Is Rcia Necessary? And Two Other Conversion Questions

[ChristinaTherese]

Context: I was validly baptized (in a Plymouth Brethren church) at eight, and have been looking seriously at Catholicism for about two and a half years. The priest in Seattle has known me for a little over a year by now. (If you care, the priest in Portland was only ordained in June. I think.)

 

Is RCIA necessary for me to become Catholic? My priest in Seattle isn't (I think) having me do RCIA, he's said that I should read the section in the CCC on sacraments and ask him questions brought up by that. I was talking to a priest here in Portland, and he said that RCIA was necessary.

 

When exactly can I call myself Catholic? Do I have to wait until I've been confirmed, or am I technically Catholic now?

 

Last, I was reading recently (on a priest's blog that I think was linked to by The Crescat, I'm not sure which exactly) that it's bad for priests to give blessings (to children, non-Catholics, etc.) during Communion. Is it wrong to go up for a blessing? Was the priest-blogger just being overly picky?

[CatherineM]

There are exceptions to taking RCIA. The elderly or frail or someone who works when classes take place are sometimes allowed to take the process kind of by tutoring. However, I truthfully believe a large portion of the problems the church has dealt with in the last couple of decades has been due to a lack of proper catechism. RCIA is a life changing process. We shouldn't bend over backwards to try to find a way around it but rather trying to find a way to get in it. It's definitely not a waste if time.

As to calling yourself a Catholic, you can. There are lots of people who call themselves Catholic that I wish they wouldn't. My mom always called herself a Catholic and she never actually entered the church. So long as you don't receive communion until you enter, I don't have a problem with it. You can also say you are entering or joining the church.

I like seeing priests bless kids in the communion line. I just don't like seeing EM's doing it.