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mrsbmoo
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 282 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | former Methodist. RCA, Presbyterian, Holiness, Wesleyan... Catholic as of June ... |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 08:29 pm |
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| They announced in church today that the RCIA policy had been changed by higher powers. Only those who needed to be baptized would have to attend a year of RCIA, those transferring from non-Catholic but Christians, would be received anytime during the year by profession of Faith. Wow what a change, most of us had to wait the full year no matter what. Anyody else hear about a change? or at least a change in the way that the already baptized are handled generally?
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Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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BodRod
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 806 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 09:35 pm |
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| Our RCIA leader has mentioned, at least twice, that there are "those" who think that a two year program would be better than a one year program, which is actually around 9 months long. I can't tell who "those" include since our leader is involved in various activities in our region as well as being a third order person at a nearby monastery. However, so far, we are planning on the usual 9 month program for next RCIA season.
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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mrsbmoo
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 282 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | former Methodist. RCA, Presbyterian, Holiness, Wesleyan... Catholic as of June ... |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 09:45 pm |
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| They are starting RCIA in MAy this year so it is a full year now too.
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Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5157 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 09:58 pm |
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mrsbmoo wrote: They announced in church today that the RCIA policy had been changed by higher powers. Only those who needed to be baptized would have to attend a year of RCIA, those transferring from non-Catholic but Christians, would be received anytime during the year by profession of Faith.
This is actually the way it's supposed to be according to the RICA ritual written in the late 80's. It means your bishop and diocese ("higher powers") have decided to follow not only the letter but the spirit of the rules.
Non-Catholic Christians will be given individualized instruction and be welcomed when they are ready. This could be weeks for a high-church Episcopalian/Anglican or Lutheran, to many months for Baptists and non-denominational fundamentalists or evangelicals who are very far from Catholic doctrinally.
Someone who has done years of personal study of Catholic doctrine might be admitted almost immediately, especially if they have already been coming to church.
The most important thing is no one will be restricted to an arbitrary schedule just because it's there. Nor will someone who decides to join the Church in January have to wait until Easter of the next year.
So it's a good thing!
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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CloisterWalkin
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| Joined: | Tue Mar 20th, 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 7 |
| First Name: | francis | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | LCMS, Non-Denominational, RCIA |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 10:50 pm |
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| I think this is great news! I hope and pray that many other Bishops will follow suit!
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~There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church—which is, of course, quite a different thing.~Archbishop Fulton Sheen
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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 198 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 01:18 am |
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Hello everybody,
I did not attend RCIA classes before my confirmation. The pastor said that I could read the Catechism texts that the class was working on and then join them at the Vigil. He said this was because I had been teaching Catholic school for 7 years already and he knew me to be a traditional-minded Episcopalian. When I did join them the week before Confirmation for a retreat, he introduced me and said I had been studying about and working in the Church for some years, which was true.
Actually when I first came to work there, I had asked him (being ignorant of much Catholic doctrine about the Eucharist) whether I could receive Communion at the school masses. Of course he said no, and he was sorry that it had be that way, and explained that there just wasn't enough consistency in the teachings of the Anglican and Roman churches, and that what I believed/felt as an individual was, sadly, not the main issue.
The Catechism is not easy to read alone, but it was OK because we met to discuss the readings a few times so he could answer any questions I had. Once I began to understand the Church's teaching about the Eucharist I could see the differences. Basically the church is supposed to take responsibility in giving the Sacrament only to those who can receive it with discernment (and that's not the same as giving it to someone as a gesture of hospitality!)
To make a long story short, it took me two years but I finally decided to "defect." It was the year of the Eucharist and I just wanted to have the real sacrament instead of a "memorial." And I wanted to acknowledge publicly that this was my church family now, not the Episcopalians. I'm in my 5th year at my new parish now, and I love it! I have learned more each year.
Lisa
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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Steven Barrett
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| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 812 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 02:14 am |
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Is this a GREAT CHURCH or what!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I've gotta really practice my "husbandly diplomacy!"
Terrific news, just terrific!
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For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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JasPax
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| Joined: | Wed Nov 22nd, 2006 |
| Location: | North Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 219 |
| First Name: | James | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Episcopal to Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 08:52 am |
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Steven:
Better make sure your diocese is on board with this "new" practice before you say too much to sweetie. I haven't heard that this will be a universal practice in the U.S.
Best Regards,
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James
"Abide in me, and I in you..." John 15:4
"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." John 6:56
RSV-2CE
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Annie
Banned
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 734 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 10:08 am |
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It's about time dioceses started to conform to the National Statutes for the Catechumenate (which is where these rules come from). I had trouble getting into the Church because most of the churches in my diocese put everybody through RCIA regardless of their background and my health problems make me not free in the evenings. So I was shut out for a few months until I could find a priest who would catechize me himself. And then it was a matter of a few weeks. It could have been even shorter if he had decided to just ask me what I believed and knew but it took a lecture format instead. I got through it okay. My first Communion was Oct. 1st.
I call the church that wouldn't take me in "St. Go-Away." Ironically, they are a smaller parish, 1600 families with 2 full-time priests and the parish that took me in is 2400 families (about 7000 people) with only one priest and no deacons.
Also ironically, I now attend St. Go-Away for the richness of the liturgy and the associate priest is a GREAT confessor. I guess they like me now that I am Catholic! Unfortunately, I will always remember being rejected due to a health problem. But it makes me more careful around professional church people.
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Annie
Ora et labora
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Steven Barrett
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 812 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 12:46 pm |
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James & Annie,
Excellent pointers. I haven't done anything and didn't plan on until I contacted the locals. Inasmuch as I have faith in the Church as a whole, I'm very circumspect concerning my diocese. There's a ton of clericalism up here. Of course, by allowing somebody to come in without having to go through Fr So and So's classes won't do much for his stats on RCIA attendees and I know where this can lead to.
To which I can only say, if the Church is Catholic, keep it Catholic and not a local fiefdom.
But, before I "go jihad" with the chancery (should Springfield be a stick in the mud) on this if it's the case, I'll definitely ask my dear wife if she's given an earlier "come along" invite more (positive, of course!) thought, and if not having to go through a long RCIA instruction might be the "closer."
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For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5157 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 01:19 pm |
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Let me just point out once again that this is not a "directive" from Rome or from the USCCB; it's a local decision to implement rules that have been in force for many years. The rules have not changed, only the decision on how closely to follow them.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Steven Barrett
Member
| Joined: | Tue Nov 14th, 2006 |
| Location: | Hadley, Massachusetts USA |
| Posts: | 812 |
| First Name: | Steven | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic, Episcopal communicant, Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 01:28 pm |
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Thanks for the clarification. While it might dampen things a bit, it's best to have the right info firsthand, especially when calling on the local chancery.
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For anybody interested in reading commentary from a Catholic's socially conservative/fiscally liberal viewpoint, go to my new blog at http://www.politicsramble.com/ .
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