To Put 15yo in RCIA/T or Not?

[PJM]

=Ginger Feline;12863764]I have a dd who just turned 15 and I am trying to figure out if I should put her in RCIA for teens next school year.

I also have two other teens who will be turning 19 and 20 this spring. They have been raised as Protestant Christians and are obviously adults who are responsible for their own spiritual decisions now. All I can do at this late stage in the game, is to show them how my conversion is benefitting me, answer questions, pray for them, and not try to force conversion on them.

Do you think I should have the same approach for the one who is 15? Or is she young enough that I should make a parental decision to have her take RCIA for teens?

If I were to ask her right now, if she wants to take classes to convert to the Catholic Church, I’m sure she’d say something along the lines of “No, I’m fine going to [protestant] church with Dad.” Does this mean I shouldn’t put her in RCIA/T? If she takes the classes, she could find herself under pressure to join at Easter because her friends in the class are. Would I be responsible for causing her to sin if she joined due to peer pressure when she didn’t really want to be a catholic for the rest of her life?

I’m afraid I could cause her to commit the biggest sin of her life if she joined, took communion, but didn’t do it for the right reasons. But…

I’m also afraid, if I don’t use my power to put her in RCIA, I will be committing a huge sin for not passing on the faith to one of my children when I could have. Aargh!

Please help me know what is the right thing to do. Thank you!

Much easier to ASK us than to get it done

BUT YOU’RE the parent and responsible for the Souls [to varying degrees] of your children.

There IS:

Just One True God

One TRUE God can and DOES have just One true faith

Pls READ Eph. 4: 1-7, Mt, 10:1-8, Mt. 16:18-19, & Mt. 28:16-20 taking careful not that Christ is in EACH case speaking ONLY to His Apostles and Church [singular] “MY CHURCH!”

And desired. following His Own OT Tradition of JUST ONE Chosen people; One Church

Exodus 6:7
“**And I will take you to myself for my people, I will be your God: **and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the work prison of the Egyptians.”

So YES you should enroll her in RCIA.

As a former RCIA teacher, now retired I OFFER a TOTALLY FREE OF ALL COST home study course with Lessons e-mailed weekly.

I cover FAR more topics than RCIA can due to their time restrictions

I cover them id GREATER detail
& I provide the Proof, the evidence that explains what we do and WHY we do it.

Your entire family could benefit from this information.

So If I can assist you, please send me a private message.

God Bless you,

Patrick PJM on CAF

 

[Ginger_Feline]

Why has she not been in some sort of Sunday school setting prior to this?
In either denomination?

ALL of my kids have been brought up going to church and Sunday school, and at times christian schools. I have no idea why you think they haven’t.

 

[pianistclare]

ALL of my kids have been brought up going to church and Sunday school, and at times christian schools. I have no idea why you think they haven’t.

So why does she need RCIA? She was never baptized?
your Sunday school director should have helped you with this.

 

[Ginger_Feline]

So why does she need RCIA? She was never baptized?
your Sunday school director should have helped you with this.

Each kid was baptized as a baby in a Lutheran church.

We moved from the midwest to the south a few years ago. When looking for a new church, my husband fell in love with the nondenominational church I described a few replies back that doesn’t offer educational classes for teens. This church is not even remotely close to being a good fit for my youngest child or me.

Last summer, I was looking for a church that would better meet the needs of my special needs dd, who is 10. I heard about a fantastic program at a Catholic Church. Their program accepts kids of non-Catholics. I (with my husband’s approval) decided to have her in their SN class, and that I wanted to find out more about Catholicism. I went to RCIA inquiry sessions and decided to continue in RCIA. I’m being confirmed this weekend at Easter vigil.

 

[pianistclare]

Each kid was baptized as a baby in a Lutheran church.

We moved from the midwest to the south a few years ago. When looking for a new church, my husband fell in love with the nondenominational church I described a few replies back that doesn’t offer educational classes for teens. This church is not even remotely close to being a good fit for my youngest child or me.

Last summer, I was looking for a church that would better meet the needs of my special needs dd, who is 10. I heard about a fantastic program at a Catholic Church. Their program accepts kids of non-Catholics. I (with my husband’s approval) decided to have her in their SN class, and that I wanted to find out more about Catholicism. I went to RCIA inquiry sessions and decided to continue in RCIA. I’m being confirmed this weekend at Easter vigil.

Wow! What a great story! Congratulations. \Having said that, many families come in all together. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for you to want your dependent minor child to convert. I teach these classes fro kids as DRE, and almost all of them are kids whose parents recently converted and the families follow suit.
Follow your heart, and see if she’s open to it.
I have a feeling that once your entire family lives through the ceremonies, they will all be awestruck and might consider coming in one day.
Good luck! I hope it works out beautifully for you and the family!
And welcome home.

 

[kkollwitz]

I might try attending RCIA myself as a refresher course (or to help), and invite my teen to come along. But I’d go myself whether the teen does or not to set an example, and also to make sure it’s a good RCIA program.