CST #72: Rescue Dawn in Comfy, High Def Bliss
This Week we brag about how much we’re enjoying our new furniture (as a side note, after we recorded the show, our 2 year old peed on both the couch and the chair). Our new entertainment system helps us get into Rescue Dawn. We read from several of your emails and answer a listener question about praying to Saints.
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Hey, at least “I Write the Songs” is just cheesy. In my class, we were asked to meditate to John Lennon’s “Imagine.” I promise this is true, I am NOT making it up.
I completely agree that sometimes we just have to think of RCIA as a sacrifice. I think it was important for me to be a part of it just to get some practice in being part of the Church and submitting to its authority rather than just having a “Jesus and me” relationship with God.
I am so sorry that your RCIA experience is not what it should be - in our Parish we decided to use Dr Peter Kreeft’s book Catholic Christianity in our RCIA program. As a convert myself, now teaching, I realize that in order to have converts make an educated choice you need to let them know what this wonderful Church is about. I hope that other parishes will get away from the “just feelings” and get to the meat which is soooo much more stimulating to the faith.
Our RCIA class is run by someone who has run RCIA for almost two decades. Fr John teaches the majority of the classes, using the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults as an outline. I have taught a few of the sessions, God’s Plan For Creation, Economy of Salvation, The Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. We use the Documents of Vatican II and Early Church Fathers in addition to tons of Scripture and Church Tradition to help explain the faith. The audio recordings of our classes can be found at: http://www.khemraj.org and click on RCIA Blog.
We liked Rescue Dawn, but I guess the people involved, didn’t like it too much. After some research, I found http://www.rescuedawnthetruth.com/ This talks about the courage and determination of those in the camp and how the movie makers, for dramatic sake, took too many artistic liberties with the real events. It’s interesting reading.
I thought I’d offer a little response to Melissa about the RCIA program. I’ve been engaged with an RCIA team here in Colorado for about 20 years, after having gone through the process myself.
Her experience about finding no difference between Catechumens (unbaptized) and Candidates (already baptized) is not uncommon. When it comes to Easter Vigil, there WILL be a difference in the rite because the Candidates won’t be baptized again. But as for the rest of the program, most parishes find no reason to create two separate programs targeted specifically at the two separate audiences. Not only don’t they have the resources to do that, but there will also be many couples in Melissa’s situation, and separating them into different classes would get in the way of faith formation.
Until a few years ago, we also welcomed Adult Confirmandi to join the RCIA program as well, even though it wasn’t recommended to do that. Fortunately, we had someone volunteer to lead the Adult Confirmation program as a separate class. This was especially important as the size of the class grows, and we don’t have rooms which can handle all these people together at the same time.
As for the quality of the program, here’s my observations. First, remember that RCIA is often taught by parishioners who are well-intentioned but not professional teachers or deeply educated in the subject matter. Since I fall into this category, it’s been a real struggle for me to get to the point where I believe I can convey both the content AND the faith formation in the same class. Some classes may also be taught by people who are well versed in the subject, but might be dry or academic. These people will struggle as well, as they’re really trying to help class participants to find God and the Church, but aren’t necessarily connecting with people emotionally.
So hang in there, Melissa. Get what you can out of the RCIA program, and remember that when you put more energy into your faith, you’ll get more out. You could do a wonderful service to yourself and someone else by volunteering to be a sponsor next year, and go through the program another time.
I do feel for those in RCIA programs that means well but aren’t the greatest.
On the plus side… it’s only a year! Pity us cradle Catholics who had 8 to 12 years of poor catechism. I was a student in the 70s-80s and I would say I made at least 20 felt/burlap banners. We also sang lots of folk songs with questionable theology. Somehow I came out on the other side Catholic… but I’m not sure how and I would generally say it was in spite of CCD - not because of it.
That’s why it’s so great to hear that Mac is doing CCD at your parish. Not only do you mean well but you are also a teacher and really love the faith. I am sure you do great.
One of my favorite Catholic books, “The Bad Catholic’s Guide to Good Living”, jokingly (I think) refers to RCIA as standing for, “Repelling Christians In-Advertantly.” Sounds like they may be on to something…