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INTRODUCTION
Every
year, thousands of people are received into the Catholic Church. In
years past, inquirers were normally prepared in individual or small-group
private sessions by a priest and were received at any time of the year.
In 1971, in response to the call of the Second Vatican Council, the
Church dramatically revised the process of becoming Catholic. It
promulgated what is called the "Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults."
The
RCIA, while new in a sense, was not really new. It was an effort to restore
the spirit of early Christianity by emphasizing conversion as a
participation in the passion, death and resurrection of Christ, as well as
the role of the entire praying, witnessing and teaching Body of Christ in
giving support and shape to that journey.
What is the RCIA?
It
is a series of rites, conducted in the context of learning about the faith
and spiritual formation through which a person is fully incorporated into
the Body of Christ, the Church.
There are four stages in the RCIA: the Precatechumenate, or period of
inquiry and evangelization; the Catechumenate, which is a time of
serious and dedicated formation; the
Period of Purification and
Enlightenment, which coincides with Lent; and
Mystagogy, which
lasts from Easter to Pentecost. All of these stages are marked by distinct
liturgical rites.
How Long Does It Take?
There is no set time period
for the process of becoming a Catholic. Different parishes and dioceses may
set their own timetables. However, the Church makes clear that what is
important is not meeting a schedule, but instead ensuring adequate
preparation. Some may require more, some less, depending on their
spiritual readiness. Whatever precedes it, though, the Sacraments of
Initiation should normally be celebrated during the Easter Vigil.
The Precatechumenate
The
Precatechumenate is also called "the inquiry stage" in many parishes. For
individuals, this is the stage when they might first contact the parish
about their interest and start attending inquiry sessions or meeting
privately with a priest or catechist. For some who have engaged in their
own study or attended Mass attentively and regularly, the Precatechumenate
might last months. For others who have little background in Catholicism or
Christianity in general, more time might be needed.
Who Are They?
People involved in the RCIA
process are either catechumens or candidates. Catechumens are those who
have never been baptized. Candidates are those who have been baptized in
other Christian denominations, whose baptism is recognized as valid. There
are special rites for unbaptized children who have reached the age of reason
and are seeking to become Catholics. Many parishes also adapt some of the
elements of the RCIA for those who were baptized in the Catholic Church but
have never learned or practiced their faith.
The Catechumenate
When a person has decided to
join the Catholic Church, s(he) begins the Catechumenate. This begins with a
Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens, which is often combined with a
Rite of Welcoming for Candidates when there is a mixed group of the unbaptized
and the already baptized.
This
rite occurs at a Sunday parish liturgy. The catechumens proclaim their
readiness to accept the Gospel and candidates declare their intent to be
received into full communion with the Catholic Church. The catechumens and
candidates are signed with the cross on their foreheads, ears, eyes, lips,
breast, shoulders, hands and feet as a sign of their readiness to bear witness
to Christ with their whole lives. A Bible or cross is usually given.
The
period of the Catechumenate can last for months or even years. Catechumens are
"brought to maturity" in the faith during this period through formal study of
Church teaching by a deeper commitment to living the Christian life, prayer and
by witness of their faith in the world. Catechumens are considered part of the
Church. If a Catechumen dies, s(he) is buried with Catholic rites.
Catechumens are being formed to be members of the Body of Christ, and it is the
responsibility of the entire parish, not just a few people, to participate in
this formation through witness, support and prayer.
Where Are They Going?
In the early Church, only those
who had been fully initiated into the faith were allowed to remain at Mass after
the Liturgy of the Word. This is why, for centuries, the first part of the Mass
was also known as the "Mass of the Catechumens." In that spirit, many parishes
today "dismiss" catechumens, and sometimes candidates, after the Liturgy of the
Word. They are not sent out into the street, however. Accompanied by a
catechist, they go to reflect on the Scriptures that have been proclaimed in
order to be more deeply formed in the faith.
The Period of Purification and
Enlightenment
In the
early Church, baptisms only occurred at Easter; so the weeks before Easter were
a focused time of preparation for catechumens. This period evolved into what we
know as Lent. Today, for catechumens and candidates, the role of Lent as a
period of final preparation for initiation has been restored.
This
stage begins with the Rite of Election which normally occurs on the First Sunday
of Lent. Catechumens and candidates are presented to the Bishop of the diocese
at the cathedral. The catechumens' names are inscribed in a Book of the Elect
and candidates commit to continuing conversion.
During
the Period of Purification, catechumens participate in several rites during
parish liturgies. On the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent are
Scrutinies, during which special prayers are offered for the catechumens "to
uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective or sinful in the hearts of the
elect; to bring out then strengthen all that is upright, strong and good." (Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults,
no. 141).
During
the First Scrutiny or the week afterward, the catechumens are presented with a
copy of the Creed. During the Third Scrutiny or the week afterward, they are
given a copy of the Lord's Prayer in accord with ancient tradition in which
catechumens were not taught the words to the Lord's Prayer until soon before
their baptism.
Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation
In the early Church, the Easter
Vigil was the only liturgy of the year in which people joined the Church. This
was because at Easter we celebrate Christ's victory over death and our sharing
in that victory through baptism. The journey during that all-night vigil was a
journey from darkness to light, from death to life. This is the journey that
new Christians share as they descend and rise from the waters of baptism in
which they are reborn.
At the Easter Vigil,
catechumens are baptized and confirmed; candidates are confirmed. The new
Catholics complete their initiation by approaching the Lord's table for the
first time to receive His Body as full members of His Body at last.
Mystagogy
The
final period of Christian initiation is called "Mystagogy" (from Greek, meaning
"interpretation of mystery"). It continues through the Easter season, up until
Pentecost. During this period, the new Catholics, or "neophytes," are "deepening their grasp of the paschal mystery and
. . .Making it part of their
lives through meditation on the Gospel, sharing in the Eucharist and doing the
works of charity" (Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults,
no. 244).
Throughout the RCIA, the
support and witness of the entire parish has been important. That role
continues during Mystagogy as the parish welcomes the neophytes and continues to
offer them encouragement on their journey with us toward Christ.
Some
parishes may continue some sort of formal catechesis during this time, but the
focus of Mystagogy is the Sunday Eucharistic liturgy at which the neophytes,
their sponsors and the entire supporting parish community hear the words of
Scripture that focus on the life of the early Christians and are nourished and
unified in their new and growing faith by sharing the Body and Blood of Christ.
Why Can't They Do This in Private?
The rites of Christian
initiation all occur at Sunday parish liturgies. What is happening there is not
something "extra" or an interruption. These rites, with some dire exceptions,
must take place during Sunday liturgy. The Church exists to bring souls to
Christ. The people who stand before us during these rituals are evidence that
the Church is doing its work. They are drawing closer to Christ through His
Body, the Church. Their presence among us is an occasion of celebration and
gratitude.
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