V
ValiantDomain
Guest
My story is one of continually searching for the one faith and religion which gives me a sense of comfort, sustenance, etc. and one which fits my own faith and beliefs like a glove. I was raised Protestant in the United Church of Christ. Sometime in the Spring of 2004 I started feeling a certain identification and closeness with the Catholic Church; however, it wasn’t until the following Spring that I felt convinced enough to pursue Catholicism. After deciding to become Catholic, I almost immediately went and purchased a rosary, a Catholic Bible, and even my own copy of the Catechism which I began reading whenever I had a chance. I also started the process of finding a parish to attend and the process of how one became Catholic.
In college, I majored in Religious Studies. Not only did I study religion, but I spent several semesters studying the New Testament, the origins of Christianity, the history of the early Church, and even some time studying the lives of the earliest saints. In a manner of speaking, I knew more about Catholicism than a lot of living Catholics today (in my personal opinion). In fact, during college I used to like to take walks up to the nearby Catholic Church and pray a Hail Mary in front of the garden Mary statue.
I found a parish I greatly enjoyed and decided this is where I’d like to attend RCIA in order to become a Catholic; however, I soon learned (to my dismay) that this parish had so-called “parish boundaries” and, unfortunately, I lived outside those boundaries. So, I began attending another parish, extremely enjoyed it too, especially when I learned some friends were also attending, but again, to my dismay, I found out that the RCIA courses were held on Wednesday nights.
You see, beginning in the Fall of 2005, I began graduate school to receive my MBA. I don’t know why or how, but for the past three semesters that I’ve attended, I’ve *always *had a course on Wednesday night. In fact, it’s extremely rare for anyone who attends this university **not **to have at least one course on Wednesday evenings. This conflicted with my desire to attend RCIA. Even though I tried working something out between the two parishes so that could attend RCIA on Monday nights at one parish while attending weekly Mass at the other, it was decided that I would have to wait until later. This is where I began to grow frustrated!
For one, I *really *wanted to be able to receive the Eucharist. In my studies and in the period of time that I decided I wanted to become Catholic, I learned an exceptionally lot more about Catholicism and the Catholic faith! It wasn’t as if for me to accept the Eucharist would be like be stepping in line at a cafeteria because I realized the full significance of the Eucharist. Secondly, I hated not being able to receive the Eucharist. I would still occasionally walk to the front in order to be blessed; however, after a while, I became really self-conscious and disliked having to cross my arms like the 3-4 year olds, but I also disliked having to remain in the pew so those receiving the Eucharist could trip all over me trying to get in and out. Plus, I wouldn’t be able to attend RCIA until the Fall of 2008, which seems like an eternity to wait to receive the Eucharist and be able to participate **fully **in the life of the Church when I personally felt ready.
After some time, I grew more and more reluctant to continue going to the parish because I wasn’t able to receive the Eucharist for the reasons outlined above until I stopped going altogether. Regardless, my faith has stuck with me all this time. I’ve continued to feel drawn to the Catholic faith and to a life in the Church, but every time I think about giving it another shot, the same bitter feelings resurface. I’ve spoken with many Catholic friends during the time I stopped attending, but no one seems to be able to fully empathize with my plight and give me any advice worthy of solving the problem (if there is a solution at all!). I have been told “to get over myself,” and I have been told numerous times why the *RCIA *process is in place - but it’s not the RCIA process I’m totally against so much as it is the fact this particular parish, which happens to be one of the only two larger parishes in my area, is unwilling to change days or allow me some other method of completing the necessary education.
Recently, I’ve started attending the parish again…with a slightly less heavy heart. I’m still disappointed that I’m denied access to the Eucharist when I love the Eucharist so much…or at least the concept behind it. I’ve been told by so many people, “You’ll make a good Catholic,” or, “You so sound like a Catholic,” but how can I ever become Catholic and participate in the life of the Church when I barred from doing so because of situations which are essentially out of my hands? I must complete grad school! Am I to be punished for this?
In college, I majored in Religious Studies. Not only did I study religion, but I spent several semesters studying the New Testament, the origins of Christianity, the history of the early Church, and even some time studying the lives of the earliest saints. In a manner of speaking, I knew more about Catholicism than a lot of living Catholics today (in my personal opinion). In fact, during college I used to like to take walks up to the nearby Catholic Church and pray a Hail Mary in front of the garden Mary statue.
I found a parish I greatly enjoyed and decided this is where I’d like to attend RCIA in order to become a Catholic; however, I soon learned (to my dismay) that this parish had so-called “parish boundaries” and, unfortunately, I lived outside those boundaries. So, I began attending another parish, extremely enjoyed it too, especially when I learned some friends were also attending, but again, to my dismay, I found out that the RCIA courses were held on Wednesday nights.
You see, beginning in the Fall of 2005, I began graduate school to receive my MBA. I don’t know why or how, but for the past three semesters that I’ve attended, I’ve *always *had a course on Wednesday night. In fact, it’s extremely rare for anyone who attends this university **not **to have at least one course on Wednesday evenings. This conflicted with my desire to attend RCIA. Even though I tried working something out between the two parishes so that could attend RCIA on Monday nights at one parish while attending weekly Mass at the other, it was decided that I would have to wait until later. This is where I began to grow frustrated!
For one, I *really *wanted to be able to receive the Eucharist. In my studies and in the period of time that I decided I wanted to become Catholic, I learned an exceptionally lot more about Catholicism and the Catholic faith! It wasn’t as if for me to accept the Eucharist would be like be stepping in line at a cafeteria because I realized the full significance of the Eucharist. Secondly, I hated not being able to receive the Eucharist. I would still occasionally walk to the front in order to be blessed; however, after a while, I became really self-conscious and disliked having to cross my arms like the 3-4 year olds, but I also disliked having to remain in the pew so those receiving the Eucharist could trip all over me trying to get in and out. Plus, I wouldn’t be able to attend RCIA until the Fall of 2008, which seems like an eternity to wait to receive the Eucharist and be able to participate **fully **in the life of the Church when I personally felt ready.
After some time, I grew more and more reluctant to continue going to the parish because I wasn’t able to receive the Eucharist for the reasons outlined above until I stopped going altogether. Regardless, my faith has stuck with me all this time. I’ve continued to feel drawn to the Catholic faith and to a life in the Church, but every time I think about giving it another shot, the same bitter feelings resurface. I’ve spoken with many Catholic friends during the time I stopped attending, but no one seems to be able to fully empathize with my plight and give me any advice worthy of solving the problem (if there is a solution at all!). I have been told “to get over myself,” and I have been told numerous times why the *RCIA *process is in place - but it’s not the RCIA process I’m totally against so much as it is the fact this particular parish, which happens to be one of the only two larger parishes in my area, is unwilling to change days or allow me some other method of completing the necessary education.
Recently, I’ve started attending the parish again…with a slightly less heavy heart. I’m still disappointed that I’m denied access to the Eucharist when I love the Eucharist so much…or at least the concept behind it. I’ve been told by so many people, “You’ll make a good Catholic,” or, “You so sound like a Catholic,” but how can I ever become Catholic and participate in the life of the Church when I barred from doing so because of situations which are essentially out of my hands? I must complete grad school! Am I to be punished for this?
) and have him make special arrangements for you! Don’t give up!