First RCIA Class

[Chris†opher Paul]

Well, my wife and I went to my first RCIA class last night. All I can say is that it is one of the best decisions I made in my life.

The nurturing feeling that I got from being there has confirmed my decision. As soon as the class was over, I couldn't wait for next Thursday to get here.

I told my wife, "Did you ever imagine that I would be so enthusiastic about religion classes?" I was a skeptic for so long, and then after believing in God, wasn't really in a Church.

Now I am in THE Church, and it feels so great to be home.

Thanks for all the answers over the past 5 months!

 

[Nilhil Obstat]

Welcome home! It only gets better from here on out!

 

[VOW]

/me gives a big hug to Souljah

Welcome home, Brother. We'll set another place at the Lord's table, just for you.



Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[LilyLamb]

Wow, is it that time of the year already??

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Yep. But there weren't any donuts! Whats up with that!?

I want my DONUTS!!!

 

[VOW]

To Souljah:

I think you just volunteered to bring donuts to the next class....


Peace,
~VOW

 

[Catholic In Maine]

I just returned home from my second RCIC class. I am very happy to be involved in bringing children into the Catholic Church.

P.S. We didn't have donuts either !

 

[KC Catholic]

What is up with these parishes and NO DONUTS for RCIA?!?!?!?!?

That's like in the GIRM as a requirement!

 

[Wolseley]

KC, you should know by now that the directives in the GIRM are "interpreted" from time to time as to what the pastor wants.....

Number 109, for example, says that servers may ring the bells at the Elevation of both the Host and the chalice, but I've had priests tell me that the bells are not allowed with the Novus Ordo Mass of Pope Paul VI.

Number 21, for another example (which is reinforced by the U.S. norms) states that the congregation is to remain kneeling from the end of the Sanctus until the beginning of the Lord's Prayer; but I've been in all too many parishes where the pastor wants the congregation to stand at the Consecration. (Another screwy idea from some self-appointed "liturgical expert", IMHO.)

One that torques my jaw is Number 56i, which states that the congregation is supposed to sing "an appropriate song" during the distribution of Holy Communion......which, of course, in most parishes means the "liturgical musician" (they used to be called "organists" in the old days) blasts both organ and microphoned voice into the nave of the church at a volume where you literally cannot hear yourself think----the absolute height of disrespect to both the congregation and to the Eucharistic Christ, IMHO; but, short of complaining, there isn't much you can do about it.

Sometimes I really wish the Holy See would be just a shade more specific in these liturgical instructions, and not word them in a way which can be "interpreted"---or just plain flat out ignored, in some cases.

 

[KC Catholic]

Wols, you know how to make my day!

 

[Wolseley]

Oh, yeah? In what way?

 

[KC Catholic]

Oh by pointing out all the things that drive me nuts about our new priest.

He is constantly changing the words during the consecration, "Jesus broke the bread, gave it to his friends" or "Jesus was gathered with those he loved" or "The lord IS with you"!

And at the 6pm Sunday night mass, we have "Mr. Showmanship" at the mic. He overdoes the music during communion, he strums his guitar and looks around the room during the prayer intentions and he acts like he's doing a production rather than adding to the proceedings.

Jeesh..its like..."Pardon us while we have a little bit of MASS during your performance.....

 

[Wolseley]

(chuckling) Ah, yes. I had a pastor once who spent the better part of a homily going on and on about "involvement of the laity" in the Church, so, in the spirit of "informed lay involvement", I took it upon myself to bring in my copy of the General Instructions and outline to him every instance during Mass where he was violating the rubrics.

I don't think he was impressed.

There's nothing worse to a liberal priest than a conservative layman who knows what the Vatican says, and can quote it from official documents from Rome. They'd really prefer that you didn't know anything about that; they don't like being told, "But Father, I'm right, and here's the backing of the Holy See to prove it. You're the one who's wrong." Boy, they really hate that.

 

[KC Catholic]

I bet. I haven't been bold enough to complain, yet. But I am close.

Many of the parishioners complained about my favorite priest because he talked about S-I-N, and regular confession, etc, etc....he was moved to the Office of Vocations, which is perfect. Put an orthodox priest in charge of new vocations!

We miss him, but he is in a perfect position to help the church! Now if we can get the new priest to be a little more orthodox and a little less "on the cutting edge."

 

[Wolseley]

Take away his subscription to Liturgy Today and get him a subscription to The Wanderer.

No, maybe that's a little too harsh.....

Get him a subscription to The New Oxford Review. That'll boggle his mind.

 

[VOW]

Our parish got a new pastor about a year ago. We really loved our old pastor, and many were sorry to see him leave. (we do get to see him occasionally, since he's the spokesman for the Bishop now!) Anyway, our new pastor came in with all kinds of new ideas, and it took a while to warm up to him. He likes to parade the Gospel before he reads it: the altar servers carry the candles before him, and another server waves the senser (that's the little incense burner, right?). It kinda grates on the folks who want to hurry and sit down, LOL.

A couple of weeks ago, though, Fr David did something a bit different. Mass took quite a bit longer, but nobody seemed to mind. Before the Mass even started with the processional, Father came up front and dressed in his vestments, and explained every piece as he put it on. Then, during the different parts of the service, he explained what everything was, and why it was done. Even my husband, who usually dozes off, was paying rapt attention to everything.

I do miss the bells during the Consecration.


Peace,
~VOW

 

[Wolseley]

(From the General Instructions of the Roman Missal, 4th Edition, March 27, 1975: )

"109. The priest continues the eucharistic prayer according to the rubrics that are given for each of them. If the priest celebrant is a bishop, after the words N. our Pope or the equivalent, he adds: and for me your unworthy servant. The local Ordinary must be mentioned in this way: N. our Bishop (or Vicar, Prelate, Prefect, Abbot). Coadjutor and auxiliary bishops may be mentioned in the eucharistic prayer. When several are named, this is done with the collective formula, N. our bishop and his assistant bishops. [60] All these phrases should be modified grammatically to fit each of the eucharistic prayers.

A little before the consecration, the server may ring a bell as a signal to the faithful. Depending on local custom, he also rings the bell at the showing of both the host and the chalice."

(Bolding mine.)

You will notice that it does not say that the server has to ring the bells; but it doesn't say that the server cannot, either. It says that he may. So this jazz about the bells being "prohibited" is a load of bull puckey.

 

[Caedmon]

My first inquiry class is on the 30th. I'm kinda nervous. I've thought a lot about cancelling my participation, one because I'm not sure I want to do it, and two because I'm so busy and worried over school. I guess I'll go to the first meeting though. If I don't like it, then I don't have to go anymore I suppose. But maybe I will stay in. I don't know what I'll do. The inquiry is super long. They told me it lasts until December. You go past that into April only if you think you want to convert. I'll just be glad that I can have people that believe like I do about family and babies and stuff. I hope it goes ok. I don't want to be scared or paranoid about it. It's really hard thinking about all of it sometimes. It's really confusing and intimidating, well for me at least. Oh well, I'll just go see what it's like.

 

[Chris†opher Paul]

Joe-

Its an inquiry, its not a commitment. You lose nothing inquiring. If you dont like it, you dont have to go back.

 

[Nilhil Obstat]

Joe -

A good friend of mine and fellow covert went throught the inquiry piece at least 3 times before he went on to convert.

We also had a lot of people just checking things out who presented some very good questions. Who knows, you may be the one to ask a question someone was thinking of but was afraid to ask.

Good luck.