RCIA
The Order of Christian
Initiation of Adults
The process for becoming a Roman
Catholic
This is not the process for
those baptized Catholics who missed out on Confirmation
RCIA definition,
Conversion, Stages in a Process,
Inquiry, Catechumenate,
Purification, Initiation, Mystagogy, Catechumen
or Candidate?, How long does it take?, What
is the first step?
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
names the process by which interested persons gradually become members of the
catholic Church.
The R.C.I.A. is primarily a journey of faith:
- "From the awareness of stirring of
faith and curiosity within one's heart,
- through all those stages of asking and seeking,
- through beginning involvement with
Christian/Catholic people,
- through hearing the Gospel proclaimed and by
faithful reflection and prayer on this Word of God,
- through study and discussion about the Catholic
experience,
- through doubts and hesitations,
- through involvement in the works of charity and
justice with those already committed to the catholic way of life,
- through discernment of God's call for them as
individuals,
- through the steps of commitment,
- through the sacraments of initiation (baptism,
confirmation, and eucharist)
- to a life of faith, love, and justice
lived in communion with Catholics throughout the world.
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The R.C.I.A. contains main
stages or phases:
The
Period of Inquiry
- Period of Inquiry has as its purpose a time
- to become acquainted with the catholic Church
and
- to hear the good news of salvation from Jesus
Christ our Savior;
- it is a time to look within at one's one life
story and see connections to or needs for the gospel story of good news.
- During this period, the gospel of Jesus is
proclaimed, and inquirers look within their own story to make and mark
connections.
- This reflective process becomes a continuing,
on-going method used by inquirer and member alike.
- This period lasts as long as the
person needs it to last,
from a few months to several years, if necessary.
- The Inquirer writes a formal letter, when
ready, stating that s/he is ready to move to the Catechumenate phase,
stating why they want to move and how they see himself or herself as
ready.
-
During this period, some may
decide that this is not the right time for them to consider membership
in the Catholic Church, either because of their own life circumstances
or because they feel some other Tradition is better for them.
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Period
of the Catechumenate
- Period of catechumenate embodies the first
stages of commitment leading to full membership.
For a person to
enter this phase, s/he must already have come to faith in Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Savior and sincerely desire to become members of the
Catholic Church.
- During this phase, the catechumens now gather
with the Catholic community on Sundays for the first part of the mass,
during which, together, we hear the Scriptures, respond to them, and
reflect on the meaning of God's Word for us personally and as community
through the homily.
After the homily, catechumens are dismissed ,
and with their Catechist, continue a process of reflection and
application of the Scriptures to their own lives.
- During this period, the initial conversion is
deepened and appropriated; the person comes to know more and more deeply
the love of God in their own lives and in the midst of the church
community.
This period, too, lasts as long as the person needs it to last, from a
few months to several years, if necessary.
- For the unbaptized, this phase must normally
last 12 months.
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Period
of Purification or Illumination
- The Period of Purification corresponds to
that time known in the Catholic Church as Lent,
the six-weeks of preparation for Easter become the days of prayerful
time for catechumens and candidates,
who are now known as the Elect, as they prepare for the moment of
welcome as full members and are established as such by the Sacraments of
Initiation.
- This period is begun by the Rite of election,
usually celebrated at the Cathedral Church with the Diocesan Bishop; by
this rite they are accepted as candidates for the Sacraments by the
Bishop, representing the fact that this decision is not theirs alone.
Normally this rite takes place on the first Sunday of Lent.
- Throughout Lent, special prayers are offered
at the Sunday Eucharist for the catechumens and candidates; they are
called scrutinies; these prayers for strengthening in grace and virtue
and for purification from all past evil and from any bonds which hinder
them from experiencing the love of God.
Throughout this period,
the Elect are invited to join with the whole Church in a deeper practice
of works of charity and in the practice of fasting.
-
During this period, the common
reflection on the Scriptures continues; the readings of Lent were chosen
with the themes of continuing conversion in mind. Toward the end
of the period, the Church continues the custom of "handing
over" to the Elect the Creed (the summary of our faith) and the
Lord's Prayer (which represents its practice of continuing prayer after
the command of Jesus who taught us to pray).
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Celebrating
the Sacraments of Initiation
- The Sacraments of Initiation are celebrated
at the Easter Vigil, an extended night-watch of prayer, singing and
hearing the Word of God.
- By the waters of baptism, a person passes
into the new life of grace and becomes a member of the Body of Christ.
- Anointing with special holy oil called chrism
seals the initiation by the power of the Holy Spirit and participation
at the Table of the Lord in the eucharist marks full membership in the
church.
- The Period of Mystagogy lasts from Easter Sunday
until the completion of the Easter season, fifty days later on Pentecost
Sunday and completes the initiation process.
Those who have just
shared in the sacraments of initiation are now called Neophytes and during
this period of Easter joy they reflect on what they have just gone through
and look to the future as to how they can now share in the mission of Christ
who came to bring salvation and life to the whole world. This period
of time reminds the whole church that life in Christ constantly calls us to
grow and to look for new ways to live the life of grace, personally and
together.
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Catechumen or Candidate?
- By means of the processes described in the
document, R.C.I.A., interested non-baptized persons become Catechumens, and
Catechumens become full members of the Catholic Church by means of baptism,
confirmation, and eucharist, which are referred to as the Sacraments of
Initiation.
- "However, when one speaks of a baptized
person from a Protestant tradition, for example, who is preparing for
reception into full communion in the Roman tradition, one is speaking of a
different matter.
A baptized person should not be led automatically
through the full catechumenal process or be called a catechumen.
Instead, we call him or her a candidate." By this we mean that this
person is a candidate for the catholic Sacrament of Confirmation and a
candidate preparing to receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church and
thus become a full member of the Catholic Church, the Catholic Communion.
- "Frequently candidates for full communion in
the Catholic church find certain elements of the catechumenate process
helpful in their preparation.
For example, the focus on continuing conversion is appropriate for any
Christian, especially at a time of transition. An understanding of
Catholic beliefs, the practice of Catholic observances in the church year
over an appropriate period of time and the experience of Catholic community
are all necessary for an informed commitment that will last." The
differences in the process must be tailed by the candidate in conjunction
with the RCIA Director and the Church-provided Sponsor.
- "Since candidates are already baptized, the
liturgical rites that mark the steps of the formation process are different
from those of catechumens.
there are rites of welcoming by the parish
community and recognition by the bishop, a celebration of the call to
continuing conversion and a penitential rite. Reception into full
communion in the Catholic church takes place with a profession of faith,
confirmation and eucharist." By penitential rite we mean that the
person examines his or her own life with some scrutiny to things that s/he
has done right and things that s/he knows has been wrongfully done; these
latter things need to be repented of. Sometimes the Sacrament of
Reconciliation is the appropriate means for this person to mark the movement
from sin to grace, from old life to new life before s/he enters into full
communion.
Sometimes it is a less formal act of repentance.
- The R.C.I.A., sometimes generically called the
Catechumenate, is a responsibility of the whole Church; this responsibility
takes particular shape mainly in parishes, the normal locus of catholic
community life; yet there are some other kinds of particular communities
with the Catholic Church which serve as adjuncts to parish and service
special needs such as this Catholic University community.
In view of
this commitment and obligation of the Church, we provide an outreach person
for each person who presents himself or herself as a "seeker";
these church-provided Sponsor will serve as spiritual companions as they
seek to discover God's call.
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How long does it take?
- "The Rite of Christian Initiation is not a
program.
- It is the church's way of ministering sensitively
to those who seek membership.
For that reason some people will need
more time than others to prepare for the lifetime commitment that comes with
membership in the Catholic Church. The usual length of preparation is
from one to two years. For those already baptized and who seek full
communion in the Catholic church, the time may also vary.
- It seems reasonable that catechumens or
candidates experience the yearly calendar of Catholic practice at least one
time around in order to make an informed decision.
- The process of spiritual renewal and catechesis
should not be hasty, especially for those not accustomed to the fasts and
feasts and Sundays and seasons the way Catholics observe them.
- One of the best time for the sacraments of
initiation or the Rite of reception into full communion is the Easter Vigil.
Lent prepare catechumens, candidates and the whole community for baptism,,
confirmation and eucharist. The celebration of the Easter Vigil dramatically
points to the wellspring of the church's life:
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ."
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What is the first step?
The
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
is a process through which
adults who have never been baptized or who have been baptized in another
Christian tradition become members of the Catholic Church. In addition,
baptized Catholics who have not
received First Eucharist or Confirmation complete their initiation. The first
stage of this process is the Inquiry Period when participants are given the
opportunity to ask questions about our Church, to share stories, and to
reflect on the place of God in our lives. Perhaps you or someone you know
would like to hear more about the church in a relaxed, non-threatening
setting. We are forming a new group that will begin to meet in the Fall. For more information please call the Church office at
732-458-0220