Helping new Catholics/Helping myself

I am helping out with the RCIA program at my parish this year and we met for the first time on Monday. RCIA stands for Rite for the Initiation for Christian Adults and is the process that interested individuals undertake to become a Catholic. It’s a fairly long process; the amount of time a person will have to attend RCIA really depends on the person and the priest or other person teaching the classes.

Most people (at least in my parish) who begin RCIA now will be able to become a member of the Church at the Easter Vigil mass next year (provided they are not waiting for annulments, etc). This year, so far, we have two women who were baptized and received first Holy Communion, but who were never were confirmed; so no real "converts." We’ll see who else comes on board before our pastor closes the class for new people in October or so. I have long admired people who convert to Catholicism because they "choose" it and they wind up being very knowledgable due to the process and the study.

My pastor is teaching the classes and I really enjoy listening to him. He knows the teachings of the Church and Church history VERY well and is a good teacher. Although I already know a lot of what he is teaching I really feel like I can’t hear it enough. It ingrains it more in my mind and helps to make my discussing it with others easier and more natural. God willing, I will be attending the class every Monday. My friends Cathi and Terry are attending the class as well (Terry has helped with RCIA for the past several years) and I think my main function will wind up just being another “student” to help the two women taking the class who don’t know anyone or perhaps don’t know a lot about the Church feel more comfortable. One of the women in the class is around my age, so I think it may help her to see someone her own age is a part of this as well.

I am happy to report that I have essentially totally cleared my schedule for this weekend so that I can catch up on needed rest. I had meetings every night this week and we have a youth group meeting with the teens on Sunday night so I need my time to decompress and stop having to “think” and “do.” As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I have been struggling with being spread a little too thin recently and have been making some decisions about what leadership roles I need to let go of in order to be able to have “me” time. I have let appropriate parties know, so I should slowly start to see a sense of normalcy return. Whatever that is!

Have a great weekend everyone! God bless you.