Posted: 1/27/2010 9:27:32 AM EDT
| First off, I was baptized in an Episcopal church and have not been back for awhile. The not so woman of a priest kind of turned me off to going to church anymore. Well, I'm a little older now and during these tough times I do feel the need for a "higher being" in my life. So I thought to myself why not? I've attended mass the past 3 weeks with my girlfriend, who is Catholic, and their services are kind of similar to what I remember as a kid and the priest seems very lively and welcoming. For those of you who have completed it, how was your experience and what should I be prepared for? Thanks in advance for your input and encouragement. |
|
Laudetur Iesus Christus!
I'm not a convert, but a revert, so I haven't personally been through RCIA. I know a few here have and I'm sure they'll be along, but I just wanted to drop in and invite you to check out the weekly Catholic scripture study thread here that I post every Wednesday. And also to welcome you to ask any questions you like. There are many faithful and well-informed Catholics here that would be more than happy to help out! |
| I have no input but I do have encouragement. When your path involves following God, then you are on the correct path. Follow his lead, and I promise you will find yourself in a better place as a better person. I was raised catholic, and just becoming reaquainted with the church thru our little "mission" church. God bless you on your journey. |
I think it's funny that the first three responses (mine incld.) to a "What's RCIA like?" thread are from people who haven't been through RCIA 
I am, however, a convert (Methodist) since 1997. I was always active in my old church so the priest (who later married my wife and I) did some one-on-one work with me instead of RCIA. I did, however, have to participate in the RCAI events on Easter weekends and occasionally attend a function or retreat. I have a couple of friends in their forties who are in RCIA and they meet once a week with some retreats/weekend activities/etc. thrown in. I would say that time spent is a mix of learning Catholic tradition/belief/rite mixed with how it affects us personally. Of course, they expect to be at Mass during this time and preparing yourself at home through prayer and some "homework". As the old priest told me, "Don't do it for anyone but yourself. Make sure you want to do it. If you really believe you'll know you've chosen well." Sounds hokey, but I knew what he meant and I could tell the difference once I made that decision. |
|
I am a convert from Southern Baptist. I took RCIA twice, I backed out the first time but finished it the second time. I enjoyed it, but I studied Catholicism passionately well before I attended RCIA, so I really did not learn anything that I had not already studied. I highly recommend studying Catholicism on your own and not depend soley upon RCIA, that is, if you are serious about learning the Faith. The Catholic Faith is very rich and grounded in the Bible and 2000 years of one faith and understanding of the Bible. Here are some links I highly recommend to investigate, these are reliable Catholic resources that will teach you what the Catholic Church teaches right from the horses mouth
Apologetics Catehism of the Catholic Church |
|
I went through RCIA, beginning in about August of 2004, and finished on Easter of 2006. It was an outstanding process, definitely life-changing.
We started with a "Period of Inquiry" where we learned about the Catholic Church to help us discern whether it was right for us. Then, the RCIA process really began, with weekly meetings and attendance at Mass on the weekends. At Easter of 2006, I was Baptized, received First Communion, and was Confirmed. After that, our group participated in Mystogogia until Easter 2007. Everyone's journey is different, this path was definitely for me. We had some people who did not finish. Never heard why, but they may have felt the need to proceed differently. I was very impressed with the way the process went. I learned so much, yet I never felt pressured or forced to do anything. Any questions were taken seriously, and answered sincerely. It was continually stressed that each person had their own decisions and journey to make, while remembering that God calls each of us to him by name. Whatever you do, I wish you the best. |
| Thank you all again for your encouragement. I've submitted the initial application to the RCIA director and next step is to meet with the priest. The director said that I may have made the deadline for confirmation on Easter but it all depends on the priests decision. Either way, my heart is open and ready for the journey. No matter how long it takes. |