1. What the RCIA Teaches us
M308 IPM
Mike Pascual, MA

2. Goal
We looked at the portrayal of faith from the Synoptic Gospels, and they all point to a faith involving the Church.
We’re going to look at the ritual design of initiation into the Church: The RCIA
WHY? Lex orandi, lex credenda
How does the Church accept the believer into its membership?
Ultimately, the guiding question is “What does the RCIA teach us about faith?”

3. Before we continue: notes for consideration
Sacraments are symbolic rituals
The individual must have FAITH for it to have meaning
In this case, it is faith that brings one to realize the privileged encounter with the Paschal Mystery.

4. RCIA
Acronym
The process by which one becomes a full member of the Catholic Church.
Culminates in the sacraments of initiation, but the initiation process still continues afterwards!
Two Types
Catechumen
Candidate for full communion
Acronym for “Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults”
The process by which one becomes a full member of the Catholic Church.
They may be
An unbaptized person, “a catechumen”
A baptized person from another Christian denomination, “candidates for full communion”

5. The Sacraments of Initiation
The three sacraments – Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, through which one enters into full membership into the catholic church
Key word here is Initiation, meaning to accept fully into membership of a community or organization

6. The Process of Initiation
Theology of Initiation
From Klein, Gregory and Robert A. Wolfe. Pastoral Foundations of the Sacraments: A Catholic Perspective. (Paulist Press, 1998).

7. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
Four “Periods”
Three “Steps”

8. Sacraments of Initiation
The Stages…
Typically Pentecost
RITE of Election
RITE of Acceptance
Sacraments of Initiation
Stage
Period of
Inquiry
Or Evangelization and Precatechumenate
The Catechemunate
Purification and Enlightenment
Postbaptismal catechesis or Mystagogy
Person is known as
Inquirer
Catechumen
The Elect
Neophytes
Length of time
As much as needed
40 days (sorta) during Season of Lent
Typically Easter Season

9. Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate
Hence, the candidate is known as an “inquirer”
This is a time, of no fixed duration or structure, for inquiry and introduction to gospel values, an opportunity for the beginning of faith.

10. FIRST STEP: Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens
RITE of ACCEPTANCE
The inquirer is now known as a “catechumen”
This is the liturgical rite, usually celebrated on some annual date or dates, marking the beginning of the catechumenate proper.

11. Period of the Catechumenate
This is the time, in duration corresponding to the progress of the individual, for the nurturing and growth of the catechumens’ faith and conversion to God;
celebrations of the word and prayers of exorcism and blessing are meant to assist the process.

12. Note: Catechesis Comes from the Greek word “to echo”
In ancient times, this was used for RCIA
New members were trained to echo the faith
Hence, a catechist is one who trains to echo
Catechesis is the process “of echoing”
Important note: The root word is also used by the ancient Greeks to describe the work of poets
You can say the catechist is like a poet… or the work of catechesis is like the work of a poet
Poetic, emotive, vulnerable at the edge of the stage, reaching out to stir the desires of the heart
Conclusion: catechesis is not purely a head exercise…

13. Implications for Catechesis…
To foster: CONVERSION
The poet speaks from the heart… (s)he sees and feels the heart of the crowd
The heart (for the Hebrew) is the very center of the self, the source of truth that flowed through the human.
The poet requires a level of presence and honesty that leaves the speaker in a vulnerable place.
Catechesis is thus a holistic education/formation…A CONVERSION

14. SECOND STEP: Election or Enrollment of Names
RITE of ELECTION
Catechumens are now the elect, who express the will to receive these sacraments.
This is the liturgical rite, usually celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent,
by which the church formally recognizes the catechumens’ readiness for the sacraments of initiation
Catechumens are now the elect, who express the will to receive these sacraments.

15. Period of Purification and Enlightenment
This is the time immediately preceding the elect’s initiation, usually the Lenten season preceding the celebration of this initiation at the Easter vigil; it is a time of reflection, intensely centered on conversion, marked by celebration of the scrutinies and presentations and of the preparation rites on Holy Saturday.

16. THIRD STEP: Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation
Typically in the Easter Vigil
This is the liturgical rite, usually integrated into the Easter Vigil, by which the elect are initiated through Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.

17. Period of Postbaptismal Catechesis or Mystagogy
usually the Easter season, following the celebration of initiation,
the newly initiated experience being fully a part of Christian community
by means of pertinent catechesis
and particularly by participation with all the faithful in the Sunday eucharistic celebration.

18. Sacraments of Initiation
The Stages…
Typically Pentecost
RITE of Election
RITE of Acceptance
Sacraments of Initiation
Stage
Period of
Inquiry
Or Evangelization and Precatechumenate
The Catechemunate
Purification and Enlightenment
Postbaptismal catechesis or Mystagogy
Person is known as
Inquirer
Catechumen
The Elect
Neophytes
Length of time
As much as needed
40 days (sorta) during Season of Lent
Typically Easter Season
Thus we see a PROCESS of CONVERSION, various stages and rituals for the candidate
Inquiry Stage (pre-catechumenate)
Ends with the Rite of Acceptance
Catechumenate stage
Ends with the Rite of Election
Purification and enlightenment stage
Ends with the rites/Sacraments of initiation
Mystagogy
Typically ends on pentecost
Continues with lifelong formation

19. So what does this teach us?

20. “the process of adult initiation” is the NORM for Baptism
The adult rite makes clear what it means to be baptized
The process of initiation happens before and after the celebration of the Sacrament.
What happens if we make baptism an isolated moment?
The process of adult initiation teaches us important insights into the meaning of baptism. This is why we call it the norm for baptism.  Even though we continue to baptize far more infants than adults, it is the adult rite that makes clear the meaning of Christian initiation.
Baptism is part of a process of initiation. It does not stand as an isolated moment, but it is a high point in a process that both precedes and follows the celebration of the sacrament.  Initiation is not the work of a moment, but a process that takes a considerable amount of time. Other sacraments may not require quite as much time, but each of them needs a process of preparation and follow-up to make them truly effective for spiritual growth.

21. RCIA is about conversion
RCIA shows ritual and process working together
Faith does not happen without conversion
Conversion happens before baptism
Moreover, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults shows us how ritual and process work together . The rituals celebrated throughout the catechumenate articulate what is happening in the process . They celebrate what God is doing in the lives of the catechumens, and the celebration itself fosters further progress on their journey. It makes no sense to celebrate these rituals, whether minor rituals or the sacraments themselves, unless something has been happening in the process that gives us reason to celebrate together. The sacraments are not magical actions that produce results automatically; to be spiritually effective, they must be prepared for and celebrated well. 
 Rituals celebrated throughout the catechumenate articulate what is happening in the process.
They celebrate what God is doing in the lives of the catechumens.
How might this be the case?
RCIA is discernment of conversion as it occurs in the lives of the catechumens
This enables the community to determine when they are ready for the next stage of the process
How does this work with infant baptism?
The process of turning one’s life over to God
Greek term: “metanoia”
A result of an encounter with God (mysterion),
Involves developing a personal relationship with Christ and shaping one’s life around Gospel values
Conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, but the catechumenate seeks to create an environment in which conversion can be fostered.  That cooperation with the work of the Spirit is the proper role of the church and is, the RCIA insists, “the responsibility of all the baptized” (no. 9). The involvement of the whole community is another insight that can be gained from the rite. Welcoming and supporting new members is the responsibility of the whole community, not just the ordained ministers or the religious professionals.  Thus, the rite presumes that the rituals of initiation, including the sacraments, will be celebrated by the whole community. These are not private matters of concern only to the immediate family. Initiation is the concern of every member of the church, for we are welcoming a new brother or sister into the family of God whenever initiation is celebrated.
 This reflects an understanding of grace and nature, a cooperation in the Spirit of God.

22. The Process What is the role of the Catechumenate? Church? Sponsor?
Who is responsible for creating the environment for conversion?
Why would the Ritual books say that an adult who is baptized should receive Confirmation and Eucharist in the same ceremony?
Why do catechumens and candidates say they “feel spoiled by the RCIA process”?
Who is responsible for creating this environment? Why?
Note, not a catechist, but acts like one
To share in the journey of the candidate as a friend
Why are they essential?

23. Implications
The RCIA picks up where the synoptic gospels leaves off: Faith in Christ leads to the church
The RCIA is how the church (ideally) accepts its members
Demonstrates that everyone is involved
Conversion precedes faith
Is this informing our ministry programs?
In other words, does our ministries evangelize and allow for conversion? Or are we simply giving information? (CONOCER vs SABER)