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Marriage Prep/RCIA

monicajaemonicajae
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in Catholic Weddings
Hello!
My fiance was raised catholic and we are planning on having a catholic ceremony.  I know that we are going to have to go through marriage prep and we are willing to do whatever it takes, but I am wondering if anyone can give me any insight into (and I imagine it varies) the amount of time required?  Are classes typically weekly, more than once a week, monthly?  Also, I am interested in going through the RCIA program and converting as well, and I am curious what that entails of also and what those classes are like.  We both go to school full time and work 20+ hours a week, so needless to say, time is tight!
Thanks for your info !
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Re: Marriage Prep/RCIA

  • Hope61Hope61 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Both will depend on your priest and your parish. I haven't started marriage prep yet but I think its typically meeting with your priest (at least 3 times before the wedding... so definitely not every week) and/or doing an engaged encounter weekend retreat. Sometimes also they set you up to meet with a married couple.

    RCIA, again--it varies. But I think the norm is classes once/week that are 1-2 hours long. You and your sponsor (your FI, I'd assume) would both go. At the parish I was a sponsor at, every meeting had prayer, sometimes a song, and always a lesson about the faith and a discussion/Q&A about the lesson. If you want to do RCIA this year (you would be confirmed at Easter), you should look into it asap, because chances are it has already started at your parish. But you should probably be early enough to join it still.

    Hope that helps!
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  • monicajaemonicajae
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thank you!
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  • jlq2005jlq2005 member
    2500 Comments Fourth Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    We just had our marriage prep class. We went to a Pre-Canna session, and it lated one full day. Our was from 8:15-4:00 on a Sunday. 
    They do have the engagement encounter weekend, however, that you could also do.
    Some priests recommend the EE weekend, and some just the Pre-Canna session. Our priest let us choose. 
    When you first meet with your priest he will help explain things more and tell you what all you will need to do. :) 

    As for RCIA - my FI is going through it right now. In our church, they meet once a week for 2-3 hours. They are going through the Catechism book and basically just discuss one chapter at a time. He is really enjoying it. 
    But again, it depends on each parish and priest how they will do it. 
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  • mswood1977mswood1977 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011

    In our diocese the marriage prep is meeting withe the priest 3 - 4 times and a 1 Saturday diocese class with others that are preparing for marriage. 

    RCIA is once a week while you are an inquirer and then goes to 2 days a week after the right of acceptance and welcoming (basically when you formally proclaim you intend to join the church at the Easter Vigil).  The second weekly meeting was the time after our dismissal from Mass so really didn't take any extra of our weekly time since we where alreay at the church during that time for mass anyway (since you are usually required to attend a specific Mass on Sunday).

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    10000 Comments Fourth Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    It will definitely vary by priest and parish. We had a few meetings with the priest and then we were required to attend an EE Weekend.

    As far as RCIA goes, your local parish has probably already started for the year, but it shouldn't be too late to join, I would just recommend calling your church asap. I went through RCIA and it was a very rewarding and wonderful process. It goes from September and ends with Pentecost, but you get confirmed at the Easter Vigil Mass.
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