mamajag Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I just started RCIA tonight and have been doing a lot of reading. I'm really starting at square one because I was athiest/agnostic before. I know the procedure for me becoming Catholic, and it seems my son (who's 4) just needs to be baptized in after I am baptized and confirmed. What about my daughters, who are 7 and 9? Is it any different for them at their ages? What about my marriage? DH and I were married by his parents' Protestant pastor in his home but I've never been baptized and I'm pretty sure my husband hasn't either. I have no idea if it's considered valid or not. Thanks for reading. I know I probably just need to ask Father O'Connor, but I'm a bit shy and all my questions show up when I'm at home! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Congratulations! Definitely write your questions down to ask Father. :) I'm headed to bed, but your older children are right around First Communion time. We chose to have our oldest (3rd grade at the time) take her First Communion when we took ours, on our first Easter Sunday. It was really special. :) So you might want to do that, and see about getting them prepared for that along with you. We, too, were married in a Protestant Church. We were never told anything about our marriage not being valid or needing for it to be blessed or anything, although that certainly wouldn't hurt. Maybe we will do that someday. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Congratulations! :) I agree with writing down questions to ask Father (or anyone else on the RCIA team if it is taught by more than one). I wanted to invite you to join the Crossing the Tiber social group here; it's a great place to ask questions as they come up during your journey. For my conversion (dh and I were both previously baptized in a Protestant church), we had the kids all baptized just before the Easter Vigil. Our marriage had to be convalidated/blessed in the Church, but it was a pretty easy process and your parish priest should be able to tell you if your particular situation requires that. We enrolled our children in religious education the school year following my conversion (dh did not convert at the same time); our diocese requires two years for kids converting, so they will all make their First Holy Communion this spring (God willing). Again, congratulations and may God bless your journey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted October 4, 2013 Author Share Posted October 4, 2013 Thank you both. :) I will ask Father next week. Everyone at my parish has been great. The RCIA team really encourage questions and makes everyone feel at home. My kids are happy with the babysitting and the other kids, and we are considering Catholic education for next year, either through the parish school or with a Catholic homeschooling organization. I signed up for the group but haven't been let in yet. I think it's possible that my former atheist life and posts on this board may have something to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Michelle* Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Just wanted to say congrats and welcome home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 I signed up for the group but haven't been let in yet. I think it's possible that my former atheist life and posts on this board may have something to do with it. I moderate the Orthodoxy board, and it's quite possible the moderator hasn't seen your membership request. I just bookmarked the discussion board page and go directly there when I visit the group. The memberships don't show up on that page, though, and when I remember to click the main page link, I'll then see requests that have been waiting there for me for who knows how long. It might be worth nudging the moderator with a PM. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Technically, kids under the age of reason (infants) are baptized when their parents convert and kids over the age of reason (adults) have to convert on their own (take a class, get baptized, confirmed and First Communion at the Easter Vigil). The age of reason is "usually 7". Since your kids are right around 7, your pastor will decide which way to go, hopefully with input from you. Technically, there is no age group between infant and adult. Often parishes don't like the 8 year olds getting confirmed 8-10 years before the cradle Catholic 8 year olds, and will make up their own program (ie. baptize at Easter Vigil then make them do CCD til they get confirmed with their age group). So, yep, you have to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted October 4, 2013 Author Share Posted October 4, 2013 Thank you for your answer. I figured it might be something like that. The 9 year old is all hyped up and ready to learn about God while the 7 year old thinks Church is boring. I need to get them set up with their peers and maybe the 7 year old will change her mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 My kids are happy with the babysitting and the other kids, and we are considering Catholic education for next year, either through the parish school or with a Catholic homeschooling organization. . There are some good Catholic homeschooling materials, but I wouldn't recommend enrolling with a Catholic distance-learning school. Follow the requirements of your state (if any) and choose instructional materials from a Catholic resource. Here are a few to check out: Mater Amablis--Charlotte Mason from a Catholic perspective Catholic Heritage Curricula Ye Hedge School Keeping it Catholic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Thanks for reading. I know I probably just need to ask Father O'Connor, but I'm a bit shy and all my questions show up when I'm at home! :) Fr. O'Connor would be happy to answer all of your questions. Don't be shy. :-) Now is the time to ask the, too, because you don't want to find out something at the last minute that needs to be taken care of, KWIM? And welcome home. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Your marriage, assuming there were no impediments (neither of you married before; not first cousins; not mentally incompetent; not married under false pretenses; you didn't murder your previous spouse in order to remarry*; you were both of age when you married; etc.) is valid. Since you weren't baptized, the marriage isn't considered a sacrament. However, if you both get baptized, the marriage will be sacramental, as a valid marriage between two Christians is sacramental. You may get told you need to have your marriage convalidated. That should not be true, though you would want to verify that if your parish priest insists. (Many priests get confused about this; don't ask me how I know.) *My personal favorite. Can you imagine applying for an annulment on the grounds that you'd done in your first husband, so your marriage to the second didn't count, and you should be free to move on to the third? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 There are some good Catholic homeschooling materials, but I wouldn't recommend enrolling with a Catholic distance-learning school. Follow the requirements of your state (if any) and choose instructional materials from a Catholic resource. Here are a few to check out: Mater Amablis--Charlotte Mason from a Catholic perspective Catholic Heritage Curricula Ye Hedge School Keeping it Catholic I'd also add Kolbe to that list. You can enroll or just buy their curriculum/lesson plans without enrollment. We are using Catholic Heritage this year and I like it, though as it stops at 8th grade, we will be switching over to Kolbe for high school. (I also add some Memoria Press materials and other things.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 There are some good Catholic homeschooling materials, but I wouldn't recommend enrolling with a Catholic distance-learning school. Follow the requirements of your state (if any) and choose instructional materials from a Catholic resource. Here are a few to check out: Mater Amablis--Charlotte Mason from a Catholic perspective Catholic Heritage Curricula Ye Hedge School Keeping it Catholic Homeschooling in my state is ridiculously easy. I just fill out a card and that's it. There is zero oversight. Thank you for these resources. These are some I haven't found yet. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 Fr. O'Connor would be happy to answer all of your questions. Don't be shy. :-) Now is the time to ask the, too, because you don't want to find out something at the last minute that needs to be taken care of, KWIM? And welcome home. :-) Thank you for the welcome. I am excited (as my Kindle account will attest) and devouring the books my RCIA leader has recommended so far. I have been to Protestant denominations and my questions were treated as though they were a sign I was lacking in faith. Now I can ask all of these questions and have a huge resource to refer to without being judged. I truly feel like I am coming home. My husband is willing to come to classes with me when he is home. He's not sure he'll convert yet but he's not ruling anything out. I am excited by that prospect as I fully expected him not to participate at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Thank you both. :) I will ask Father next week. Everyone at my parish has been great. The RCIA team really encourage questions and makes everyone feel at home. My kids are happy with the babysitting and the other kids, and we are considering Catholic education for next year, either through the parish school or with a Catholic homeschooling organization. I signed up for the group but haven't been let in yet. I think it's possible that my former atheist life and posts on this board may have something to do with it. Sorry about that. You are in now. Welcome! It wasn't anything other than I've not been around. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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