Trudging the road of RCIA

[puzzleannie]

we only have 2 catechumens, but 22 confirmation candidates, so everyone attends complete Mass either before or after the class, we begin with Breaking open the Word for 15-20 min, take a coffee break, then and hour of catechesis on the topic of the day, which follows a systematic plan on a 42-week cycle that goes year round except July and holidays.

Participants are given a “hand-out” with the scripture and CCC references for the lesson, with study and meditation questions to work on at home during the week. Some do it, some do not, those that do are making much better progress, excited to learn more, can’t wait for the sacraments. Those that don’t are usually the ones just going through the motions because they are getting married or something. Not my problem. All are offered the same riches, whether they choose to claim them is up to them. They will receive the sacraments and the rest of the job (after our 2% contribution) is up to the Holy Spirit.

Unbaptized or uncatechized adults participate in inquiry sessions for as long as they need and jump into the actual class when they feel ready. We hold rite of acceptance whenever necessary, usually twice a year.

our two sponsors for the catechumens, by the way, are folks who have gone through RCIA themselves, but with a different catechist or at a different parish, and say they love having the chance to go over everything again, and are learning much more than they ever thought possible. They, and 3 members of the class converting from other denominations who are very bible literate, are very valuable and enrich the class in ways I can’t begin to describe.

 

[mwashabaugh]

Wow. Some of you people are sure hard on your RCIA teams. They probably don’t show up with a catechism because they’re afraid you’ll beat them with it (I just had a whole new picture of the meaning of the proberbial fundamentalist Bible thumper:bigyikes: ).Glad you’re not in my parish where I am the team (I’m not afraid, though, I show up with a catechism AND a Bible). I have a hard enough time living up to my own standards, yours would probably kill me:bowdown: ! Maybe the emphasis in your RCIA should be learning to prefer others or grace or forgiveness…ever heard of it? :nope:

 

[Andruschak]

Maybe the emphasis in your RCIA should be learning to prefer others or grace or forgiveness…ever heard of it? :nope:

There is a high probability that most of us HAVE heard of it…over and over and over again…when what we really want is to get on with it and find out what we are supposed to know to be Catholics. As a candidate, what more am I supposed to know, feel, appreciate, learn, or emphasize before Confirmation?

As far as grace and forgiveness goes, all I need to learn is given to me every week when trying to exit the parking lot after Mass.

 

[jmcrae]

Have you guys got the Compendium of the Catechism, yet? It’s absolutely fabulous!! I started teaching from it a couple of weeks ago, and they couldn’t get enough of it - totally brilliant!! :dancing:

 

[mwashabaugh]

What more are you supposed to know, feel , appreciate, learn, etc? How about learning how to practice those things toward your RCIA team who are probably volunteering because they love our Lord & his Church? (you know, don’t hate 'em for taking off during the holidays, for a start!) Actually, when you come into full communion could you move to my parish and help me out? Maybe you could take all the holiday meetings

 

[Texas_Roofer]

??? You are the Team? not good, not good, for lots of reasons. You prepare and give ever lesson, you call everybody, you review the applications for issues, you review the marriages, and mortal sin issues common to those issues, you setup and clean the room, and on and on. My sympathies to you. I hope you realize most on this thread are in some form of the RCIA program. I also hope you realize the thread usually is about the differences not the sections operating well. For example do you recruit and assign each sponsor or require each person to provide their own? Do you split the catechumens and candidates for dismissal or group them? Do you use one of these preplanned programs or use an in house program?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

What more are you supposed to know, feel , appreciate, learn, etc? How about learning how to practice those things toward your RCIA team who are probably volunteering because they love our Lord & his Church? (you know, don’t hate 'em for taking off during the holidays, for a start!) Actually, when you come into full communion could you move to my parish and help me out? Maybe you could take all the holiday meetings

The RCIA is supposed to be a process of the whole parish and should be the effort of a well coordinated team with many different roles being filled, including that of Sponsor. The “One man band” approach is not good and does not implement the RCIA as envisioned by the Church.

 

[mwashabaugh]

Not to be disrespectful, but…NO KIDDING!

 

[mwashabaugh]

Bro. Rich, I really do realize what the RCIA is “supposed” to be. I would love to have a lot more of the community’s (name removed by moderator)ut than my own. When I reverted to the Church I attended RCIA with some friends who were converting. There was a team led by the deacon and his wife. When they left, so did the volunteers. Have you ever been in a small parish where every job is volunteer? The teachers for faith formation, the people who clean/decorate the church, the choir, the liturgical ministers, administrators, RCIA team? Sometimes there just aren’t enough people volunteering. I have to make a correction though, I don’t do it all. The candidates/catechumens get their own sponsors and I work with the priest. Not ideal. Any suggestions?

 

[jmcrae]

Marianne;

Start by getting “guest speakers” - contact some of last year’s sponsors, and see if they wouldn’t mind teaching one RCIA lesson, even though they can’t commit to a whole year.

Once you’ve had four or five of these, contact them again and see if they will come back “one more time.”

Build them up to coming regularly, about once every two months or so, while also adding more “one time” guest speakers from your pool of former sponsors and also from the parish at large. Some will just come the once, but others will become enthusiastic about helping out, and will come quite frequently - maybe even weekly.

Pretty soon, you’ll have a pool of regular volunteers to draw from, and you can start assigning people jobs - this person mostly looks after the Catechumens, this person mostly looks after Inquirers, this person mostly looks after the Candidates, etc., until you’ve got a fully functioning four-part RCIA. It will take time to build it up, and you will always have people rotating through as volunteers

 

[mwashabaugh]

jmcrae,

My feeble attempts at recruiting team members have failed miserably. Thank you for such simple and practical advice!

 

[jmcrae]

jmcrae,

My feeble attempts at recruiting team members have failed miserably. Thank you for such simple and practical advice!

You’re most welcome.

I see I hit “send” before finishing my sentence - I meant to add, “but don’t worry; by then there will be enough people that you can assign a Volunteer Coordinator.”

All the best with your RCIA, Marianne!