Many of you have now been in your RCIA class for some time. A number of people watching the forum may be asking, “now that RCIA is already very far along, will I need to wait until next Fall to join an RCIA class and be received into the local RCC parish.” My question to Tony and others who are moving from the CEC and/or other Christian bodies to the Roman Catholic Church is why must you wait until the Easter Vigil? According to the USCC of Bishops and the “tradition” within my current diocese and that of other jurisdictions where I grew up the following instructions have been followed:

"For those who have been instructed in the Christian faith and have lived as Christians, the situation is different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states, "Those baptized persons who have lived as Christians and need only instruction in the Catholic tradition and a degree of probation within the Catholic community should not be asked to undergo a full program parallel to the catechumenate" (NSC(National stautes for the Catechumenate) 31). For this reason, they should not share in the same, full RCIA programs that catechumens do."

Rather than being received on Easter Vigil, the reception of candidates into the communion of the Catholic Church should ordinarily take place at the Sunday Eucharist of the parish community, in such a way that it is understood that they are indeed Christian believers who have already shared in the sacramental life of the Church and are now welcomed into the Catholic Eucharistic community . . ." (NSC 32).

The timing of their reception into the Church also is different. The U.S. Conference of Bishops states, "It is preferable that reception into full communion not take place at the Easter Vigil lest there be any confusion of such baptized Christians with the candidates for baptism, possible misunderstanding of or even reflection upon the sacrament of baptism celebrated in another church or ecclesial community . . . " (NSC 33).

I recently had a friend contact me who was told that he would need to wait until the next RCIA class at his local parish in order to move from his current AMiA parish to the Roman Catholic Church. He is in a diocese to which I formerly belonged. I posed the question to his bishop and to the dean of our local diocese. I received no response from his bishop, but did receive an affirmative from my local dean of my current diocese. My local dean determined that my friend may be received and confirmed at about any time convenient for him and his local parish priest, according to the protocol quoted above.

What do you think? Have any of the dear readers been received into the RCC at any time other than at the Easter Vigil? If so, what were your circumstances?

I also have a question about reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation for those "not yet" part of the Eucharistic Community of the Roman Catholic Church. I found an answer to this question on Catholic Answers. com.

From www.catholicanswers.com:

Q: Some of the people in our RCIA class are going to be going to confession before they are received into the Church. Is this allowed? When should these people go to confession for the first time?

A: If they are catechumens (people who have never been baptized), then they should not be going to confession at all. Baptism washes away all sins committed prior to its reception, hence there is no need for them to go to confession prior to their baptism into the Church.

It is also not possible for catechumens to receive absolution validly since baptism is the doorway to the other sacraments. Unless someone is baptized, he cannot validly receive any of the other sacraments, including confession.

I suspect that the people you refer to are not catechumens but are already-baptized candidates for reception into the Church. Parishes tend to be good about not sending catechumens to confession.

What parishes tend to be bad about is putting baptized candidates through full RCIA programs before letting them be received into the Church. People who already have been baptized and catechized as Christians are not supposed to be put through full RCIA programs (National Statutes for the Catechumenate 31).

It is probably people of this kind—baptized, catechized Christians who are being forced to sit through a full RCIA course—that are the ones who will be going to confession before they are received.

And they should go: "The celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation with candidates for reception into full communion [i.e., already-baptized people] is to be carried out at a time prior to and distinct from the celebration of the rite of reception. As part of the formation of such candidates, they should be encouraged in the frequent celebration of this sacrament" (NSC 36).

The primary reason these people go to confession before being received into the Church is that they need to be in a state of grace for the licit reception of confirmation and Communion. Since they were baptized some time ago, they likely have committed mortal sins since then, and going to confession makes sure they are in a worthy state to receive the remaining sacraments of initiation.

There is no set time for them to go to confession. In some parishes, it is customary to have them do this sometime during Lent, but this practice is based on the unauthorized practice of forcing baptized candidates to wait till Easter Vigil to be received into the Church alongside with the catechumens.

This is also contrary to the U.S. bishops’ instructions (NSC 33). Precisely when a candidate should go to confession will depend on his particular situation. It may be desirable to have him go to confession only shortly before reception (e.g., a day prior) in order to minimize the chances that he will commit mortal sin before reception and have to go to confession all over again.

Canon law recognizes the principle that special efforts can and should be made to provide absolution to souls in distress (e.g., Code of Canon Law [1983] 986 §2, 1357 §1). Thus if a particular candidate for reception is being tortured in conscience by something he has done or otherwise finds it difficult to go without confession until he is received, he should be given the opportunity to go to confession earlier.

This is to be done, of course, with the recognition that if he commits mortal sin between his first confession and his reception into the Church, he will need to go to confession again before reception. When making this decision, it would be pastorally prudent for the priest to make sure that the candidate does intend to enter the Church (otherwise he could be given absolution only on the same conditions governing Protestants in general; see canon 844 §4) and he should inquire whether the candidate feels a need to go to confession immediately or whether he would be comfortable waiting.

The priest should not pressure the candidate to wait for confession. Doing so might make the candidate’s time of waiting for reception one of tortured conscience, may communicate to him that going to confession is not important, make him feel that the Church (or priest) is not interested in meeting his spiritual needs, may embitter him against the process he is undergoing, and even may turn him away from the Church altogether. All of these things are to be avoided.

The most urgent case for going to confession would be that of a person who is in danger of death. In such a case, the person should not only go to confession immediately but also should be received into the Church immediately—provided, of course, that he is at the point where he can made the profession of faith required for reception.

(We have to add this qualifier because some candidates might be at the point of recognizing and accepting the sacrament of reconciliation but not yet at the point of being able to make a profession of faith in the Church’s teaching authority in general. In that case, the person should be allowed confession, per canon 844 §4, but should not be received into the Church.)

James Akin

Mike,

I brought this up at today's dismissal and no one could readily provide an answer. I will say that coming into the RCC, and the way they structure our RCIA classes, the knowledge I'm gaining by following the complete "ordeal" is a valuable, educational process. Many of the myths I held about Catholicism are being removed, and I am learning to understand why, even though I had received Communion all my life, it is proper that I wait until this process is completed!

What excites me the most about this however is knowing that I'll be a part of the Mass when the Catechumins are Baptized and received into the church. I have always enjoyed the renewal of my Baptismal vows each year in the Anglican Church and I know the Holy Spirit will be present when we are all accepted into the Catholic Church.

So I for one, don't mind going through the whole process as part of this time of year. Probably a different answer applying to anyone going through RCIA during any other part of the year, but I am not knowledgeable enough on how that RCIA process would be different. Enjoy the journey, it is Blessed with His presence!!!

Roy

Nice posts Roy.....


I too am in RCIA and will be confirmed at the Easter Vigil


54 Days and Counting to Home in Rome ;)



Blessings Tony B) :)

Hi Roy, DCMF, Jaybird, Tony, et al going through RCIA. I am very happy it is getting closer!

If you are approached by a Christian, on April 9th and after, wanting to join the Roman Catholic Church, would you urge them to wait until their parish has another RCIA and then join at the next Easter Vigil? Or, join when they can?

For those of you who have already made the journey, was it via RCIA or another route?

Is the RCIA a good experience for those of you who have gone that route? I have taught RCIA a few times in my parish. I signed up to do so after I sat through a very bad RCIA as a sponsor a few years ago. Do you feel like you are getting to know things you would have otherwise not known about being Catholic? Do you feel like the waiting is a good part of the journey?

You may respond here, or I am happy to take your comments by email. :rolleyes:

Mike,

I can explain what my family did . . .

I made my profession of faith, as did my children. My wife, who had been confirmed Catholic, was reconciled to the Church. My youngest daughter was baptized.

All of these events took place at a single service on an Ordinary Time Sunday.

Mike

Good question?


I say I am glad for going through the process but it would have been nicer to be able to get received earlier...... and receive the Eurcharist - Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity :)

Blessing to you and all here ...

The Baloney Man :)

Mike,

I would recommend that they first speak with the Priest who is in charge of the Church they are considering. That may be the best place to start, although the convincing I needed actually came from this web site and in large part from Ken Follis who generously provided some excellent web sites to look at.

As far as your comment about local RCIA classes, I do understand. Please know that my profession was in the media and I can see a number of areas where local congregations can improve this teaching process. Of course it would all have to go the appropriate levels of approval, but I do see where some of the local parishoners, despite their good intentions, aren't necessarily the best teachers.

As an example, I watch EWTN a lot and I really like Fr Corapi and his presentations. That may be his "gift" over and above being a parish Priest. When I discussed him with my local Priest I got the opinion that local Priests may not be watching others teach. And I wonder if this is an "ego" thing simply because of their seminarial education???? (geez, is that a word??) As a media guy I can tell you that some are Blessed to be presenters, as is Corapi, while other's gifts lie elsewhere. Then of course if you have to deal with other Churches in the area who join with one another to put together RCIA programs, you have additional egos to deal with, Is there anyone out there in ministry who hasn't had that problem?

Anyway, just my thoughts


Roy

Just to let you know, Tony, I have heard the same sentiments from several others. Basically, had they knownof the option to "join" earlier, they would have, but they seem to be glad to submit to the process of RCIA at this point and feel like they have learned a good deal.

How many days?

Our parish priest wanted us to go through the RCIA process in order to form relationships with others in the community of believers at our parish. The class has just been "okay", but the process has been good for all of us.

We are looking forward to the Easter vigil, and all it will mean for our family. I think the time it has taken to go through the class has been a good time of healing for all of us.

Actually, that is an EXCELLENT reason!

Blessings,

Nicely Put and I couldn't agree with you more.


Let's keep that focus as we approach Lent... Blessing to all here

Tony :D