I became a Catechumen last night

[Lady Bug]

I'm happy to have passed this initial stage. RCIA was feeling slow for the first 10 weeks or so, but after the Rite of Acceptance, I think it's going to go a lot faster, because March is the Rite of Election, I think. I still have an uphill battle ahead because I don't have family support.

 

[pdudgeon]

Congratulations!

 

[Michie]

I'm happy to have passed this initial stage. RCIA was feeling slow for the first 10 weeks or so, but after the Rite of Acceptance, I think it's going to go a lot faster, because March is the Rite of Election, I think. I still have an uphill battle ahead because I don't have family support.

So glad and happy for you! I really did not have support either but it is still a beautiful process. You are in your way! Congratulations!

 

[Susie~Q]

I'm happy to have passed this initial stage. RCIA was feeling slow for the first 10 weeks or so, but after the Rite of Acceptance, I think it's going to go a lot faster, because March is the Rite of Election, I think. I still have an uphill battle ahead because I don't have family support.

Congratulations my friend. I am so happy for you. I know you don't have any family support, but you have mine plus your friends here, we are all praying for you and are so proud and happy for you.

 

[Michie]

It’s been a long time coming!

 

[Lady Bug]

Congratulations!

Thank you

So glad and happy for you! I really did not have support either but it is still a beautiful process. You are in your way! Congratulations!

Thank you You're right it was a long time coming. How many years did I wait, right?

Congratulations my friend. I am so happy for you. I know you don't have any family support, but you have mine plus your friends here, we are all praying for you and are so proud and happy for you.

I'm happy about the non-family support that I've been receiving. I didn't see it coming to be honest (referring to real life -- I already have internet friend support for which I'm certain God has put in my life).

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

Welcome home!

 

[Lady Bug]

Welcome home!

Thanks

 

[Gnarwhal]

I'm happy to have passed this initial stage. RCIA was feeling slow for the first 10 weeks or so, but after the Rite of Acceptance, I think it's going to go a lot faster, because March is the Rite of Election, I think. I still have an uphill battle ahead because I don't have family support.

Congrats, and welcome—it's a great experience. I did it a few years ago. My advice is don't worry about how long it takes, enjoy the ride. There's so much richness to from thousands of years of Church history. The more you immerse yourself into it the more in love you fall with Christ and the Church he founded for you.

 

[Lady Bug]

Congrats, and welcome—it's a great experience. I did it a few years ago. My advice is don't worry about how long it takes, enjoy the ride. There's so much richness to from thousands of years of Church history. The more you immerse yourself into it the more in love you fall with Christ and the Church he founded for you.

Thank you. I am not sure I enjoy RCIA in terms of how it's being taught, because I don't feel like I know enough of the material being presented lately, and I feel that if I need more time to dissect that material, I won't be ready for the Rite of Election in March. I'm already convinced of the chair of Peter, but I wish I knew more in depth some other stuff like the Marian doctrines and titles that are currently being taught, before being confirmed. I don't find RCIA to be as burdensome as it used to be, probably because the mellow vibe of the people there help against that.

 

[Gnarwhal]

Thank you. I am not sure I enjoy RCIA in terms of how it's being taught, because I don't feel like I know enough of the material being presented lately, and I feel that if I need more time to dissect that material, I won't be ready for the Rite of Election in March. I'm already convinced of the chair of Peter, but I wish I knew more in depth some other stuff like the Marian doctrines and titles that are currently being taught, before being confirmed. I don't find RCIA to be as burdensome as it used to be, probably because the mellow vibe of the people there help against that.

I'm sure the experience varies from parish to parish. Mine was kind of the gold standard (in fact, the coordinator began helping other diocese develop their curriculum). So obviously I really enjoyed it.

It sounds like maybe they're rushing you through, are you okay with the pace? I mean, I was a lifelong protestant and well-versed theologically when I started RCIA and I still went for about 18 months before I was ready for Confirmation.

You do have time though. One thing that was made clear to me is that there's never any obligation to follow through along the way, like if I were to reconsider the day before my Confirmation that would've been acceptable.

I wouldn't worry too much just yet about what you've learned. There's still time, and if you want you can probably request more thorough instruction on any subjects you're hung up on.

Food for thought.

 

[Lady Bug]

I'm sure the experience varies from parish to parish. Mine was kind of the gold standard (in fact, the coordinator began helping other diocese develop their curriculum). So obviously I really enjoyed it.

I'm really certain my RCIA program is not the same as yours.

It sounds like maybe they're rushing you through, are you okay with the pace? I mean, I was a lifelong protestant and well-versed theologically when I started RCIA and I still went for about 18 months before I was ready for Confirmation.

Sounds like you decided not to get confirmed at the first Easter Vigil? (or whatever that time is supposed to be lol). Did you have to wait another year (until the second March or April came along) to finally get confirmed? I think we may be confusing confirmation with Rite of Election. Rite of Election is when we make the decision to become Catholic, not becoming Catholic itself. The ROE is in March, the confirmation is at Easter. What I'm concerned about is delaying the ROE. I'd have to wait another year for that, and I hate waiting. But I feel like I'm rushing this all of a sudden because I can't absorb everything the instructor is trying to convey between the weekly RCIA sessions. It's perplexing how slow everything felt until the Rite of Acceptance (ROA) ensued, and now all of a sudden it's feeling way too fast, faster than I can either absorb or research with supplementary information.

One thing that was made clear to me is that there's never any obligation to follow through along the way, like if I were to reconsider the day before my Confirmation that would've been acceptable.

Same goes for my RCIA. They're ultra-flexible, at least.

I wouldn't worry too much just yet about what you've learned. There's still time, and if you want you can probably request more thorough instruction on any subjects you're hung up on.

That's probably the case with my RCIA too.

 

[Gnarwhal]

Sounds like you decided not to get confirmed at the first Easter Vigil? (or whatever that time is supposed to be lol). Did you have to wait another year (until the second March or April came along) to finally get confirmed?

Right, it wasn't even really presented as an option. Though I was told since I was already baptized and I seemed well informed on the Church's teaching, I could technically be Confirmed whenever I want. My coordinator just advised me to take my time and experience all the rites that there are along the way so I get the full experience of coming into the Church. But to answer your question, no. I wasn't Confirmed the March immediately after beginning RCIA but rather the March after that (entered RCIA October of 2015, and was Confirmed March 2017).

I actually created this thread when I shared with folks on here that I was starting RCIA.

Same goes for my RCIA. They're ultra-flexible, at least.

Okay that's good. That's mainly because if we're not giving our full consent to a Sacrament (i.e. Confirmation or Matrimony) then the Sacrament isn't valid as far as I know. More so with Matrimony, I don't know if that necessarily applies to Confirmation - but the bottom line is the Church always wants us to freely choose these binding things, not feel pressured into them and then lack the desire to sustain our side of things.

 

[Lady Bug]

I saw your first post but I have to be painfully honest - - I find it painful to read the rest of the comments in it simply because your RCIA seems infinitely better than mine I don't know at what stage you got a Bible and Catechism but this instructor hasn't done it yet and probably won't. Maybe once the Rite of Election ensues he may start, but I don't put much stock into that either. He teaches from the Bible and Catechism but he does it all orally and writes SOME stuff on the whiteboard.

You are correct about the Church wanting this all to be a choice. They're big on free will (disclaimer: I have always had issues with free will and it's likely I'll never totally believe that free will truly exists, which I worry will affect my ability to truly embrace the faith).

 

[Gnarwhal]

I saw your first post but I have to be painfully honest - - I find it painful to read the rest of the comments in it simply because your RCIA seems infinitely better than mine I don't know at what stage you got a Bible and Catechism but this instructor hasn't done it yet and probably won't. Maybe once the Rite of Election ensues he may start, but I don't put much stock into that either. He teaches from the Bible and Catechism but he does it all orally and writes SOME stuff on the whiteboard.

You are correct about the Church wanting this all to be a choice. They're big on free will (disclaimer: I have always had issues with free will and it's likely I'll never totally believe that free will truly exists, which I worry will affect my ability to truly embrace the faith).

That's gotta change, I was given those items before I set foot in my first class. They're necessary for proper formation... Does the parish lack the resources to distribute those things? Mine wasn't rich but they kept a budget for these kinds of things.

 

[Lady Bug]

That's gotta change, I was given those items before I set foot in my first class. They're necessary for proper formation... Does the parish lack the resources to distribute those things? Mine wasn't rich but they kept a budget for these kinds of things.

Oh gosh, now I know for CERTAIN my RCIA is woefully inadequate.
I don't know the answer to your question though. If I asked them this question, it might look a tad harsh. Is there a gentler way of asking this to them?

 

[Gnarwhal]

Oh gosh, now I know for CERTAIN my RCIA is woefully inadequate.
I don't know the answer to your question though. If I asked them this question, it might look a tad harsh. Is there a gentler way of asking this to them?

Maybe you can just ask if there's a way to get your own copy of the catechism and bible. That gives them a chance to offer you one, if they don't and instead suggest places to buy them then you can leave it at that.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Congrats, Ladybug. A step forward, my friend!

 

[Lady Bug]

Congrats, Ladybug. A step forward, my friend!

Thanks It's been a long time since you've been around here, and probably an even longer time that I was waiting to get to this point.

 

[joymercy]

Please follow through with RCIA and being confirmed and start to prepare your first confession, so you can then receive the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, your redeemer.

Please start to receive the sacraments now, getting into a state of grace-that is paramount

For we are not promised tomorrow

Learning will come in time