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FIND TRUTH, BEAUTY, AND GOODNESS
There is no question that is "off-limits" for the Catholic Church.
There is no person who cannot find their "fit" in the Catholic Church.
There is no person whom Jesus isn't calling to find Him more fully in the Catholic Church.
RCIA . . . .
At the conclusion of their journey to the sacraments, and full initiation into the Catholic Church, participants were asked what the RCIA process meant to them.
Linda, one of the participants responded with the following:
RCIA was everything! And nothing like I expected!
The RCIA journey was one of self-discovery, deep thought, it was joyful and surprising, and if brought me to a place of peace and love. The grace and kindness with which the teachers lead us brought a sense of understanding and acceptance of the main lesson: love. God is love, we are unconditionally loved by Him, and through Him we are able to truly love others.
What RCIA wasn't . . . . . .
Classroom lectures . . . instead it was discussions, questions, music, video, lots of laughter.
Memorizing Bible versus . . . instead it was learning how to understand and live within God's message in a modern world.
Adopting Catholic Law . . . instead it was realizing Catholicism is and what it says - it's derived from the word meaning "universal" and there is compassion and respect for everyone.
Strict, stodgy teachers . . . instead it was a group of people earnest in their desire to help us grow, but also not afraid to be a little silly to help us laugh.
Stressful . . . instead it was soothing.
Governed by a strict and stern priest . . . instead Fr. Chris participated with the same serious desire to guide as the teachers, and with a deep understanding of God's love for each of us.
Mostly, RCIA was a blessing and I'm so very grateful to have had the experience. I am a better Christian but also a better person because of it.
Linda
“That is our real ‘stature,’ our spiritual identity: we are God’s beloved children, always. So you can see that not to accept ourselves, to live glumly, to be negative, means not to recognize our deepest identity…God loves us the way we are, and no sin, fault or mistake of ours makes him change his mind…God counts on you for what you are, not for what you possess…In his eyes, you are precious, and your value is inestimable.”
-Homily at World Youth Day Mass in Krakow
