What to do if you cannot make it through RCIA?

[Lehi_Sorensen]

Hello,

I’ve been studying Catholicism for nearly 10 years and have had a firm resolve to convert to the Catholic Church for about 6 years, but each time I intend to start RCIA, I cannot find a single parish that has RCIA classes scheduled conveniently around my schedule (I’m a very busy person: I work 30 hours a week, am a full time student at university, have an active internship, and work at a local soup kitchen two days a week). I’ve tried asking a priest if there’s any way for me to be baptized without going through RCIA since my schedule just doesn’t permit it and he said no.

I’ve been studying the ins and outs of Catholicism for 10 YEARS! I pray the Rosary daily, I pray the divine office as often as possible, I believe all that the Holy Roman Catholic Church professes (which is more than most of the liberal RCIA instructors around here could say).

I don’t understand why I have to keep putting my baptism off until my schedule opens up enough to go to a remedial class two hours a week for a year.

What should I do?

 

[runningdude]

Talk to one of the priests in one of your locals parishes. He can waive the need to go through RCIA, especially since you’ve been studying on your own so long.

I read elsewhere that he can give some basic instruction - say a few hours or so, and baptize and confirm you on the spot!

Welcome home!

 

[JM3]

Hello,

I’ve been studying Catholicism for nearly 10 years and have had a firm resolve to convert to the Catholic Church for about 6 years, but each time I intend to start RCIA, I cannot find a single parish that has RCIA classes scheduled conveniently around my schedule (I’m a very busy person: I work 30 hours a week, am a full time student at university, have an active internship, and work at a local soup kitchen two days a week). I’ve tried asking a priest if there’s any way for me to be baptized without going through RCIA since my schedule just doesn’t permit it and he said no.

I’ve been studying the ins and outs of Catholicism for 10 YEARS! I pray the Rosary daily, I pray the divine office as often as possible, I believe all that the Holy Roman Catholic Church professes (which is more than most of the liberal RCIA instructors around here could say).

I don’t understand why I have to keep putting my baptism off until my schedule opens up enough to go to a remedial class two hours a week for a year.

What should I do?

You work in a soup kitchen two days a week, but can’t go to RCIA once a week?

I suggest you work on your pride, change your schedule and make it work. Knowing that you could die tomorrow, what’s more important to you, your education and future profession or your soul in eternity?

 

[JM3]

Talk to one of the priests in one of your locals parishes. He can waive the need to go through RCIA, especially since you’ve been studying on your own so long.

I read elsewhere that he can give some basic instruction - say a few hours or so, and baptize and confirm you on the spot!

Welcome home!

I’ve tried asking a priest if there’s any way for me to be baptized without going through RCIA since my schedule just doesn’t permit it and he said no.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Hello,

I’ve been studying Catholicism for nearly 10 years and have had a firm resolve to convert to the Catholic Church for about 6 years, but each time I intend to start RCIA, I cannot find a single parish that has RCIA classes scheduled conveniently around my schedule (I’m a very busy person: I work 30 hours a week, am a full time student at university, have an active internship, and work at a local soup kitchen two days a week). I’ve tried asking a priest if there’s any way for me to be baptized without going through RCIA since my schedule just doesn’t permit it and he said no.

I’ve been studying the ins and outs of Catholicism for 10 YEARS! I pray the Rosary daily, I pray the divine office as often as possible, I believe all that the Holy Roman Catholic Church professes (which is more than most of the liberal RCIA instructors around here could say).

I don’t understand why I have to keep putting my baptism off until my schedule opens up enough to go to a remedial class two hours a week for a year.

What should I do?

Decide what are the high priorities in your life.

If union with Christ and His Church is the highest (as it should be) then you will find a way to make it work.

Take this as a practice of patience, obedience, and humility.

 

[Lehi_Sorensen]

You work in a soup kitchen two days a week, but can’t go to RCIA once a week?

I’d be more than happy to give up a night for RCIA, it just so happens that of the 10 parishes I’ve checked with, none of them offer RCIA classes on one of those nights. I mentioned the soup kitchens (along with everything else) just to exemplify my busy schedule.

As it comes to my education, I cannot forfeit nights when classes meet. I cannot forfeit work nights during the weekend, but I DO have time on Sundays not only for Mass but for RCIA… oddly enough I haven’t found a single parish that offers RCIA on “the Lord’s Day”.

I’m more than willing to go to RCIA, but I’m afraid the parishes in my area only offer one class which is scheduled to accommodate working professionals over night workers/students.

I suggest you work on your pride, change your schedule and make it work.

None of this has to do with pride, evident in the fact that I’m coming here trying to find out an alternative which can effect the same thing I and the Lord desire: my sacramental conversion.

Knowing that you could die tomorrow, what’s more important to you, your education and future profession or your soul in eternity?

My salvation is much more important, of course! But I will not miss out on an entire year of school, jeopardize my scholarships and grants, or impede my ability to do charitable works until I know that I’ve exhausted all other possibilities… which again brings us to my purpose in even posting this thread.

 

[MarkThompson]

Hey Lehi,

I don’t have much advice to offer you that you don’t already know, namely that the requirements can be waived at the discretion of your pastor, if he’s willing. But I wanted to tell you that I’ve lived in Utah (you don’t say where you are) and I know it’s a bold and very challenging thing to leave the LDS faith behind. So, you are in my prayers. Remember the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, which we just had a month ago. My advice: keep asking, be a pest.

 

[JM3]

None of this has to do with pride, evident in the fact that I’m coming here trying to find out an alternative which can effect the same thing I and the Lord desire: my sacramental conversion.
My salvation is much more important, of course! But I will not miss out on an entire year of school, jeopardize my scholarships and grants, or impede my ability to do charitable works until I know that I’ve exhausted all other possibilities… which again brings us to my purpose in even posting this thread.

There are some who find a ‘pearl of great value’ and give everything to possess it.

And then there are those who say ‘I am too busy for God. God will have to wait until I have time for him’.

Talk with the priest and do as he says. There are no ‘short-cuts’, [edited]

 

[quiet52]

Have you only talked with your pastor, or have you also talked with the pastors in your neighboring parishes?
Have you fully explained the extent of your study and your participation in the faith?
It does seem unusual there are no RCIA groups on any Sundays.

I suggest you talk with your pastor once again, and tell him how exhaustive your search has been for an RCIA group which doesn’t meet on your school and work nights.

 

[GuitarPlayer]

Hey there

Here are some other ideas.

1. If you were prepared to drive an hour or so to get to a church that could accomodate you, you'd have some more options.

1. By delaying, you are missing out on many graces, (the sacraments, especially the Euchrist).
2. if you died tommorrow, would you have salvation? (I’m not judging you, I’m asking your opinion on this. Coz if you believe not, then shouldnt you sign up asap?) Seriously, salvation should be your 1st concern in life.
3. You’d think that the church of 1 billion members which is fast losing members, would do everything to facilitate new members joining, and have RCIA every night of the week. Thev church does make it difficult for new members to join and this is just one example.

Good luck, hope it works out for ya

 

[mardukm]

There are some who find a ‘pearl of great value’ and give everything to possess it.

And then there are those who say ‘I am too busy for God. God will have to wait until I have time for him’.

Talk with the priest and do as he says. There are no ‘short-cuts’, no matter how smart you think you are.

What an uncharitable remark!

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[GuitarPlayer]

Sounds like the devils subtle handiwork (getting you to postpone becoming a catholic.)

Because he knows how much good you can do and how many souls he may lose if you join.

Hurry up and join already, being catholic is awesome!

 

[laszlo]

The Canon Law in itself does not required the relatively new (1974) RCIA process for adult baptism

Can. 865 §1. For an adult to be baptized, the person must have manifested the intention to receive baptism, have been instructed sufficiently about the truths of the faith and Christian obligations, and have been tested in the Christian life through the catechumenate. The adult is also to be urged to have sorrow for personal sins.

§2. An adult in danger of death can be baptized if, having some knowledge of the principal truths of the faith, the person has manifested in any way at all the intention to receive baptism and promises to observe the commandments of the Christian religion.

Can. 866 Unless there is a grave reason to the contrary, an adult who is baptized is to be confirmed immediately after baptism and is to participate in the eucharistic celebration also by receiving communion

Some instruction and some waiting time is needed before baptism, but not a months long process.

One notable problem is if someone lives in a marriage which is invalid and cannot be made valid.

If this is not your case feel free to argue with your pastor, as for second opinion from outside.

Matthew 11:12 … the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away.

 

[Cat]

Here are a few practical suggestions that I hope work for you.

My daughter had much the same situation as you (other than the soup kitchen) when she decided to convert. She’s a stage manager, and therefore is working almost every evening.

She called her diocese. They found a parish that offers Sunday morning RCIA followed by Mass. Interestingly, it was the parish where most of the theater, music, and arts professionals in her city go, since it accomodates their artsy schedules in other ways besides RCIA. This of course meant that the parish has the most beautiful music that I’ve ever heard in any church, including all the evangelical Protestant churches that I’ve been part of over my life.

She loved the RCIA, the priests, and the parish.

So my suggestion is to call your diocese and explain your situation. If your diocescan staff members discern, as some posters in the thread are saying, that you are stalling and refusing to back away from your own human plans, they will chasten you to your face rather than in an anonymous online post, and they’ll give you options on how to become more docile, change your plans, and accomodate the Church.

But if your diocescan staff sense that you are pious and sincerely stymied in your determined efforts to become Catholic, they will move mountains to try to find an RCIA that will work for you.

Or they will find a priest who will instruct you privately. Sseveral people who couldn’t do RCIA in our parish went this route, and there were never any problems with it–I can’t help but wonder why your priest is telling you that you MUST do RCIA, but perhaps it’s a rule of some kind in your diocese that we don’t have in our diocese.

Finally, ask your priest if he will agree to allow you to view the RCIA classes via video. We had a young mom in our RCIA who had to miss most of the classes due to taking care of her newborn, and we had at least one person who worked 2nd shift and couldn’t come to our RCIA, but we videotaped our classes and these classmates viewed them at home and came into the Church at the same time the rest of us did.

 

[Seatuck]

Make an appointment with your priest to discuss your predicament. If no solution is to be found with him then call up the Diocese and ask for assistance.

 

[Marie5890]

Hello,

I’ve been studying Catholicism for nearly 10 years and have had a firm resolve to convert to the Catholic Church for about 6 years, but each time I intend to start RCIA, I cannot find a single parish that has RCIA classes scheduled conveniently around my schedule (I’m a very busy person: I work 30 hours a week, am a full time student at university, have an active internship, and work at a local soup kitchen two days a week). I’ve tried asking a priest if there’s any way for me to be baptized without going through RCIA since my schedule just doesn’t permit it and he said no.

I’ve been studying the ins and outs of Catholicism for 10 YEARS! I pray the Rosary daily, I pray the divine office as often as possible, I believe all that the Holy Roman Catholic Church professes (which is more than most of the liberal RCIA instructors around here could say).

I don’t understand why I have to keep putting my baptism off until my schedule opens up enough to go to a remedial class two hours a week for a year.

What should I do?

Having been LDS and came home to Catholicism I can see in a general sense why the first impulse is that yes, someone with a Mormon background should go thru the RCIA process.

That being said, Im not sure just how indepth you have talked with a priest. Are you a member of a local parish? Do you attend weekly Mass? All these are important questions.

I would think if a parish priest had knowledge of you as a parishioner in his parish and sees you actively being part of the parish community, that they wouldnt make arrangements for you to have private instruction.

It’s one thing to have studied about Catholicism and even as much as you do…Its another to demonstrate by your actions that you want to become part of the Body of Christ.

Remember the summit of our prayer life is participation in the greatest prayer of all…the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass…

From the way you make it sound, you have studied and prayed on your own, but you really arent the well known to a priest or participating in a parish?

If I am wrong I am sorry.

 

[HCC]

Somethin’s gotta give…

If this is so important to you and I’m glad to hear you express that it is, you will find the time. Sounds to me to the soup kitchen needs to be cut for now. While all corporal works of mercy are laudable, your immortal soul takes precedence.

 

[Marie5890]

–I can’t help but wonder why your priest is telling you that you MUST do RCIA, but perhaps it’s a rule of some kind in your diocese that we don’t have in our diocese.

The only thing I have to wonder about is that Lehi didn’t say “his” priest but “a” priest…

That is why I hesitate a bit…

I went from Mormonism to Catholicism and yes I did a lot of my own praying and research so I did find at some level that RCIA was remedial…BUT…it was necessary…

It’s was also a journey in humility and obedience…

Mormonism and Catholicism are not even close…The prisms are very different…

 

[puzzleannie]

Hello,

I don’t understand why I have to keep putting my baptism off until my schedule opens up enough to go to a remedial class two hours a week for a year.

What should I do?

talk to the pastor–not the secretary, DRE, RCIA director or deacon, the pastor of the parish where you attend Mass and would like to be received. Make a face to face appointment where you can discuss your background, your faith journey, and your schedule and other needs.

I have never heard of a parish which would not bend over backwards to accommodate the needs of any candidate. What cannot be changed is the times of the Masses and rites, but the actual class or means of study can be customized.

 

[MissBorgia]

i was instructed privately…I was at an awkward age where i didn’t fit in with the RCIA adults or the confirmation class that year. Thank you to Father David Orians (may he rest in peace) for bending over backwards to make it happen.