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

[fabricdragon]

i really am very fond of Catholicism for Dummies

also the “how to” books…
and i feel that the use of the Rosary, and its history, in teaching the faith is sadly neglected… but uh. i am a rosary fan so i am biased

 

[milkbar]

I would like to know what, exactly, is wrong with the table and the candle and the Bible.

 

[fabricdragon]

I would like to know what, exactly, is wrong with the table and the candle and the Bible.

NOTHING. when they are there for some reason other than as a prop. the original article was talking about how these items (almost standard in RCIA classes) are often props, not even used… not refferred to… not respected…

in MY RCIA class we did read the lessons for the coming sunday… we prayed… and we stuck fairly close to orthodoxy. (except for the priest who was encouraging women priests and married)

but i have heard from many whose RCIA was … well… not very Catholic. and where the Bible, candle, and table were serving about the same purpose as they do in a fortune tellers office…

 

[fdesales]

I am a cradle Catholic who went through RCIA to be confirmed as an adult.

The program I went through was pathetic! But I didn’t know that at the time.

When my daughter was preparing for her own confirmation 9 years later, that was the first time I ever heard the term “gifts of the Holy Spirit” and learned what they were!

I have a question for you…

Is it important to know this to be a good Catholic?

Being a good Catholic does not DEPEND upon the knowledge of such things. Certainly, the RCIA program is not MEANT to teach EVERYTHING about the faith. It is meant to teach people how to experience Jesus Christ through the sacraments, to learn the Catholic way of following Christ. Reciting the Baltimore Catechism does not necessarily bring about a person who experiences Christ at the Eucharist or in the persons he meets everyday. I’m no liberal - but I wonder how much we need to emphasize knowledge in coming to experience Jesus Christ…

Regards

 

[Lepanto]

I have a question for you…

Is it important to know this to be a good Catholic?

Being a good Catholic does not DEPEND upon the knowledge of such things. Certainly, the RCIA program is not MEANT to teach EVERYTHING about the faith. It is meant to teach people how to experience Jesus Christ through the sacraments, to learn the Catholic way of following Christ. Reciting the Baltimore Catechism does not necessarily bring about a person who experiences Christ at the Eucharist or in the persons he meets everyday. I’m no liberal - but I wonder how much we need to emphasize knowledge in coming to experience Jesus Christ…

Regards

RCIA should help bring people closer to Christ AND teach the faith. Indeed, one of the ways to know Christ is to know more about Him.

Why be an intentionally ignorant Catholic?

 

[Geremia]

Is it important to know this to be a good Catholic?

Being a good Catholic does not DEPEND upon the knowledge of such things. Certainly, the RCIA program is not MEANT to teach EVERYTHING about the faith. It is meant to teach people how to experience Jesus Christ through the sacraments, to learn the Catholic way of following Christ. Reciting the Baltimore Catechism does not necessarily bring about a person who experiences Christ at the Eucharist or in the persons he meets everyday. I’m no liberal - but I wonder how much we need to emphasize knowledge in coming to experience Jesus Christ…

The Baltimore Catechism also says the purpose of life—the “end of man” and reason He made us—is “to know, love, and serve God.” Regarding the question “Why is it necessary to know God?”, it says:

It is necessary to know God because without knowing Him we cannot love Him; and without loving Him we cannot be saved. We should know Him because He is infinitely true; love Him because He is infinitely beautiful; and serve Him because He is infinitely good.

I see no difference between the knowledge of God a genius like St. Thomas Aquinas had and a knowledge of God that someone less “intellectual” like St. Francis of Assisi had. The Catholic faith cannot be reduced to a philosophy, but it also does not lack reason.

 

[fdesales]

RCIA should help bring people closer to Christ AND teach the faith. Indeed, one of the ways to know Christ is to know more about Him.

Why be an intentionally ignorant Catholic?

I wholeheartedly agree, my brother. Trust me, I wish more people knew more about their faith. it is a travesty that so few Catholics know their faith, while those wanting to become Catholic know ten times more…

I certainly am not advocating that we should toss aside knowledge. I am just saying that the FOCUS of RCIA is on a relationship with Jesus Christ, our God. KNOWING the details of the Trinity is NOT as important as KNOWING by EXPERIENCE that God is Love and desires to draw EVEN US into His Divine Nature (as Peter wrote in his second epistle). THAT, my friend, is the important part of theology… What does “x” have to do with MY WALK. We should utilize this knowledge for the purpose of improving our walk. The Catechism speaks of this when it discusses “dogmas”. The spiritual aspect, the point of “Jesus is true God and true Man”. What does that mean for me TODAY, October 24, 2009??? How does that help me today???

The memorization of the Baltimore Catechism for the sake of memorization merely leads to a legalistic faith. One must take this knowledge and put it into our walk, practicing it daily. Thus, my comments on “is knowing this necessary to be Catholic?” Knowledge is of little use when it is not put into use. The Church recognizes this, and that is why she emphasizes that the RCIA is a period of sacramental formation - learning about God through ACTION, sacramental signs of God’s presence, experiencing Him through the Eucharist and Confession, etc. NOT about memorizing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I am hoping the Church has moved beyond the Jansenistic attitude that becoming Catholic = knowing stuff (you can’t be Catholic unless you memorize the prayers…) rather than being Catholic = experiencing Jesus Christ THROUGH what I know and “see” in the sacraments and scriptural reading and life.

Brother in Christ,

fdesales

 

[distracted]

F
".*

Wha… huh???

 

[fdesales]

The Baltimore Catechism also says the purpose of life—the “end of man” and reason He made us—is “to know, love, and serve God.” Regarding the question “Why is it necessary to know God?”, it says:I see no difference between the knowledge of God a genius like St. Thomas Aquinas had and a knowledge of God that someone less “intellectual” like St. Francis of Assisi had. The Catholic faith cannot be reduced to a philosophy, but it also does not lack reason.

A false dichotomy that I never even insinuate. Stating that “knowing what the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not as important” has nothing to do with the faith v. reason argument. That is a false application of the heresy of fideism. We are not making an argument here that one can come to know God ONLY through faith OR ONLY through rational thought, my friend.

My point is knowing that our Creed speaks of an heirarchy of truths and not every piece of knowledge is equally important in our walk. This heirarchy of truths is part and parcel the Catholic Faith, NOT memorizing a laundry list of facts that are SUPPOSEDLY equally important. THUS, one should not become scandalized because on of these “lesser important” items is hardly touched. The heirarchy of truths does not address the rationalistic v fideistic approach to God…

Because an instructor did not touch on the gifts of the Holy Spirit says nothing about a “faith v reason” dichotomy. Remember, RCIA is NOT MEANT to be exhaustive. It is a sacramental period of formation, meant to immerse the person into experiencing Christ through the sacraments, NOT systematic Catholic theology. Everything cannot possibly be addressed in such a short time.

Regards

 

[fdesales]

Wha… huh???

I also experienced the same thing. Some neighbor Assembly of God people evangelized to me and re-awoke my desire to seek out God. As a fallen-away Catholic, I began to research Christianity, etc., and came back home to the Church after 20 years. I do not think this is too uncommon, for a revert to be awakened by a Protestant.

Regards