A parish RCIA group: the story so far
In an excellent book called ‘He loves me!’ by Wayne Jacobsen describes how he once prayed each day that God would bless his plans. The turning point came when he realised that it was a case of waiting and listening until the Lord said to him ‘I’m going to reach out to touch some peoples’ lives today – would you like to come with me?’.
I became involved in RCIA in our parish over 16 years ago by which time it had already become established through the vision and insight of two nuns. When the sisters left the parish our Parish Priest invited me to join the catechetical team of which he was a member himself. My previous experience had been as a catechist and parish co-ordinator of the Confirmation programme. I think it’s a privilege to be a catechist and I enjoy being there as people grow in faith and God does things in their lives. I never know what He will do next!
I am in the third of my three year stint on the RCIA national executive. I hope I have made a useful contribution as an ordinary lay person involved in parish RCIA but I have certainly enjoyed the experience and learnt a great deal.
In our parish we have always sought to follow the spirit of RCIA but I can’t say we have followed all the detail of the Rite as specified in the book. I think that this is true of many parishes. What happens is often a compromise between the ideal and what the people involved are comfortable with. In our parish 2010 to 2011 programme we have tried to move deeper into the RCIA process. In our enquiry phase we continued with our existing practice of looking at topics in order to explore what it is to be a Christian in general, and a Catholic Christian in particular. Part of this involved providing a kind of tool kit for enquirers, helping them to find their way around the Scriptures, sharing experiences of personal faith and starting to explore different forms of prayer.
In Advent 2010 we went lectionary based. We had not done this before but, despite some disruption of our meetings by snow just when we were getting used to the idea, this proved much easier and more successful than we had expected. The exploration of themes in scripture in the Enquiry phase probably did help but enquirers and catechists alike were led, through the lectionary, deeper into the wisdom of the Church’s year. After Christmas it was exciting to hear candidates and catechumens reflecting on how it now had so much more meaning to them than it had had before.
We have continued to use the lectionary-based approach and intend to continue to do so until Easter – what better programme can one have? The choice and combination of scripture readings in the lectionary is amazing, the connection between the Old Testament and the Gospel, and their rather more subtle connection with second reading. We have tried a little of the Lectio divina approach but we keep the period of silence very short at the moment. It will increase with time as people get more familiar with it. Some of our candidates find 'Wednesday Word' a useful preparation for the next RCIA session, based on the following Sunday’s readings. 'Wednesday Word' was the result of the vision of a member of our parish and intended to encourage families to pray and reflect on Scripture during the week to prepare themselves for Sunday Mass. It’s now used in many parishes and Catholic schools in England and Wales. We can always find spare copies for RCIA.
We effectively passed from the Enquiry phase to the Catechumenate at the beginning of Advent when the transition to lectionary-based catechesis represented a step-change in the character of the programme. The disruption of meetings due to snow meant that we weren't sure that the catechumens and candidates were all ready and fully prepared for the Rite of Acceptance. We have this planned for mid February. We shall have two catechumens and two candidates and we shall emphasise the distinction according to the Rite much more clearly than before. As we have a smaller number of candidates than we sometimes have, sponsors this year are all members of the catechetical team whom the candidates have already got to know by now. They seem to be very content with this arrangement.
Our parish priest is very supportive of our RCIA programme although he can’t be with us every week. He will be able to join us during Lent to provide some teaching and pastoral input. Our parish has also just been joined by another experienced priest who has started to come to RCIA. He has enriched our sessions by the spontaneous way he engages with everyone. I am hoping to persuade him to lead the group from time to time, but he seems to be comfortable doing a double act with the catechists.
One aspect of the Rite we haven’t yet implemented is the practice of dismissal of Catechumens (and candidates if appropriate) at the end of the Liturgy of the Word. As a parish and as a catechetical team we didn't to be ready for it this year. We are, I am sure, going to consider this issue thoughtfully with respect to next year’s programme.
We have moved deeper into the Rite this year and it’s been good. The Lord is touching people’s lives and it is a great privilege to be invited to come along with Him.
RCIA: A BALANCING EXERCISE
RCIA A Balancing Exercise
In the 21st century we have to become very adept at balancing: juggling our home life with our work commitments, ensuring a good balance of ‘busyness’ and ‘me-time’. It is the same with RCIA: using the resources at hand (and here it is helpful to keep reminding ourselves ‘that the initiation of adults is the responsibility of all the baptised’ RCIA 9), as a variety of enquirers, catechumens and candidates have to be assisted and supported along their journey of faith.
Fortunately as well as human helpers we are blessed by our scriptural and liturgical resources. There is the ease and importance of using lectionary based catechesis. ‘Ease’ because it follows the liturgical year and the scripture text comes around every three years, so it is experienced by every one of the faithful; and ‘important’ because it is the Word of God on which we all feed for the truth of what it means to be a catholic christian.
On the 32nd Sunday in ordinary time as we near the end of this liturgical year it is easy to follow on from All Saints and All Souls and discuss the promise of resurrection in our sessions or meetings. In balancing the needs of the unbaptised: whether initial enquirer or catechumen, and those perhaps of the already baptised: whether uncatechised catholic or those pursuing reception into full communion with the catholic church, the lectio divina process could be employed.
- Depending on when they became involved in the RCIA process, enquirers* should be open to learning about this ancient form of prayer. I find that it helps the focus, to use the shortened version of this text (Luke 20:27, 34-38).
- By explaining the whole exercise in advance, the enquirer knows how the time is going to be spent.
- Before it is first proclaimed, ask them to listen to it and to see if a word, phrase or image strikes them. (I find it breaks concentration if you say this after it has been read)
- If this is their first experience of lectio divina you may find it helpful to read it a second time before you invite them to share their phrase.
- Invite them to listen to what strikes them when they hear it proclaimed again.
- Then for the next reading invite them to listen to how the Word of God is meeting them at this stage of their life.
- In the final proclamation ask them to dig deep into their heart and ask what God is calling them to do.
- After each reading give at least a couple of minutes for reflection.
- After sharing give further time for meditation on what has been said.
The challenge of this type of prayer is that you don’t always know where it is going to lead, but it can offer a real insight into where your enquirer or catechumen are in their journey.
* For those making initial enquiry I would use part of the gospel, read once and invite them to spend a couple of minutes in quiet reflection on what it is saying to them,
You might also find it useful to look at the Rite of Acceptance with the enquirer. In the first acceptance of the gospel all the proposed addresses stress that faith leads to ‘eternal life’ #52.
What does eternal life mean to those approaching the catholic church? How does the promise of eternal life impinge on their present way of living? Does it involve change and if so what support will they need from the community?
This also offers consideration for the discernment process. The uncatechised baptised may benefit from celebrating a Rite of Welcome #381. This needs to be discerned.
Discernment is also needed when considering the committed non catholic churchgoer. Perhaps in their previous church they were involved in church ministries and so may need very little ‘doctrinal and spiritual preparation’ #391. Their individual journey will help channel their journey, having regard that the Rite of Reception ‘is so arranged that no greater burden than necessary is required...’#387.
Whatever the individual journey lectionary based catechesis is an essential tool.
Will he find any faith on earth?
As 'Los 33', the Chilean miners, were winched to the surface one by one in the 'Phoenix' , greeted with such scenes of jubliation in Camp Hope, and around the world, their personal stories began to emerge. One miner said that during those 69 days of incarceration hundreds of meters down in the earth, he had met both God and the devil, and that God had won! Another, on stepping of out the capsule, fell on his knees and prayed his thanksgiving for being brought out of such darkness into light . In the days and weeks ahead we will hear more - life will never be the same again. What caught my imagination was the fact that many people had been praying continually and not losing heart - it echoed with the readings yesterday 29th Sunday Ordinary Time, year C - Moses with his arms raised in prayer for his people, supported on either side by Aaron and Hur; Paul to Timothy saying stick with your faith in Christ and all you have been taught and know to be true, and be guided by it, and Luke, with the parable of the persistent widow.
The real-life drama of the last few weeks in San Jose mine, and the Word of God in sacred scripture intermingled. I wondered what sort of witness to my faith do I both give and receive in the parish community, particularly in our accompaniment of enquirers and catechumens? Is it obvious that we are trying to live what we know to be true, tuning in to the Spirit listening in us, teaching us? Perhaps it is in our darkest times that we recognise our need of rescue - and find that there are life-forces at work unknown to worldly authorities. It could have turned very nasty down there in the dark ruins of the mine - but it seems that other deeper truths were drawn on and sustained them - discipleship seems to function at a level where power does not exist..
This week? Will Christ find evidence of real, living faith in me? Can I open my eyes and ears and heart and notice the sacred encounters the continuing, ongoing, dynamic, saving, healing presence of Christ among us, whether I am in darkness or light, creating that life-giving environment? I think Christ will, Christ does find faith on earth! Do you?
New Beginnings
New Beginnings
September comes with the scent of new books, new supplies, new uniforms and new or familiar routines. The roads fill up with extra cars on the school run and the sound of more children's voices can be heard.
This is also the time when our parish pews fill up again with those who have been away, choirs and liturgical ministers are back on schedule and RCIA groups begin, once again, to offer the invitation to those who might be enquiring about what it means to be a Catholic.
The Gospel heard this weekend, reminding us of the resolute and determined cost of discipleship, also gives us Jesus reflecting on 'being ready'; 'having a plan; and ‘thinking things through’. Jesus is reminding us to have our plan of action in place.
If we are following an academic model of September to June then it raises all the very important questions about how we respond to an enquiry in the other months and what provision we have in place to respond to this situation. Do we have members of the RCIA group ready to meet with our summer enquirers; are we thinking our welcome through?
Along with all those children and young people returning to their studies and activities, RCIA groups could also use this period in early September to re-gather, to share their own summer stories, to reflect on where the group is at the moment. This could be a time of formation by having a Team Development Day, a Retreat Day or a Day of Reflection. It could be open to those who have been involved in the RCIA process in the past, as well as a time to welcome new members to the group. This is an opportunity to refresh the understanding of the 4 stages within the process and to reflect on the individual elements of welcome, space, prayer, liturgies, content, community and group dynamics.
A time like this could also include reflection on passages directly from the Rite, for example to review the period of the Precatechumenate we could use RCIA 37 which reads:
‘From evangelisation, completed with the help of God, come the faith and initial conversion that cause a person to feel called away from sin and drawn into the mystery of God’s love. The whole period of the precatechumenate is set aside for this evangelisation, so that the genuine will to follow Christ and seek baptism may mature.’
Or RCIA 38 which identifies who and why by suggesting: ‘During this period, priests and deacons, catechists and other laypersons are to give the candidates a suitable explanation of the Gospel. The candidates are to receive help and attention so that with a purified and clearer intention they may cooperate with God’s grace. Opportunities should be provided for them to meet families and other groups of Christians.
If these two points were the focus of a team/group reflection and discussion then the value of God’s action in peoples’ lives, patience on our part as people move toward this clearer intention, the importance of relationships developed in the group and in the community and a discerning approach to the Gospel could be explored.
As we prepare for Benedict XVI’s visit ‘Heart Speaks Unto Heart’ we may have more and more people drawn by God to seek out their local Catholic church and ask the questions which may arise from this event. Have we a plan, have we thought things through, have we laid the foundations upon which to witness to and build a lasting relationship with our Lord and with others.
How is God ‘Abba’ to us?
Before all the important moments of his life, Jesus takes time out to be with his father.
Luke gives us a slightly shorter version of Jesus's response to the question 'Teach us to pray', beginning with a simple intimate greeting equivalent to 'Papa' or 'Dad', and continuing as we know 'may your name be held holy, your kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.' Again the simplicity strikes me - 'may your kingdom come' - may we really live out what we believe and share the life you give us with others, bringing your kingdom among us; and may we rely on you each day to nourish us with your life, and forgive us as we forgive each other. For the catechumen, and for each of us in the community, our life in Christ is like a spiral, ever deepening, the more we open to the truth Jesus gives us. And the truth today is staggering - that God is our 'dad'. In the human family, the dad is traditionally the member of the family responsible for providing for the needs of the body - food, shelter and warmth. He gives identity to his children. SO a son becomes a man and knows himself and his abilities from the way his father relates to him and what he says to and about his son. And in the same way, a daughter gains her identity as a woman through the way her father treats her and communicates with her. The father also provides protection and security. (A mother, and siblings/ friends have different roles in the formation of our person too, which you can align with the Holy Spirit and with Jesus, but I wont go into these here).
Towards the end of the catechumenal journey of conversion (either at the end of the catechumenate period, or during Lent), the Lord's Prayer, our prayer of the church, as an integral part of our daily prayer and our liturgy - is ritually 'presented' or proclaimed for and over the catechumens (or elect) - God is drawing them to himself, like a father who lifts up his child and holds them close (Hosea 11). This is a very moving moment - a moment of recognition of the compassion and love of God calling them to the waters of baptism - as the rite suggests: 'Give them new birth in your living waters, so that they may be numbered among your adopted children.' It is a preparation for the moment when they as baptised Christians will for the first time recite this prayer in the liturgical assembly of the faithful. It is a sign of recognition by the community of the progress of the candidates in spiritual maturity - they recognse who they are becoming. It echoes the process of human development in a family too.
In order for the catechumens to be able to publicly receive and pray the 'Our Father', it would be vitally important for the community, as represented in the team members and sponsor, to be aware of the need for ritual prayer throughout the catechumenate to help them towards this point - blessings, annointing and minor exorcism - all of which are there for affirmation and healing. None of our family backgrounds are perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Ask a room full of people to put up their hands if 
they consider they come from a 'dysfunctional family' and 95% will do so! For all sorts of reasons, our family members may not have understood or were unable to f'perfectly' fulfil their roles in our lives - and this can lead to a misunderstanding of the who God is as Loving Father, or who Jesus is, or the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the blessings, annointings and minor exorcisms are to heal the wounds and lies that may have been learned from our experience, enable us to understand and forgive our families/those in close relationship for any inadequacies in their roles, and to open to the truth of the incredible intimacy offered by God, who says call me 'Abba' , offering identity, security and protection, as well as giving a joyful purpose for our lives as Christian family reaching out to love, heal and serve in the world.
The invitation to the elect following the Presentation of the Lord's Prayer has a prophetic ring about it:
'Although you cannot yet participate fully in the Lord's eucharist, stay with us as a sign of our hope that all God's children will eat and drink with the Lord and work with his Spirit to re-create the face of the earth'.
Community Based RCIA
The RCIA network conference Bridging the Gap has come and gone and brought with it lots of ideas. Led by Fr Martin Jakubus’, his vision of a sponsoring community was thought provoking, but as often happens it is the odd comment that hits the nail on the head.
One of our clergy participants, made the point, that we still talk about ‘groups’ when it is about ‘community’ and about the oneness of God.
The word ‘group’ gives a vision of people with like-minded ideals gathering together, whether the activity or purpose is secular or religious. But the fact that a group has a title and consists of selected members is already divisive; whereas we are actually this big amorphous body, and as we welcome new members, we –the community, extend a bit, and open up to welcome this new person into our midst, as another joins the Body of Christ.
In Reflections for Corpus Christi the blogger referred to 1 Cor 3:5-7 when Paul asks what is Apollos, what is Paul. Paul in writing to the community about their divisions, reminded them that the individuals and their tasks count for nothing, for it is ‘God, who gives growth’. Paul was clear that having different factions was divisive.
Yet the human in us likes groups: there is something cosy about them, but have you ever been to a group that feels closed, or more intent on pursuing a specific purpose, so that it is bowed down by its process. I guess this is the Martha syndrome: being busy but missing the real point of what or who is important. A routine has to be followed with a ‘programme’ and a timetable, which doesn’t necessarily fit with every enquirer.
At your next team meeting, look at RCIA 4 & 9. You can’t swop the term ‘group’ for ‘community’; it doesn’t have the same effect. Why not, as part of your next evaluation -and summer makes a great time to evaluate, whether your team meets just term-time or all year round – ask how RCIA is growing in your parish.
RCIA 9 tells us ‘the entire community must help the candidate and catechumens throughout the process’.
How many of your parishioners are given the chance to welcome inquirers into their home? #9.1;
Do you publicise and give plenty of notice of celebrations occurring during the catechumenate, so that many of the community can be present? #9.
Perhaps those with welcoming skills are where Inquirers are first directed.
Do you have a pool of sponsors who benefit from the opportunity of ongoing formation ready for when their role is called upon?
Do your catechumens accompany those in specific parish activities, justice & peace and social action?
Do they attend prayer groups, help with fundraising or social events?
Is Your Community aware they are the lynchpin to evangelisation and mission?
Does everyone know that RCIA is carried out in your parish?
Do they know there is a team: who is involved and what specific tasks there are?
If you have RCIA sessions, are they well publicised. If they are closed sessions, have you explained why to the rest of the community
Does the community pray for its catechumens, support them on their journey and welcome them as Neophytes and befriend them for life?
During the summer break, why not get liturgists and catechists together to plan how the Rite of Acceptance or Welcome can occur at Sunday Mass, or how the Scrutinies can be celebrated at Mass next Lent, rather than at an evening group session.
When you think of RCIA as a whole community action, it makes it easier to select people for specific ministries: sponsors, godparents.
None of the above is new and probably many RCIA teams consider they tick all the boxes, but why not take the time to ask a few of your parishioners what they know about RCIA in your parish. Is their perception of RCIA what you expected? People come and go from parishes, and I’ve not been to one yet, where everyone is aware of what RCIA is, that it is being carried out in their church, and that it is the task of 'all the baptised' #9
Finally, please share your good practice of whole community RCIA, as well as the hurdles that had to be overcome. That is what the Network is for: to share ideas and exchange good practice.
SueP
The Rite of Election approaches – are we ready?
On Sunday next, 1st Sunday of Lent, our catechumens and candidates from across the Diocese will gather in the Cathedral, and be presented to our Bishop with the words :
'They have found strength in God's grace, and support in our community's prayers and example. Now they ask that after the celebration of the scrutinies, they be allowed to participate in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and the eucharist'.
Those who have journeyed with them to this point find them 'to be sincere in their desire. They have listened to the word of Christ,and endeavoured to follow his commands; they have shared the company of their Christian brothers and sisters and joined with them in prayer', and so the Bishop announces to all present 'that our community has decided to call them to the sacraments', and then once again, he seeks the opinions of the godparents:
'As God is your witness, do you consider these candidates worthy to be admitted to the sacraments of Christian initiation?'
'Have they faithfully listened to God's word proclaimed by the Church?'
Have they responded to that word and begun to walk in God's presence?
Have they shared the company of their Christian brothers and sisters and joined with them in prayer?
And then speakly directly to the catechumens, the Bishop invites them to 'express your response clearly and in the presence of the whole Church', after which they are declared 'members of the elect'. The whole Church are charged with acceptance of these 'chosen of the Lord', and asked to continue to sustain them through 'loving care and example'
Quite a responsibility. Are we ready?
Lent is offered as a gift for the healing, encouragement and renewal of all - the catechumens, candidates, both adults and children, and the whole community:
- to grow in love
- to overcome hesitations and trust in Christ
- to find joy in daily prayer and reflection on the scriptures
- to acknowledge faults and work to correct them
- to share with others the joy found in faith.
In other words, as described in the Rite (RCIA 125-126) it is more about interior reflection than catechetical instruction - a time intended to purify and enlighten minds and hearts through a deeper knowledge and experience of Christ. So let go of anxiety about 'have we given them enough doctrine'/'do they know enough' - after all, the Rite of Election reminds us very firmly that this is a process of initiation - and relax, and allow lent to be the time of 'retreat' and deepening of relationship with Christ.
A friend offered me this Lenten Prayer which may help us to get the focus for Lent right!
Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ dwelling within them. Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life. Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the realityof light. Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify. Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude. Fast from anger; feast on patience. Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism. Fast from worry; feast on trust. Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation. Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives; fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer. Gentle God, during the season of feasting and fasting, gift us with Your Presence, so we can be gift to others in carrying out your work. Amen.
The coming of the Magi – a message for our time
To many people the Magi are the ‘three wise men’ of Christmas cards and nativity plays, and of the carols we learnt as children. Yet what little we know of them suggests that they were on a journey of faith. Whatever their religious background we presume that they were not Jews yet they made the connection between their own observations of creation and the Jewish scriptures. They were earnestly searching for the truth. They were prepared to think outside of their cultural box. Yet ultimately, beneath all the historical and cultural baggage, there is only one truth. Their appearance in the Christmas story emphasises that The Word was made flesh for everyone. The Catechism (819) recognises that ‘many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the confines of the Catholic Church’. This is largely referring to non-Catholic Christians, accepting them ‘with respect and affection as brothers’ (818). It also reaches out to those of other religions (839 to 843) and to ‘those, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart’ (847). There are a lot of such people around us these days.
Is RCIA about helping people to become Catholics or Christians? The short answer to this question is, of course, ‘both’. Most people who embark on an RCIA programme want to explore the possibility of being received into the Catholic Church. But RCIA is more than just instruction in what the Catholic Church teaches, important though that is. It is where a group of people at various stages on their faith journey share their experiences and deepen their personal relationship with Jesus Christ together. The Magi were neither Jews, Catholics nor Baptists but I imagine them as deeply spiritual people who, in the words of the catechism, had come to ‘seek God with a sincere heart’.
Some years ago our RCIA group was joined by a lady who was a Baptist minister. She wasn’t considering becoming a Catholic herself but she came to bring a friend. Her friend had been baptised a Catholic but had never been confirmed. The Baptist minister wanted to help her friend to grow in faith in the living reality of Jesus Christ in her life and she thought the best way to do this was to bring her along to RCIA. We enjoyed having our Baptist friend with us each week. She shared her spiritual experience with us and enjoyed sharing ours. She came along to the Easter Vigil to see her friend being confirmed. RCIA is not, of course, primarily preparation of baptised Catholics for Confirmation, but, in this case, it was very appropriate.
I often wonder how we would feel if someone were to come to RCIA and, after getting a great deal out of it and growing in personal faith, were to decide to become a Methodist. The Holy Spirit can surprise us but it’s exciting to see him at work.
What many non-Catholic Christians respect about the Catholic Church is its spirituality - the distillation of 2000 years of reflection and spiritual experience. What we do in RCIA is to share what we have with each other as well as with our enquirers and catechumens. Not all of Our Lord’s disciples are Catholics by any means. If we share our spirituality, our personal relationship with God, rather than focus on just recruiting more Catholics, we shall help to build up the Church in a way that will stand the test of time. Many of the enquirers probably would want to be received into the Catholic Church – because they were hungry for more of spirituality which it offers. And those who do not become Catholics may well go on to build the Kingdom of Heaven in some other way that we would wish to support.
Ecumenism has come a long way since the 1960s. Back then it sometimes seemed that ‘Christian Unity’ could be a case of fudging differences in doctrine. Some cynics would say being united by not being sure what you believed. It soon became accepted that the way to be an ecumenical Catholic was to understand our own tradition better so that we were more able to share what we have with others of different traditions and discover the reality of our shared spirituality. Discussion of doctrinal differences is a job for theological experts and church leaders. Meanwhile there is plenty for the rest of us to get on with at grass-roots level.
John Ortberg wrote a challenging book called ‘if you want to walk on water you’ve got to get out of the boat’. Going into the world and making disciples does call for water-walking. The lives of many Saints, and of Christians in general, shows that it is amazing what people can do when they keep their eyes on Jesus rather than on the stormy waters around them.
But I’d like to focus on the importance of having a good strong boat to get back into when our attempts at water walking don’t quite come off. A boat where we can dry our clothes, get some encouragement from our friends, and, when necessary, learn some useful theory.
I chose to become a Catholic because it offered me a safe boat from which I could gingerly try a bit of water-walking. Non-catholic Christians who I meet whilst water-walking come from different boats yet they have been enticed out of them by the same Lord and they walk on the same water. We don’t always understand each other but what unites us is the common spirituality which lies beneath what we say.
Now we see through a mirror darkly but one day we may compare notes with the Magi.
Going the Extra Mile
In the forthcoming gospel (28th OT) we hear how a rich man who has kept all the commandments, is made sad because the ultimate task of selling everything he owns to give to the poor is just too challenging. Like the rich man it is going the extra mile that sometimes challenges us. Being a committed RCIA team member is quite demanding. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing the regular sessions that are held for the candidates and catechumens, as well as planning for the liturgical celebrations: why would anyone want to add to the workload?
Well sometimes it doesn't take an awful lot of effort to try something new, and long term it can be easier on the whole team and liturgically fulfilling. This applies to two particular practices: the first avoids having RCIA meetings during school holidays, and the second is celebrating the Sacraments of Initiation as well as the Reception of Baptised Christians into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church at the Easter vigil, in the combined rite found in the Appendix of the Rite ( 418 E&W).
So what links the two? It has to do with the liturgical year. As Catholics, we celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday, following the lectionary as it leads us through the scriptures. There is a gentle progression of themes and issues covered through the different church seasons.
Imagine not going to Mass during any of the school holidays (including half terms) and have a look at the Sunday Missal to see what you would be missing.
Well of course you wouldn't dream of missing mass short of an emergency, but if you follow a lectionary based scripture programme, how do you justify missing out one third of the liturgical year for the catechumens? Doesn't it involve a lot of hard work planning a programme that cover all the 'topics' but in a shorter period of time. What about concerns later on that you didn't cover everything you planned to do.
Similarly, combining those being fully initiated, with those being received into full communion is quite a timely task. There is the job of getting everyone to the right stage at the same time; there are the logistics of combining both in one celebration, and the adaptation necessary to ensure that the sacrament of baptism is properly recognised, and that the already baptised are received appropriately.
Yet the rite offers a choice: of Reception into Full Communion within Mass #475 (389), or outside Mass #476 (390) when what is stressed is the need for it to be ‘a celebration of the Church and have as its high point Eucharistic communion.’
So I return to the comment about going the extra mile. The combined rite was initially used at a time when unbaptised candidates were rare, but that isn't the situation now. When you have unbaptised as well as adults being received into Full Communion, it makes for a very lengthy service, often meaning that the Liturgy of the Word is cut short, or that the balance isn’t quite right in stressing the baptism. Perhaps the renewal of baptismal promises for the faithful are less structured or lose emphasis.
I don't know about others, but I often feel on the night that something didn't quite work: it was just a bit messy. Well, running the catechumenate all year round makes it easier to structure celebrations throughout the year. Yes full initiation will take place at the Easter vigil, as the usual time (#23), but it becomes easier to celebrate the reception into full communion at other times during the liturgical year, at a time that is most appropriate for the individual.
What does it entail?
- Starting now and evaluating the different celebrations and combined rites from the rite of acceptance through to the Easter vigil
- Having early planning meetings for the next year.
- Map out the liturgical year noting possible alternative dates.
- Have the co-operation and agreement of clergy, team sponsors, helpers.
- Inform the whole community of the proposed changes and explain why.
- Use it as an opportunity to engage more of the community into assisting with RCIA
Making Enquiries
At this Sunday’s Mass we had a talk by the St Barnabas Society. It was St Barnabas who introduced Paul to the disciples in Jerusalem, and spoke in his support to those who were wary about his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.
I was struck by the account of welcome and help (emotional and financial) that is given to clergy and religious, from other Christian denominations, that come to full communion with the Catholic Church. There was a particular relevance to our community, as last year we welcomed a former Anglican priest and his family. So at first hand we could empathise with what we were hearing.
Two questions arose for me:
- How does the welcome and support we give our inquirers and catechumens compare with that offered by the St Barnabas Society; and
- is there a patron saint of catechumens?
From my own experience, we still have to work at engaging with the ‘whole parish concept’, rather than having an RCIA team that does it all. Having ordinary parishioners who can be introduced to inquirers was a point discussed at the RCIA Network Study day at Tooting Bec (13.6.09). Catechists have their place but weekly structured meetings don’t necessarily fulfil the Period of Evangelisation and Pre-Catechumenate, which ‘is a time of no fixed duration or structure, for inquiry and introduction to Gospel values, an opportunity for the beginning of faith.’
Potential Inquirers come from diverse backgrounds, at any age, with or without dependants. It must be quite daunting to people to make that first step and knock on the church door. But if they are also being alienated from their family and friends by their decision, that must make it a very difficult step to pursue. There are ways we as a community can make it easier. This is a just a suggestion. You will have others that work, do share them.
- Offer an invitation to them to bring their family and friends to your parish church. This is not about converting them, but saying this is what we do because we are catholics.
- Have a ‘drop in’ hour, say 3.30pm-4.30pm: ideal if your church is on the school route. 5.30pm to 6.30pm is a good time to catch those returning home after work. Have parishioners who can chat about what it means to be a member of your parish church. (This is also an evangelising moment).
The above also apply to catechumens. Another way of offering support is by the optional rites eg Blessings [RCIA 95-97] can be done at any time. Think how you feel when you receive a blessing: they can be a real boost, whether in a small group or within the whole assembly. Do remember to extend the invitation to the catechumens’ family or friends.
As to my second question I did find a saint for catechumens: Saint Robert Bellarmine whose feastday is on September 17.