Posted on 05/31/2006 7:26:49 AM PDT by Juana la Loca
I was hoping some of my fellow Catholic Freepers could provide me with some direction. I attend a small parish in NE GA. The RCIA director has announced that he is retiring from his post, and they have asked me to take his place. I have been scouring the Internet for RCIA lesson plans and course outlines, but haven't found anything all that stellar.
Does anyone have any suggestions or resources that they could recommend to help me plan an orthodox Catholic RCIA curriculum?
I am close, IF your screen name corresponds to San Diego. I live in Arizona!
Regards
Welcome home!
The timeless classic is still the Baltimore Catechism.
Heh! "Self-education" was pretty much the key anyway, given the RCIA program. Fortunately, my wife (cradle Catholic) had gotten interested in apologetics, and had bought a bunch of books which were laying around the house. Being terribly addicted to reading ANYTHING, I got started reading those, and "it was all over". Hahn's "Rome Sweet Home", the first "Surprised by Truth", Keatings "Catholicism and Fundamentalism". I was basically fully converted before I ever set foot in RCIA.
I "could" accuse her of using a "sneaky" method to get me into the church---but I won't. But you might try it on YOUR husband :)
Excellent recommendations with the Scripture lessons from Scott Hahn.
**Thus, I strongly advice that a person in RCIA learns to begin to experience Christ through sacrament, prayer, the Scriptures, everyday life, and ministry. Making the faith real (rather than a bunch of esoteric philosophical question/answers) is instrumental in making the neophytes (new Catholics) active in their faith. When people experience Christ, they will share their faith.**
Add to this mix, one hour a week in Perpetual Adoration!!!!
Wonderful list! Thanks for posting the link!
Our RCIA was ghastly, too. So too-liberal, just awful. And of course so prideful. I'd use the Catechism and new Compendium of the Catholic Church if you want solid theology.
It wasn't a big stretch for us since we came from an Anglo-Catholic background. So most of the liturgical issues were very familiar. But we needed that full year before being received into the Church to really live into the Sacramental life. There were a lot of habits that we had to give up, especially private judgment. Obedience was and continues to be a learned behavior. I've come to see that it isn't a burden but rather freedom. It's hard to describe. Coming from the ravages of ECUSA madness, there's a sense of peace in being under the Church's authority. I hope I'm making sense.
Note the About Us section to see who the board of advisors are. It is a veritable "Who's Who" of orthodoxy including Fr. Trigilio, Fr. Levis, Pinto, etc. I'd also look into the Baltimore Catechism for the kids under 14. I just read an article in the Wanderer about a speech at a Legatus Convention in which Roeser (the writer) got a huge reaction to the wonders of the old Baltimore Catechism. I like the concept in the Catechism Class model, however. The Pastor can see who is screwing around in "class."
I believe it was first posted on Dom Bettinelli's site a while back. I looked it over and found it enthralling since it depends on a bit of "web savvy." Let us know what you think.
Sis boom bah!
F
Wow, Frank! I just took a quick look at the site, but it seems neater than grits! I especially like the cost of $50 per family for unlimited number of children :-).
We have a pretty good religious ed program at our parish, but the hour-per-week (with lots of weeks off) isn't anything like enough ... and they all love doing things on the computer instead of workbooks!
I'll talk to Der Prinz about this.
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