Went to my first RCIA class last night

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adventdoula

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and I am… disappointed? I knew that at first the basics that most Christians would agree on would be covered. So even though I already knew everything that was discussed, I was fine with it. But from the time I got there - only 1 person spoke to me. And it was the person who needed to have me fill out paperwork. No one else said a word. And when it came time for discussion in groups at our table - every person at my table except for me got up, got a snack, and wandered around the large fellowship room aimlessly until they announced it was time to stop talking. What is that about!!! My husband wasn’t able to go last night, so it was just me, and I felt so alone and sad. I guess I sat at the wrong table. Sigh. 😦
 
That is odd indeed. Speak to the RCIA coordinator privately about you experience.
 
adventdoula said:
and I am… disappointed? I knew that at first the basics that most Christians would agree on would be covered. So even though I already knew everything that was discussed, I was fine with it. But from the time I got there - only 1 person spoke to me. And it was the person who needed to have me fill out paperwork. No one else said a word. And when it came time for discussion in groups at our table - every person at my table except for me got up, got a snack, and wandered around the large fellowship room aimlessly until they announced it was time to stop talking. What is that about!!! My husband wasn’t able to go last night, so it was just me, and I felt so alone and sad. I guess I sat at the wrong table. Sigh. 😦
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I think you are right. Change tables! Those discussion periods are priceless. (BTW, I never saw this happen and I went through RCIA three times, once myself and two as sponsor. The RCIA facilitator should have rounded them up!)
 
adventdoula said:
and I am… disappointed? I knew that at first the basics that most Christians would agree on would be covered. So even though I already knew everything that was discussed, I was fine with it. But from the time I got there - only 1 person spoke to me. And it was the person who needed to have me fill out paperwork. No one else said a word. And when it came time for discussion in groups at our table - every person at my table except for me got up, got a snack, and wandered around the large fellowship room aimlessly until they announced it was time to stop talking. What is that about!!! My husband wasn’t able to go last night, so it was just me, and I felt so alone and sad. I guess I sat at the wrong table. Sigh. 😦
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I went through RCIA last year and doesn’t sound like anything I’ve ever heard of or experienced. I’d definitely ask the coordinator what it was about. It’s possible that that parish simply has a horrid RCIA team (too early to tell of course) but if that’s the case try another parish. Remember, it’s not the destination so much as the journey.
 
My wife and I both are going through RCIA right now and this is hte complete opposite of what occurs for us. I would definitely talk to the coordinator about this and, if there is no response, go to the Parish priest for assistance. By the way, welcome home!

👍
 
My girlfriend and I will be attending RCIA on Monday. I am a lifelong Catholic looking to expand my knowledge, and she is a Protestant wanting to learn about the Faith. I’m a little nervous because I have no idea how it will go. Hopefully we will both learn alot, and be all the better for it! :gopray:
 
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I had surgery on my left hand on Oct. 11th, which means I must hunt and peck with my right hand. That is so slow that I plan to desert my usual grammar and spelling for the next few days, until I can use my right hand a little. Thank you all for your patience!

going to rcia is a big thing. people r wondering what others will think, also absorbing new ideas. will be awhile before all get comfy with each other. give it time.

if they have a rcia retreat, go if possible. i made many friends there.

blessings,
 
I sure hope your next class is better! I pray that your RCIA experience is a joyful and fulfilling one, as mine was last year. If this sort of thing continues, please speak with the RCIA director about it. Since this was the first class, it’s really too early to tell if this is how the rest of it will go or not.
 
What a shame that you got off to this kind of start, who knows what was going on but change tables next time. Congratulations, I hope that from here on out your journey is smoother.
 
Thanks for your responses.

All of the other people have been going for several weeks - this was my first night so I was the “new” person there. It seems all of the other tables were talking, and it was just mine that this happened to, so I think perhaps I didn’t know but I just sat at the table with the people who aren’t very social or as interested in discussion. This is our only option for RCIA, as this is the only parish in our area that offers childcare at a time we are able to go and we have 3 young children who would be a distraction in any other RCIA program. They offer a free dinner before the class, so I think next time I will go to the dinner to try to talk to people, and will also sit at a different table. I was thinking and praying about it and realized I could also have gone to another table or reached out to people, but I didn’t. So next time I will go more prepared and see how things go.

Thanks again!
 
adventdoula said:
and I am… disappointed?
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Please remember that RCIA is not just the course: it is a process that will lead to the reception of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. While as a catechumen (or candidate, if already baptized) you are to receive “suitable pastoral formation and guidance”, you should not let anything in this time frame stop you.

Consider it in the following way: if you are taking a class that is essential and you do not like the style of the professor, perhaps you can switch to another session, and most definitely you should be doing your own reading (on the “textbook”, which here is the Catechism or at least the Compendium to begin with, as well as on other books that are crafted for RCIA). You cannot let any teaching issue stop you from achieving your goal: and the goal is learning, that you may know who is the Beloved you are about to receive and why you, as a member of His Church, are called His mystical Bride.
You know when people are running a race, they all run. But only one man will win. The way you should run is to run to win.
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For many are called, but few are chosen.
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R_C said:
Please remember that RCIA is not just the course: it is a process that will lead to the reception of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. While as a catechumen (or candidate, if already baptized) you are to receive “suitable pastoral formation and guidance”, you should not let anything in this time frame stop you.

Consider it in the following way: if you are taking a class that is essential and you do not like the style of the professor, perhaps you can switch to another session, and most definitely you should be doing your own reading (on the “textbook”, which here is the Catechism or at least the Compendium to begin with, as well as on other books that are crafted for RCIA). You cannot let any teaching issue stop you from achieving your goal: and the goal is learning, that you may know who is the Beloved you are about to receive and why you, as a member of His Church, are called His mystical Bride.
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Yes, I understand what you are saying. Thank you. I have to keep focusing on the purpose for this, even if it as a class isn’t what I was “wanting” or “expecting”. I am fortunate in that I have several friends I can openly discuss things with, and on tricky questions or things I might want more depth on, my stepfather’s uncle is a retired priest who lives just down the road, and is absolutely brilliant and willing to let me pick his brain! Thanks for your encouragement. 🙂
 
I had this hilarious image at first from your post of people wandering about the room staring into space and bumping into each other like zombies for a second there!:D. Really though this is odd and didn’t happen in my RCIA classes ever. I think you should go early for dinner and talk to people while eating, then sit with them at their table in class. Hope things are better at the next one:)
 
Blacksword said:
I had this hilarious image at first from your post of people wandering about the room staring into space and bumping into each other like zombies for a second there!:D. Really though this is odd and didn’t happen in my RCIA classes ever. I think you should go early for dinner and talk to people while eating, then sit with them at their table in class. Hope things are better at the next one:)
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Your image is not too far off - although there was no bumping! I’m really not sure what they were doing though. But they were just… walking around, looking at walls, and avoiding coming to sit down. Oh, and eating cake and cookies! (Don’t get me wrong, next time I am definitely partaking of the cake and cookies… this time I was just too startled to get some!)
 
adventdoula said:
Your image is not too far off - although there was no bumping! I’m really not sure what they were doing though. But they were just… walking around, looking at walls, and avoiding coming to sit down. Oh, and eating cake and cookies! (Don’t get me wrong, next time I am definitely partaking of the cake and cookies… this time I was just too startled to get some!)
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Hmm, well good luck. I’m sure there are others there who are serious too though, and if not, definitely go to another Parish. When I first went to RCIA it was, and remains, life and death for me. It was a matter of the greatest import, searching for truth about the only questions that matter in the end: is our existence purposeful, is there an eternal and transcendent aspect to reality, and what is the truth of Eternity’s revelation to man if so? These things are too important to waste your time in a program where no one else is really engaged in searching them out as well. I pray you will find the people you need to meet in the next class:)
 
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