RCIA Scrutinies

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Since I’m a candidate and will be accepted into the Church on Easter, I’ve decided to talk about my experience with the Scrutinies.
Since I have been baptized, I had the first scrutiny. I liked it, actually. It’s not really the Church scrutinizing you, rather, the prayers invoke the Lord to search your heart, and help you search yourself as well. The scrutinies recognize that joinging the Catholic Church, indeed, deciding to follow Christ, is a major decision, and in order to do this, we must be open to God and to His will, turn away from sin, and be faithful to his commandments. Plus, the scrutinies recognize that this is a difficult process for the catechumens and the candidates, and the parish prays for the people who are making a life-changing decision. The congregaton prays for you, and then the priest blesses you, or at least places his hand on your head. It’s a little bit like the Rite of Acceptance, or the Rite
There also seems to be some confusion about Scrutinies and Confession. I had my scrutiny BEFORE I recieved the Sacrament of Reconciliation. (Anyone who knows anything about the Catholic Faith or Confession knows that for the priest to tell anyone what someone confessed to him is a GIGANTIC NO-NO, with SEVERE penalties. Canon 21 of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), binding on the whole Church, lays down the obligation of secrecy in the following words: “Let the priest absolutely beware that he does not by word or sign or by any manner whatever in any way betray the sinner: but if he should happen to need wiser counsel let him cautiously seek the same without any mention of person. For whoever shall dare to reveal a sin disclosed to him in the tribunal of penance we decree that he shall be not only deposed from the priestly office but that he shall also be sent into the confinement of a monastery to do perpetual penance” (see Hefele-Leclercq, “Hist. des Conciles” at the year 1215; also Mansi or Harduin, “Coll. conciliorum”). (Catholic Encyclopedia)
 
valient Lucy:
Cricket, before you talk to the priest, I think you should talk to your doctor (or whoever perscribed the medication) and a good counselor. It sounds to me that you are really suffering from anxiety and panic attacks, and that they’re really affecting your daily life. That must be very hard for you. I just want you to know that you don’t have to live like this. There are people who can help you. I’m not saying this to humiliate you, I have suffered from depression and anxiety myself. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life. It took time to recover, and a lot of work. But it is possible. Please, take care of yourself. I’m worried about you.
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Thank you for understanding, I have talked to my Dr, he says he can give me some heavy tranquillizers but they make me sick also and possibly knock me out cold.

for the poster who assumes i am asking for someooen else or havnt talked to my priest you couldnt be farther from REALITY.
you know not a thing about me or my medical problems or what caused them,you are sitting at a desk judging me or my intentions.

I went to my Drs today and picked up the pills he is thinking may help for this traumatic experience, and i need to take one before sunday to see how they will effect me.

But relize i never wanted anyone to pray for me nor do i still.
it seems 5 out of 8 people are also having a problem with this requirement as well thats probably why they wont reveal it to anyone till a few weeks before.and like i stated before had i known i was going to have to do this i wouldnt have spent so much time going to classes. we were told the “rite” was the only time we had to parade ourselves in front of others,which as we now know is also very very far from truthful.
and just for the record i talked with some “members” of the church about the scutinies to see what they thought about them.
they didnt know i was in RCIA and they said they are usually pretty entertaining lots of times people pass out or puke all over themselves… so yes people are hoping this stuff happens.
the people talked about someone last year who tripped going up after being called and how funny it was the way they landed…
so yes its "entertainment for the congregation…

regardless i am trying the drugs, if that dont work i will go skunk drunk somehow there has to be a way to get thru this utter humiliating experience…
Nancy
 
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cricket331:
I agree with the first staement but it seems because we “are not full members” of the church that we go on display…

.

Ok when someone comes to visit you do you make them do something that they wouldnt want to do before being “allowed into your house”

or if you had a son that was getting married and he brought his future bride home would you say welcome to the “family” now i have say you need to go on a diet, or tell her her clothes need to be changed,cleaned etc, of course you wouldnt insult her or “belittle” her. so in my way of thinking this is definatly not a “Welcoming” at all

when you “welcome” someone its without insult,belittleing, or anything else that makes them feel totally “Unwelcome”
being welcome is supposed to be put at ease not into anxiety attacks…
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Cricket, could I ask a question? What is the real issue here? I’ve read and re-read your posts, and all I see is someone trying to put down an institution. If you believe that The Catholic Church is the one true church, why do these things bother you so much? And if you don’t believe the Catholic church is the true church, then why were you joining?

It is really a mystery here. :confused:
 
Ok

First, Cricket, please…with all due Love and Respect - GET A GRIP.

The very reason you are there is to support those who NEED to be there, I.E. - the unbaptized, precisely for the reason you are so anxious about it - to suuport the one being Baptized so as NOT to humiliate/demean/put any unneccessary pressure to perform /or make it all any more fearful than it already is.

We are a FAMILY - not inquisitors. Despite the fact that some will take a perverse pleasure in the discomfort and pain of others, this is true no matter where you go in life - the point is to rise above this,and seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, for your own salvation and the salvation of others…all to the Glory of the Lord.

It almost seems as though you are joining the Church to save yourself 45 minutes of driving time for ‘church’. is this the case? Do you believe in any of the Sacraments you are professing? Do you believe in the Real Presence?

I honestly hope you ARE joining out of belief, and Love for Our Lord, and not just for convenience - although with your responses both here on this forum, and physically - I have to wonder if it is more conscience that is convicting, rather than an emotional disorder.

I hope and pray I am wrong on this.

peace

John
 
The people who are telling you that the Scrutinies for RCIA people "*are usually pretty entertaining lots of times people pass out or puke all over themselves… so yes people are hoping this stuff happens. the people talked about someone last year who tripped going up after being called and how funny it was the way they landed. so yes its “entertainment for the congregation…” * are playing are very cruel joke on you.

I’ve never heard this. Sunday before last, the candidates did their Scrutiny and the Elect did their first Scrutiny last Sunday and nobody, not one person had a problem. We have about 25 people who will be baptized and/or receive first communion at Easter Vigil. All of the adults are very excited about the coming events and their future as Catholics.

People are praying for you because that is what good Christians do for people they want to help. We’ll do it whether you ask for it or not.

I hope the medication will help. Eventhough you will be sedated, please focus on what the priest is saying during the Scrutiny and its meaning. If you focus only on what is being said and your relationship with God, nothing else will matter. Last Sunday, the priest asked us to bow our heads as soon as we were in place at the front of the church. I kept my head bowed and had no idea what was going on in the audience.

IT IS NOT HUMILIATING!!! No one wants to see you fail. Those people who might want to see you fail are not sitting in church. They’re at home in bed or sitting in front of the TV watching basketball, but they’re not in church worshipping God.

Good luck. My prayers will be with you.
 
I have been a Catholic for 38 years. I am completely and totally flabbergasted at what you are typing here. I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about when you mention people passing out and puking all over themselves. WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU THINKING!!! I have seen the scrutinies more times than I can ever remember and I have NEVER EVER heard or seen an elect quized about anything. Your sensationalistic idea of what the scrutinies are is way way way off base. I have belonged to several parishes in different dioceses and I have NOT ONE time seen the elect asked a single question with more than the answer of I do and Yes.

How in the world are you going to ever bring yourself up for communion each sunday if you can’t tolerate a few seconds “up in front” and believe me the scrutinies are about 15 seconds longer in front of the chruch than going for communion. You got some pretty sensationalistic ideas when it comes to the scrutinies. You mentioning the fact that people puke and pass out make me wonder what your motives are.
 
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kage_ar:
Cricket - what are your reasons for joining the Catholic Church?
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Cricket331:
My fiance hasnt been to church since the class and I was converting because of him,so I havnt been back to the conversion class either as he wont go back…
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Cricket331:
I know My fiance is not going back next week he said we will go to Vegas instead, and I totally agree with him on this one.
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Why, because her husband to be is Catholic.

But it looks like they will not finish their pre cana classes.

Cricket, we all really would love to see you join the Church. But if you are joining because your husband to be wants you to, think about it. You should join because you want to. Because you believe in what the Catholic Church teaches and what She stands for.
 
'Scuse my butting in, but I have a question:

Cricket, if you are unable to stand before your parish for a few seconds with your RCIA class, how on earth are you going to get through your wedding?
 
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decn2b:
How in the world are you going to ever bring yourself up for communion each sunday if you can’t tolerate a few seconds “up in front” and believe me the scrutinies are about 15 seconds longer in front of the chruch than going for communion. You got some pretty sensationalistic ideas when it comes to the scrutinies. You mentioning the fact that people puke and pass out make me wonder what your motives are.
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I’ve been thinking the same thing. I didn’t want to discourage her because I’m hopeful that something (miracle?) will happen between now and her first confession that will ease her mind.

For myself, I know it’s going to be hard for me to get used to the idea that I’m not confessing my sins to two human beings that I see every Sunday and sometimes during the week, but to God.

Fortunately, she’s been baptized. At Easter Vigil, I have to get up in front of a large churchful of people and be baptized at 50 years of age. I’ve put it in God’s hands and know that He will take care of me.

I’ll finally say it, Catholicism may not be right for her. She doesn’t seem to understand the spirituality involved in loving God. To her, it’s all above what is in front of her face in the here and now.
 
JoyfulOne said:
'Scuse my butting in, but I have a question:

Cricket, if you are unable to stand before your parish for a few seconds with your RCIA class, how on earth are you going to get through your wedding?
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Even more than that, how is she going to get through marriage?
 
Cricket, you are completely sensationalizing what the scrutinies are. You go up there and stand there with everyone else for like 10 seconds and then you leave. You probably don’t have to talk, and if you do, it’ll be with the group. Heck, we didn’t have to face the congregation.

I don’t know who you talked to in your parish about people puking on themselves, but I find such a thing highly suspicious. :ehh:
No one is parading you in front of everyone to call you a sinner. They are welcoming you into your last few weeks before the Easter Vigil, which is supposed to be a very exciting and happy time for you. They say a blessing and ask everyone to pray for you in this special time.
 
Cricket, honey, I do not mean this to sound hurtful to you, but you really need to sit down and ask God to help you with this hostility you have worked up.

You accuse a church that wants to welcome you and pray for you as wanting to humiliate and degrade you, when there is absolutely nothing of the sort going on.

You claim that the mere thought of standing in front of the parish will cause you to “puke,” yet elsewhere you say you have been involved with Martial Arts for years. You are able to stand and perform in front of others for MA, yet you cannot bear the thought of being prayed for?

Something is not adding up here.
 
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Celia:
Cricket, you are completely sensationalizing what the scrutinies are. You go up there and stand there with everyone else for like 10 seconds and then you leave. You probably don’t have to talk, and if you do, it’ll be with the group. Heck, we didn’t have to face the congregation.

I don’t know who you talked to in your parish about people puking on themselves, but I find such a thing highly suspicious. :ehh:
No one is parading you in front of everyone to call you a sinner. They are welcoming you into your last few weeks before the Easter Vigil, which is supposed to be a very exciting and happy time for you. They say a blessing and ask everyone to pray for you in this special time.
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well its much longer than 10 seconds that much i was told by our priest he said probably about 15 to 20 minutes possibly longer.

as far as My martial arts experience to the other poster I never said i performed in front of anyone there was no way I could have.

secondly how am i going to get married you ask?
well there will be me, My future spouse and required witnesses and the priest only, no family or friends.

I had a huge reply all typed up but am not going to post it, as its just fueling people, just relize some of you showed me what to expect in the best ways and also the worst, being as some of you are pros at digging up info about a poster, I am sure you dig up info in your home towns as well to the people on display.it dont take a detective to get addys and phone numbers out of a phone book or to look up any posts i have made here…

Thanks
 
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cricket331:
I had a huge reply all typed up but am not going to post it, as its just fueling people, just relize some of you showed me what to expect in the best ways and also the worst, being as some of you are pros at digging up info about a poster, I am sure you dig up info in your home towns as well to the people on display.it dont take a detective to get addys and phone numbers out of a phone book or to look up any posts i have made here…

Thanks
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I think you have pushed our patience to the limit. Everybody here has tried to help you and be sympathetic, but you try to shoot us down at every turn.

Quite frankly, I think you should watch Mass on EWTN on Sunday. Stay home, don’t even leave the house.
 
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