Separate RCIA groups

[palmas85]

A curious thing, maybe someone can explain it to me. In may parish here in San Diego, there are two distinct RCIA groups. One is for Spanish speakers exclusively and the other for everyone else. I would suppose the assumption is that the Spanish speakers need their own program. However, in the English language group there are those whose native language is not English. Well, the really strange thing is, the groups don’t mix, don’t meet on the same days, didn’t go through the same process and the Spanish speaking grouop will go through baptism and confirmation at an entirely different church. The Spanish speaking group didn’t go through the scrutnies or anything else that the other group did.

Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? If so, what is going on?

 

[puzzleannie]

we also have two groups, actually 4, children and adults, each in English and Spanish, all meet separately with separate catechists and use the same materials, which are available in both English and Spanish (from Liguori). We also have a group of teens that meets on their night. All the major rites are celebrated together, and we move it around so that the entire parish has a chance to meet the entire group, for instance, the 3 scrutinies are at 3 different Masses, including the Spanish Mass, and the Rite of Sending for Election was at the Sat. Evening Mass, so the whole parish got to meet them, pray for them, know who they are.

Our diocese holds one celebration for the Rite of Election which is bilingual, although in prior years there was one for Spanish and one for English.

Religion is not like a school class, even if someone has some ability in a second language, the language of one’s spirituality and prayer should be the mother tongue. It is great if your parish has the resources to do this. There is a danger, and we fight against it constantly, in trying to do parallel programs, in short-changing one group due to lack of resources or catechists and in failing to communicate all the necessary information on what is going on, when and why to all groups.

We have from 20 to 50 people in RCIA at all levels at any one time, and it takes more time, money, resources, and volunteers to meet their needs than for the entire CCD program serving 600 families.

 

[palmas85]

puzzleannie:

we also have two groups, actually 4, children and adults, each in English and Spanish, all meet separately with separate catechists and use the same materials, which are available in both English and Spanish (from Liguori). We also have a group of teens that meets on their night. All the major rites are celebrated together, and we move it around so that the entire parish has a chance to meet the entire group, for instance, the 3 scrutinies are at 3 different Masses, including the Spanish Mass, and the Rite of Sending for Election was at the Sat. Evening Mass, so the whole parish got to meet them, pray for them, know who they are.

Our diocese holds one celebration for the Rite of Election which is bilingual, although in prior years there was one for Spanish and one for English.

Religion is not like a school class, even if someone has some ability in a second language, the language of one’s spirituality and prayer should be the mother tongue. It is great if your parish has the resources to do this. There is a danger, and we fight against it constantly, in trying to do parallel programs, in short-changing one group due to lack of resources or catechists and in failing to communicate all the necessary information on what is going on, when and why to all groups.

We have from 20 to 50 people in RCIA at all levels at any one time, and it takes more time, money, resources, and volunteers to meet their needs than for the entire CCD program serving 600 families.

Well, I can see that angle, but here it isn’t like that. The Spanish group does not use the same materials, they actually come from a different publisher al together, did not atend the Rite of Election, did not attend the scrutnies and they did not have the scrutnies at the Spanish language Mass. Their iniatiation will not even be at our church. I just don’t understand it.

 

[Steve-o]

Here in south Florida (just north of Miami) we also have a seperate Spanish RCIA group. I have no problem with it, since I’ve lived here my whole life, and since our parish has the resources and inclination to have a seperate RCIA program, so be it. It doesn’t bother me at all.

 

[Walking_Home]

palmas85:

Well, I can see that angle, but here it isn’t like that. The Spanish group does not use the same materials, they actually come from a different publisher al together, did not atend the Rite of Election, did not attend the scrutnies and they did not have the scrutnies at the Spanish language Mass. Their iniatiation will not even be at our church. I just don’t understand it.

Palmas85,

This group could also be part of the Neocatechumal Way. In most cases they will be in a separate group and follow their own procedures for Rite of Elec.,scrutinies, babtism-(usually full immersion). The Neocats have a sizable following among the Hispanic population in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and points in between. Unfortunately the imigrant population within the Hispanic population does not have a strong doctrinal background, so they have been easy prey for this movement.