What should you do if you think your RCIA instructor is espousing incorrect teachings?

[anp1215]

I’m currently in RCIA and last night we had a class on infallibility and the magisterium. Somehow, everyone got on the subject of birth control. I felt like our instructor was being sort of misleading because he kind of ended like this “Well, the pope was saying in Humanae Vitae that this is the perfect way (natural family planning) and this is the less good way (contracepting), but there is no condemnation with this way (contraception).”

Does this strike anyone as being misleading? It did me, so I said to him that contraception is a sin. He asked me if I had read Humanae Vitae, and I said no, but that I had always heard that the Catholic church teaches birth control is a sin. (Isn’t this true??) Then he kind of said “well you know I’m not saying you can go out and do whatever you what…etc etc”

I thought this was upsetting. To me it sounded like he was trying to insert his own views into the church teachings…maybe I am wrong…

After class I was talking to another “student” and he was asking me about this and I told him I felt like the instructor was teaching incorrectly. The student then told me that he had taken some classes at another parish and their instructor was saying how he thought priests should be allowed to marry!!!
Sorry this post is so long, but I just wish instructors would leave their opinions at the door, and just stick with the church teachings…

What do you think about all of this? I could be way off the mark; I’m just posting my feelings.
By the way this instructor teaching on contraception is a deacon.

 

[jmcrae]

I’m currently in RCIA and last night we had a class on infallibility and the magisterium. Somehow, everyone got on the subject of birth control. I felt like our instructor was being sort of misleading because he kind of ended like this “Well, the pope was saying in Humanae Vitae that this is the perfect way (natural family planning) and this is the less good way (contracepting), but there is no condemnation with this way (contraception).”

Does this strike anyone as being misleading?

Yes, because in a group that has never heard this teaching before, the nuances around the requirements for mortal sin aren’t really “top of mind”.

People in an RCIA class are wanting to know, what does it take to become and live like a Catholic. They are not (normally) going to feel like they’re being “condemned to Hell” if someone comes straight out and says, “Don’t ever use artificial contraception; it goes against the teachings of the Church.”

It did me, so I said to him that contraception is a sin. He asked me if I had read Humanae Vitae, and I said no, but that I had always heard that the Catholic church teaches birth control is a sin. (Isn’t this true??) Then he kind of said “well you know I’m not saying you can go out and do whatever you what…etc etc”

My guess is that this deacon is a cradle Catholic, used to thinking about mortal sin. He’s soft-pedaling the “mortal sin” aspect of the teaching, because he knows that probably half the class is using some kind of contraception, and he doesn’t want them to think there is no hope for them. He is not considering the fact that none of the people in the group are thinking in terms of mortal sin - they just want to know what is the teaching of the Church, so that, if necessary, they can make changes in their behaviour, or else make other intelligent decisions based on clear information.

Sorry this post is so long, but I just wish instructors would leave their opinions at the door, and just stick with the church teachings.

I’m with you. It would save a lot of confusion.

 

[anp1215]

Right, I just feel like he should say “Here are the church’s teachings.” and then of course, some may agree, some may disagree, but just put it out there so they know the correct teachings.
And he kept saying that it was up to us to decide some things, that we can be guided by our conscience, etc etc.
I just don’t agree with that; sounds more like Protestant teaching to me.

And you are right, he is a cradle Catholic; he also alluded to he and his wife having used birth control in their marriage, so clearly this is something he does not agree with.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[JM3]

I’m currently in RCIA and last night we had a class on infallibility and the magisterium. Somehow, everyone got on the subject of birth control. I felt like our instructor was being sort of misleading because he kind of ended like this “Well, the pope was saying in Humanae Vitae that this is the perfect way (natural family planning) and this is the less good way (contracepting), but there is no condemnation with this way (contraception).”

Does this strike anyone as being misleading? It did me, so I said to him that contraception is a sin. He asked me if I had read Humanae Vitae, and I said no, but that I had always heard that the Catholic church teaches birth control is a sin. (Isn’t this true??) Then he kind of said “well you know I’m not saying you can go out and do whatever you what…etc etc”

I thought this was upsetting. To me it sounded like he was trying to insert his own views into the church teachings…maybe I am wrong…

After class I was talking to another “student” and he was asking me about this and I told him I felt like the instructor was teaching incorrectly. The student then told me that he had taken some classes at another parish and their instructor was saying how he thought priests should be allowed to marry!!!
Sorry this post is so long, but I just wish instructors would leave their opinions at the door, and just stick with the church teachings…

What do you think about all of this? I could be way off the mark; I’m just posting my feelings.
By the way this instructor teaching on contraception is a deacon.

1. Speak to the pastor. He can correct the Deacon.
2. If it continues, write to, or call, the Bishop.

Here is Humanae Vitae: papalencyclicals.net/Paul06/p6humana.htm

Take him to the mat.

 

[pray_and_hope]

It is so disappointing when those we trust to speak the truth refuse to do so out of cowardice (or the need to justify their own errors). I wish that they would allow the beauty of the Catholic Faith to shine through in all its full richness–then we would have countless converts!

My husband and I have practiced NFP for ten years, and I can attest to the truth of the Church’s teaching. The first ten years of our marriage we contracepted in ignorance, and sustained many wounds. Thank God for the healing He brings.

Now with all the evidence of the physical dangers of chemical contraceptives, including a huge increase in the risk of breast cancer, there has never been a better time to be faithful!

 

[diggerdomer]

I’m currently in RCIA and last night we had a class on infallibility and the magisterium. Somehow, everyone got on the subject of birth control. I felt like our instructor was being sort of misleading because he kind of ended like this “Well, the pope was saying in Humanae Vitae that this is the perfect way (natural family planning) and this is the less good way (contracepting), but there is no condemnation with this way (contraception).”

Does this strike anyone as being misleading? It did me, so I said to him that contraception is a sin. He asked me if I had read Humanae Vitae, and I said no, but that I had always heard that the Catholic church teaches birth control is a sin. (Isn’t this true??) Then he kind of said “well you know I’m not saying you can go out and do whatever you what…etc etc”

I thought this was upsetting. To me it sounded like he was trying to insert his own views into the church teachings…maybe I am wrong…

After class I was talking to another “student” and he was asking me about this and I told him I felt like the instructor was teaching incorrectly. The student then told me that he had taken some classes at another parish and their instructor was saying how he thought priests should be allowed to marry!!!
Sorry this post is so long, but I just wish instructors would leave their opinions at the door, and just stick with the church teachings…

What do you think about all of this? I could be way off the mark; I’m just posting my feelings.
By the way this instructor teaching on contraception is a deacon.

Talk to the priests and staff at your parishes. They likely know more about Catholicism than you.

 

[jmj603]

I’m currently in RCIA and last night we had a class on infallibility and the magisterium. Somehow, everyone got on the subject of birth control. I felt like our instructor was being sort of misleading because he kind of ended like this “Well, the pope was saying in Humanae Vitae that this is the perfect way (natural family planning) and this is the less good way (contracepting), but there is no condemnation with this way (contraception).”

Artificial contraception is not less good, it is objectively evil.

I assume the rest of the course you are receiving will contain errors as well. It’s up to you whether you want to continue to receive this deformation in faith, or if you want to seek orthodox formation elsewhere (if available).

 

[Newbie2]

1. Speak to the pastor. He can correct the Deacon.
2. If it continues, write to, or call, the Bishop.

Here is Humanae Vitae: papalencyclicals.net/Paul06/p6humana.htm

Take him to the mat.

How about speaking with the Deacon first?

 

[JM3]

How about speaking with the Deacon first?

It is not for the laity to correct a Deacon. That is for the Priest or Bishop.

The OP can use Humanea Vitae and the catechism to show what the Church teaches and make his point in the RCIA class or to the Priest, but they cannot say publicly, or privately, that the Deacon is teaching error (it may be that the Deacon wants the class to look it up themselves, so they will remember it).

 

[1ke]

Does this strike anyone as being misleading?

No, it doesn’t sound misleading. It sounds purposely deceptive. And flat out wrong.

It did me, so I said to him that contraception is a sin.

You are correct. It is a mortal sin against the Sixth Commandment.

He asked me if I had read Humanae Vitae, and I said no, but that I had always heard that the Catholic church teaches birth control is a sin. (Isn’t this true??) Then he kind of said “well you know I’m not saying you can go out and do whatever you what…etc etc”.

You are correct. You can easily read Humanae Vitae here.

Here are some portions of Humanae Vitae that can be interpreted no other way than that contraception is a grave sin:

1. Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary.

Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means.

Neither is it valid to argue, as a justification for sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive, that a lesser evil is to be preferred to a greater one, or that such intercourse would merge with procreative acts of past and future to form a single entity, and so be qualified by exactly the same moral goodness as these. Though it is true that sometimes it is lawful to tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a greater evil or in order to promote a greater good," it is never lawful, even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come of it —in other words, to intend directly something which of its very nature contradicts the moral order, and which must therefore be judged unworthy of man, even though the intention is to protect or promote the welfare of an individual, of a family or of society in general. Consequently, it is a serious error to think that a whole married life of otherwise normal relations can justify sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive and so intrinsically wrong.

And the Catechism (bold mine):

In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil:

Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality. . . . The difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle . . . involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and of human sexuality.

I thought this was upsetting. To me it sounded like he was trying to insert his own views into the church teachings…maybe I am wrong…

I think you are pretty much spot one. The make such wishy-washy statements when the Church’s teaching is crystal clear is an attempt to obscure the Truth.

The student then told me that he had taken some classes at another parish and their instructor was saying how he thought priests should be allowed to marry!!!

This is not something I would bring up with inquirers who can be confused by and not understand the difference between doctrine and discipline!

But, celibacy of priests is a discipline and therefore there isn’t anything wrong with the opinion this person expressed.

What do you think about all of this? I could be way off the mark; I’m just posting my feelings. By the way this instructor teaching on contraception is a deacon.

I think you should print out the relevant section of the Catechism and Humanae Vitae and bring it with you to class next week for follow up questions.

Inquirers need the Truth.

 

[jmcrae]

Talk to the priests and staff at your parishes. They likely know more about Catholicism than you.

At best, the presentation was very confusing. The teaching of the Church on contraception is quite well-known, even in non-Catholic circles.

 

[anp1215]

Talk to the priests and staff at your parishes. They likely know more about Catholicism than you.

…I’m sure they do in most cases…but this man is a staff member at my parish…that’s why I found this upsetting.

To clarify, I consider myself fairly clear on the contraception teachings of the church, I am only upset because I think he misled people who are maybe not so clear…

Thank you all for your replies. I discussed this with my sponsor today and am thinking about talking to our priest.

 

[Newbie2]

It is not for the laity to correct a Deacon. That is for the Priest or Bishop.

The OP can use Humanea Vitae and the catechism to show what the Church teaches and make his point in the RCIA class or to the Priest, but they cannot say publicly, or privately, that the Deacon is teaching error (it may be that the Deacon wants the class to look it up themselves, so they will remember it).

So the person can talk to the RCIA class in front of the deacon, but they cannot discuss the matter with the deacon even privately?

You lost me.

BTW, if you look around the CAF, you’ll find many, many people just itching for a chance to correct their priest of deacon. Just sayin’.

 

[anp1215]

It is not for the laity to correct a Deacon. That is for the Priest or Bishop.

The OP can use Humanea Vitae and the catechism to show what the Church teaches and make his point in the RCIA class or to the Priest, but they cannot say publicly, or privately, that the Deacon is teaching error (it may be that the Deacon wants the class to look it up themselves, so they will remember it).

I think you have lost me as well… "but they cannot say publicly, or privately, that the Deacon is teaching error "

I think I have already said that, as have many on this thread.

 

[diggerdomer]

It is not for the laity to correct a Deacon. That is for the Priest or Bishop.

No.

The point is not one’s “status” in the Church, the point is the truth of what is being said or taught.

Everyone in the Catholic Church is subject to correction, regardless of the source. Unless such a person (and I don’t know of any…do you?) is sinless.

 

[diggerdomer]

Artificial contraception is not less good, it is objectively evil.

I assume the rest of the course you are receiving will contain errors as well. It’s up to you whether you want to continue to receive this deformation in faith, or if you want to seek orthodox formation elsewhere (if available).

To clarify your statement, can you please:

1. Define what you understand by “artificial contraception” and
2. show where the Church teaches that such is objectively evil?

Thank you.

 

[diggerdomer]

At best, the presentation was very confusing. The teaching of the Church on contraception is quite well-known, even in non-Catholic circles.

The teaching of Pope Paul VI on contraception is quite well known. Yes. Definitely.

Whether it’s the teaching of the Church depends on what one means by “the Church.”

 

[diggerdomer]

…I’m sure they do in most cases…but this man is a staff member at my parish…that’s why I found this upsetting.

To clarify, I consider myself fairly clear on the contraception teachings of the church, I am only upset because I think he misled people who are maybe not so clear…

Thank you all for your replies. I discussed this with my sponsor today and am thinking about talking to our priest.

Sounds like a difference of opinion…yours and the person you’re referring to. Do one (and only one) of you have to be right? Is there room for sincere and faithful disagreement?

 

[Orleans_Attny]

How about speaking with the Deacon first?

A comment and a question:

First, I agree that the OP has an obligation to talk with the instructor first. There are a couple really good reasons for this, but at a minimum it’s just polite.

Second: Why is everyone referring to him as a Deacon? Did I miss something in the initial post?

Pax,
OA

 

[StrawberryJam]

Would an RCIA instructor’s instruction be a strong enough factor in your decision making process?

You do have steps you can take I imagine. Perhaps starting with the RCIA director.
Perhaps it comes down to the Pastor for a hearing.
If you still feel as if you are not getting a fair hearing, you can do more.
More than you can do here at CAF.

There is a protocol you must follow, and you should spend the time and engergy on it if it means a lot to you, or that you fear others can be harmed if you do not.
Contact your local Dean.

He can instruct you how to go from there.