. Then the priest at my boundary parish reached out to me. I visited his parish, I talked with him. I recounted to him my journey up to that point, and he stopped me before I finished. He said, “You’ve been through enough, you do not need RCIA.” At that instant, I felt a tremendous weight fall off of me.

And here I am, confessed, forgiven, confirmed, and partaking in His mystery.

Did I mention that I praise God for my pastor?

I did mention that if my family decide to follow me, I’d go through RCIA with them. I just got put back on 2nd shift, making that impossible, so I hope and pray that they will go on their own.