As I have often pointed out, the online world changes quickly. Since I started this series, several free services have come along that I have used and can now recommend that you try. Also in the last few months, the "free" computer has become part of the advertising landscape. I plan to address computer–buying strategies in an upcoming issue. Please contact me if you have anything to contribute to this ongoing feature in Communio.

There are now two free internet services available to us in the Cleveland area: NetZero and Alta Vista Free Access. If you already have an established internet connection and an address you have given out to a number of people, don’t give it up for one of these until they are better established. A couple of years ago, I had the experience of signing up for the Tritium service, recommending it in Communio and then watching it shut down almost immediately. Many pundits are now saying that free internet service is the way of the future – America Online is even offering it in Great Britain – but don’t bet too much on it just yet. The business–side economics have not been proven in this country.

On the other hand, if you don’t have an internet service, or are unhappy with the one you have, the free services are definitely worth a try. Both are supported by advertising and, while you are online, you will have to contend with an advertising banner across the screen and about one inch deep. It tends to get in the way, but if you are an infrequent internet user or can’t/won’t pay for the more expensive services, it’s a good deal. One strategy is to minimize the browser window and then re–size it so the ad banner is either at the top or the bottom and is out of the way. You have to provide the companies with some personal "demographic" information before you sign up and there are some privacy issues I’m not fully informed on.

Alta Vista Free Access (http://microav.com) is the easier to use of the two, as the initial set up file is relatively small. You can download it at the library or a friend’s house and then take it home on a floppy disk. Also Alta Vista is a more established, better–known company. It is a subsidiary of the Compaq Computer Corporation. One big disadvantage is it doesn’t offer an integrated E–mail service. You have to use one of the web–based E–mail systems like Alta Vista’s (www.altavista.com), or others such as Hotmail (www.hotmail.com), Yahoo (www.yahoo.com), Excite (www.excite.com), Mail.com (www.mail.com) or the Go Network (www.go.com). If you don’t expect to send or receive a lot of E–mail, it should work fine for you.

NetZero (www.netzero.net) is a bit more difficult to install, but as I mentioned, you can get E–mail with a NetZero address through a program like Outlook Express, Netscape Communicator or Eudora. If you have an internet connection, go to the NetZero web site, download the program, run it and follow the prompts.

If you aren’t connected to the net, the following has worked for some people: sign up for a free month with whatever service you have a disk for, like MSN, Ameritech or AOL, and use the time to download the NetZero software. Some may think of this as a form of cheating, but the way I look at it is, if I were AOL or one of the others, I would want you to do this as you are going to be sampling their service and might decide you like it better. Because of the limitations of the free services – you always get what you pay for – you really might prefer the fee–based service after trying it. Even if you can’t afford it now, you might come back later.

The sooner you sign up for any new service the better, as you will get a wider choice of E–mail names. I continue to strongly recommend signing up with an E–mail forwarding service, such as Bigfoot (www.bigfoot.com) or Mail.com (www.mail.com). That way you can keep the same E–mail address no matter what internet service you choose. If you change, you simply redirect the forwarding address. It’s very easy. One caution, say "no" to the internet directory listings these companies offer. It can lead to junk E–mail.

In the last week, I discovered an intriguing new service: RocketTalk (www.rockettalk.com). This is free voice E–mail. You will need the RocketTalk software (download it free from the web site), a sound card, a computer microphone and a friend or relative with a lot of patience to wait for downloads of very large files. You are limited to two minute messages and the recipient does not need the software to listen to it. It adds a personal touch to what can be a rather cold communications medium. It’s always nice to hear someone’s voice. But warn the potential recipients that the big files are coming and give them a chance to beg off.

The Excite web site (www.excite.com) now offers several new features, including an online voice mail and fax service. I’m not convinced of the utility of online voice mail, but the fax service can be very handy for anyone who doesn’t have a fax machine. To access the Excite mail and fax service, one dials a toll–free number and a 10–digit extension, which could be your home phone number. You retrieve the messages on the web site and the only additional software you need is a TIFF or photo viewer for faxes and an audio player such as RealPlayer for the voice messages. The audio players are readily available on the internet (www.realplayer.com – be sure to get the free version).

One free internet site that everyone should bookmark and return to often is the Microsoft Windows Update page (windowsupdate.microsoft.com). This page has many essential, non–essential and just plain frivolous enhancements to Windows 95 and 98, and to Internet Explorer. It is set up so the files will download and install in one step, but do it when you have plenty of time as some of the downloads are very large. If you have enough memory on your machine, it will run in the background while you do other things, like I am tonight, writing this article while downloading the latest service pack for Windows 98. There are several very nice screen savers and you can get download Internet Explorer 5.0, or arrange for Microsoft to send you a CD–ROM in the mail for a small fee.

Lastly, I have two warnings to pass along. Microsoft’s Hotmail service has been somewhat unstable lately with a serious security breach (it has reportedly been fixed) and my experience of a drastic increase in junk E–mail (spam). Hotmail is easy to access and easy to use, but I recommend staying away for now. Use one of the other free web–based E–mail systems listed above.

Secondly, I have read that America Online has cut back on personnel monitoring spam and much more is now getting through, including sexual solicitations to children’s accounts. As I have written before, I believe AOL is an over–priced, over–hyped, inferior service. Look elsewhere for internet access. But again, things change fast on the internet and it could be a completely different story next month.

• Dan Alaimo

v v v v v

v v v v v

Over the past decade, Catholics have grown familiar hearing "RCIA." Though many, if not most, are not sure what the letters "RCIA" stand for (for some reason, many seem to want to say "RICA"), they know it has something to do with adults becoming Catholic. They know RCIA has replaced the "convert classes" parishes used to have.

The R.C.I.A. – the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults – is the process by which adults prepare for the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) or by which baptized non–Catholic Christians are welcomed into full communion with the Catholic Church. More than the "replacement" for convert classes, through the R.C.I.A. the Church has restored the ancient practice of the catechumenate, as called for by Vatican II. It is a journey of faith – for the individual and for the community, who journeys with him or her.

The R.C.I.A. process is much like the story of the call of the first disciples in John’s Gospel (John 1: 35–39). John how John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples and saw Jesus pass by. John said, "There is the Lamb of God" and the two disciples started to walk after Jesus. When Jesus noticed them following, he asked them, "What are you looking for?" When they answered, "Where do you live?" Jesus said, "Come and see." In the R.C.I.A., a person responds to the same invitation, "come and see." That’s all that is required.

Typically, the participants at R.C.I.A. have diverse faith journeys. Some are baptized Catholics, who, for whatever reason, were never raised in the faith and now are preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist. Others are baptized Christians who have begun to journey with the Catholic community (often through marriage to a Catholic) and already have decided to join the Catholic Church. Others were baptized in another Christian faith, have become interested in Catholicism and want to know more but have made no decision about becoming Catholic. Others have never been baptized in any Christian faith but feel an interest or call to the Catholic community. All are welcome.

By coming to R.C.I.A., a person is not making a commitment to become a Catholic Christian. The only real commitment is to the journey, to "come and see." Through the journey of faith, many do discern a call to become fully a part of the Catholic community. However, others

choose to remain in their own faith tradition. Others realize that they need to continue searching; for whatever reason, this is not the right time. At every stage of the process, it is the individual who freely chooses.

Participants do not journey alone. The community journeys with them first, and most importantly, through prayer. Second, the community gives witness by the example of their faith and Christian living. The R.C.I.A. team provides instruction (catechesis), prayer experiences and counsel. Especially important is the sponsor, a Catholic who journeys with the individual offering a listening ear, prayerful support, sharing experiences, responding to concerns and questions, teaching by example the Catholic way of worship and living. Sponsors are welcome and encouraged to attend R.C.I.A. sessions with the inquirer whenever possible. As they meet, participants become a community of faith, very much like the disciples with Christ at their head.

St. Malachi has R.C.I.A. with St. Patrick. R.C.I.A. sessions are held on Monday evenings from 7–8:30 PM at St. Patrick rectory on Bridge (right next to the church) beginning September 20. At every session, there is time for prayer, sharing, questions, teaching, reflection and even refreshments.

In John’s Gospel, Andrew is one of those who follow after Jesus. The next day, Andrew tells his brother Simon about Jesus and brings Simon to meet Jesus. When Jesus meets him, he calls him "Peter." In R.C.I.A., most people’s story is like Simon/Peter’s, they come because someone seeks them out and invites them. Do you know someone – a spouse, friend, relative, or co–worker, a person you see in church – who is seeking? Will you be an Andrew for them?" Will you extend them the invitation to "come and see?"

v v v v v

When I was a 10–year–old, I loved Tarzan movies, no matter how improbable the plot. Going to the theater with my cousins, we had no discriminating taste about logical scenes, scintillating dialog, different possible outcomes, quality acting, or the need for any philosophical discussions about the probability of a baby being raised by a gorilla. A sad or dull ending would have antagonized us and we probably wouldn’t have gone back for a sequel.

When I read the news hype about "Star Wars I," and read about the movie goers standing in line for days to be the first to see it, I borrowed and watched my 10–year–old grandson’s set of the previous "Star Wars" movies. I then went to see the new one.

My opinion is that theater audiences are going through mental meltdown to fall for such flimflam and are reverting back to childhood. The whole movie concerns itself with a quasi–religious power called the "Force." An elite group of fighters known as the Jedi (angels?) are in mortal combat with Darth Vader and his master (Satan?) for control of the universe. The Jedi must go through a parody of Samurai training and ultimately win over the dark forces within and move on to, well, is it heaven? That’s about all I can write regarding any incipient religious aspects to the movie without gagging.

The acting was mediocre. The idea that a kid could beat out an adult racer on rocket drive was as believable as a soap box derby racer winning the Indianapolis 500. The nightmarish characters weren’t credible, even for a science fiction film. The possibility of a small corps of heroes reaching the critical core of a death planet that because it had no back up defenses may excite 10–year–olds; I wonder what a cynical war veteran might think.

A great movie for ten–year–olds, but adults should find something better to do. Probably the only saving grace was the special effects – especially the mincing, finicky, golden robot, C3PO. Whatever the case, don’t increase the producers net profits – just go out and rent a copy of "Tarzan and the Apes."

Rating: 4 Bells Out Of 5

Rating: 4 Bells Out Of 5

Rating: 4 Bells Out Of 5

This movie is a Canadian production and it shows that it is possible to make a healthy, interesting movie without the need for violence, sex, special effects and big name stars. It’s a skill that a lot of American producers have forgotten.

"The Last Winter" isn’t a masterpiece, but it is very good. The plot revolves around a war vet, his family, the loving relationship of a grandson and his grandfather, and a mythical white horse called Winter. The story relates how a farm family, particularly the father, is trying to improve their economic situation by taking on an important job. The white horse shows up at the most inopportune times and scares the wits out of the grandson, but becomes a heroic analogy for both the grandson and grandfather.

Whatever fantasy is involved is in good context, and lends believable power to the story. The key role of the grandfather often brought a lump to my throat and I felt regret that I never had a living grandfather. I think I’ll go out and rent another foreign film.