Baptism for Adults and Youth (age 7 or over) Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)

 

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For whom is the RCIA Process?

The unbaptized. The primary focus of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is on those who are not already Christian and have not been instructed (catechized) in the faith.

Baptized but uncatechized. Those who have been baptized either as Roman Catholics or as members of another Christian community, but did not receive further catechetical formation or instruction, and have not celebrated neither confirmation nor Eucharist.

Those seeking full Catholic Communion. Those who are baptized, practicing Christians from other denominations who seek entry into the Catholic Church.

 

*Note: According to canon law, children of catechetical age are considered to be adults for the purposes of Christian initiation, and so any child who has reached the "age of reason" (around 7 years old) and has not been baptized undergoes the same process, in the same sequence, as the adults, with some minor modifications due to age and ability to understand. When they are initiated, they celebrate baptism, confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil, just like their adult counterparts. Pastors do not have the authority to separate either confirmation or Eucharist from the celebration of baptism of these children. (c. 843.1)

 

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is not for adult candidates for confirmation who have already received their First Eucharist in the Catholic Church.

 

What is the RCIA Process?

The Rite of Christian Initiation is based on the principle that the process of conversion proceeds gradually, in stages. Progress from one stage to the next is marked by a liturgical celebration in the midst of the parish community. Because the experience and needs of those in each category described above differ, the process will look different for each person. Nevertheless, there are certain similarities among all the groups and the process they will undergo, and these can be listed as follows:

 
The Four Phases of RCIA:

1.     STEP ONE: Inquiry or pre-Catechumenate is a preliminary step in the journey of faith. It is a time when basic questions are answered and traditions explained.  When the inquirers are ready to proceed to the next phase, the Catechumenate, a ritual called the "Rite of Acceptance to the Order of Catechumens" takes place, during the Sunday Liturgy, so that the community can welcome the inquirers to the second step of their journey of faith.  

2.     STEP TWO: The Catechumenate phase involves joining with sponsors/God parents who serve as guides, companions and models of faith.  Sponsors commit themselves to being a vital link between the catechumens and the community. They present the candidates to the Church and also represent the Church to the candidate throughout the RCIA process. This step is often the longest period in the RCIA, lasting from a few months to a few years, determined by the needs of the catechumen, and by the community. The catechumens are invited to worship with the community and are dismissed after the Liturgy of the Word with their catechists to ponder the Scripture readings they have just heard. When the catechumens are ready to respond totally to God’s call to faith through the Sacraments of Initiation, the RCIA provides a ritual, the Rite of Election, to mark this step in the conversion process. Prior to the Rite of Election which is celebrated by the Archbishop at St. James Cathedral during the first week in Lent, the Catechumens come before the community of St. Jude’s on the first Sunday of Lent at their normal Dismissal time for the Rite of Sending.  The ritual provides an opportunity for the catechumens to officially request entrance to the Church through the Easter Sacraments of Initiation, and for the community to respond to that request by saying, "We confirm God’s call to faith in your life, and will welcome you into the Church this Easter."  During the Rite of Election, the Archbishop formally “elects” the Catechumens for the Sacraments of Initiation at the East Vigil and their names are written in the Book of the Elect.  

3.     STEP THREE  The Elect enter into a "40-day retreat" (the Church’s Lenten period) to focus on deepening their awareness of God’s grace through prayer. During this time the Church also celebrates other rituals with the Elect, called "Scrutinies." These are prayers of healing prayed by the community (on the third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of Lent) that the Elect will have the strength to withstand evil, and remain pure and free from sin as they journey toward initiation and growth in faith. While we minister to the Elect, they provide a visible reminder to each of us of the meaning and purpose of Lent, and minister to us through their presence. Finally the night of the Easter Vigil arrives — at which the Sacraments of Initiation are celebrated and the Elect are made one with the Body of Christ called Church. The community says, Now you belong, for you have been born again of water and spirit. Come, you are welcome at the Table of the Lord."  

4.     THE FOURTH STEP: The concluding part of the journey to faith is called the "Mystagogia", which comes from the word, mystery. In the early Church it was the time when the community explained the mystery of the sacraments the catechumens had experienced. Today, this step is seen more as time for the newly initiated and the community to move forward together toward a closer relationship with each other and toward a deeper understanding of God’s Word, of the sacraments, and of everyday Christian life. The RCIA place this step during the Easter Season (the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost). In reality, this step in the journey continues for the rest of the Christian’s life along with the entire community of the faithful.