RCIA question

[cccw2009]

My parish will not be doing RCIA classes this year so my parish priest referred me to another parish to do the classes. He said i could do classes at one parish and come to his parish for Sunday Mass and he will give me my sacraments at the Easter vigil. I thought i have to stay at one parish through it all. Is this allowed? The priest told this to my husband and my husband have a problem with lying so i find this hard to believe. I have a meeting at the new parish about rcia classes tuesday so i will ask her also. Thanks!

 

[Joannm]

My parish will not be doing RCIA classes this year so my parish priest referred me to another parish to do the classes. He said i could do classes at one parish and come to his parish for Sunday Mass and he will give me my sacraments at the Easter vigil. I thought i have to stay at one parish through it all. Is this allowed? The priest told this to my husband and my husband have a problem with lying so i find this hard to believe. I have a meeting at the new parish about rcia classes tuesday so i will ask her also. Thanks!

Last year we had someone from a neighboring parish do RCIA sessions with us but the rites at his parish. They didn’t have an RCIA team. There are some parishes that share RCIA sessions. Your pastor is correct to do the rites in your parish. Tell you husband not to worry. Ideally both sessions and rites are done in the parish, but if they don’t have the people or resources then they have to look for alternate solutions.

 

[beth40n2]

I took RCIA in one parish, then decided not to join it. The priest in the parish I did join did not have and RCIA program that year as it is a small parish. He said I could not join since he did not do the RCIA. He needs to know where a person is spiritually. So He had me read the Catechism and talk to him once a week on the phone to ask any questions. When he felt I knew the faith he decided when I was ready to join. My situation may be different than some, as I was Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist church and was preaching in small pastors when their pastors were on vacation. So I had lots of bible knowledge, it was Catholic dotrine I needed and how to see some of the scriptures differently.

Talk to the priest of the parish you want to join, maybe he will think out side of the box. Or join the church where you are going to RCIA, and then you can transfer your membership. That was an option I almost did, but that church was an hour drive for me, my church I did join is only 15 minutes away.

I will be praying for you!

 

[SMHW]

My parish will not be doing RCIA classes this year so my parish priest referred me to another parish to do the classes. He said i could do classes at one parish and come to his parish for Sunday Mass and he will give me my sacraments at the Easter vigil. I thought i have to stay at one parish through it all. Is this allowed? The priest told this to my husband and my husband have a problem with lying so i find this hard to believe. I have a meeting at the new parish about rcia classes tuesday so i will ask her also. Thanks!

It’s common for parishes to have joint RCIA programs, especially if one or all of the parishes are small.

Even though the RCIA classes don’t take place at your parish it is likely that your pastor will still be involved. The various liturgical rites might take place at your parish, the other parish, or even some other location but you would receive whatever sacraments you are getting in your own parish.

 

[Sunflake9]

Hi,
I’m on a RCIA team in my parrish. We have a couple that travel 1.5 hours from their parrish to ours because they don’t have a RCIA class at the parrish they attend. also have a person who travels 45 min. to our parrish so I believe that it seems normal. I would make sure your Priest knows that you have been attending the classes, you should be fine.

 

[puzzleannie]

My parish will not be doing RCIA classes this year so my parish priest referred me to another parish to do the classes. He said i could do classes at one parish and come to his parish for Sunday Mass and he will give me my sacraments at the Easter vigil. I thought i have to stay at one parish through it all. Is this allowed? The priest told this to my husband and my husband have a problem with lying so i find this hard to believe. I have a meeting at the new parish about rcia classes tuesday so i will ask her also. Thanks!

yes it is possible with the pastor’s permission to attend the sessions (there is more to it than just a class) at one parish and be received and celebrate sacraments at another. It is not ideal, as you are being initiated in a community and RCIA envisions your preparation will be facilitated and supported by that community, but it can be done if there is a pastoral need.

That being said, too bad for your parish. If we have one catechumen (as we do in the Spanish class this year) we have a class for them. At Easter will receive not only those catechists and catechumens (adults and children) who have prepared here, but some college students who take their class on either of the local campuses through campus ministry, but celebrate the rites in their home parish, or our parish, since for the Easter vigil it needs to be a parish.