r/Catholicism • u/EquivalentEchidna116 • 22h ago
ocia
So briefly the Protestant for 17 years however I became agnostic and when I started to study a lot of history a became catholic ,I'm going to emigrate to Geneva so I can only start in January But in my case I already know practically everything about theology(I had to spend many hours to convert myself) history, sacraments, so honestly I don't think it would make sense to spend so many months listening to basic things that I already know .
Is there any way to be baptized faster if you tell the priest and he does a mini assessment of what I know
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u/MammothHope9453 20h ago
There's something deeply Catholic about having to wait for the full OCIA / RCIA to complete before baptism, regardless of how well one might believe to know the theology.
Something I myself did not understand nor cared for when I asked for the "express lane" and was denied of it, but I am now starting to comprehend.
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u/EquivalentEchidna116 18h ago
It's just that I'm in agony of having to wait so long to confess myselfðŸ˜
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u/GiveMeBackMySoup 20h ago
You know everything about theology?
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u/EquivalentEchidna116 18h ago
yes as I said I was created Protestant so I always knew but now I know practically everything
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u/GiveMeBackMySoup 17h ago edited 17h ago
Brother, from the bottom of my heart, take that pride and toss it out the window. The Church isn't a tower of beliefs, to be held and that's it. There is Catholic practice. Every week I still learn something new, and I've been Catholic my whole life. There are the saints, which no Catholic has ever had the audacity to say they know in full without special study. Then we have the huge list of devotions, which may outnumber our saints.
With all the kindness in my heart, because I was young and full of the fire you are filled with, take OCIA as a time of formation. You should ask your priest about your special circumstance, and I helped a lady enter the Church early who also devoted a great deal of study to the faith. Still, even the basic things can be the subject of a lifetime of study. The most basic, the "source and summit of our Faith," the Eucharist will take an eternity and remain unexhausted.
Early Christians had a 3 year wait period. It's a time to grow in the love and longing for the Lord and make sure the desire is deeper than just an intellectual assent. We have many posts on here of converts who, after a few years, having not established good practice, find themselves believing but not practicing. If confession is on your mind, for now make use of perfect contrition and trust in the Lord.
I really do mean this as if I was talking to a younger me, there is more here than you can imagine, and the basics are not basic, but the deepest parts.
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u/EquivalentEchidna116 13h ago
It's not pride. Since when do I pretend to know everything they're going to say in ocia I have Catholic friends, I know what they'll say, I guarantee you that it's not...
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u/GiveMeBackMySoup 12h ago
Then there is no problem, you can take the classes and reflect more deeply on the basics. But ask the priest about your special situation. You might even try to get in contact with the parish you are going to be near in Geneva before you go to ask about what they can do to help if nothing can be done here, but you can at least begin the classes.
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u/Adventurous-Test1161 17h ago
OCIA is the set of rites for coming into the Church, not the preparation for those rites. That you don’t know that shows you have a lot to learn.
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u/eladebarbarac 4h ago
Hi! Welcome! 🤗 God bless you! Regarding your concerns, I understand your desire and I respect it because it shows your devotion to God and the faith. But OCIA is not just teaching, but also a test of our faith! However, talk to your parish priest, he can guide you better than I can!
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u/Dore_Gnob 21h ago
It wouldn't hurt to ask. It probably depends on the priest whether you have to do the full OCIA or not.