Waterloo Catholics

QUIK-CLICK GUIDE TO THIS PAGE
What is the Rite of Christian Initiation?
Who Participates in the RCIA?
How is the RCIA Organized?
How Does the RCIA Work?
What is the Role of Sponsors in the RCIA?
What You Should Expect in the RCIA?
About Marriage and the RCIA
What is the Rite of Christian Reception?
What is the Role of Discernment in the RCIA?
Registration
Current RCIA Schedule
RCIA Scope & Sequence
RCIA Presenters
RCIA Forum
For More Information
 

“Under the movement of divine grace, the new convert sets out
on a spiritual journey by means of which...he passes from the old
man to the new man who has been made perfect in Christ.  This
transition, which involves a progressive change of outlook and
morals, should be manifested in its social implications and effected
gradually during the period of the catechumenate....  Then, having
been delivered from the powers of darkness through the sacraments
of Christian initiation, and having died, been buried and risen with
Christ, they...celebrate with the whole people of God the memorial
of the Lord's death and resurrection.”
--Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity (1965), #13, 14.
 

Information About the
Rite of Christian Initiation
of Adults (RCIA)
in the Catholic Parishes in Waterloo

What is the Rite of Christian Initiation?

     The RCIA is an experience of personal formation and spiritual growth for individuals who are interested in becoming disciples of Jesus in the Catholic tradition.  The RCIA experience incorporates prayer, study, reflection and discernment in a combination of public rituals and community preparation.
    The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is modeled on the initiation ritual of the ancient Christian community and was revived in the Roman Catholic Church following the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.  It is now the principle way that the Catholic community welcomes new members.  (Click here for an explanation of what we mean by "the Catholic Church.")

Who Participates in the RCIA?

    The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults includes three types of individuals:

Catechumens
Catechumens are adult individuals who have never been baptized and have no religious tradition or church affiliation.  Through the Rite of Christian Initiation, Catechumens prepare to celebrate the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Eucharist.

Candidates
Candidates are adult individuals who have been previously baptized.
• Some Candidates may have been baptized in a non-Catholic Christian tradition.  Through the Rite of Christian Initiation, these Candidates prepare to make a ‘Profession of Faith,’ and to celebrate the sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist.
• Other Candidates may have been baptized in the Catholic Church but were not fully catechized or did not complete their initiation in the Catholic Church.  Through the Rite of Christian Initiation, these Candidates prepare to celebrate the sacraments of First Eucharist and/or Confirmation.

Baptized Catholics
Some individuals participating in the Rite of Christian Initiation may be adults who were baptized, fully initiated and catechized in the Catholic Church, but have not been active and/or want to learn more about their Catholic faith. 

    Some participants in the Rite of Christian Initiation may have decided that they wish to become Catholic.  However, others may not be sure, and some may not want to become Catholic but are interested in learning more about the Catholic faith.  Participation in the Rite of Christian Initiation does not assume that a participant will eventually choose to join the Catholic Church.
    Many RCIA participants are married to a Catholic, or planning to marry a Catholic.   Some have not been active in any religious tradition and have no church home.  Others may have been active in another Christian tradition, but never been baptized or fully catechized in that tradition.

How is RCIA organized?

   You may enter the RCIA process at any time. 

   Formal preparation for initiation usually begins in the fall and may last a year or longer.  It is divided into four phases:

• A period of inquiry and discussion, designed to help individuals decide if they are interested in considering fuller participation in the Catholic faith community.  This period is called the Pre-Catechumenate.

• A period of continuing discernment and formation, designed to help individuals understand the Catholic faith and practices of the Catholic community.  This period is called the Catechumenate.

• A period of final discernment and preparation, designed to help individuals finalize their decision and prepare to celebrate the sacraments of initiation, Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.  This period is called the Enlightenment or Purification.

• A period of continuing reflection and formation following initiation, designed to help new Catholics understand their conversion experience and prepare to participate more fully in the life of the Catholic community.  This period is called the Mystagogia. 

How Does RCIA Work?

    The Rite of Christian Initiation includes a combination of private prayer, reflection, and discernment; small group study and faith-sharing; and public rites or rituals designed to celebrate the candidate’s progress toward initiation. 

Catechetical Sessions
    During the Pre-Catechumenate and Catechumenate phases, RCIA participants meet each week with RCIA participants from other local parishes.  The catechetical sessions are designed to address the particular needs, questions and concerns of each participant.  There is an opportunity for questions and discussion, often in small groups or one-on-one. 
    The process will always respect the privacy and personal comfort level of each participant.  Issues and concerns which cannot be discussed in the general session can be addressed in private with a sponsor or a member of the parish staff.

Rituals or Rites of Initiation
    Participants in the RCIA participate in the following public rituals or "rites."

Rite of Acceptance
    The Rite of Acceptance follows a period of Inquiry and precedes the Catechumenate. 
    Through the Rite of Acceptance, individuals declare their initial desire to seek initiation into the Catholic faith community.  The faith community, in turn, declares its willingness to accept them as persons who intend to become its members.  The local pastor is the normal presiding celebrant for the Rite of Election.  (See Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, #41) 
    In order to celebrate the Rite of Acceptance, there should be evidence that the candidate has experienced growth in spiritual life and has a preliminary understanding of Christian teaching.  This evidence of “first faith” and initial conversion includes:
• the “intention to change their lives;”
• the “first stirrings of repentance;”
• the beginning of a life of prayer;
• a sense of Church, and
• some experience of the faith community.
(See Rite of Christian Intitiation of Adults, #42.)

Rite of Election
    The Rite of Election follows the Catechumenate and precedes the period of Enlightenment.  It usually coincides with the beginning of the Lent. 
    In the Rite of Election, individuals declare their intention to advance toward the sacraments of initiation and full participation in the Catholic faith community.  The community, in turn, expresses its acceptance (election) of the individuals and its confidence that they have been chosen and accepted by God.  The bishop is the normal presiding celebrant for the Rite of Election.  (See Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, #118, 119, 121.)
    The Church assumes that individuals who seek to celebrate the Rite of Election have:
• experienced a “conversion in mind and in action;”
• developed “a sufficient understanding of Christian teaching;”
• developed the intention to receive the sacraments of the Church
• and display “a spirit of faith and charity;”
(See Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, #120.)

Scrutinies and Rites of Exorcism
    The Scrutinies and Rites of Exorcism take place during the period of Enlightenment.  They usually take place during the principle Sunday Mass on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays in Lent.
    The Scrutinies and Rites of Exorcism coincide with the Catechumens’ and Candidates’ final preparation for the Rites of Initiation, which are usually celebrated at the Easter Vigil.  They are designed to inspire in the Catechumens and Candidates (and in the assembly) a desire for purification and redemption made available to the Church through the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.  The local astor is the normal celebrant for the Scrutinies and Rites of Exorcism.
    The Scrutinies and Rites of Exorcism seek to uncover and heal what is weak, defective and sinful, while strengthening what is upright, strong and good.  The community assumes that individuals who participate in the Scrutinies and Rites of Exorcism:
• have grown in their appreciation for Jesus Christ as the living water, the
  light of the world, the resurrection and the life.
• have a sincere intention to seek a deeper knowledge of Christ and his
  Church;
• are progressing in their understanding of sin and their desire for
  salvation;
• desire to continue growing in genuine self-knowledge through an
  examination of their lives and sincere repentance.
(See Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, #141-146.)

     All of the public rites and rituals are conducted in such a way that no individual will be embarrassed or intimidated.  Except for the final rites of Initiation, all of the preliminary rites are conducted as a group.  The names of individual Catechumens and Candidates will be announced, and you may be addressed individually by the celebrant.  Responses are ritual responses, which are the same for each person, and may be made as a group or as individuals.  Participants will always be informed of the appropriate ritual responses, gestures and procedures in advance.

Breaking Open the Word
    RCIA participants also participate in Breaking Open the Word, which takes place each week during or after Sunday Mass in the local parish.  Breaking Open the Word is a continuing opportunity to discuss the Sunday scripture readings and the participants’ personal journey of faith.

What is the Role of Sponsors?

    Sponsors play an important role in the initiation process.  They remind us that we are participating in a process of conversion, which involves a personal experience of being welcomed into a faith community of human persons.  RCIA sponsors represent the faith community; they insure that no individual walks the journey of conversion on their own.
    There are three types of sponsors or companions in the RCIA process, and each has a distinct role.

Parish Sponsors
    Parish Sponsors serve as formal representatives of the Catholic faith community.  They are active Catholics who represent the local parish community, and, by extension, the universal church.  They are generally chosen by the parish Director of Initiation.  Parish Sponsors may be personal friends or relatives of the candidate (such as a spouse or fiance) if they are also members of the local parish community and are able and willing to assume responsibilities of the Sponsor.
    The Parish Sponsor accompanies the candidate through the periods of Catechumenate, Enlightment and Mystagogia.  He or she serves the candidate as a mentor, a companion, and a representative of the faith community. 
• As a mentor, the sponsor serves as a living example or role model of what it means to be a person of faith.
• As a companion, the sponsor accompanies the candidate to RCIA activities, is available to the candidate outside of RCIA process, encourages and supports the candidate in the discernment process, offers the candidate guidance and understanding when the candidate is doubtful or hesitant, and, if necessary, challenges the candidate to be faithful to the discernment process.
• As a representative of the faith community, the sponsor helps the candidate feel welcome, introduces the candidate to other members of the faith community, and invites the candidate to participate in community activities.    
Parish Sponsors may serve as Sacramental Sponsors if they meet the criteria outlined below; however, candidates do not have to choose their Parish Sponsor as their Sacramental Sponsor.

Family Companions
   Family Companions serve as personal representatives of the Catholic faith community and provide personal support to participants in the RCIA process.  They may or may not be members of the local parish community, but should be members of the Catholic Church who are active in practicing their Catholic faith.  Family Companions are chosen by the candidate and may be personal friends or relatives of the candidate such as a spouse or fiance.
   The Family Companion accompanies the candidate through the periods of Inquiry, Catechumenate, Enlightenment and Mystagogia.  He or she serves the candidate primairly as a personal companion, may may also serve to some extent as a personal mentor and a representative of the faith community.
• The Family Companion accompanies the candidate to as many RCIA activities as possible, encourages and supports the candidate in the discernment process, and offers the candidate guidance and understanding based on his or her personal experience as a person of faith.
• A Family Companion is an optional support.  Participants in the RCIA process do not have to choose a Family Companion.

Sacramental Sponsors
   Every individual who celebrates a sacrament of initiation in the Catholic Church chooses a Sacramental Sponsor.  In the case of individuals who are being baptized, these sponsors are called Baptism Sponsors (or "Godparents"); for individuals celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation they are call Confirmation Sponsors.  A Sacramental Sponsor is a representative of the Catholic faith community and a personal role model, confidant, and friend for the individual candidate; they should be chosen by the candidate in consultation with the parish Director of Initiation.
   The Sacramental Sponsor accompanies the candidate through the periods of Enlightenment and Mystagogia, and should continue to play an influential role in the candidate's life after completion of the initiation process.
   RCIA Sponsors may serve as Sacramental Sponsors if they meet the criteria outlined below; however, candidates do not have to choose their RCIA Sponsor as their Sacramental Sponsor.
    Sacramental Sponsors must meet the following criteria:
• Be at least 16 years old.
• Be a baptized Catholic who has also celebrated the Sacrament of
  Confirmation.
• Be participating as fully as possible in the spiritual and sacramental life
  of the Catholic church.
• Be an individual the candidate admires and respects as a good role
  model of Christian living.
   Sacramental Sponsors may:
• Be of either gender.
• Be a relative or friend, but not the candidate’s birth-parent.    
• Be the candidate’s Baptism Sponsor (Godparent) if the candidate was
  baptized as a Catholic.
(As a general rule should not be the candidate’s spouse or fiance.)

Here are some questions a candidate might consider when choosing a sponsor or companion:
• Is this a person of faith?  Is he or she actively involved in the spiritual and
  sacramental life of the Catholic faith community?
• Is this a person whose life is a good example of the Christian values and
  virtues which you will try to imitate?
• Are prayer, service, and commitment a real part of this person’s
  everyday life?
• Has this person grown in his or her own faith over the years?  Has he or
  she struggled to understand the effort, maturity, commitment and doubt
  which an adult commitment to Jesus Christ entails?
• Is this person able and willing to share his or her faith experience with
  me?  Am I able and willing to share my faith experience with this person?
• Is this person able and willing to help me feel welcome in the Catholic
  faith community and help me grow in my participation in the Catholic
  Church?
• Is this person reliable and trustworthy?  Can I depend on him or her to
  fulfill the responsibilities of a sponsor or companion and to respect my
  privacy and confidentiality?

What Should You Expect if You Participate in the RCIA?

    If you participate in the RCIA process you should expect to grow in your understanding of the Catholic faith and to deepen your own personal spiritual life, even if you choose not to become Catholic. 
    You should also expect:
• to be treated with respect, understanding and confidentiality.
• to have your questions, concerns, doubts and fears respectfully
  considered and fully addressed.
• to have any previous religious or spiritual experience carefully respected.
• to never be surprised by any aspect of the RCIA process, and to be fully
  informed about expectations and opportunities for participation in the
  Catholic faith community.
• to make your own free choice about participation in the RCIA and/or
  membership in the Catholic Church.
• to be guided, encouraged and supported in discerning your decision,
  and explaining your choice to family and friends.
• to be warmly and sincerely welcomed by members of the Catholic faith
  community.

About Marriage and the RCIA