Two days ago on Sean Roberts’ blog Swimming
the Tiber he posted about his experience of the first day in RCIA and
mentioned that he was given the Catechism and the book “Christ among us” by
Anthony Wilhelm. This is like combining matter and antimatter, when combined in
equal amounts they cancel each other out. When I was first going through my
conversion I picked this book up in a used book store and read through the whole
thing. I hadn’t done a great deal of reading in Catholic theology yet but my
crap detector issued warning bells. This book sold over a million copies but
finally the imprimatur was taking away from it, instead of fixing the errors
they reissued it without the imprimatur. But if you want to be a Catholic and
dissent from authority this is the book for you. Later on I through this book
away so that no unsuspecting soul would ever chance upon it.
I am glad
that I have read the parts of the Summa where St. Thomas Aquinas talks about how
everyone desires the good and that the actions we take are based upon that end.
Of course often times the good we choose is severely deficient from good that we
should choose. Anyway the reason I prefaced with this is that without knowing
this I would be thinking all kinds of uncharitable thoughts towards whoever is
responsible for providing this theological poison and would also probably
rash-judge this person or persons actions as trying to subvert the truth.
There are so many great books available that could be used as companions to
the Catechism and to give this junk to people who are examining our faith is a
travesty. I propose a new reality show, kind of like Survivor, where they film
the sessions of a modernist RCIA class and after teaching this drivel; whoever
is left who still want to become a Catholic wins.
Around the March of 1999, after having done a ton of reading, I was ready to
enter the Church and I contacted my pastor. He told me that I would have to wait
for the following year until I could attend RCIA since it was almost Easter.
That was a really really long year while I waited to finally enter the Church.
The RCIA at this parish wasn’t the most organized, but it was taught by people
who knew, loved and followed Christ. Catechetical materials are extremely
important but just as important was the obvious commitment to holiness that
these instructors showed. So thank God for them and for all the faithful people
who teach the faith to people throughout the world.
