RCIA Questions- Converting

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Lauren0615

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Hello! I am a Protestant woman who was baptized in an Assemblies of God Church. I spoke with a pastoral associate of a local Catholic Church today, concerning when I may be able to begin RCIA classes. She said they don’t typically begin until August, and that since I’ve already been baptized, I could really join the church during mass on any given Sunday. I know the process is different for everyone, and that no two people are the same, but how long did it take everyone here? She suggested that we meet one on one each week until August approaches and new classes begin.
 
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Lauren0615 said:
Hello! I am a Protestant woman who was baptized in an Assemblies of God Church. I spoke with a pastoral associate of a local Catholic Church today, concerning when I may be able to begin RCIA classes. She said they don’t typically begin until August, and that since I’ve already been baptized, I could really join the church during mass on any given Sunday. I know the process is different for everyone, and that no two people are the same, but how long did it take everyone here? She suggested that we meet one on one each week until August approaches and new classes begin.
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She gave you your answer. Start coming to Mass now, just don’t receive communion. It can be different, but one of the things that are nice about RCIA is that you will have peers to speak to. It is great that you will be able to meet with her on the regular until classes begin.
 
It will be great being able to meet with her! I’m very thankful for that opportunity. I have been attending mass for the past year already, and have really enjoyed it.
 
I’m happy to hear that you can start immediately – that’s how RCIA should work but all too often it’s handled on a school-year model. For someone who is already baptized, RCIA should take as long as needed but no longer. It really depends on the individual.
 
Welcome to CAF, Lauren! You will find new friends and lots of answers to questions that may come up between now and August! There are many recent or currently converting people here and you might enjoy reading their stories as well.

Welcome again!
 
Thank you! I just wish it wasn’t such a process! I’ve been attending mass and diligently working on research within the catholic faith as well. I wish the same thing wasn’t expected of everyone converting, when each individual is so different! However, I do understand that this is just the way that it is.
 
I decided to be a Christian in July of 2012. That August I figured out I was supposed to be Catholic and made my first official inquiry into the Church. The next Easter Vigil I was confirmed Catholic. RCIA did seem to go awfully slow, but it’s the way in. The great thing about the Catholic faith is that it’s there for the taking, you don’t have to wait for RCIA to learn what Catholicism is all about. The best thing I did for myself while I was in RCIA was to go to daily mass. Those months of kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, longing to be in communion, but unable to receive, were a time of grace.

I guess I’m fortunate that the timing was so right for me. I’d be impatient too if I had to wait any longer.
 
I had a valid Protestant baptism and went through RCIA. I was a quick study and did a tremendous amount of research on my own, especially with some of the teachings I had issues with. I still went through the RCIA program. I gain so much more than knowledge of the Catholic faith & Church. I gained friendships that have lasted to this day, I gained a church family, I gained an understanding of how the Catholic faith works.

I know it seems like a long time, but it is worth the wait.
 
I enter the Church in two weeks after my second round of RCIA. I have been intrigued by Catholicism since I was a child, and over the years I have learned much, firstly from research, then from debating with Catholics from a Protestant perspective, and eventually, a few years ago, starting to clandestinely attend Mass and accepting the truth of Catholic belief.
I first attended RCIA a couple of years ago and the whole thing seemed superfluous and daunting. I didn’t last the course, dropping out at the Rite of the Catechumenate.
Last year, I decided to try again, and the initial few weeks were really hard, going over ground I didn’t really need to learn - Adam and Eve, the Bible and so forth.
But over time, I slowly started building relationships with the other attendees. I got to know the priests. I benefited from a hundred lessons in patience, and obviously, I actually learned things I hadn’t considered before, and had brand new insights on things I thought I knew well. It really is totally, totally worth doing.
 
Hey! Former A/Ger here (let’s join hands and sing the “Christ Ambassadors” song 🙂 )

Meet with your priest.
 
Hello from me as well. I’m a baptized Methodist raised by a Catholic and a Baptist (I have always joked I split the difference when I joined the Methodist church at 16 - I know that’s not really accurate but there’s a grain of truth in it, lol). I had been to Mass as a child many times and then of course 1/2 of my family is Catholic, so there were weddings and funerals and christenings. I’d always been a little bit in awe of Catholicism for a multitude of reasons - and never dreamed as an adult I’d find myself where I am now. (Guess I should’ve been able to see the writing on the wall. LOL.) I started RCIA here late in the process but was permitted to “catch up”. How wonderful that you’ve got folks there so willing to help you as well! I’ll be joining the Church in just a couple of weeks and I’m very excited about it.

I too am a voracious reader, and felt compelled to at least attempt to bring myself as up to date with everyone else as I could. I got a list of the topics they’d covered and then watched OLGC’s RCIA series on YouTube, wrote down questions and things I wanted clarification on, read everything they gave me, and stumbled across this forum a little while ago. Lurked for a while and read posts and learned even more. One day I finally got up the nerve to join and then just started posting. I learn a lot from following debate threads - when I see something I don’t understand or haven’t heard, I pull out the catechism or whatever book I think will be helpful and look it up for myself. You don’t even need to comment. 😉

I agree with @tad: The best thing I did for myself while I was in RCIA was to go to daily mass. Those months of kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, longing to be in communion, but unable to receive, were a time of grace. That sums up the way I feel completely.

I don’t know a whole lot and I’m definitely still learning. But I’d like to think I’m a great source of encouragement. 🙂
 
This is not true, there are many ways to enter the Church and they vary with the person and what the Pastor decides.
 
Fair enough, exceptions to every rule and all. But I was told I had to go through it even after 12 years of catholic education. The norm is for new converts to go through it.
 
What is the norm for one parish does not mean it is the same even at the parish across town!

For the baptized, RCIA Preparation is not really fitting. The Rites are for the unbaptized.
 
I was told when I slipped into the RCIA class that I could either just jump in or wait and discuss things with the deacon and the priest on my own time. I was also told that if I did jump in and wasn’t comfortable, I had the option of pursuing things outside of the class construct because I am already validly baptized.

The USCCB states this:

Coming into full communion with the Catholic Church describes the process for entrance into the Catholic Church for already baptized Christians. In most cases, these individuals make a profession of faith but are not baptized again. To prepare for this reception, the people, who are called Candidates, usually participate in a formation program to help them understand and experience the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church. Although some preparation may be with Catechumens preparing for baptism, the preparation for Candidates is different since they have already been baptized and committed to Jesus Christ, and many have also been active members of other Christian communities. The Candidates may be received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil or at another Sunday during the year depending on pastoral circumstances and readiness of the Candidate.
 
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TheLittleLady said:
For the baptized, RCIA Preparation is not really fitting. The Rites are for the unbaptized.
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Not exactly. The RCIA as adapted for the United States has a section entitled Reception of Baptized Christians into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church. The section starts with #475:
This is the liturgical rite by which a person born an baptized in a separated ecclesial Community is received, according to the Latin rite, into the full communion of the ?Catholic Church. The rite is so arranged that no greater burden than necessary is required for the establishment of communion and unity.
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I think the part that often gets lost for those who are already baptized is no greater burden than necessary. There’s no reason such a person needs to spend an extended time in catechesis unless it’s needed by that particular person.
 
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