RCIA: Rolling Out the Red Carpet

It’s that time of year that I like to write about something crucial, yet often overlooked: RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults).  Are we rolling out the red carpet for new Catholics?

Through my website and Facebook page, I often get contacted by soon-to-be converts looking for help and advice about the RCIA process.  Some have basic questions, but others really need help.

For instance, I was recently chatting with a woman who is quite eager to join the Church.  Unfortunately, her local parish seems less eager to accept her.

Why?

She works on Sundays and cannot make the normal meeting time for the RCIA class.  But instead of offering her an alternative, or finding a way to work with her, they simply said that they could not help her.

Did I mention she was the only one enrolled for RCIA at that parish this year?

It’s sad enough that a parish struggles to muster a single participant for the RCIA program, but it’s even sadder when they would not do everything they could to help this woman out.

This blog is dedicated and focused on bringing people to the faith.  Many writers, speakers, and evangelists devote their lives to share the beauty of Christ and His Church.  Catholics all over the country (and world) share their faith with family and friends to answer the call to evangelization.

For what?  So that parishes like this can turn away the few people in today’s age that are eager and willing to join our beautiful faith?

We have empty pews for two reasons. 

1) We fail to engage current Catholics, and they eventually leave the faith. 

2) We horribly, sadly, inexcusably fail to roll out the red carpet for newcomers.

Why are we wasting our time talking about evangelization if we are not willing to follow through to the end?  Evangelization doesn’t stop when we get someone to walk through the parish doors the first time; it ends the moment they are first received in the Church.

Even then, our job is not complete.  We still have to mold, shape, teach, and nurture these brand new Catholics.  We cannot send out invites without being there when they show up for the party.

If I seem frustrated, I am.  I’m angry, frustrated, bewildered, upset, sad, and disgusted that we allow this to happen.

This is not a one-time occurrence.  Through my site (which focuses on RCIA), I hear stories like this way too often.

I usually end my posts with something witty to say, or something quotable to share, but this time, I don’t know what to say, other than…

When are we going to wake up?

Copyright © 2013, Chad R. Torgerson

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Chad R. Torgerson

Chad R. Torgerson

Chad R. Torgerson works as an IT Analyst for a Catholic publishing group. In his spare time, he enjoys writing and sharing his faith on his website, Waking Up Catholic, a guide to the Catholic RCIA process. and is also the Co-Founder of Assisi Media, a new Catholic publishing company focused on using new media to reach everyday Catholics. His new book, Waking Up Catholic, is available in eBook and paperback formats.

4 responses to “RCIA: Rolling Out the Red Carpet”

  1. I have asked myself that question many times in regard to RCIA and all religious ed classes. I sit on the side of the desk that gets the questions and try my best to say yes all the time. Sometimes though, years of hearing no means the person can’t hear the yes. In my experience, people leave the Church not over doctrine, but because they were mistreated or ignored.

  2. […] a part of our Church and for those who are current parishioners. I blame a few recent posts here (RCIA: Rolling Out the Red Carpet and Are Our Parish Doors Truly Open?) and a few experiences at work and in my […]

  3. […] of our Church and for those who are current parishioners. A few recent posts started me thinking (RCIA: Rolling Out the Red Carpet and Are Our Parish Doors Truly Open?) and a few experiences at work and in my parish about this […]

  4. […] of our Church and for those who are current parishioners. A few recent posts started me thinking (RCIA: Rolling Out the Red Carpet and Are …read […]

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