RCIA Retreat Help!

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Melodeonist

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I have recently started going to a local community college. I have a class on Saturday, from 8:30 am to 12:30 am.

I have recently been notified that my RCIA will have a retreat on Feb. 27th from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. Apparently this is an important part of the RCIA.

Unfortunately, this conflicts with my Community College Class. What should I do?
 
The RCIA retreat is an important part of RCIA but it’s not a mandatory thing, such as you can’t come into the church if you don’t attend, but it is wonderful retreat. Is there any way you can miss part of your school class?

Speak to the RCIA director and get his/her opinion.
 
Tell your professor you have a personal obligation that day. Ask a classmate if you can borrow their notes. It’s one class. What would you do if you were sick? You don’t seriously think that if you are absent one time you will fail do you??
 
Melodeonist said:
I have recently started going to a local community college. I have a class on Saturday, from 8:30 am to 12:30 am.

I have recently been notified that my RCIA will have a retreat on Feb. 27th from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. Apparently this is an important part of the RCIA.

Unfortunately, this conflicts with my Community College Class. What should I do?
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My suggestion is to go to class. Simply tell your RCIA coordinator that you have class on Saturdays. If you can and want to try to go to the last 2 hours of the retreat, then do so. But, RCIA retreats are in no way obligatory.

I would not skip class. If you want to ask your professor if you can miss a class for a church obligation, then do so. But if the professor says “no” then go to class. As a student, that is your job right now-- class.
 
From the info you have given I think your Faith is more important than one class missed. Your job in life is to get to Heaven.
 
pianistclare said:
Tell your professor you have a personal obligation that day. Ask a classmate if you can borrow their notes. It’s one class.
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I agree. I can also tell you, the RCIA retreat I attended has an extreme impact on my conversion and Faith. I could make up the classwork, no sweat. I’m not sure I could have made up the spiritual growth I experienced. Just MHO.
 
Can you go to your class for an hour or so, then go to the retreat?
 
Convert1 said:
I agree. I can also tell you, the RCIA retreat I attended has an extreme impact on my conversion and Faith. I could make up the classwork, no sweat. I’m not sure I could have made up the spiritual growth I experienced. Just MHO.
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Salutations,
Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.
Having said that,ask permission to go to retreat and get a classmate share her notes. There is seek YE first the kingdom of God and everything else will be added unto you.
Lord open the heart of the teacher to allow this child of yours to go to the retreat. Thank you Lord.
IN CHRIST’S LOVE.
TWEEDLEALICE
 
Really I’d say it depends on how you are doing in your conversion and how you are doing in the class. Some retreats are good, and some… let’s say private prayer would be more useful. One of the issues is some programs like big hug fest retreats thinking it will be a cathartic experience, but in reality it might be better for some to go on an all day silent retreat. Most retreats I’ve been involved with are great for extroverts where introverts are just counting the seconds until the torture ends. Not all are like that, but enough that the one size fits all retreat style makes me leary.

Personally I would opt for going to class based on my experience with 3 or 4 RCIA retreats. I would only suggest the retreat in favor of class if you are doing well in class and are struggling or need shoring up in your conversion. A retreat is for you to grow closer to God, not something for the DRE to check off in the 10 milestones to conversion check list.
 
If this were a poll, it would be close!

I’m leaning toward going to the retreat and keeping up with the class by means of notes from a classmate or the teacher, or textbook readings which the teacher could recommend, or other available means (for example, do they routinely make video recordings of the lectures?).
 
I would recommend going to the class since the retreat is not obligatory.
 
pianistclare said:
Tell your professor you have a personal obligation that day. Ask a classmate if you can borrow their notes. It’s one class. What would you do if you were sick? You don’t seriously think that if you are absent one time you will fail do you??
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Agree.
 
Thanks for the replies! 🙂

As it isn’t until the 27th of February, I have about a month.

I’ve already contacted the leader of our parish’s RCIA. I told her that I might have to be late to the retreat. She replied, and said that it’s really important that I come to the entire retreat if possible.

What should I do now? :confused:

I suppose next class (this class is the class I am majoring in BTW) I will tell the teacher about the retreat. Hopefully he will understand. 🙂
 
As RCIA co-ordinator in my parish, we tell everyone in September there will be a full day retreat during Lent which they are expected to attend and ask them to make arrangements to clear any commitments that day. It is an important part of the RCIA process. Obviously, some people cannot come due to illness and other reasons but the people who do not come always feel they have missed out when they speak to those who did attend. Our retreat is held an hours drive away from the parish so it would not really be possible to attend for part of the day. I would encourage you to make every effort to go on the retreat.
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! 🙂

As it isn’t until the 27th of February, I have about a month.

I’ve already contacted the leader of our parish’s RCIA. I told her that I might have to be late to the retreat. She replied, and said that it’s really important that I come to the entire retreat if possible.

What should I do now? :confused:

I suppose next class (this class is the class I am majoring in BTW) I will tell the teacher about the retreat. Hopefully he will understand. 🙂
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Speak to your professor.
Simple.
Again, what if you were sick? Would it destroy your grade?
If you ask well enough in advance, perhaps the teacher will share the notes, lesson plan, etc. with you so that you can stay current.
What class is it? Something where you mostly read? Or a huge math type class? That would make a difference.
BUT ASK them, not necessarily us. We don’t know the rigor of your class, and we can only speculate as to how much time and effort is going into that retreat.
 
pianistclare said:
Speak to your professor.
Simple.
Again, what if you were sick? Would it destroy your grade?
If you ask well enough in advance, perhaps the teacher will share the notes, lesson plan, etc. with you so that you can stay current.
What class is it? Something where you mostly read? Or a huge math type class? That would make a difference.
BUT ASK them, not necessarily us. We don’t know the rigor of your class, and we can only speculate as to how much time and effort is going into that retreat.
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The class is learning about Microsoft Word. Lots of the stuff in the class is featured in the big Microsoft Office book.
 
Melodeonist said:
The class is learning about Microsoft Word. Lots of the stuff in the class is featured in the big Microsoft Office book.
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Definitely go to the retreat. Tell your prof that you have another matter that must take precedence and see if you can get an outline of what the class will consist of so you can work on that outside of class and keep up. You need not go into detail with the prof at all.
 
Melodeonist said:
The class is learning about Microsoft Word. Lots of the stuff in the class is featured in the big Microsoft Office book.
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Easy choice then.
Go to the retreat, but DO tell your professor that you have something that was pre-booked.
 
St_Francis said:
Can you go to your class for an hour or so, then go to the retreat?
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This is what I would do as well. It shows your professor that you made the effort to be there, while still going to the retreat, which is important. Mention to your professor in an earlier class what you are planning to do. As others have said, if you were sick, you would miss a class…

Also, some retreats are required, it depends on the parish. At our church, candidates are required to attend.
 
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