Should I change parishes in middle of RCIA?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cccw2009
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cccw2009

Guest
I really could use some advice and opinions. I would like to move on to a different parish for reasons I don’'t want to share. The issue is that I am in the middle of RCIA, I’ve had my Rite of Acceptance there, and so the community knows me there. If I just leave, they will wonder what happened to me and I really don’t like leaving people hanging like that. But I also feel like I need to move on. I am not church hopping, just feel I need to go for several reasons.

If I attend another parish, I don’t know how all of this will be accepted. No one there will really know me as I receive my sacraments.

Would it be more rude to leave my current parish after I receive my sacraments?

I’m at a lost of what to do and hope you guys here could help me out. Thanks to all.
 
First, ask the other parish if the priest or RCIA program director or whatever his title is, if they would accept you. The answer could vary from parish to parish.

As regards to leaving your current parish after Easter, there’s nothing wrong with that. We are free to go to any other parish of our choosing, even one of another Catholic Rite. Just make sure you’re moving for the right reasons.
 
It is not a matter of rudeness it is a matter of completing your faith journey. Yes you should ordinarily be in RCIA in the parish where you would like to be received into the Church, and where you plan to participate afterward. The timing I question however. We are just weeks away from Lent and Easter. Depending on your situation and how the new parish structures its program, it may mean holding you back for no good reason, My advice is to continue where you are, including, and this is absolutely critical, the mystagogy period after reception of sacraments, in the parish you are in now. Afterward, next year or down the road if you want to change parishes for any reason you can do that.

The only I time I would tell you to change in midstream is if the teachings are downright heretical and actually damaging to your faith rather than nurturing it.

welcome home!
 
I think if you wait until after your complete RCIA that it is fine to choose a new parish, I would worry about trying to chagne in the middle of RCIA because different parishes even in the same diocese have different programs/time tables so the lessons don’t always sync up and you could miss some things, or double up on other things.

I know when I was going through RCIA we where encouraged to go to RCIA at a parish that fit our schedule (I was in a large metro area with many different churches fairly close together) which wasn’t necessarily the parish you would attend full time after your initiation. They also did not allow you to transfer RCIA classes without basically starting over. While it is probably ideal that you complete RCIA at the parish you wish to be a memeber of, it is not necessary. Of course the “rules” of this vary from parish to parish, diocese to diocese, if I where you I would speak with the priest or person in charge of RCIA at the parish you wish to join, find out your options and then speak with the priest or person in charge of RCIA at your current parish.
 
I am taking RCIA at the cathedral since my parish is small and they didn’t do it this year. So if I change parishes, I could probably stay in my class. Thanks to all! The few answers given, I think I’ll just stay for now.
 
If it’s vital that you do so, check with both RCIA groups to make the arrangements. I know at our parish, we are short on RCIA sponsors.

If you’re satisfied with your RCIA instruction and group participation, I’d suggest staying until after Easter.

You’re free to worship at any / all parishes.
 
Complete the program with your current parish; it will be INFINITELY easier to change parishes later, once you already have your baptismal and/or confirmation certificates in hand. There will be absolutely no doubts that you are a Catholic in good standing.
 
By the law you belong to the parish where your domicile is. The only exception from this are the homeless people who have no domicile; they belong to the diocese only. (Above that you may belong to an established personal parish, where you register due to your ethnicity, rite or other special qualification.)

Simply registering to a parish does not mean that you belong to that parish. Registering has no legal consequences at all. Neither means anything legally which Church do you attend regularly. You have obligation to support the Church not your particular parish.

Legally your territorial parish (where your domicile is) is responsible for your baptism, first communion and confirmation. Any other parish must have at least tacite approval of that parish.

This means that if you change your domicile or quasi domicile than it is natural that you move to the RCIA classes of the parish in your new domicile. In any other case talk it over with the new parish RCIA director or pastor.
 
In our diocese, at least, one is free to attend RCIA in any parish in the diocese. I think there would be a problem with someone attending outside their diocese of residence, since one needs the bishop’s authorization to administer the sacraments. I had one case of a catechumen who moved across the country in the middle of the program. We sent a letter to the new parish, and they picked her up in their program.

I have often had those from other parishes in my RCIA program, and have sent people from my parish to others. This was usually because of convenience of the time of the meetings. I also recall a couple of cases where a catechumen or candidate was marrying a member of our parish and would be in our parish after that.

One of the purposes of RCIA is to integrate the person into the Catholic community. A given year’s RCIA class is ones first Catholic Community; so it is desirable to do the whole program with them.
 
Seeing how this is the traditional forum… I would recommend going to the nearest Fraternity of St. Peter parish (FSSP) or Institute of Christ the King (ICK) and make that your parish. You’ll receive a more solid Catholic education without going through the RCIA process (which is largely hit or miss - mostly miss in my experience and others here on this forum) and become accustomed to the liturgical, disciplinary, and theological traditions of our faith.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top