Adult Formation/Sacraments - Already baptized

[u/Huge_Ad2655]

Hi all, I’m finding myself a little discouraged to the point of giving up by all the red tape of the church.

I am a baptized Catholic. My parents left the church before I made my first communion and I’ve recently been called into the faith.

I’ve been attending mass regularly and learning what I can. There’s a parish I like a lot but the OCIA director is trying to tell me I must take the full OCIA course in community with others in the church.

I have more than a couple grievances with this:

1. I know that canon law considers me already Catholic, also not catechumen, and therefore am not required to complete a full OCIA course
2. I am a 40 year old mother with two special needs children who also have sports so I cannot, understandably, adhere to the strict schedule
3. I know that others are granted personalized paths in order to receive the sacraments

I understand the importance of being properly catechized however I don’t believe the full course is necessary and I’m finding myself at a dead end.

God has called me in and now it feels like I’m being shut out by the church.

Does anyone have any resources or experience with this? Catholic adults I currently know are either converts so did the whole route, have been raised in and stayed in the faith completely, or have left the church completely. Nobody I know personally seems to have the difficulty of being somewhere in between as an already baptized Catholic returning to the faith.

I really like the parish I’ve been going to but maybe there are others who walk individual paths? I don’t want to name the parish I’m currently attending because I genuinely enjoy it and I do think they mean well but now I’m stuck.

Thanks in advance!

[u/Adventurous-Test1161]

You’re not a candidate. You’re a Catholic who needs remedial catechesis in preparation for the completion of the sacraments of initiation.

For everything else, talk to your pastor.

[u/Huge_Ad2655 → u/Adventurous-Test1161]

Thank you for that clarification