Good Shepherd Catholic Church

Interested in the Catholic Faith?  Or maybe just a little bit curious?

So was I.  Some years ago, I married a nice Catholic girl.  I was not Catholic, but she never “pushed” me to consider joining “The Church.”  But now that I reflect on my personal Journey of Faith, I sense the “Loving Guidance” from the Lord that has strengthened my faith and brought me closer to Him, through His Catholic Church. 

A Catholic Priest once used a metaphor for our life’s journey and our Journeys of Faith that really resonated with me – “God draws straight with crooked lines…”  How true! 

And how thankful we are for this! We can wander hither and yon through our life experience, and through God’s Grace, we find ourselves coming closer to He who loves us so very much.  I think God’s will is often presented to us through our prayer, but also through our interactions with each other living the Christian life.  God’s use of crooked lines might be the same for many non-Catholics who find their way to our doors. 

I’ve talked with many Catholic newcomers and non-Catholic visitors to Good Shepherd who will tell me that they’ve sensed how loving and welcoming the Good Shepherd Catholic Community is.  Perhaps there’s something in seeing that we do try to live our Faith that draws other people to the Faith.  Or maybe they sense that there’s a better way to live that comes from knowing Christ as a Catholic.

Our Lord has graced us with His Love, provided us with nourishment from Heaven, the peace of His embrace, and, through our Baptisms in Christ as priests, prophets, and kings… a mission.  As we live the Gospel, one aspect of our mission is to encourage others to find Christ.  And so if this sort of journey of exploration of God’s action in our lives resonates with you too, feel free to check-out our Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program. 

If you are Catholic, I’m also inviting you to think about people whose paths have crossed with yours and who may have shown a spark of curiosity about our Catholic Faith.  Invite them to contact us to learn more about our classes and when our next series starts.

Through RCIA, I’ve helped welcome families, friends and acquaintances of current Catholics, and some who through their life’s journey have just found us (probably with some help from the Holy Spirit).  In our RCIA meetings, we present our program with a perspective of a shared journey of faith with Christ.  In our RCIA meetings, there is some prayer, some discussion, some teaching, and perhaps most importantly, some opportunity to reflect on where Christ is leading us.  Sessions start usually in the August-September time frame, and are generally an hour on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM in the Pastoral Center All Purpose meeting room. 

If you want to learn about the Catholic Faith please feel free to contact me through the RCIA Office at the phone number or email address below.  If you have someone in mind who might want to learn about the Faith, I would encourage you to gently invite them to visit us and to support them in their inquiry.  Also Catholics who would like to refresh their understanding of the Faith are certainly welcome in our classes too.  

May God continue to bless us all!

Dave Best

RCIA Office Email: [email protected]

Phone: (256) 882-1844, ext. 104

More about RCIA and learning the basis and the basics of Catholicism… How do I find out more about Catholics and their faith?

Throughout all time, our Lord has planted the seeds of faith in His people. Our life experience may have brought us to a point where we sense a desire to learn more about His love for us… And we find our way to the Catholic faith.

The Catholic Church has established a series of classes to introduce those inquiring about the Catholic faith to the basis and basics of the Faith. This series of classes is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA.

We all share this journey of faith. Together we are the Body of Christ. The RCIA process is geared to those who are adults and who have recognized that there is some aspect of the Catholic faith that has drawn them to learn more.   RCIA is oriented to those who have a frame of reference that appreciates concepts discussed at an adult level.

What should I expect in Good Shepherd’s RCIA program? You should expect some teaching, some discussion, some prayer, and an opportunity to sense our Lord’s calling in a friendly and welcoming environment that respects your life decisions. There is no pressure to join the Church, but through RCIA hopefully you will experience a personal discovery of the Church’s teachings and spirituality.

RCIA classes are typically on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM and somewhat parallel the school year.  We start with “common ground” that all Christian Faiths share.  Then we continue with more focused topics on the Catholic interpretation of our Lord’s teachings.  As the Catholic Church and other denominations enter the Season of Lent, we continue, but with a more introspective tone appropriate for this Lenten time.  Those who have elected to join the Church will do so at the beautiful Easter Vigil Mass on the eve of Easter.  We’ll meet for three more classes afterwards to discuss the “way forward”.  Along the way, we’ll have some opportunity for prayer and reflection, maybe giving us an opportunity to discern how our Lord is calling – maybe toward the Catholic Church, but maybe not…  All is good for we’ve had the chance to take this journey together.  And of course, Catholics who would like to refresh their understanding of their faith are always welcome too.

Sound interesting?  Call Dave Best at 256-882-1844, Ext.104, or email him at [email protected] if you would like to learn more.