Traditional Form of RCIA?

[Tulkas]

I don't like the whole public thing.  I am a private man who likes to keep to himself, that is why I like that Trad orders do my children's baptism private.

I remember in the NO, they do it at a Sunday mass, and they line up a dozen babies that could almost walk and do them all at once.  Then priest made us all give a round of applause when he was done.

By the way:  Priest > RCIA

[The_Harlequin_King]

I don't like the whole public thing.  I am a private man who likes to keep to himself, that is why I like that Trad orders do my children's baptism private.

I remember in the NO, they do it at a Sunday mass, and they line up a dozen babies that could almost walk and do them all at once.  Then priest made us all give a round of applause when he was done.

I think most NO churches still have private baptisms for children. I have never heard of something like what you just described. That is a very different issue, though, than baptism for adult converts.

[Tulkas]

I don't like the whole public thing.  I am a private man who likes to keep to himself, that is why I like that Trad orders do my children's baptism private.

I remember in the NO, they do it at a Sunday mass, and they line up a dozen babies that could almost walk and do them all at once.  Then priest made us all give a round of applause when he was done.

I think most NO churches still have private baptisms for children. I have never heard of something like what you just described. That is a very different issue, though, than baptism for adult converts.

As with all things NO, it always different from parish to parish.  It is like a box of chocolates...

[OmniaInstaurareInChristo]

I am an ex Episcopalian who was received into the Church on 1/22/72 (Exactly one year before the horrible Roe V Wade).  A priest gave me instructions from the Baltimore Catechism.  On the day I was received, I made my Profession of Faith and Fr. heard my first confession.  That weekend I made my first Holy Communion.  In September of 1997 I started to attend the TLM.

[SearchingCatholic]

I know I did RCIA when I converted to Catholicism.  What a joke!  By the time I had studied enough to know that I wanted to be Catholic, I knew the doctrine better than the teachers!  Even when I found a better parish, I had to jump through hoops so that I could be Catholic and recieve the Eucharist at my wedding!  I think private instruction by a priest would be preferable to poorly informed lay people spouting garbage and watered down doctrine!

[StrictCatholicGirl]

I would think that traditionalists would be in favor of the Church bringing back the ancient Rite of Catechumens. I'm not saying that the modern RCIA is an exact recreation of the past, and neither should it be! But it helps the convert's need for formation. And in those early days of Christianity especially, catechumens needed LOTS of formation and the conversion process often took YEARS!!

One of the biggest problems with today's RCIA is you have too much formation and not enough INformation. The problem with private instruction is you have all INformation and maybe not enough formation. But the beautiful thing about God is that He always transforms the heart that comes to Him -whether they come in through RCIA or privately. After 2000 years converts continue to come, and to each one his own experience was precious and unique and wonderful. ...

"We were baptized, and all anxiety over the past melted away from us. The days were all too short for I was lost in wonder and joy, meditating upon your far-reaching providence for the salvation of the human race. The tears flowed from me when I heard your hymns and canticles, for the sweet singing of your Church moved me deeply. The music surged in my ears, truth seeped into my heart, and my feelings of devotion overflowed, so that my tears streamed down. But they were tears of gladness." - St. Augustine, Confessions, Book IX: 6

The miracle of Baptism unites us all.. and awakens the same response through the ages. To those of you who regret going through RCIA or think it's a joke, don't let anybody steal your joy. You're a Catholic now. That's all that matters. 

- Lisa

[serviam]

When my wife converted, she had to meet with  the priest weekly and he instructed her from a book called "Lessons in the Catholic FAith".

[AltarBoy]

I went through RCIA a few years ago at the local NO parish. We had lay organizers but all instructional talks were given by one of the four priests. The process was still lacking I think in the depth of the content covered at times, and some converts were deemed worthy to become extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion in less than a year   

[DarkKnight]

When my wife converted, she had to meet with  the priest weekly and he instructed her from a book called "Lessons in the Catholic FAith".

That sounds so restrictive! How intimidating! How did your parish council ever approve such an arrangement?

[serviam]

When my wife converted, she had to meet with  the priest weekly and he instructed her from a book called "Lessons in the Catholic FAith".

That sounds so restrictive! How intimidating! How did your parish council ever approve such an arrangement?

[SoCalLocal]

What we have here is an oxymoron. There is no Traditional RCIA.

In the olden days, there were a number of priests living in the rectory, so they had time to instruct people one on one.

I wish you well in your efforts. I predict you will quit or get fired well before the end of it. I almost made it to the end as part of a  teenage confirmation class "teaching team." Expect frustration at a level you never knew you could endure, and then some.

Typically RCIA is run by a militant lapel-pin nun or some divorced middle-aged bag DRE. They'll get some milquetoast book to work from that doesn't use words like "Catholic," "Pope," "Magisterium," or "Dogma." It will all be about "Community" and "As Christians...." 

There will be plenty of mandatory things like passover seders, potlucks, and one day retreats with centering prayers. There will be no emphasis on memorizing prayers like the Apostles Creed, The Nicene Creed, the Hail Mary, The Our Father, and especially not The Act of Contrition. The DRE will spout a lot of nonsense. Expect to hear "The Church teaches.." .rather than "We believe..." It's subtle but very telling, and listeners will pick up on it even if they don't do so consciously. Also, many things that are not up for debate, such as female ordination, will be debated, ended with pronouncements like "but that's changing" or "We don't believe that anymore."

Again, good luck. I only have my own experience to go by; your mileage may vary.   

[The_Harlequin_King]

I would think that traditionalists would be in favor of the Church bringing back the ancient Rite of Catechumens. I'm not saying that the modern RCIA is an exact recreation of the past, and neither should it be! But it helps the convert's need for formation. And in those early days of Christianity especially, catechumens needed LOTS of formation and the conversion process often took YEARS!!

I basically agree. Perhaps there is no such thing as "traditional RCIA"..... but there should be. It's certainly ideal for a group of catechumens to be formed together in the Faith under the direction of a traditional priest; or even better, a traditional deacon (that's one of the reasons why they exist, after all).

If I was pastor of a parish, I would have my deacons establish a catechumenate program using their own discretion as to what best fits the spirit of tradition. I would engage in a few one-on-one sessions, but really, I think priests ought to have a more hands-off approach with the laity (like a distant authoritative figure) while the deacons have more personal interaction with them.

[Joamy]

I wish you well in your efforts. I predict you will quit or get fired well before the end of it. I almost made it to the end as part of a  teenage confirmation class "teaching team." Expect frustration at a level you never knew you could endure, and then some.

Typically RCIA is run by a militant lapel-pin nun or some divorced middle-aged bag DRE. They'll get some milquetoast book to work from that doesn't use words like "Catholic," "Pope," "Magisterium," or "Dogma." It will all be about "Community" and "As Christians...." 

There will be plenty of mandatory things like passover seders, potlucks, and one day retreats with centering prayers. There will be no emphasis on memorizing prayers like the Apostles Creed, The Nicene Creed, the Hail Mary, The Our Father, and especially not The Act of Contrition. The DRE will spout a lot of nonsense. Expect to hear "The Church teaches.." .rather than "We believe..." It's subtle but very telling, and listeners will pick up on it even if they don't do so consciously. Also, many things that are not up for debate, such as female ordination, will be debated, ended with pronouncements like "but that's changing" or "We don't believe that anymore."

Again, good luck. I only have my own experience to go by; your mileage may vary.   

We aren't using a "curriculum" - lots of handouts.  The parish I go to is pretty solid.  I am encouraged .  Lesson tonight was on Confession.  In the handouts, the Fisheater website was referenced as a good resource.    

[timjp77]

No lay instructors.

that's the only realy problem I see with RCIA. I acted as a sponsor one year in my N.O. days.  I heard some of the worst explanations of dogmas come from the lay instructors.  Nothing against them, they were just not educated for it.  I understand that priests are very busy and their time is limited in what they can do for a parish, but I would think that something as important as conversion to the Church should be handled by the Priest. 

[brotherjuniper]

In some trad churches, there are Adult Doctrine Classes (Catechism) that are taught by the parish priest or some other person (usually, a religious sister) for adult in the parish that are thinking about converting to the Church.

When I came to Catholicism from Orthodoxy, I presented my credentials to the parish priest who told me to look over the Baltimore Catechism and come back with questions. After he decided that I was ready, he told me to come back for Confession and Holy Communion. That was it. I was in the Church.

Also, I had to send him a copy of my baptismal certificate which proved that I had been validly baptized and chrismated (confirmed). I assume he put it in his files and then entered my name into the parish books.