Retaking RCIA? What's your take?

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Thank you all for your kind suggestions! I’ll find what is feasible to do.

Stuart
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
It’s important to keep in mind what RCIA is and isn’t.

RCIA is a process of conversion. It is not primarily a class or a course, though learning what the Church teaches is one part of RCIA. Other parts of the process include developing a relationship with God and becoming part of a worshiping community. There’s as much spiritual direction occurring as there is instruction.

It’s also important to keep in mind that the participants in RCIA start at very different levels. Some have been praying, learning scripture, and “doing unto others” from an early age. For others, all of these concepts are very new.

RCIA is intended to be the foundation of a lifelong process of conversion and formation.
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I understand all that. Unfortunately, the “team” of instructors did not. Just to throw out three random and completely different issues:
  1. There were about 25 people in the class. At the beginning we all had to explain our backgrounds and why we were there. Almost all of the class had been raised in some sort of Protestant church, as you would expect. And, as you would expect, one of the first questions was about Purgatory. Some of the team had been doing this for 20+ years. And yet the question took them by surprise! Or at least it seemed that way. And yet the question must have come up every single year. They fumbled around for an explanation, they contradicted each other, and at the end they didn’t come off looking very good.
  2. Many of the class members were Evangelicals, and some of the “team” were former Evangelicals, too. They all had a very Evangelical approach to religion—very emotional (a lot of tears), a lot of emphasis on a personal relationship to Jesus, belief in “signs,” etc. And of course that is ONE way you can approach Catholicism–as a very emotional, personal thing, with a preference for more literal readings of the Bible. But that’s only ONE way. There are certainly several other approaches. And yet that was not pointed out, and the class was led to believe that the only valid way to be a Catholic was this pseudo-Evangelical approach.
  3. At one point a “team” member was quoting from a book by Cardinal Avery Dulles. I looked around the room. No one was picking up on exactly who Avery Dulles was. So I broke my cardinal rule: observe, but don’t ask questions or comment. And I blurted out to the “team” member: “Aren’t you going to tell them about Avery’s family?” Blank look. I shut up. But of course it’s an interesting story: his father was Eisenhower’s Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles (thus the DC airport), and his uncle was CIA head Allan Dulles (Mr. Bay of Pigs). Avery had converted from Presbyterianism and had become a priest, a cardinal, and a theologian. Maybe not of religious interest, but certainly one of the more intriguing personal stories. And an opportunity missed…
To make an analogy, it was like a class for American citizenship led by hyper-partisan Republicans who only gave their own point of view and ignored the fact that other points of view even existed.
 
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Honestly, from my experience you’d learn way more just reading Catholic forums, the Bible, and the Baltimore Catechism. My RCIA was very abysmal… it really was Cafeteria Catholics teaching others to be Cafeteria Catholics. 🤷‍♂️
 
@Erikaspirit16, I’m sorry you had a bad experience with RCIA. One of the problems in recruiting team members is that it’s a volunteer position. Maybe you get lucky and find people who are knowledgeable about the rites, about the faith, about guiding people on a spiritual journey, and maybe you don’t. My parish runs into the same problem with children’s religious education. They’ll take anyone willing to volunteer. It would be great if we could pay professionals but that doesn’t happen in my neck of the woods. In the meantime, both you and @melodeonist should be thankful that those inadequate volunteers were there for you to start your journey into the Church. Say a prayer for them.
 
It seems to me you are looking for a sharing group fellowship.
And that just going to mass does not fill that desire or intellectual need
 
Hi Dann!

You kinda hit my nail on the head! I’d like to get involved in an in-depth type of situation. I guess RCIA wouldn’t cut it at this point. Unfortunately, I can’t go to college (financial resources just aren’t there!). I did participate in a program called “Pathways” sponsored by our diocese, but don’t know if it’s still being offered.

As I said, I have plenty of reference material here at my place, but I get overwhelmed. I need a structured environment. But, if necessary, I’ll just have to do it myself.

Stuart
 
You might be able to locate a catholic “life in the spirit class” . there is a little bit of discovery and cross talking in this group.
 
Well, there is nothing quite like stepping out into the void to get one’s heart racing.

A couple of suggestions:
  1. speak to the coordinators of the RCIA program and express an interest in being a sponsor. Do not emphasize your desire to “repeat because you want to learn”. Rather, just indicate that you received a great deal from going through the program, and would like the opportunity to be someone’s sponsor. then find out what the next topic will be (assuming you become one) and brush up/do a bit of extra research before the next week. Actually meet with your candidate from time to time outside of the weekly meetings, and if they have questions, tell them you will do a bit miore research (unless it is a future topic of RCIA) and get back to them. that avoids “talking off the top of your head”.
Talk to the RCIA coordinators, and ask them how they would suggest going about setting up an adult catechesis program, and who they might recommend in the parish to work with. Then get going and set it up. There are numerous tape series which can be either rented or purchased; Bishop Robert Barron has some great ones (though they tend more to evangelization than “course work”) and there are may others (Dr. Brant Pitre comes to mind).

Obviously there is a cost; the Parish may be able to supply, or assist in supplying the cost issue, or there may be parishioners who have income to support it.

Our parish is starting a parallel adult catechesis, using many of the topics we cover in RCIA. And we have used the above tapes and they were well received.
 
Many parishes encourage those that want to solidfy their Faith to attend RCIA. One important thing to understand is that not all RCIA are equal. Make sure they are teaching the Faith and not their liberal ideology.
 
Please help me understand these labels: Liberal and Conservative. I keep reading about them but don’t understand what they mean in our Catholic context.
 
stuartbrianhenlis said:
Please help me understand these labels: Liberal and Conservative. I keep reading about them but don’t understand what they mean in our Catholic context.
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Well, it could mean a lot of things. And the thing is that you could be very conservative in one area and yet very liberal in a different area. So labelling a person “liberal” or “conservative” in religious terms is likely misleading, since it depends on the issue. But I’ll give some examples–

liberal: against abortion, but not willing to impose your own beliefs on fellow citizens of another religion (or no religion).
conservative: against abortion, to the extent that you feel it should be illegal for everyone in every circumstance.

liberal: You love masses with a lot of innovations like children coming up around the altar, dancing, and consistently having altar girls (never boys) and women always reading the first reading and epistle.
convervative: You love masses that actually follow GIRM and the Vatican.

liberal: You think Fatima and Lourdes were encouraged by clergy who had a political agenda. You think the “miracles” are a bunch of hooey.
conservative: You think Fatima and Lourdes were miraculous visitations of Mary, and anyone who believes otherwise must be an atheist.

liberal: Individual conscience is the ultimate guide. (St. Augustine was a flaming liberal.)
conservative: Rules are rules. You break the rule, you go to Hell. Those who talk about “conscience” are really just rationalizing all their many sins.

liberal: Priests are just people with particular official powers. They make mistakes. Some even commit crimes.
conservatives: All priests are deserving of respect and honor, no matter what.

If you read any of these threads, you can clearly see the two groups attacking each other very consistently. But if you read closely, you’ll see them switching sides depending on the issue! In some threads people attack me as an atheist; in other threads people attack me as an ultra-conservative zealot. And of course there are some people who are ALWAYS on the “liberal” side or the “conservative” side.
 
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Wow! Thanks for the response, Erika! I guess I must fall into the “middle of the road” crowd! But, I’m still learning the ropes.

Stuart
 
I think most people are middle of the road on most issues.

Abortion is the odd one because it relates to rule of law rather than respect or basic morals. Murder is murder and some think a personal belief should give one a free pass, too convenient.
 
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