Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults The Rite

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults • The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process for those who are interested in learning about the Catholic faith in order to discover if they feel called to become a member of the Catholic community. • The RCIA process is designed to bring participants into relationship with Jesus Christ and the community of believers. • The RCIA process respects the individual by recognizing that each person’s spiritual journey is developed and lived out in the context of his or her unique history and life experiences.

Who is RCIA for? RCIA is for those who are: • Interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. • Not baptized and desire to grow spiritually with an interest in the possibility of becoming Catholic. • Baptized in the Catholic faith or another Christian faith tradition and want to increase their knowledge of God, Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith. • Married to a Catholic and attending Mass but unsure what the next step is to becoming Catholic.

Who are the people involved? The RCIA Team • Team Members meet regularly with those involved in the RCIA process to share faith, pray the scriptures, and participate with the coordinator in teaching the Catholic faith. Team members are confirmed adults from the parish community who strive to live the gospel in their daily lives. • Sponsors: The role of the sponsor is one of spiritual friend, of support and care. Sponsors provide the on one support the catechumen or candidate needs during this period of exploration and growth.

• Dismissal Leaders: Dismissal leaders facilitate discussion on the Sunday scripture readings. Candidates/catechumens are “dismissed” from the Sunday Eucharistic celebration following the homily. They go to the parish hall with the leader where they spend the remaining Mass time reflecting on the readings of the day. Dismissal leaders play an important role on the RCIA team and may also be involved in the RCIA sessions. • Prayer Partners: Prayer partners commit to praying for those involved in the RCIA process on their own time. RCIA is a process for welcoming adult newcomers into the Catholic Church. Its main purpose is to assist prospective Catholics in their journey to become active members of the community. The rite is also intended to renew the missionary spirit of the all the members of the faith community.

Words You Need to Know • Inquirerers: are adults who are interested in exploring the possibility of entering into the process of initiation and who after a period of discernment decide if the timing is right for them to enter into a period of preparation. • Catechumen: An individual who is not baptized and who is participating in the period of the catechumenate in preparation for initiation. • • Elect: A catechumen who has celebrated the Rite of Election/Enrollment. • Fully Initiated: A person who has celebrated all three Sacraments of Initiation is considered “fully initiated”. • Initiation: Ceremonies, rituals and period of instruction through which the church admits new members. • Sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are three sacraments of initiation of the Catholic Church. Candidate: Baptized individual who is preparing for full initiation.

Steps along the way: • Period of Evangelization & Precatechumenate: Also known as Inquiry. This is a time for inquiry and introduction to Gospel values, an opportunity for a beginning or deepening of faith development. First Step: Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens The liturgical Rite of Acceptance and Welcome marks the beginning of the catechumenate proper, as inquirerers express and the church accepts their intention to respond to God’s call and to follow the way of Christ. The Rite takes place in the local parish during a Sunday Eucharistic Celebration. After celebrating this rite the Inquirerers are referred to as Catechumens.

The Rite of Acceptance is for inquirerers who are not baptized and who are requesting membership in the Church. The Rite of Welcome is for baptized inquirerers (already members of the faith community by virtue of their baptism) who are seeking full initiation in the Church. Both not baptized and baptized inquirerers can celebrate the rites at the same liturgy. The combined rite is called The Rite of Acceptance and Welcome. • Period of the Catechumenate: This is time for 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. Catechumens and candidates, together with their sponsors continue to meet with the RCIA team on a regular basis for prayer, catechesis (instruction in the faith) and fellowship. • The Dismissal: During this period those who are not baptized are “dismissed” from the Sunday Eucharistic celebration after the homily. They go with a team member to the parish hall where they discuss the meaning of the day’s scripture reading and its relevance to their lives. This is a great opportunity for them to encounter Jesus Christ in the scriptures and to deepen their relationship with Him and with the community.

Second Step: Election or Enrollment of Names This is the liturgical rite, usually celebrated on the First Sunday of Lent, by which the bishop in the name of the Church formally confirms the catechumens’ readiness For the sacraments of initiation and the catechumens express the will to receive these sacraments. This celebration takes place at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Manchester. After celebrating this rite the Catechumens are referred to as the Elect.

Third Step: Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation This is the liturgical rite by which the elect are initiated through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist takes place at the Easter Vigil. At this Mass those who are already baptized and who have participated in the RCIA process and accepted into full communion with the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. The Easter Vigil takes place on the Saturday evening before Easter Sunday. The Paschal Candle

The Period of Mystagogy • “Mystagogy means to reflect on the mysteries. By mysteries, we do not mean something to be solved or a puzzled. Rather, it is the experience of God that is both alluring yet causes us to stand back in awe. Our word sacrament comes from the same Greek root as mysteries. ” (Transforming the Church by Thomas H. Morris) • The time of Mystagogy provides the newly initiated together with the RCIA team and opportunity to reflect on the experience of the Easter Vigil and their meaning to our lives. We focus our discussions on how to live as disciples of Christ as members of the Catholic community. This period ends on the celebration of the Feast of Pentecost which is celebrated fifty days after Easter.