What do I do until RCIA starts again in September?

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Fahey0115

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I’m an ex-Southern Baptist looking to convert to Catholicism. The priest at a local parish told me he can’t bring me into the church until fall because that’s when RCIA starts. He did invite me to watch an RCIA session, though. After the class, I asked him what I should do until fall, and he said I could call the office and schedule a meeting to discuss. The office told me he would call back. Haven’t heard back in several days. I say this because I called two other Catholic Churches in my area, one of which never responded to my message, and the other which responded after two weeks. I’m starting to feel like I’m seen as weird for wanting to convert. Are Catholics usually cool and low-key about newcomers? I should add that I live in Oklahoma, which doesn’t have a big Catholic population.
 
Howdy Fahey,

Welcome to CAF and to the Catholic Church! May God Bless you on your journey.

My wife starts RCIA in September as well. While she can’t receive the Sacraments yet she is very much involved in Church life:
  1. She goes to Mass 2-3 times a week.
  2. She is going to a Bible Study and a Book Study.
  3. She volunteers at a homeless shelter sponsored by our Church.
  4. She visits the Church often to see if she can help and/or get involved in other things.
We did meet with the Priest but we have also met with other members of the Parish. Go to the Pastoral Office in person and explain that God is leading you on a journey to the Catholic Church. In my wife’s case, they gave her like 5-6 books about Catholicism and a Catholic Bible!

I should also mention that we have our 2 older children very much involved in Church life as well (Youth ministries).

Sometimes the phone is not the best channel of communication.

Blessings!

Jose
 
Fahey0115 said:
I’m an ex-Southern Baptist looking to convert to Catholicism. The priest at a local parish told me he can’t bring me into the church until fall because that’s when RCIA starts. He did invite me to watch an RCIA session, though. After the class, I asked him what I should do until fall, and he said I could call the office and schedule a meeting to discuss. The office told me he would call back. Haven’t heard back in several days. I say this because I called two other Catholic Churches in my area, one of which never responded to my message, and the other which responded after two weeks. I’m starting to feel like I’m seen as weird for wanting to convert. Are Catholics usually cool and low-key about newcomers? I should add that I live in Oklahoma, which doesn’t have a big Catholic population.
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I am from Knoxville, Tn where it is a sin to be Catholic 😉 I was also once a Baptist :eek:

I suggest you stay active in the Church as much as you can. Jose gave wonderful examples of what to do. Continue to attend Mass and pray…pray…pray 👍
 
Fahey0115 said:
I’m an ex-Southern Baptist looking to convert to Catholicism. The priest at a local parish told me he can’t bring me into the church until fall because that’s when RCIA starts. He did invite me to watch an RCIA session, though. After the class, I asked him what I should do until fall, and he said I could call the office and schedule a meeting to discuss. The office told me he would call back. Haven’t heard back in several days. I say this because I called two other Catholic Churches in my area, one of which never responded to my message, and the other which responded after two weeks. I’m starting to feel like I’m seen as weird for wanting to convert. Are Catholics usually cool and low-key about newcomers? I should add that I live in Oklahoma, which doesn’t have a big Catholic population.
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The priest is tied up probably with a busy sched.

Contact the RCIA director directly…you can probably get a head start getting acquainted.

As others have said, continue to pray, attend Mass, and there is no reason for you not to get involved in Church activities. 👍
 
aidanbradypop said:
I am from Knoxville, Tn where it is a sin to be Catholic 😉 I was also once a Baptist :eek:

I suggest you stay active in the Church as much as you can. Jose gave wonderful examples of what to do. Continue to attend Mass and pray…pray…pray 👍
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How far are you from Madison, Ala? My sister lives there.
 
It’s not that the Church is low-key about newcomers, but that joining the Church is not the same as joining a new local Protestant congregation. It is a solemn act that binds one for life and eternity, and should be undertaken deliberately and according to the prescribed programs and rituals. The RCIA program builds in the necessary period of instruction, reflection and prayer that allows a person to make a free and informed decision to join the Church. I recommend staying in contact with the pastor, becoming a part of the parish community in whatever capacity you are able, making friends in the parish, and praying every day. Find a chapel where you can adore the Blessed Sacrament. Pray the Rosary and other Catholic prayers. Continue to read the Scriptures, and do so with the mind of the Church. Get a copy of the Catechism and read it, and follow the footnotes to a wealth of Catholic writings of the Popes and the Saints as well as an abundance of Scriptural references. God bless you in your journey home to Christ’s Church.
 
We love people to join us but most parishes are running ragged with not enough personal for every thing that needs to be done. Don’t be discouraged just be patient:D. If you want to get a jump on things why not put this link in your bookmarks and begin reading it. Highlight areas you want to discuss further, asks questions on here and pray. God bless your journey.
vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
 
mountee said:
We love people to join us but most parishes are running ragged with not enough personal for every thing that needs to be done. Don’t be discouraged just be patient:D. If you want to get a jump on things why not put this link in your bookmarks and begin reading it. Highlight areas you want to discuss further, asks questions on here and pray. God bless your journey.
vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
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Get a hard copy of the Catechism, and also of the Compendium of the Catechism.

Speaking of the Compendium, I love the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Compendium. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, as Prefect of the CDF, was President of the Special Commission appointed to assemble the Compendium. In that capacity, he approved the final text, wrote the introduction, and submitted it to the Holy Father for promulgation. It was submitted to John Paul II on Palm Sunday, March 20, 2005, but he was not able to get around to promulgating it before he died on April 2, 2005, so Benedict XVI found it waiting in his inbox when he became Pope, and promulgated it himself.
 
Fahey0115 said:
I’m an ex-Southern Baptist looking to convert to Catholicism. The priest at a local parish told me he can’t bring me into the church until fall because that’s when RCIA starts. He did invite me to watch an RCIA session, though. After the class, I asked him what I should do until fall, and he said I could call the office and schedule a meeting to discuss. The office told me he would call back. Haven’t heard back in several days. I say this because I called two other Catholic Churches in my area, one of which never responded to my message, and the other which responded after two weeks. I’m starting to feel like I’m seen as weird for wanting to convert. Are Catholics usually cool and low-key about newcomers? I should add that I live in Oklahoma, which doesn’t have a big Catholic population.
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🙂 Yes, true converts are this weird.

Normally, in my parish, people converted to get married. That’s it. So when I came along, completely single and wanting to convert, they didn’t really know what to do with me.

My sister and her husband had to wait TWO YEARS to convert because their parish REFUSED to run RCIA unless there were more candidates.

Two weeks isn’t that bad. Plenty of people have had to endure much worse. I remember one Apologist (forget his name) who ended up being told he shouldn’t BOTHER converting when he first approached a priest to talk about conversion. He had to actively fight for his right to convert…

that’d be a catchy song.

Anyway. What you should do.
  1. Find a parish that will take you (don’t worry about how excited they are).
  2. Sign up for RCIA.
  3. Until September study. Study. Study. Read the Catechism. Read the Church Fathers. Read the work of the Apologists on this site. Educate yourself. When you start RCIA you’ll probably know more then the people who are ‘guiding’ you but that’s okay. Maybe you can teach them a thing or two. 😉
 
Browse through the Catholic Answers Web site … read the various blog essays … read all the tracts; they are excellent.

Go to YouTube and find Father Robert Barron’s brief essays … six minutes or so … about the Church … Father Barron is really excellent.

You can also find Scott Hahn and Patrick Madrid and Michael Voris on YouTube.

Matthew Kelly: youtube.com/watch?v=PcM7S7Y7r0A

Really excellent and different lengths of discussion depending on the time you have available.

Tremendously helpful for people with all different levels of experience with the Church.
 
Thanks for the guidance .It looks like you definitely know what I’m talking about!
 
Another book worth the buy is Catholicism for Dummies. It has a lot of information and will allow you to understand portions of the Mass prior to RCIA…welcome home!
 
I would say use this time to really get to know the faith, nuts and bolts, theology etc. That along with going to Mass.

Make an appointment to meet with a priest and start the ball rolling, so he can get to know you. Let him know that you are really interested, then show it by becoming part of the parish community. By going to Mass and also whatever other kinds of opportunities they have to offer.
Find out who is in charge of their RCIA program? Is it a deacon? or a member of the parish laity? Get in contact with them

It’s unfortunate, but sometimes, depending on the parish, you are the one who has to show a real interest before they show interest.

God Bless
 
Hello Fayhey, welcome to a struggle that has affected so many in recent years. You come at your impending conversion in what only can be described as the most disorienting state that the Catholic Church has ever had to experience. Unfortunately you are being made victim in this confussion and mailstrom which involves a cross roads currently for the future of the Church.

I won’t at this point go into the history of this unless you ask me. My sense about your struggle seems to come down on the side of some in depth study that would help you begin to take a good bite out of our theology and devotional praxis that has characterized the Catholic faith at least up untill the second Vatican Council.

I would suggest that you begin reading some of Fr Ronald Knox’s books. He died in 1957 and was a convert to the Catholic faith. His struggle to become Catholic might be something that perhaps would correspond with what is going on in your own soul. The first book I would suggest you read (I highly recommend this one) is “The Belief of Catholics.” The second book by Fr Knox I would recommend is “The Hidden Stream”, and finally his autobiography “A Spiritual Anead.”

One other you might consult is Evelyn Waugh’s biography of him entitled simply “MSGR Ronald Knox.”

I’ll leave it at this for now. I hope you and I may speak in more depth soon. I encourage your efforts. It is not an easy road you’ve chosen, for as Our Lord has said “Narrow is the way and rough is the road, and few there are that find it.” God bless you in your efforts.

Cicero54
 
I am also sorry to hear about your struggle to contact someone about RCIA. Our parish used to also start in September, but a few years ago we teachers agreed we needed to be available all year. We are not a large parish and it is amazing the number of people who join us all year round in RCIA.
Good luck and God Bless you in your efforts.
 
Welcome home, Fahey!

This is, unfortunately, a very busy season in the Church as we prepare for the approaching Holy Week. The priest has a larger than usual number of penitents for Confession, needs to meet with the current RCIA candidates and catechumens and may be giving retreats besides. There are also more activities at the diocesan level that he needs to attend to.

The first thing you should do in the meantime is go to Mass. All are invited to attend, though only Catholics may receive Communion. If you can, attend the Easter Vigil. This is the most solemn time of the year and involves some of the oldest and richest traditions of our faith.

Keep calling the parish office so they know how serious you are and make an attempt to greet the priest after Mass (most priests stay in the vestibule for a few minutes) but don’t try to unspool your story then as he probably has other commitments, as well.

HTH
 
SonCatcher said:
Welcome home, Fahey!

The first thing you should do in the meantime is go to Mass. All are invited to attend, though only Catholics may receive Communion. If you can, attend the Easter Vigil. This is the most solemn time of the year and involves some of the oldest and richest traditions of our faith.
HTH
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Agree with this 100%. Call the parish and ask for their Holy Week Schedule of services, starting with Palm Sunday on the 24th or March. It is something for you to experience these rich traditions, dating back hundreds of years…and especially the Holy Thursday and Good Friday services.

On a side note, the parish, as most are nowadays, should have a website and you can get the schedule of Masses and the Holy Week Schedule.

God bless…👍
 
What a help this forum is. Up to now I’ve been doing this with really no (name removed by moderator)ut or advice from anyone. I really appreciate all of this feedback,
 
Fahey0115 said:
I’m an ex-Southern Baptist looking to convert to Catholicism. The priest at a local parish told me he can’t bring me into the church until fall because that’s when RCIA starts. He did invite me to watch an RCIA session, though. After the class, I asked him what I should do until fall, and he said I could call the office and schedule a meeting to discuss. The office told me he would call back. Haven’t heard back in several days. I say this because I called two other Catholic Churches in my area, one of which never responded to my message, and the other which responded after two weeks. I’m starting to feel like I’m seen as weird for wanting to convert. Are Catholics usually cool and low-key about newcomers? I should add that I live in Oklahoma, which doesn’t have a big Catholic population.
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It’s strange that they aren’t being very good about getting “on top” of you. Normally they’re quite excited to welcome people, since large RCIA classes look good (for obvious reasons). When I decided to become a Catholic, I just sort of hung around in church after Mass, spoke to the deacon, and he gave me all the information I needed then and there.

I guess be persistent, keep following up, etc. Wait until September. In the meantime, go to Mass, pray the rosary, read the Bible and the Catechism, read up on the saints, learn all the important prayers, etc. 🙂

PS – welcome home! 👍
 
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