If you are dealing with someone who is truly unchristian and has little spiritual background, you can talk about the next stage. For that person, I might say:. As Catholics, we base our life on the teachings of Jesus. And, as I said, that is a lifelong learning experience. The place where we learn best about Jesus and what he teaches is at Sunday Mass.
Every Sunday is part of an annual cycle, during which the full story and meaning of Jesus is revealed to us. To live fully as a Catholic, you will need to be at a full cycle one year of Sunday Masses. Toward the end of that year, you will decide if you are ready to take on all the responsibilities of Catholic life.
If the person you are dealing with is a Christian but has not had a very strong formation, adapt the above, and leave out the part about the process taking a full year. Instead, tell them the two of you will have monthly check-ins to decide if the seeker is ready to take on all the responsibilities of Catholic life.
You goal is to find out what is going well and what is challenging for the seeker. Also, this early meeting is a good time to talk about the next stage of the process. Something like:. Remember I told you that toward the end of your training year, you will decide if you are ready to take on all the responsibilities of Catholic life.
If you decide you are, then there is a final spiritual preparation that takes place during the 40 days of Lent.
In a way, this is the most important part of your preparation. So I want to give you some dates to block off in your calendar in case you decide later on that you want to enter that final preparation stage. If, at the time, you decide you are not ready, no worries. We can continue on as we are doing now until you are ready. Then give your seeker the dates for the Rite of Election, the three scrutinies, the two presentations, and the Triduum.
Finally, when you start to see signs of progress in each of the four areas of Christian life described in RCIA 75, schedule another check-in meeting. During this meeting, you will describe the period of mystagogy:.
I wanted to meet to tell you I am really excited about how I see your life changing. I see you living as a Catholic more and more each day. So far, you have been learning about what it takes to start living that life. It depends on how the person is growing in faith, what questions they encounter along the way, and how God leads them on this journey. During this time, the catechumens consider what God is saying to them in the Scriptures, what changes in their life they need to make to respond to God's inspiration, and what Baptism in the Catholic Church means.
When a catechumen and the priest and the parish team working with him or her believes the person is ready to make a faith commitment to Jesus in the Catholic Church, the next step is the request for baptism and the celebration of the Rite of Election. Even before the catechumens are baptized, they have a special relationship to the Church.
Rite of Election - The Rite of Election includes the enrollment of names of all those seeking baptism at the coming Easter Vigil. Typically, on the first Sunday of Lent, the catechumens, their sponsors and families gather at the cathedral church. The catechumens publicly express their desire for baptism to the diocesan bishop. Their names are recorded in a book and they are called "the elect. Purification and Enlightment - The days of Lent are the final period of purification and enlightenment leading up to the Easter Vigil.
Lent is a period of preparation marked by prayer, study, and spiritual direction for the elect, and prayers for them by the parish communities. Now the person is fully initiated into the Catholic Church. Mystagogy - After the person is initiated, formation and education continue in the period of the post baptismal catechesis, which is called "mystagogy. During the period the newly baptized members reflect on their experiences at the Easter Vigil and continue to learn more about the Scriptures, the Sacraments, and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
In addition they reflect on how they will serve Christ and help in the Church's mission and outreach activities. Becoming Catholic is a life-long commitment. However, the Christian initiation process typically lasts for several months or longer in order to prepare to take this step. Candidates are gradually introduced to aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices. RCIA is a process - while it involves classes, classes are not the point.
Confirmation Sponsor The sponsor promises to help the child to be a true worker for the Kingdom. The sponsors at Baptism are usually called the godparents.
At Confirmation there is usually just one sponsor. Sometimes it is one of the godparents. What are the steps of confirmation? Reading from the Scripture. Scripture pertaining to Confirmation is read.
Presentation of the Candidates. Renewal of Baptismal Promises. Laying on of Hands. Anointing with Chrism. Prayer of the Faithful. Symbols of Confirmation Fire, which represents the energy and vigor of the Holy Spirit now given to the confirmand. A dove, which points to the peace of soul imparted by the Holy Spirit. If yes, especially in the United States if you are born into a Catholic family, you will almost always receive communion several years prior to being confirmed.
Those joining the Church who are baptized are called Candidates for Confirmation while those who are not yet baptized are called Catechumens. What is RCIA? Who should attend RCIA?
Any non-Catholic who wishes to learn more about the Catholic Faith. How long is the process? What happens in RCIA? The process involves weekly meetings classes from the fall August or September to Pentecost. Usually, 38 classes are scheduled, classes covering, Prayer, Sacraments, The Commandments, Scripture and many other important teachings of the Catholic Church.
The first period, the Period of Evangelization and Precatehumenate Inquiry lasts eight to ten weeks, culminating in a liturgical rite called Acceptance for Catechumens , the first step to becoming a Catholic in full communion with the Catholic Church. After Acceptance is the period of the Catechumenate, a period of continued growth, study, and conversion. At this time, catechumens state that it is their will to receive the sacraments.
During Lent, catechumens experience the Period of Purification and Enlightenment, the final preparation for the Easter Vigil Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation and entrance into the Catholic Church. At the Easter Vigil, sacraments are received and Catechumens are formally recognized as Catholics.
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