This priest says: "RCIA, how it is currently practiced, is pathetic and shameful."

[adowcday]

That’s a huge presumption. Maybe he was moved because he was telling them things that they needed to hear – but they didn’t want to hear it. Like things about their RCIA programs.

He sounds like a angry, bitter, judgmental, holier-than-thou young priest with a messiah complex. He is wounded by the thought that the nine priests he’s served under don’t recognize that he knows more, serves better, and has a firmer grasp of the truth than they do, despite their training, ordination, and years of service. He also thinks that there is no one qualified to teach lay people except priests, and most of those are lazy, heretical, and immoral. That is, apparently only he qualifies to teach RCIA. He displays obvious disdain for just about everyone, priest, religious or laity, that he’s interacted with in the nine parishes he’s served in in the past three years.

Thanks for the feedback, but I think I got it right the first time.

 

[cdanison]

I am a convert from 2004. My RCIA experience was wonderful. My church has a lady in charge who knows what RCIA is and how to carry it out. There is a group of 5 or 6 people on the team to help, and some testify to their Catholic faith on life experiences they have had. We had various speakers, priests and nuns and lay people, come and they were all interesting. We had fun along with our learning.

I was so impressed with RCIA that I have returned to sponsor two other converts, in 2006 and 2007. I learned so much, and advise others who have questions about various church issues to join in with the RCIA.

 

[DominicVobiscum]

Improper RCIA is merely a symptom - the problem is unauthentic Catholicism

My diocese still allows (with the knowledge of the Bishop) a priest to hold parish instruction stating that “we’re all going to heaven,” and he replaces the hierarchy with the radical feminist model of the church where the Apostles (priests) are no more important the the least ignorant parishioner. Letters, both private and public are hollow weapons agianst this evil.

Remind me not to move to your diocese. My condolences.

 

[storywriter]

I went through RCIA a few years ago in Idaho, and I experienced everything that this priest mentions.

fatherpaul.org/didaskalos/editorials_answers/vocation/RCIA_and_priests.html

My RCIA class was taught by a woman with a Masters of Divinity, but she was as liberal as they come (she would’ve made a nice Episcopalian). Every lecture sounded like a manifesto on social justice, but completely devoid of spiritual content. Our pastor only showed up for one of our classes the entire year. I sometimes wondered, was he really too busy to visit a classroom of 25 prospective converts?

Anyways, the priest-author of this article made me chuckle, too. He really nailed it, even the detail about "In the center of the room is a table, and on the table there is a doily, upon which one may find a bible open to some random page, and a candle burning. Of course, these are mere props, sacred things brought forth to ‘create an atmosphere.’ "

Our classroom had the same props, of course.

If you went through RCIA, was this your experience?

Oh gosh… do I have an RCIA horror story for you all…

Ready for this? I went through RCIA in college, at a Newman Center. My RCIA program consisted of 3 emails about the sacraments. Yep. 3 emails. I was also told “You should try to go to bible study, too.” (Although, lucky for me I did go to bible study, even though it was just a 'recommendation," and lo and behold I met my future husband there… he was leading the bible study! )

Oh- and the emails, they made no sense. I read them usually 3 times over and thought, “What did I just read?” I kid you not… I didn’t know what “Eucharist” meant until a few months AFTER my confirmation. I always thought it was just “Communion,” and that’s it. Even though I know one of those emails talked about the Eucharist, that is how “well” it was explained what the Eucharist is.

Terrible, terrible, terrible.

The good news out of it… my husband (we were dating at the time), suggested I check out some Catholic message boards, I could really learn a lot about the faith from peoples debates. I ventured over to Myspace Catholic groups where there was always tons of debating about the faith. I realized I knew NOTHING, not one THING about Catholicism. I did happen to have a CCC, so that is where I learned all my answers!! People would post a question, and I thought, “What does the catechism say?” I learned everything about the faith in such a short amount of time.

I became SO fired up for the faith, I set a goal to “revive” the Newman Center. Our NC was dead. Mass included a few alumni, and 2-4 students. Bible study usually consisted of 2-4 students. This was about 4 years ago… since then, my husband and I helped “revive” the Newman Center, I used every resource possible to recruit students to Mass and participate at the Newman Center… including a friend I made on MYSPACE of all places. That friend came to the Newman Center as a freshman, became Godfather to our youngest son, just graduated from SDSU this year… and just announced earlier this week he is entering the seminary.

So, SHORT STORY LONG… despite my LOUSY RCIA program, I guess God had his reasons for making my experience terrible. lol

(and a quick note - RCIA was one of the first programs to get fixed when we had our newman center revival!)

 

[PJM]

Lepanto -I went through RCIA a few years ago in Idaho, and I experienced everything that this priest mentions.

My RCIA class was taught by a woman with a Masters of Divinity, but she was as liberal as they come (she would’ve made a nice Episcopalian). Every lecture sounded like a manifesto on social justice, but completely devoid of spiritual content. Our pastor only showed up for one of our classes the entire year. I sometimes wondered, was he really too busy to visit a classroom of 25 prospective converts?

Our classroom had the same props, of course.

If you went through RCIA, was this your experience?

As one who has been very involved in catholic Education for fifteen years, and three years with RCIA, I too harbor shock and dismay at what happens and what does not happen in RCIA classes.

It seems that their are no national standards [for which we might be grateful] nor ot their standards from Bishop to Bishop.

My Bishop who seems to be “one of God’s guy’s” sent out out a program last fall, and the priest running our RCIA program decided not to follow it.

What is not taught seems to me to be as harmfull as what is taught in error? Their is a attempt to shied candidates from the ENTIRE truth, one assumes because they may chage their minds if they really knew what thee CHURCH Teaches and what THEE Church insist be practiced?

For example divorce, contraception, abortion, are not discussed, the Sacrament of Confession while intoduced, is not explained as a REQUIREMENT, piety is never brought up. The Commandments are not fully explained. Mortal sin is not fully explained.

One might suggest one write to one’s Bishop, and pray for results, but only after bringing your concerns to your priest. It’s neither a good idea or Chrsitian Charity to try to go over his head without giving him a fair chance to make corrections.

I have made myself availble by persoanl e-mail to all the candidates to answer questions and share Chruch teachings. About half of them have taken me up on my offer.

This certainly is an area to be concerned about.

 

[alanjeddy]

As one who has been very involved in catholic Education for fifteen years, and three years with RCIA, I too harbor shock and dismay at what happens and what does not happen in RCIA classes.

It seems that their are no national standards [for which we might be grateful] nor ot their standards from Bishop to Bishop.

My Bishop who seems to be “one of God’s guy’s” sent out out a program last fall, and the priest running our RCIA program decided not to follow it.

What is not taught seems to me to be as harmfull as what is taught in error? Their is a attempt to shied candidates from the ENTIRE truth, one assumes because they may chage their minds if they really knew what thee CHURCH Teaches and what THEE Church insist be practiced?

For example divorce, contraception, abortion, are not discussed, the Sacrament of Confession while intoduced, is not explained as a REQUIREMENT, piety is never brought up. The Commandments are not fully explained. Mortal sin is not fully explained.

One might suggest one write to one’s Bishop, and pray for results, but only after bringing your concerns to your priest. It’s neither a good idea or Chrsitian Charity to try to go over his head without giving him a fair chance to make corrections.

I have made myself availble by persoanl e-mail to all the candidates to answer questions and share Chruch teachings. About half of them have taken me up on my offer.

This certainly is an area to be concerned about.

My wife finished RCIA this past Easter and I was also bothered by one of the instructors talking about Sin. He is very liberal in his Catholicism and his definition of Justification and salvation sounded more grounded in Protestant theology. He was more defined in his spirituality by God’s mercy more than God’s devine justice. After one class I had to ask him why he sounded more Protestant than Catholic? He said with a smile on his face:“Probably because most of my family is protestant.” I asked him if he really believed in hell and he responded by saying. Yes, but God would never torture souls for all eternity. There is simply deprivation of the Beatific Vision. Isn’t that punishment enough?

The liberal wing of the Catholic church is gaining more and more promenance today. No greater example of this than 4 years ago when I had a reconversion to my faith after 25 years of drug/alcohol addiction. In the confessional I said to the priest where’s is everyone waiting to go to reconcilliation, it’s still a sacrament isn’t it? His response was youv’e been away for 25 years and you will never see the church the way it was pre-Vatican II. You and I are going to get into a fight right here in the confessional. You sound like that priest on television, a judgemental crusader. This was the only time in my life when I felt 10 times worse leaving the confessional vs when i entered it. I told the pastor of the church what transpired and he said you caught Fr. Malone on a bad day. He does have a medical condition and perhaps this was a mitigating circumstance.

I can’t believe how our Church has changed during the last 30 years.

 

[masuwerte]

As one who has been very involved in catholic Education for fifteen years, and three years with RCIA, I too harbor shock and dismay at what happens and what does not happen in RCIA classes.

It seems that their are no national standards [for which we might be grateful] nor ot their standards from Bishop to Bishop.

My Bishop who seems to be “one of God’s guy’s” sent out out a program last fall, and the priest running our RCIA program decided not to follow it.

What is not taught seems to me to be as harmfull as what is taught in error? Their is a attempt to shied candidates from the ENTIRE truth, one assumes because they may chage their minds if they really knew what thee CHURCH Teaches and what THEE Church insist be practiced?

For example divorce, contraception, abortion, are not discussed, the Sacrament of Confession while intoduced, is not explained as a REQUIREMENT, piety is never brought up. The Commandments are not fully explained. Mortal sin is not fully explained.

One might suggest one write to one’s Bishop, and pray for results, but only after bringing your concerns to your priest. It’s neither a good idea or Chrsitian Charity to try to go over his head without giving him a fair chance to make corrections.

I have made myself availble by persoanl e-mail to all the candidates to answer questions and share Chruch teachings. About half of them have taken me up on my offer.

This certainly is an area to be concerned about.

A neutral or hostile observer, looking at the situation with RCIA as discussed in the OP’s article, might think people are being tricked into joining the Catholic Church.

 

[scottywolf777]

OK I was part of the leadership team for RCIA in my parish a few years ago. The priest running the show was an ex-military chaplain (hatch match and despatch if you get my drift) He wanted us to sing at every meeting. For years after that one I couldn’t stand “Abba Father” one of his faves we’d sing at every meeting. He despised the laity thinking we were stupid and should sit in our pews and give money (most of our lay team had degrees in philosophy and theology etc). The regular meetings on Wednesday Father would pass out “Catholic Update” handouts and ask people if they had any questions. The one time someone did ask a question,“What is the Pentecost event?” Father went into a 20 minute diatribe on the nature of the Holy Spirit that left the lay team scratching our heads. At break I gave the lady asking the question a brief explanation. After that year I swore never again to do that. Also in that year we had a lady that on the first Sunday of Lent after rite of election tell me she had no idea that Jesus was GodI did NOT do her interview or she wouldn’t have gotten that far. I had to create a “lesson” on the spot to explain the Trinity to someone with a shoddy at best 4th grade education. We shudder to think what else she’d missed.
I later did sponsor someone for RCIA under Kathleen the DRE. She reminded me of Mother Superior meets Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager without the loving motherly sensability. She was already onto Vatican IV or maybe V and her interview of me as sponsor was like the Spanish Inquisition without the torture. Yes we did have the candle and the schmaltzy prayer service as part of the “lesson.” Needless to say my candidate jumped ship after Christmas and went to another parish. I didn’t really blame him.
Anyone I know intersted in joining the church I encourage to read the Bible and the CCC and do their own religious ed. I have friends who have gone through RCIA that are always asking things like how to say the rosary etc.
Glad I was spared RCIA when I returned to the church in the 80’s. There are some good programs out there I just wish that the people creating them would stick to what the church actaully teaches, believes and practices and leaves the touchy feeling heresy to a minimum.

 

[ML561]

Peace be with you. I am sorry that some of you found your RCIA experience to be insufficient and confusing. This was not the case when I took instructions, nor was that the case when years later I participated in an RCIA class as a sponsor. The teachings of the Church were made very clear, not only by the parish priest but also by a number of lay Catholics who helped with the classes. In addition, all of us bonded together with a sense of community. If anyone had a question, it was immediately answered, or the teachers and sponsors would very shortly find out the answer so that no prospective convert was left confused. In fact, after having helped with RCIA classes as a sponsor, I learned even more about the faith! I hope to assist again with classes because there is probably more that I should know–aside from the joy of seeing new converts.

 

[Disciple96]

I read somewhere on these fora that RCIA stood for Repelling Converts In-Advertantly. Indeed.

I was a facilitator type person for RCIA a few years back. If I had been a candidate I would have learned that women would be allowed to be priests someday, when you pray you shouldn’t ask for things over and over (vain repetition?) and Catholics don’t pray the rosary anymore. One confirmand said he didn’t think the Catholic church was different than any other and the only reason he was being confirmed was to make his grandma happy. In spite of this he was confirmed. I know a past co-worker converted but they use contraception.

Oh, and the part where Fr. Ward say that priest need to stop watching so much TV? Yeah, they need to get off the internet too. :coolinoff: Ooookay, I’m done.

T**ouché and *Oy ve! *Too true, your opening line there, Bruised. I’m currently sponsoring a friend in the RCIA and I’m glad I decided to attend the classes with her, even though the deacons teaching it said sponsors didn’t really need to bother attending anything but the first class. I’ve had to clarify or add or correct so much of what our inquirers are being told. I’ve also brought books to show them; I’ve given them info about podcasts and MP3’s they can download for free explaining Scripture from a Catholic perspective, apologetics, etc. And I definitely have had to speak up when Catholic moral teaching on life issues was being mangled beyond belief.

For example: the deacon says:

“Oh, the Gospel of Life? That’s just an encyclical, not official Church doctrine.”

What the Vatican summary that was released with the Gospel of Life says:

“The encyclical is presented with great doctrinal authority: It is not only an expression, like every other encyclical, of the ordinary magisterium of the pope, but also of the episcopal collegiality which was manifested first in the extraordinary consistory of cardinals in April 1991 and subsequently in a consultation of all the bishops of the Catholic Church, who unanimously and firmly agree with the teaching imparted in it (No. 5).”

We have a family there (a mother, father and son) who are all taking the class together and someone told them in the class the other day that the Catholic Church accepts and teaches evolution. They were so horrified (not to mention, confused!) that they almost decided not to come back. We talked about it today and I did my best to explain what the Church actually has to say about the subject and pointed them to the Catechism if they have any other questions about Church teaching. One really does not have to take any Catholic’s word for it; one has only to buy a paperback copy of the Catechism for $8.99 and use the index. It’s all pretty much spelled out between the covers of the book for anyone anywhere any time, complete with copious references, quotes and notes. I’ve been studying it for years and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know what Catholicism really is.

Fortunately, when I became interested in Catholicism, I took a Catechism class taught by a wonderful and wise old Irish priest. And then I decided to take his “Know Your Faith” class with three other inquirers. It was a small, intimate group and I acquired a very solid grounding in the Faith, a wonderful foundation upon which I am still building to this day. I think the RCIA is a great idea, but, alas, the execution seems all too often to leave much too much to be desired.

But I am taking it all in and noticing what works and doesn’t work. Since I have a Protestant background (among other things), and our deacon instructors do not, I can very often zero in on how the class is misunderstanding what is being said and clarify things or at least open up a discussion that leads us all to clearer understanding. Not everyone is as, um, outspoken as I am. Imagine that.

 

[mangy_dog]

I went through RCIA a few years ago in Idaho, and I experienced everything that this priest mentions.

fatherpaul.org/didaskalos/editorials_answers/vocation/RCIA_and_priests.html

My RCIA class was taught by a woman with a Masters of Divinity, but she was as liberal as they come (she would’ve made a nice Episcopalian). Every lecture sounded like a manifesto on social justice, but completely devoid of spiritual content. Our pastor only showed up for one of our classes the entire year. I sometimes wondered, was he really too busy to visit a classroom of 25 prospective converts?

Anyways, the priest-author of this article made me chuckle, too. He really nailed it, even the detail about "In the center of the room is a table, and on the table there is a doily, upon which one may find a bible open to some random page, and a candle burning. Of course, these are mere props, sacred things brought forth to ‘create an atmosphere.’ "

Our classroom had the same props, of course.

If you went through RCIA, was this your experience?

If this catechism teacher is not focused enough…put her on the spot.

Ask the questions.

Ask her about temptation, sin, purgatory, confession, grace.

Ask her about the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

Ask her about the efficacy of confession. Ask her which is more effective: Confession or an Exorcism?

Ask the hard questions. Make her bring in the Priest, to answer the questions that she cannot answer. This will also make the priest put in his two cents on what he calls shameful.

A degree in divinity is good. But remember that the priest a priest of the second order. Ask her about that. A

Ask her about holy orders. Request that the priest take an active part in catechism.

 

[Disciple96]

He sounds like a angry, bitter, judgmental, holier-than-thou young priest with a messiah complex. He is wounded by the thought that the nine priests he’s served under don’t recognize that he knows more, serves better, and has a firmer grasp of the truth than they do, despite their training, ordination, and years of service. He also thinks that there is no one qualified to teach lay people except priests, and most of those are lazy, heretical, and immoral. That is, apparently only he qualifies to teach RCIA. He displays obvious disdain for just about everyone, priest, religious or laity, that he’s interacted with in the nine parishes he’s served in in the past three years.

Thanks for the feedback, but I think I got it right the first time.

Well, the truth is we don’t really know about that, but he didn’t sound all that angry and bitter to me. He did sound like he was understandably upset that those who have a grave obligation to hand on the faith faithfully are not doing so. I am horrified by the way the RCIA is being taught to the young woman I am sponsoring. I feel like we have stepped into a New Age time warp and if it weren’t for the fact that she is studying non-stop on her own (and with me), I think I would suggest to her that she drop the class. She’s talked about it several times but she really wants to be baptized and to be received soon, so she’s going to stick it out.

But others have been totally turned off by the things they’ve been told by the instructor and others. (And the instructor is a deacon, but don’t get me started on the pathetic formation of the permanent diaconate here. Our new bishop is working on it, but it’s going to take time and then what does he do about the ones who are already ordained?) It’s a mess. I wish he would just use the Catechism and stick to it. It does upset me, tremendously. And I’m not holier-than-thou; I just love Holy Mother Church and these people have come to the Church seeking instruction, real knowledge, the truth and they are being discouraged by someone who should know better but knows next to nothing. It is sooooo sad.

 

[Zea_mays]

i spent 8 months reading the bible, CCC, other catholic books and absorbing lots of info from catholic answers forums/radio. RCIA didnt teach me anything i didnt know, it was just a 4 month barrier from receiving christ in the eucharist.

 

[distracted]

I went through RCIA a few years ago in Idaho, and I experienced everything that this priest mentions.

fatherpaul.org/didaskalos/editorials_answers/vocation/RCIA_and_priests.html

My RCIA class was taught by a woman with a Masters of Divinity, but she was as liberal as they come (she would’ve made a nice Episcopalian). Every lecture sounded like a manifesto on social justice, but completely devoid of spiritual content. Our pastor only showed up for one of our classes the entire year. I sometimes wondered, was he really too busy to visit a classroom of 25 prospective converts?

Anyways, the priest-author of this article made me chuckle, too. He really nailed it, even the detail about "In the center of the room is a table, and on the table there is a doily, upon which one may find a bible open to some random page, and a candle burning. Of course, these are mere props, sacred things brought forth to ‘create an atmosphere.’ "

Our classroom had the same props, of course.

If you went through RCIA, was this your experience?

i went to RCIA to learn more about the faith… was already Ctholic… but i know exactly how this can be… one instructor was a priest who had left the Church to marry… he taught unorhtodox things… like that some day the Church might ordain women…

i disagreed w/ him on things… out loud… Fortunately he didn’t get upset but… anyway… if i hadn’t been there to make a comment… none would have been made… so glad i was helpful…

only problem was i couldn’t be there for every class…

don’t know why they let liberals run RCIA… should be reported to the bishop… hopefully he’s not a lib…

 

[distracted]

i spent 8 months reading the bible, CCC, other catholic books and absorbing lots of info from catholic answers forums/radio. RCIA didnt teach me anything i didnt know, it was just a 4 month barrier from receiving christ in the eucharist.

i think sometimes the priests can make an exception… like if they have some kind of interview with you (??) and think you know enough… i have heard of certain people not having to go through RCIA… wish i could recall the details…

not tht i had details to recall… usually just something i read in a book… someone would mention they came into the Church on such-&such day… not Easter…

 

[Don_L]

i went to RCIA to learn more about the faith… was already Ctholic… but i know exactly how this can be… one instructor was a priest who had left the Church to marry… he taught unorhtodox things… like that some day the Church might ordain women…

i disagreed w/ him on things… out loud… Fortunately he didn’t get upset but… anyway… if i hadn’t been there to make a comment… none would have been made… so glad i was helpful…

only problem was i couldn’t be there for every class…

don’t know why they let liberals run RCIA… should be reported to the bishop… hopefully he’s not a lib…

Reported to the bishop? Surely you jest -they know what’s going on -and often approve.

 

[distracted]

Reported to the bishop? Surely you jest -they know what’s going on -and often approve.

well, you probably should do it anyway… because for one hting, the next step is Rome…

anywya, there ARE some orthodox bishops out there…

i hope i have one… kinda hard to tell…

***which reminds me… is there any way to find out personal info (biographical info) on priests and bishops?? ***

 

[Zea_mays]

i think sometimes the priests can make an exception… like if they have some kind of interview with you (??) and think you know enough… i have heard of certain people not having to go through RCIA… wish i could recall the details…

not tht i had details to recall… usually just something i read in a book… someone would mention they came into the Church on such-&such day… not Easter…

i got confirmed on epiphany, i think i would have had an aneurysm if i had to wait til easter.

 

[turtle18]

Sometimes these programs backfire–I actually know of several cases where some Protestants were thinking about joining the Catholic Church but in the end they didn’t go through with the RCIA programs–because the RCIA program had given them the impression that the Church wasn’t pro-life. Happened at two separate parishes in my Archdiocese. Truly disgraceful.

 

[Mistyjazz]

Hi everyone, I attended my first meeting in RCIA today…There was only myself and one other lady going through this process. I must say I feel a little in the spotlight and broke down crying when I was asked to address myself in front of the father and catechist… when I referenced my relationship with god after helping my husband battle through cancer twice…

The flood of emotions that came back to me were overpowering…I can’t believe I broke down at all…The whole room went silent and no body spoke until I sorted myself out…They were all loving but doing this only with two people makes this process so frightening…as the centre of attention…I hate attention…I am a quiet girl… I do hope next week will be more comfortable…I still can’t believe I behaved in that way…it’s like all the memories came flooding back to me as I spoke about our misfortune…

Has anyone felt like that before…