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The Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process through which interested
individuals gradually become members of the Catholic Church. |
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- It is an
awareness of faith and curiosity within one's heart,
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- through all those
stages of asking and seeking,
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- through initiating
involvement with Christian/Catholic persons,
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- through hearing the
Gospel proclaimed and by one's reflection and prayer on the Word of God,
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- through study and
discussion about the Catholic experience,
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- through investigation
to satisfy doubts and hesitations,
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- through involvement in
the works of charity and justice with already committed catholic
persons,
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- through discernment of
God's call for them as individuals,
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- through the steps of
commitment,
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- through the sacraments
of initiation (baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist)
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- It culminates with a
life of faith, love, and justice lived in communion with all Catholics
throughout the world.
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R.C.I.A. IS A
GRADUAL PROCESS FOR THE CONVERT |
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- As a
rite, it
encounters stages towards full commitment in the Catholic Church;
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- As a
process,
this, in broad terms, is what the gradual commitment means.
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- As
formation, it
gradually examines both the inner transformation of the individual to
God's call week by week in the lectionary of Scripture readings at
the Sunday Eucharist and to the gradual transformation of the person to
becoming an active member of the local church of their choice.
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R.C.I.A. CONSISTS OF
FIVE PRIMARY STAGES |
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- Period of Inquiry,
(Also known as the time of Evangelization or Pre-Catechumenate)
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- Sacraments of
Initiation, and
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- The purpose of the Period of
Inquiry is a time:
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to become acquainted
with the Catholic Church,
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to learn about
salvation from Jesus Christ, our Savior, and
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to examine one's own
life and inner self and to discover connections to or needs for the
gospel story of salvation.
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- The inquiry period
lasts as long as required by the individual, from a few months
to several years, if necessary.
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- During this period, some
inquirers may decide that this is not the proper time to consider
membership in the Catholic Church, either due to personal life
circumstances or because they feel another Tradition is more suitable.
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- Period of the
catechumenate encompasses the first stages of commitment leading to full
membership.
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- During this phase, the
catechumens now gather with the Catholic community on Sundays for the mass
through the homily. During this time, together they hear and respond
to the Scriptures and reflect on the meaning of God's Word for us
personally and as a community.
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- During this period, the
initial conversion is deepened and appropriated. The catechumen
comes to know and appreciate more and more deeply the love of God in their
own life and also within the Church community.
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- For the un-baptized,
this phase will normally encompass twelve (12) months.
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- The Period of
Purification corresponds to the Catholic Church period of Lent. The
six-weeks of preparation for Easter become the days of prayerful time for
catechumens and candidates. They are now known as the Elect,
as they prepare for the moment of welcome as full members of the Church
community through the Sacraments of Initiation.
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- This period begins with
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.
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- Throughout Lent, special
prayers are offered at the Sunday Eucharist for the catechumens and
candidates. These special prayers are called
scrutinies and
are intended to strengthen the individual in grace and virtue, and for the
purification from all past evil and from any bonds which hinder them from
experiencing the love of God.
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- During this period,
reflection on the Scriptures continues; the readings of Lent are chosen
specifically for an objective of continuing conversion.
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- The Sacraments of
Initiation are celebrated at the Easter Vigil, an extended night-watch of
prayer, singing, and hearing the Word of God.
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- Through baptism, a
person passes into a new life of grace and becomes a member of the Body of
Christ.
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- Being anointed with
special holy oil, chrism, seals the initiation by the power of the
Holy Spirit followed by participation in the Eucharist marks full
membership in the church.
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- The Period of Mystagogy
begins with Easter Sunday and terminates at the end of the Easter season
fifty (50) days later on Pentecost Sunday. This completes the
initiation process.
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- Those who recently
shared in the sacraments of initiation are now called
Neophytes,
and during this period of Easter, they reflect on what they have
experienced and anticipate the future of their sharing in the mission of
Christ.
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- This is a period that
reminds the entire church that life in Christ constantly calls us to grow
and to look for new ways to live a life of grace, personally and together.
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CATECHUMEN OR CANDIDATE |
- Through the Sacraments
of Initiation -- baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist -- interested
non-baptized persons become Catechumens, and Catechumens become full
members of the Catholic Church.
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- If one has been baptized
in a Protestant tradition and is preparing for reception into full
communion in the Roman Catholic tradition, it is not necessary for
the baptized person to participate in the full catechumenal process
or be called a catechumen.
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- Some candidates for full
communion in the Catholic Church find selected elements of the
catechumenate process helpful in their preparation.
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- Since candidates are
already baptized, the liturgical rites are different from those of
catechumens.
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- R.C.I.A. -- more
generically the Catechumenate -- is a responsibility of the entire Church.
This responsibility especially applies in parishes through the normal
focus of catholic community life.
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HOW LONG IS THE ENTIRE
PROCESS? |
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- The Rite of Christian
Initiation is not a program.
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- It is the Church's
response by ministering sensitively to those who seek membership.
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- It is a reasonable
request that catechumens or candidates experience a full yearly calendar
of Catholic practice to facilitate their making an informed decision.
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- The process of spiritual
renewal and catechesis should not be hasty, especially for those not
accustomed to the fasts, feasts, Sundays, and seasons as observed by
Catholics.
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- The best time for the
sacraments of initiation or the Rite of reception into full communion is
the Easter Vigil. Lent prepares catechumens, candidates, and the
entire Church community for baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. The
celebration of the Easter Vigil dramatically points to the wellspring of
the church's life through the death and celebration of Jesus Christ's
resurrection.
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