RCIA | Becoming Catholic

 I always felt drawn to the Catholic Faith, even as a child. My great aunt was a devout Catholic (not a cradle Catholic) and was looked down upon by my family who were Protestant. She was so loving and caring and always had such a peaceful and cheerful heart that it made me wonder what was different in her life as opposed to others? I truly believe that it was her devotion to the Catholic faith.

The RCIA program helped me to understand and learn so much about Catholicism and its doctrines. The weekly studies were extremely helpful in gaining knowledge about Mass, Adoration, Mother Mary, the Saints, the Stations of the Cross and so much more!

Growing up protestant, I had heard very negative remarks and stories about Catholicism and the RCIA program completely dispelled the myths and fallacies.

I continually reference my notebook and papers from the program. RCIA and its teachers were the beginning of this great journey into the Catholic faith for me and my husband. 

Mary 

I was raised in the Anglican church but spent the last 10 years in a Southern Baptist church.

Although I knew the pastor was a good man who truly loved the Lord, I found myself growing very discontent, almost angry, at the lack of holiness and reverence for God in the church. I felt like I was slowly drying up; starving.

Going through RCIA was literally like coming to a surprise welcome home party full of food and drink I couldn't even have imagined existed! I was very familiar with a lot of what we learned, but there was so much more that I had never known. I drank it in, all the amazing holiness, tradition, and spirituality that was being revealed to me through the curriculum and through the witness of those who led RCIA.

I had many questions, particularly about Mary's role in the Church, and I never felt uncomfortable about asking them. And I was also assured that I may not understand everything being presented but that was okay too.

I am now a member of the RCIA team. I love the Church that Jesus founded! I love sharing the fullness of God's revelation to humanity, which resides within the Catholic Church, to those who have never had a chance to taste and see the fullness of Christ!

Stephanie

Growing up, my parents and I did not attend church regularly. My parents were raised with completely different faiths (Baptist and Judaism). Some Sundays I would go to the Baptist church with my dad and granny. And a hand full of times, I went with my other grandparents to Temple before my grandfather passed away. Despite the lack of consistency, I always liked going to church, and I did attend different youth groups and church camps with my friends. 

I went to my first Catholic Mass near the end of high school, and after I graduated, I started attending Mass regularly with a friend's mom when my friend had gone off to college. I grew up knowing nothing about the Bible, or of the Catholic faith, except for what I began to see at Mass. I thought about joining the Church a few times, but I was always nervous about God rejecting me.

In 2016, by no coincidence, I met my husband Jeff, who was born and raised a Catholic. At the time, he was taking a huge risk by quitting his job in Kansas City to move to Branson in order to run a business that he and his parents purchased. He knew no one, and at the time, he had no family here. I was living in Springfield at the time; we met online and had our first date the very week he moved to Branson. As it turned out, this was not the first time our paths had crossed. I lived and worked on the Plaza in Kansas City from 2009 to 2010.  All the while, Jeff was living on the other side of the Plaza, and frequented the restaurant where I was a waitress. Knowing this now, it is obvious that it was just not our time to meet. But when God did bring us together, it took nine months of dating, and we were engaged.

A year and a half after getting married, we were expecting our first child. At that point in my life, I had not been baptized and I knew it was time to take the next step in my journey of faith for my growing family. With Jeff's support and my mother-in-law as my sponsor, we all began to attend RCIA together. 

We welcomed our little girl in January 2020 and by March, the world had shut down with Covid. Between a newborn and Covid, I missed out on some of the neat experiences that I would typically have done with RCIA. But the things that I learned, and the experiences that I did have, brought a new spark to my faith, which helped keep me going with so much unknown about the virus. Looking back at my life so far, I have no doubt that God directed the whole thing. I was meant to meet my husband, start a family, be baptized, and become Catholic. Joining the church has been life-changing, and one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has given me a whole new outlook on life, and it has made me the happiest I have ever been. I am very thankful that the RCIA program made the process easy and enjoyable and for God's grace and blessings! 

Amanda

At my baptism this past Easter, I felt at peace as Fr. J. started pouring water over me and I heard a voice say, "It’s about time. I have been waiting for you." It was amazing.

Gregg

I would recommend RCIA to everyone including Catholics. For someone who had no intention of turning Catholic, RCIA is fabulous.

After going through the entire RCIA program, I could not wait to become a Catholic. I have never regretted it and am excited about it. I have so much more yet to learn and keep buying books to learn more. Everyone should become Catholic in my opinion. There is just so much meat and the love of Jesus is overwhelming. I'm still working on Mary but am so excited to keep learning more about her. I am sad that I have missed her precious blessings all these years and I want the world to know what they have been missing. To think I have a Mom in heaven that I never knew about.

The Catholic faith is so exciting and there is so much to learn that it can fill up a lifetime. I can't thank God enough for leading me to RCIA and changing my life for the better.

I'm reading Brant Pitre book on Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary. That is one hard book but oh how I love it. I'm telling everyone about it and have several people that want to read it. Mary is so beautiful and I so want to get to know her more.

Sandy

I'm a truck driver, and because of that, my schedule is a little different than others, mostly because I'm not home. I'm home daily now, but when I decerned to become Catholic, I was an over the road driver. This made the whole idea of attending the RCIA classes seem impossible. I worried I wasn't able to become Catholic. I called up the parish office and set up an appointment with Father Dave for the next time I was home. 

He and I sat down and he graciously answered my questions and entertained my comments.  I was ready to start!  But had to wait until September. Ugh.  I will admit, it was a LONG wait,  as this was June.  Haha.

He got me in touch with Lorry Davis.  I explained to her my situation,  that I wouldn't be able to attend most of the classes, since they were being held on Wednesday evenings if memory serves me correctly. She said that we would figure it out.  How to get an eager truck driver to get introduced to Catholicism. She lent me some audio CDs, most of which were by Dr. Scott Hahn. I would listen to these for hours every day, as I was driving my routes. I would make a list of questions to ask Lorry. When I was done driving for the day, I would park my rig and message Lorry, and ask away. She graciously would answer what she could. If I asked something she wasn't sure about, she would get the answer for me. 

Overall, I would say that I had a wonderful experience. I joined the Church that following Easter Vigil. I made sure I was definitely home for that. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! I had made the comment that I wish I had joined the Church when I was much younger, but Lorry reminded me that I was right where I was meant to be, when I was meant to be, in accordance with the Lord's plan.  All things happen in His time. 

If the Lord brings you to it, He will bring you through it. I am Catholic and I am proud.

Lori