RCIA Scrutinies

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HI! I have a question i am hoping someone here can answer…

I am in the process of converting and have to go thru something called “scrutinies”.

My question is this, What are these scrutinies? and whats expected from me. any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
cricket chirps
 
Me, too! The first is tomorrow.

I’ve been told that my sponsor and I will stand at the front of the church, some scriptures will be read, blessings be made, etc.

No pain or any recitation on my (or yours) part, unless the pastor (assoc. pastor is more organized) decides to do the homily while we’re standing. He did that week before last and I thought I would be crippled for life. Wear comfortable shoes.
 
I really have to get a copy of the RCIA book and leave it home. the scrutinies are just that, an in-depth look at yourself. the community has to attest to the bishop, or his representative (your priest) that you have undergone conversion and are ready to make your profession of faith and commitment to the Church.

At this point you are the elect, and your godparent has replaced your sponsor, who represented the parish and the universal church during the catechumenate. The godparent “scrutinizes” you and attests your readiness to the community, as do your catechists and pastor. There is also a blessing. I can’t recall if there are any questions and responses. the 3 main responses you need in RCIA are “Yes,” “I do” and “Amen”. If you don’t know what to say the priest will prompt you. These are some of the major rites of Lent.

In the week following the scrutinies are the presentations of the Creed and the Our Father, which you will memorize and recite for the first time during the Easter Vigil.

An optional part of the scrutinies are the minor exorcisms, pray for deliverance and protection from evil (like the end of the Our Father, not like Emily Rose–hers was a major exorcism).

I think I just answered this question a couple of days ago. it sounds very familiar.
 
Ok so if we cannot remember the creed, even though I can already recite it with the whole congregation and the Our Father same thing, I better not go up and finish this?

The creed is word for word Identicle to my Old Lutheran religion,
so i have been "reciting when its done at church but could never do it by myself,esspecilly if I am “center stage” so to speak.
I guess I will just stick with old religion and throw away all the weeks of RCIA, I dont see why they need to ridicule us in front of everyone at church, what does that possibly prove? that we can handle humiliation?
 
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cricket331:
HI! I have a question i am hoping someone here can answer…

I am in the process of converting and have to go thru something called “scrutinies”.

My question is this, What are these scrutinies? and whats expected from me. any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
cricket chirps
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Don’t worry, as long as you have read all the material, especially the Catechism cover to cover and studied good you will be able to answer most of the questions except for the really rough ones on theology and Apostolic Eschatology. No one ever get the ones on Patrology anyway.

The Scrutinies are just the Church praying for you.
Just close your eyes and listen to the words of the prayers, they are being prayed for you.
 
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cricket331:
HI! I have a question i am hoping someone here can answer…

I am in the process of converting and have to go thru something called “scrutinies”.

My question is this, What are these scrutinies? and whats expected from me. any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
cricket chirps
Click to expand...
They are basically prayers of purification, the priest and congregation will pray over you for the next 3 Sunday, your sponsor will need to be there with you.
 
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cricket331:
Ok so if we cannot remember the creed, even though I can already recite it with the whole congregation and the Our Father same thing, I better not go up and finish this?

The creed is word for word Identicle to my Old Lutheran religion,
so i have been "reciting when its done at church but could never do it by myself,esspecilly if I am “center stage” so to speak.
I guess I will just stick with old religion and throw away all the weeks of RCIA, I dont see why they need to ridicule us in front of everyone at church, what does that possibly prove? that we can handle humiliation?
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My priest said the Credo will not be recited until next Sunday, he might be wrong. I hope not, I’m going over the points of the Creed tomorrow with the canidates so they don’t go to Mass next week with no idea of what they’re doing. We do provide them with a sheet with the Creed on it for them to say it.
 
Psalm45:9:
My priest said the Credo will not be recited until next Sunday, he might be wrong. I hope not, I’m going over the points of the Creed tomorrow with the canidates so they don’t go to Mass next week with no idea of what they’re doing. We do provide them with a sheet with the Creed on it for them to say it.
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They are sometimes presented the Creed during the third week of Lent so they will have a copy that they can read from! But they listen to it, it is presented to them, they don’t recite it.
 
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puzzleannie:
In the week following the scrutinies are the presentations of the Creed and the Our Father, which you will memorize and recite for the first time during the Easter Vigil.
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As for having to recite the Creed and the Our Father (Lord’s Prayer), you may not have to recite it from memory. Ask your sponsor or your RCIA instructor.

I’ve had the Our Father memorized since is was ten years old and have recently memorized the Apostle’s Creed for The Rosary, but no one has told me locally that I need to do this for baptism, first communion, and confirmation.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
They are sometimes presented the Creed during the third week of Lent so they will have a copy that they can read from! But they listen to it, it is presented to them, they don’t recite it.
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we have a copy in the RCIA handbook…

what are these questions? noone ever said anything about being asked questions…
and I have not ever even seen the catechism book, unless that is the RCIA book with all the handouts in it as I call them.

another thing, there are 3 weeks of being humiliated?
Why dont they come clean on this stuff at the start of the class.
do they get a special thrill out of seeing you drop everything in your life, and even make life more difficult for yourself and Family attending these classes only to come to something that many people could never do.had I know at the beginning of class they were going to throw me up in front of the whole church once much less 3 times I wouldnt have ever considered it.Boy do i feel like i was tricked,I barely made i tthrough our call to continueing conversion at the diocese,and was told that was only time we would be “on display” Why do they lie to people? isnt that a sin to lie?or are the exempt from that kind of stuff for getting people to convert?

now I feel sick to my stomach…
 
Cricket,

I sent my RCIA instructor a copy of PuzzleAnnie’s description of what catechumen should expect from Ash Wednesday through Easter Vigil and requested that he discuss it with the class. There were too many questions coming out in the “reflection” class after Mass that led me to believe that too many of us were clueless.

He did as I requested. The candidates stood up before the parish last week and the “elect” (former catechumen) will stand up before the parish for the THREE following Sundays.

I’m not particularly proud that I’m being baptized at the ripe old age of 50 and don’t look forward to having a personal issue publicized for THREE consecutive Sundays.

Saving grace…I will be more proud than anyone can imagine to be baptized CATHOLIC. I wasn’t baptized in another Christian faith and converted to Catholicism. I was CATHOLIC first!

We are also receiving the prayers of all our brothers and sisters in the Church for our success in our journey to everlasting life with God.

On Easter, it will all be worth it and we can proudly receive the Eucharist every day for the rest of our lives. I can’t wait.

God bless us all.

Edit: Cricket, I misunderstood your comment. I think things are done at different times and in different manners at different parishes or diocese. You need to ask your RCIA instructor. I doubt that you’re going to have to recite something from memory without prior knowledge. My response above was in reference to those who have not been baptized. You may not have to do what you’re thinking for three weeks. I’m totally confused. :confused:
 
I have asked, they gave us a handout basically saying that a few prayers an exorcism etc will be done, we have one person in the class being baptised,
other than that its all hush hush and secretive,they even have a “practice” for these scrutinies,

I did the ash Wednesday thing and was profusly sweating and my breathing was fast and shallow, I almost passed out just from that and it was the whole congregation participating…

But it dont matter anymore anyways I am not getting up and being humiliated by noone for no reason, I cant see any good in humiliating someone in this way at all, If thats what the church is all about humiliating people its not for me.I feel all people no matter if they have or dont have religion should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity, the way I feel me attending all these classes shows enough “will” but apparently the Church wont be happy till i am puking and passing out in front of everyone from my hometown,which is exactly what is going to happen, I was in front of everyone for less than 3 mins during out trip to our diocese for conitinuing call, and had to leave to find a bathroom to puke in but i made it through the blessing.but almost did pass out.
I didnt go through comencements at Graduation for same reasons
and I dont see how making me the laughng stock of a small city will help me “find a way” to get more faith.
I dont nor ever have seen anything in the bible where Jesus humiliated anyone in front of a crowd for wanting to follow him,

So I will contact the church tomorrow and let them know i am done with it…I sure aint going to attend tomorrow to be humiliated…besides i am feeling QUITE ill right now

But thanks for the replies
 
I agree with you, I have found out since Feb that they Love to put us in embarrasing situations or treat us like little kids,I was also in process of converting,I couldnt get up in front of everyone either and esspecially not three times, but I just went thru a Pre marriage class
and IT WAS ALL ABOUT Humiliating us in every way shape and form.
from talking to us like 2 yr olds and having us meeting in a nursery room ( when lunch room was open and we were actually using to “discuss our answers” with our future spouses,
to such stupid questions its actually rediculous to even consider them as a “problem causer”

I was actually waiting for them to start saying “goochie goochie goo” to us.
Now putting us on “display” in front of the entire church basically like here are what “sinners” look like see how they react when we Pray over them and cast out the demons we know they have.
then lets put them on the spot and ask them some questions so they look stupid to everyone in here and we can look so smart because they are “nervous” and wont be able to probably answer what we ask…

NO THANKS

I also have a few other issues as well like the priest giving my name to everyone in the congregation so the ones who sell kirby vacs and cars can send me all kinds of junk mail etc…
he had no right dping that esspecially when i specifically asked him not to…
John
 
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cricket331:
I have asked, they gave us a handout basically saying that a few prayers an exorcism etc will be done, we have one person in the class being baptised,
other than that its all hush hush and secretive,they even have a “practice” for these scrutinies,

I did the ash Wednesday thing and was profusly sweating and my breathing was fast and shallow, I almost passed out just from that and it was the whole congregation participating…

But it dont matter anymore anyways I am not getting up and being humiliated by noone for no reason, I cant see any good in humiliating someone in this way at all, If thats what the church is all about humiliating people its not for me.I feel all people no matter if they have or dont have religion should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity, the way I feel me attending all these classes shows enough “will” but apparently the Church wont be happy till i am puking and passing out in front of everyone from my hometown,which is exactly what is going to happen, I was in front of everyone for less than 3 mins during out trip to our diocese for conitinuing call, and had to leave to find a bathroom to puke in but i made it through the blessing.but almost did pass out.
I didnt go through comencements at Graduation for same reasons
and I dont see how making me the laughng stock of a small city will help me “find a way” to get more faith.
I dont nor ever have seen anything in the bible where Jesus humiliated anyone in front of a crowd for wanting to follow him,

So I will contact the church tomorrow and let them know i am done with it…I sure aint going to attend tomorrow to be humiliated…besides i am feeling QUITE ill right now

But thanks for the replies
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Hey, if you can’t take it you can’t take it… Don’t worry, my friend the days of the Spanish Inquisition are long over. No one is going to force you and the Vatican Secret Police won’t chase you down. Heretics haven’t been burned at the stake for a long time. The rack and the strappado are only used every now and then in extreme cases and I haven’t seen an iron maiden since the days of Vatican II RELAX You’re safe.
 
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cricket331:
Ok, I dont see why they need to ridicule us in front of everyone at church, what does that possibly prove? that we can handle humiliation?
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nobody is calling you up for public ridicule, you are being called so the entire congregation can welcome you. When you recited the creed-profession of faith-you will be doing it in response to the priests questions and cues, in a dialogue. Basically you will just reply “I do believe” or “I do” to each prompt he gives you. You will be reciting the Our Father along with the rest of the congregation, with the missalette as a guide. This is the pre-eminent prayer of the newly baptized.

this is not a final exam in front of everybody. If you are honored at work or school for an achievement and everyone applauds, would you call that ridicule?

The reason the Creed is presented formally is so that you know what you are buying into. We cannot possibly ask to to publicly state your assent if you don’t know the contents. This is also not the first time its contents have been presented, as they have formed the major part of your teaching up until now.

Anyhow, if you are Lutheran and already baptized, the scrutinies are not for you, this rite is for the unbaptized. they are part of the process of conversion. You are already Christian and having nothing to convert from. You may however be acknowledged and welcomed by the congregation at the same time.
 
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cricket331:
I ,

But it dont matter anymore anyways I am not getting up and being humiliated by noone for no reason, I

, I was in front of everyone for less than 3 mins during out trip to our diocese for conitinuing call, and had to leave to find a bathroom to puke in but i made it through the blessing.but almost did pass out.
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if you have this much anxiety in such a situation as commencement or public worship you need counselling, this is a medical condition. Nobody wants to humiliate you. A public welcome, having people pray for you, wish you well and express their joy is not humiliation.

I don’t know what you mean by the Ash Wed. thing, there is no RCIA rite on that day.

You say you got “handouts” did you read them? If they raised questions did you ask questions and demand answers?

I repeat if you are already baptized most of the rites are not for you anyhow. If you are really this uncomfortable ask your RCIA director to bring to the priest for a conference at once. As Bro has pointed out more than once, the baptized Christian is not necessarily brought into the Church at the Easter Vigil any way. If this is going to present a real problem, explain it in private to the priest and he can make other arrangements. But I repeat, this level of anxiety demands that you take steps to deal with it or it will cripple you in many areas of life.
 
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cricket331:
I have asked, they gave us a handout basically saying that a few prayers an exorcism etc will be done, we have one person in the class being baptised,
other than that its all hush hush and secretive,they even have a “practice” for these scrutinies,

I did the ash Wednesday thing and was profusly sweating and my breathing was fast and shallow, I almost passed out just from that and it was the whole congregation participating…

But it dont matter anymore anyways I am not getting up and being humiliated by noone for no reason, I cant see any good in humiliating someone in this way at all, If thats what the church is all about humiliating people its not for me.I feel all people no matter if they have or dont have religion should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity, the way I feel me attending all these classes shows enough “will” but apparently the Church wont be happy till i am puking and passing out in front of everyone from my hometown,which is exactly what is going to happen, I was in front of everyone for less than 3 mins during out trip to our diocese for conitinuing call, and had to leave to find a bathroom to puke in but i made it through the blessing.but almost did pass out.
I didnt go through comencements at Graduation for same reasons
and I dont see how making me the laughng stock of a small city will help me “find a way” to get more faith.
I dont nor ever have seen anything in the bible where Jesus humiliated anyone in front of a crowd for wanting to follow him,

So I will contact the church tomorrow and let them know i am done with it…I sure aint going to attend tomorrow to be humiliated…besides i am feeling QUITE ill right now

But thanks for the replies
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Cricket, CHILL OUT.

Everything will be fine, you have nothing to worry about. Ask your RCIA team for a copy of the Rite and ask them to explain it to you. Everything that is going to happen and everything that is going to be said is printed right there, NO SUPPRISES. There are no questions to be answered in front of everyone.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Cricket, CHILL OUT.

Everything will be fine, you have nothing to worry about. Ask your RCIA team for a copy of the Rite and ask them to explain it to you. Everything that is going to happen and everything that is going to be said is printed right there, NO SUPPRISES. There are no questions to be answered in front of everyone.
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I asked yet again today and was told they have no such papers,
and it is also required of the people “converting” not just the one person being baptised,
I am on medication for my problem but its of little help.
I dropped out of the RCIA class after mass this morning…

thanks for your replies
 
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cricket331:
I asked yet again today and was told they have no such papers,
and it is also required of the people “converting” not just the one person being baptised,
I am on medication for my problem but its of little help.
I dropped out of the RCIA class after mass this morning…

thanks for your replies
Click to expand...
Criket,

Listen to PuzzleAnnie and Br. Rich. Annie pulled me out of a big funk two weeks ago when I had a misunderstanding with a priest. If you quit, you are falling prey to Satan’s temptation. Don’t let this happen. The Catholic church has too much to offer you. My RCIA instructor warned my class that Lent will be a time of great temptation for those joining the Church and we must resist with all our strength.

Just hang on until you’re confirmed. If you think the parish you’re attending now isn’t doing things correctly, then find another parish you feel more comfortable with.

I went through the First Scrutiny this morning and I did just fine. No humiliation, at all. Just blessings and prayer. What more could a person ask for?

Also, I have a problem with anxiety and am on medication. Since I started RCIA and everyone has told me that God loves me and he has called me home, I feel infinitely better. God is calling us and will always be there for us. In my mind, I think that I’m focusing more upward to heaven, rather than the secular world in front of my face. Look up to God for approval. Don’t look for approval in the pews.
 
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cricket331:
I asked yet again today and was told they have no such papers,
and it is also required of the people “converting” not just the one person being baptised,
I am on medication for my problem but its of little help.
I dropped out of the RCIA class after mass this morning…

thanks for your replies
Click to expand...
You need to speak with your pastor before walking away from this.
 
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