RCIA question

[TennMark38016]

I have heard many of you suggest checking out different ones, that not all are the same. However, my wife and I have already decided which parish we want to join. Shouldn’t I attend RCIA at my parish? What happens if it’s not that great and I hear of a better one at another parish? Is it “kosher” to me a member of a parish but attend RCIA somewhere else?

Thanks

 

[Melonie]

I think it’s important to enroll at the parish you plan on being a member of, because the people a parish places in charge of the RCIA program (and the views of those people, their attitudes and leanings) tend to reflect those of the parish. If something’s not quite right with the RCIA at a particular parish, it could be indicative of what you might expect from it beyond RCIA.

 

[Tinkerbell]

I would ask around to see if other people felt like they learned anything. My son-in-law and daughter-in-law both became Catholis and attended RCIA in two different parishes. I feel like my son-in-law learned a whole lot more at his parish. They were also given more study material and explained things better as to why Catholics do what they do.
God Bless you on your journey and I hope and pray you have GREAT teachers!

 

[kage_ar]

My husband and I went through RCIA 6 years apart in different cities - our experiences were night and day.

The RCIA I attended was joint between 2 parishes in a University town, it was dynamic. There was a good cirriculum, we’d meet and sing and have a reading, small group then open discussion, followed by goodies.

When my husband decided it was RCIA time, we’d moved to another part of the State, and had joined (my son and I) one of two small parishes in this town, we’d been here for a couple of years. This is a small, poor parish in a retirement community. The RCIA class was small, would meet, pray and watch a video of a prior RCIA class or have discussion with some run-off handouts. At the beginning, I was disappointed and my husband saw that. He considered shopping for another RCIA program, but I felt that was not the right thing to do. We are part of this parish. Then, I told him “you know what, the end result of RCIA is the same, you will be partaking of the Body of Christ.” and with that attitude, we began to enjoy those Wed nights more and more.

This year, I plan on volunteering to assist in RCIA.

Attend RCIA where you will belong - my advice…

Kage
I

 

[Chuck]

As as Baptist convert, I attended RCIA then was an team member the following two years. My 1st experience was very good and the following participation was good also. But the program had several members with theology degrees and educator backgrounds. They organized the program very well and stuck to the curriculum.

There was little direct involvment by the Priests and Monsignor that I noticed but issues were addressed true to the Church’s teachings.

I recommend you both attend at the parish you plan to attend and work the program to get as much out of it as you can. There will be much more learning afterword if you continue to READ THE BIBLE and catholic literature in the areas of your interest.

Welcome to the fullness of the Church!

Chuck

 

[amarkich]

It is very important to find a good RCIA program, especially if you are not already well-versed in the Catholic Faith. If this is the case, it is vital that you find an orthodox RCIA program. A friend of mine converted on Easter about a year and a half ago but did not make it through her first year. She stopped practicing Catholicism about as quickly as she had started (she was previously and agnostic). One of the biggest reasons for this (I’m sure) was the RCIA program. When you have a deacon teaching heresy, you know you are in the wrong program. The case of which I am speaking was part of the deacon’s talk as a part of the five optional classes after conversion. He drew a large tree with many braches, each of the branches having some good work written on it, e.g., feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, etc. The trunk and the roots of the tree were faith. He then asked, “What do we need to get to heaven?” No one responded, and he proceeded to erase everything except the roots and a small stump saying, “Faith; that is all we need.” This is the kind of thing that is not uncommon in most parishes today, and you must be careful so that you are not stuck in an unorthodox (read, heretical) program which will only serve as a scandal and impediment to your conversion.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Part of the purpose of RCIA is to help you get a foundation in the parish where you will be living. Since RCIA is not a “class” but, rather, a process it would be ill advised to attend an RCIA at parish A while you intend on living in parish B.

Deacon Ed