RCIA update and more!

I finally heard back from the priests in my parish, and I will not be allowed to attend RCIA classes, even for the inquiry period.  Instead, because there has been increased interest in RCIA from people like me, who want to know more but do not feel a call to convert, the church is setting up three lectures as part of a possibly ongoing series.  The lectures are supposed to provide information about Catholicism both to Catholics and non-Catholics.

I’m a bit disappointed, especially because it sounds like the new lectures are supposed to be entirely factual, rather than being focused on spiritual development.  My main goal in taking RCIA was to do something I couldn’t do on my own.  I appreciate the convenience of the lecture series, but I don’t think it’s intended to teach anything I couldn’t get out of a book.

The only other church-sponsored option I can see is the small Bible study groups the church runs.  I was actually fairly interested, since I tend not to know the weekly readings particularly well, and the groups would be reading and discussing.  However, I have some friends who participated in the program previously, and apparently, a lot of the participants view the Bible study as a ‘safe space’ since they find Yale’s secular culture to be stifling.  I don’t want to try to sign up if my presence is going to spoil it for the Catholics.

I know the last few days have been very low on blogging.  I’ve been busy with a personal project that came to completion today when I went with my boyfriend and his family to the Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo, NY.  True to form, I finished sewing the dress below THIS MORNING, but I got it done.  The pattern I used was Butterick 4571, in case anyone is interested, and it was incredibly well written and easy to follow.

Blogging resumes tomorrow!